By Cliff Rold
Anyone bitching this week, with this schedule, isn’t really a boxing fan.
Sorry.
They’re just not.
Every fight might not turn out to be good. All of the best fights won’t be instantly available. However, anyone who claims to love boxing, who knows what they’re looking at on the schedule between March 26 and 27, 2010 and doesn’t get a little shiver of excitement down their spine, is living a lie.
U.S. fans HAD a pretty nifty little ESPN2 Friday show on the way but it has ultimately fallen apart (see the main page for lots of headlines and details).
That still leaves two major U.S. aired broadcasts and some incredible overseas action to look forward to.
These are the picks of the week.
Pick Super (Six): #3 Arthur Abraham vs. #7 Andre Dirrell (Saturday, Showtime, 10:30 PM EST/PST)
After a short delay, what looks to be the most intriguing style clash of Stage Two of the Super Six Super Middleweight tournament is upon us…just in time to announce a delay in the Andre Ward-Allan Green fight originally scheduled for next month. While the delays have some grumpy, they aren’t that bad and push the tournament back from original schedules just a little bit. Abraham (31-0, 25 KO) and Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO) is what’s happening now and, as a stand-alone fight, it’s solid. Abraham has never faced anyone this elusive; Dirrell has never seen anyone who can punch like this. The implications for the tournament add to the allure. A win, or draw, for Abraham guarantees him a slot in the semi-finals. A knockout win probably guarantees him the number one seed (if seeding there will be). Dirrell, whose points defeat to Carl Froch in round one remains controversial amongst some viewers, needs at least a draw to keep himself from a third round which would likely demand for a knockout win. Arguably the most athletically gifted fighter in the Super Six, Dirrell over Abraham would supplant Ward over Mikkel Kessler as the biggest upset so far. This is Saturday’s must see “live” show.
Pick B.A.D. DVR: Maidana-Cayo AND Funeka-Guzman II (Saturday, HBO, 10:30 PM EST/PST)
How big of a star is Amir Khan expected to be? How much protection are his handlers willing to provide with the belief? Those answers begin unfolding this weekend in an excellent Jr. Welterweight match between #7 Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KO) and undefeated Victor Cayo (24-0, 16 KO). Maidana should be challenging for Khan’s WBA belt; instead, this bout for the interim WBA honors takes place as Maidana is kept on T.V. but away from Khan. Why? See: Khan KO by 1 Breidis Prescott or just see Maidana beat the “potential star” out of Victor Ortiz. On the undercard, #3 Lightweight Ali Funeka (30-2-3, 25 KO) will attempt to kick #7 Joan Guzman’s (29-0-1, 17 KO) ass for a second time in the hopes that he can leave with a victory just once. Let’s be clear; that is what happened the first time they met last November. Funeka beat Guzman down only to be slapped with some of the most criminal judging of recent years. Guzman is bound to be better this time…will Funeka even be as good? Fans of another time will remember that, after laying a whooping on the great Azumah Nelson only to be jailhoused with a draw verdict in 1991, Jeff Fenech was never the same in the ring again. No fighter ever took his heart but worthless, disgraceful judging might have. Let’s hope for Funeka’s sake history does not repeat itself any more than it already has.
Pick Earth: Big Fights Abound
Those who appreciate the ability of technology to shrink the world will find no better time than this Friday and Saturday. Here’s some of what to look for (and still not all of what’s to come; this is just the likely best of it) in a weekend with multiple Fight of the Year potentials unfolding:
• Likely a YouTube searcher, #3 Strawweight Raul Garcia (27-0, 16 KO, IBF) and Nkosinathi Joyi (20-0, 15 KO) lock horns in a potential Fight of the Year candidate Friday;
• On U.S. pay-per-view Saturday, there is the comeback of Erik Morales with an undercard featuring Hugo Garay-Chris Henry at Light Heavyweight and a look at thrilling #1 105 lb. titlist Roman Gonzalez (these Integrated Sports shows tend to kick butt);
• Fox Sports Net has former 108 lb. titlist, #6 Ulises Solis (29-2-2, 20 KO) locking up with veteran Bert Batawang (as always, because who knows if or when these shows will be pre-empted, CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS on Saturday)
And that’s not even the best of it because, at 112 and 118 lbs., the matching gets even better for those willing to spend even more time on YouTube and Google Video.
• In Japan, Lineal World Flyweight champ Koki Kameda (22-0, 14 KO) makes his first defense of the crown against the division’s record holder for consecutive defenses, #3 Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (74-3-1, 39 KO). Kameda won the title from Wonjongkam’s longtime rival, and the man who ended the Thai great’s reign, Daisuke Naito. Ring Magazine will recognize the winner as champ which is just a peach when considering that if they’d just gone with the lineage found in their own back issues, the vacant sign could have been turned off from jump; and
• In Venzuela, the WBA Bantamweight title is up for grabs as titlist Anselmo Moreno (28-1-1, 10 KO) and interim titlist Nehomar Cermeno (19-0, 11 KO) gear up for another of the weekend’s potential Fights of the Year. Seriously…two Panamanian-born warriors scrapping on the WBA’s big annual card? Blood will be spilled and Moreno is one to watch. If he wins, is the hold Hozumi Hasegawa has on the #1 spot at 118 really that strong? Is Moreno deserving of consideration as a pound-for-pound level talent in the way Hasegawa’s esteem has been growing. Bantamweight is a special place right now.
This weekend is a special time for fight fans.
For BoxingScene’s latest full divisional ratings, log on to: https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/view.php?pg=boxing-ratings
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
