Pick It: TBRB #7 Ivan Baranchyk vs. #9 Jose Zepeda (Saturday, ESPN+, 7:30 PM EST)
Jr. welterweight has plenty going for it right now and while the world waits for a unification clash between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor, the rest of the field has to keep their spot in line.
Former titlist Ivan Barnchyk (20-1, 13 KO) and former title challenger Jose Zepeda (32-2, 25 KO) can get closer to another shot at the brass ring here. One of them will see it slip farther away; the drama of competition. Budding lightweight Gabriel Flores (18-0, 6 KO) will also be in action.
Additional Shows to Watch For
Friday - Flores vs. Contreras (Telemundo, 12 AM EST)
One of the fun parts of boxing can be looking for new, fresh faces as they hone their craft. 20-year old featherweight Carlos Flores (20-0, 11 KO) may be a contender or champion someday. Right now, he’s a young guy cutting his teeth against 28-year old Dennis Contreras (22-10-1, 20 KO). Contreras has been in with world class Emanuel Navarrete, only been stopped twice, and carries some pop. He’s just the sort of learning opponent young fighters can build a future on.
Saturday – #1 Sor Rungvisai vs. Fajardo (YouTube, 3:45 PM EST)
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (48-5-1, 41 KO) busted some rust against Amnat Ruenroeng in a surprisingly fun little match. He’s keeping sharp with an eye on bigger names in 2021. Jomar Fajardo (17-17-2, 10 KO) has been stopped ten times, including in four of his last five fights. Don’t blink.
Saturday – Magsayo vs. Hermosillo (FS1, 8 PM EST)
25-year old Filipino featherweight Mark Magsayo (20-0, 14 KO) gets some spotlight the week after the biggest PBC show of the year. 28-year old Rigoberto Hermosillo (11-2-1, 8 KO) has lost two in a row but never been stopped. Magsayo has little margin of error with top four ratings in both the WBC and IBF ratings. Keep an eye out for welterweight prospect Paul Kroll (7-0, 6 KO) on the undercard.
Sunday – Buatsi vs. Calic (DAZN, 2 PM EST)
Undefeated light heavyweights round out the weekend. 27-year old Joshua Buatsi (12-0, 10 KO) is riding seven straight stoppages while 33-year old Marko Calic (11-0, 6 KO) is coming off his first eight round decision win. Who is a man of tomorrow? Also on the show, undefeated Jr. welterweights fight for a vacant WBC crown. 29-year old Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KO) was an excellent amatuer looking for some professional gold. Adriana Araujo (6-0, 1 KO) would rather carry the strap home with her to Brazil.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at
roldboxing@hotmail.com
