By Steve Kim
WBA/IBO super welterweight titlist Erislandy Lara (25-2-2, 14 KOs) attempts to unify his belt against IBF belt-holder Jarret Hurd (21-0, 15 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in what is the featured attraction on Showtime this Saturday night.
Ronnie Shields, who trains the Cuban southpaw believes that this is a blend of two contrasting styles will make for an interesting battle.
"Absolutely, Hurd is one of these guys who's going to come forward, throw punches all the time. So that style matches up perfectly," said Shields to BoxingScene.com.
The two boxers performed on the same card last October at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It was a junior middleweight world title tripleheader with WBC champion Jermell Charlo appearing in the third contest.
Hurd, who halted Austin Trout in ten rounds back in the co-featured bout of that card, is an aggressive fighter who has a high punch volume. While Lara - who decisioned undefeated Olympian Terrell Gausha in the televised main event - is the consummate boxer.
"Look, my guy is who he is," said Shields, who then explained, "I tell you this, you know my guy is winning when the crowd is not into it. We know we're winning when that occurs."
For Lara, his goal is to please his trainer and not the fans.
"What they want to see is two guys standing toe-to-toe trying to take each other's head off, that's what they want to see but that's not boxing," said Shields.
Also on the card, IBF super middleweight world champion Caleb Truax, who rematches former champion and Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale in the co-featured attraction. And the Showtime televised tripleheader will open up with a 154-pound title eliminator between top contenders Julian Williams and Nathaniel Gallimore.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com