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There are competing cards tonight on HBO and ESPN, where both have broadcasts featuring fighters from the super featherweight class. ESPN has the showdown between WBO world champion Vasyl Lomachenko and challenger Guillermo Rigondeaux in a battle of two-time Olympic gold medal winners from the Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Earlier today from the Mandalay Bay, Orlando Salido, needed two attempts to make the 131-pound weight limit for his match-up against Miguel Roman, that takes place tomorrow night. In the past Salido has had his issues at the scales. But Sean Gibbons his adviser explained to BoxingScene.com - "The Nevada scale, the big scale that we weighed on, the scale was off."
So what's the latest on 'Planet Pacquiao'? The last time we saw Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs), the Filipino superstar lost his WBO welterweight title when he was upset - losing a twelve round unanimous decision to unbeaten Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia on July 1st. It was the only fight of 2017 for the 38 year future Hall-of-Famer and it's not clear what the future holds for him.
Undefeated super welterweight, Jaime Munguia (25-0, 21 KO's), will be featured on HBO Latino this Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where he faces Paul Valenzuela Jr. (20-6, 14 KO's). Munguia is a bit reminiscent of another Mexican fighter from the past, Antonio Margarito, with his fan-friendly style.
Miguel Berchelt (32-1, 28 KO's) was supposed to be facing Orlando Salido in defense of his WBC 130-pound title in an HBO televised main event on Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas - but he pulled out citing inflammation in his right hand. But it's been a successful 2017 campaign for 'el Alacran'
This weekend from the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, WBO super featherweight titlist Vasyl Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs) faces Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs) in an unprecedented battle of two-time Olympic gold medalists that will be televised on ESPN. If Lomachenko should come out victorious, what's in store for the gifted southpaw in 2018?
IBF super flyweight belt-holder Jerwin Ancajas has been creating some buzz recently with a string of strong outings, most recently his sixth round stoppage of Jamie Conlan on November 18th in Belfast. Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 KO's) is part of a strong weight class that is now featured regularly on HBO.
It was a disappointing farewell for Miguel Cotto, who lost his final career fight to Sadam Ali at the Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Cotto, a future Hall-of-Famer and a four division world champion, leaves the sport with a record of 41-6 (33 KO's). The Puerto Rican star faded down the stretch and said he suffered a torn left bicep in the second half of the contest.
By upsetting Miguel Cotto in his farewell fight this past weekend at the Madison Square Garden in New York this past weekend, United States Olympian Sadam Ali (26-1, 14 KO's) captured the WBO junior middleweight title. Cotto was a big favorite, but the younger Ali proved to be too much for the former four division world champion. Prior to the contest, there was a lot of focus on Ali's sole career defeat - a 2016 knockout at the hands of Jessie Vargas, who is not regarded as a big puncher.
Young lightweight contender, Ryan Martin (20-0, 11 KO's), was supposed to be a part of the December 9th undercard at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. But an injury has scuttled those plans. A meeting has been scheduled for next week, between Team Martin and promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, to work out the details of the boxer's next ring return and a potential world title shot in 2018.