by Cliff Rold

Four Fight of the Year contenders in three weeks is what boxing is sitting on at the moment.  Can it go six in four?

The possibility surely exists.

This weekend, two sensational matches will take place as Showtime’s Bantamweight tournament concludes.  Both have the ingredients to be classics.  Does a Strawweight tilt taking place off the U.S. radar?

These are the picks of the week.

Pick Tourney: #3 Joseph Agbeko vs. #5 Abner Mares & #4 Yonnhy Perez vs. #7 Vic Darchinyan (Saturday, Showtime, 10:30 PM EST/PST)

Any serious boxing fan has this Saturday circled on the calendar.  How could they not?  The best division in boxing (though Lightweight might be catching quicker than most realize on it and Jr. Welterweight) is putting two can’t miss fights on the tube.  It’s tough to pick a winner in either contest but safe to assume fans will win in the end.  Why so safe?  These four have already been mixed a matched in five fights (three before the tournament and two in) and the worst of the lot was Joseph Agbeko defeating Vic Darchinyan.  That wasn’t a bad fight.  As far as low points go, it speaks to the excellence of this rivalry.  Don’t be fooled either.  It’s not over after Saturday.  The potential for more rematches, maybe even some trilogies, is strong.  The telecast will start with Perez (20-1-1, 14 KO), coming off his rematch loss to Agbeko, facing the former Flyweight and still lineal (for the moment) World Jr. Bantamweight Champ Darchinyan.  In the main event, Agbeko (28-2, 22 KO) defends the IBF belt against the former Mexican Olympian Mares (21-0-1, 13 KO).  It’s hard not wish it was Saturday already.  

Pick Deuce: Breidis Prescott vs. Bayan Jargal (Friday, ESPN2, 10:30 PM EST/7:30 PM PST)

 

ESPN2 has, going back to last year, steadily returned to the house of solid action and development that made ESPN a staple of boxing cable for years.  It got away from it for a while but, as was evidenced in a stellar action card last week, the gears are going again.  This Friday, the only man to defeat current WBA Jr. Welter titlist Amir Khan is on display.  To say he hasn’t capitalized on that 2008 first round knockout win is an understatement.  Prescott (23-1, 19 KO) lost two straight in 2009 and picked up a couple humdrum dukes last year.  This Friday is critical if he ever wants to become a genuine contender and Jargal (15-1, 10 KO) is likely to be just as hungry.  2008 U.S. Olympian Demtrius Andrade (12-0, 8 KO) is also on the card with much to prove.  The once can’t miss prospect has looked like can miss T.V. recently, an amateur with professional obligations.  The talent is there.  2011 is when we find out if there be cattle to go with the hat. 

Pick Thai: #8 Kwanthai Sithmorseng vs. Muhammad Rachman (Tuesday, Thailand, ?)

By the time most read this, this 105 lb. title bout may be over.  The results will tell much of whether it’s worth seeking out.  The story dynamic isn’t bad.  Sithmorseng (31-0, 17 KO) is a fresh new, if not fistically young at 29, WBA titlist coming off a spit decision title win.  Rachman, the Indonesian former IBF beltholder, is 29 and looks done…but sometimes the aged can be tricky.  Keep an eye on the littlest men to find out.

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