by Cliff Rold

Pick It: TBRB #4 Richard Commey vs. #10 Raymundo Beltran (Friday, ESPN, 10 PM EST)

Ghana’s 32-year old IBF lightweight titlist Richard Commey (28-2, 25 KO) may be in line for a unification showdown with Vasyl Lomachenko. All he has to do is keep winning. Friday, he’ll have to do it against a tried veteran who missed weight, putting Commey in the unfair position of being able to lose his crown to a man who can’t win it.

Mexico’s 38-year old former titlist Raymundo Beltran (36-8-1, 22 KO) can still win the fight and keep his career vibrant. It’s an interesting clash with real stakes if Commey can win. Also on the show, welterweight Carlos Adames can continue to position himself as a potential challenger for Terence Crawford given their mutual Top Rank ties. Additional undercard action will air on ESPN+ beginning at 7 PM EST.

Additional Shows to Watch For

Friday – DAZN (1:30 PM EST): Scardina vs. Goddi

Fans starting their weekend early will find this clash of super middleweights in Italy. 27-year old Daniele Scardina (16-0, 14 KO) can crack but enters off his first ten-round distance win. 31-year old Alessandro Goddi (35-4-1, 17 KO) has only been stopped once but has lost two his last four.

Friday – ESPN+ (3 PM EST): Walsh vs. Paulin

Afternoon featherweight action will air from the UK. 33-year old Ryan Walsh (23-2-2, 11 KO) is unbeaten since 2016 but 28-year old Lewis Paulin (12-0, 3 KO) has never lost at all. The dream of future major title opportunities will carry over the action here.

Saturday – DAZN (7 PM EST): #7 Andrade vs. #10 Sulecki

A clash of top ten middleweights will air from the champion’s home court in Rhode Island. 31-year old 2008 US Olympian Demetrius Andrade (27-0, 17 KO) attempts the second defense of his WBO middleweight belt against 30-year old Polish contender Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KO). Sulecki has never been stopped and his only loss is to Daniel Jacobs. Also on the card, WBA 115 lb. titlist Khalid Yafai (25-0, 15 KO) defends against 28-year old Norbelto Jimenez (29-8-4, 16 KO). Former WBO heavyweight titlist Joseph Parker is also in action.

Saturday – Showtime (9 PM EST): #4 Charlo vs. Adams

Promoted(?) this week by the WBC to their full titlist, Houston’s 29-year old Jermall Charlo (28-0, 21 KO) may actually now be farther away from the biggest fights at middleweight. He is running on a parallel track to the middleweight cluster on DAZN and can do little but keep winning. 29-year old Brandon Adams (21-2, 13 KO) of Norwalk, California isn’t assumed to be too big an obstacle to victory but he’s win four straight since being stopped in the Boxcino tournament in 2015 and did manage to win the last iteration of the “Contender” tournament. Could Adams be the latest to stun in a year full of upsets? 

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com