By Cliff Rold
Friends can get together and make an entertaining scrap. It was there for the world to see last Saturday as Jermain Taylor worked over former Olympic team and roommate Jeff Lacy. No, it wasn’t anything quite as epic as Simon Brown-Maurice Blocker, but there was never a need to reach for the remote.
This weekend shouldn’t provide any of that either and there won’t be many warm fuzzies along the way to the ring. Boxing’s remaining calendar is fantastic, even including De La Hoya-Pacquiao; let’s hope not despite it. This is one of weekends signifying why. The two biggest fights of the week feature pick ‘em matches with high stakes and four fighters with something to prove. With a pistol to the temple, what’s the best bet of all?
These are the picks of what could be one of the year’s best weeks.
Pick It: Steve Molitor-Celestino Caballero (ShoBox, Friday 11 PM EST/PST)
With an undisputed champion facing a man who has a case as his top contender on HBO, why is this one the fight of the week? It all comes down to risk and reward in this matchup of top Jr. Featherweights. Both the 28-year old IBF titlist Molitor (28-0, 11 KO) and 32-year old WBA titlist Celestino Caballero (30-2, 21 KO) could do what so many others with belts do. They could stay home and make easier money against the locals, carve out a decent living. However, to make big money they need bigger profiles and they’ve elected to take this fight against each other. It might be the least heralded unification bout ever aired in the U.S., and one of the cheapest, and yet here they both are. This is a make or break moment for both men and the winner should, unless the fight is just terrible, have a mandate to face World champion Israel Vasquez. The great thing is, the fight shouldn’t be terrible. While not a huge puncher, Molitor boxes aggressively and Caballero does as well. Caballero’s freakish four-inch height advantage is going to mean Molitor will need to win inside and wear the older man’s legs down. The possibilities are endless and this is one hardcore fight fans can salivate for.
Pick Too: Ricky Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi (HBO, Saturday 10 PM EST/7 PM PST)
When one of the biggest rainmakers in Boxing gets knocked out by the game’s best and then almost knocked out by an aging contender, what to do? Find the best possible opponent who can’t punch not named Floyd Mayweather or Juan Lazcano, which is what World Jr. Welterweight champion Ricky Hatton (43-1, 31 KO) has found with Paulie Malignaggi (23-1, 5 KO). Team Hatton may live to regret the choice and this fight could wind up being very entertaining. Malignaggi showed against Miguel Cotto that, even with an elusive style, he’s willing to mix from the pocket and take a beating to win rounds. Against Cotto in 2006, he won at least four and Hatton hasn’t looked that imposing in a while. Malignaggi is certain to be as up for this one as he has ever been and Hatton has to be ready to fight a full twelve. Keep an eye on the officiating in this one; how much inside fouling Hatton is allowed to get away with could tell the tale.
Pick YouTube: Hugo Garay-Juergen Braehmer (Overseas)
Reprinting from the week this was originally scheduled: WBA Light Heavyweight titlist Hugo Garay (31-3, 17 KO) makes his first defense against the capable and heavy handed Juergen Braehmer (31-1, 25 KO). Garay has only two real losses minus an odd DQ, and both came in arguable fashion to lineal champion Zsolt Erdei. Braehmer has only one loss, avenged by knockout. This fight is a welcome addition to a spate of quality fall action at 175 lbs.
Not a bad week at all in Boxing. Something for everyone, a little bit of everywhere.
Back in seven.
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