Boxing Challenge

The boxing challenge is back with a four-fight weekend with three different venues and some interesting fights.

In Scotland, the World Boxing Super Series is back with matches in the bantamweight and junior welterweight tournaments that will complete the semi-final round in both brackets.

In the bantamweight division, WBA champion Ryan Burnett will defend his title against veteran Nonito Donaire.
Burnett, an aggressive fighter that lacks a big punch, selected Donaire, a one-time great fighter that seems to be on the downside of his career and is dropping back down in what at one time was his best weight.
The interesting part is seeing just what Donaire has left at the end of a great career and how much does he lose dropping eight pounds and two divisions from his April fight against Carl Frampton?
If this weight loss doesn't take too much out of him and if he can summon another sizable effort, Donaire has the ability to win this title and pull an upset.
The winner of this fight will meet WBO champion Zolani Tete in the semi-finals.

The other challenge fight from Glasgow does not have a title on the line but is a WBSS quarter-final at 140 pounds as Scotland's Josh Taylor meets American Ryan Martin for the right to meet IBF champion Ivan Baranchyk in the next round.
Taylor, who defeated former WBC champ Viktor Postol impressively in his last fight, has defeated two former champions in his 13 wins (Postol and Miguel Vasquez) and is the second seed in tournament, while Martin is 18-0, but faces his first quality opponent (other than the shopworn Bredis Prescott in his last fight) and has a tough task on the road in Scotland.

ESPN+ beams their signal from El Paso as the challenge fight matches WBC junior lightweight champion Miguel Berchelt in a mandatory defense against Mickey Roman.
Berchelt will be making his fourth defense against the rugged veteran Roman, who moved to the mandatory position after an upset of Orlando Salido last December.
The big punching Berchelt should be able to look very strong against the straightforward Roman.

The final challenge fight is the main event from a Facebook Live card in New York as light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera takes on local fringe contender Seanie Monaghan.
This appears to be a mismatch made mainly because Monaghan can sell tickets in the New York area and was brutally overmatched in his only attempt at world class opposition when Marcus Browne knocked him out in two rounds.
Barrera is coming off a knockout loss to WBA champion Dmitry Bivol in his last fight but owns wins over far better opposition than Monaghan.

I lead Ramon Malpica 177-154 in the boxing challenge

WBA Bantamweight Title/World Boxing Super Series Quarter-Final 12 Rds
Ryan Burnett vs Nonito Donaire
R.L: Burnett Unanimous Decision
TRS: Burnett Split Decision

World Boxing Super Series Junior Welterweight Quarter-Final. 12 Rds
Josh Taylor vs Ryan Martin
R.L: Martin Unanimous Decision
TRS: Taylor Unanimous Decision

WBC Junior Lightweight Title.12 Rds
Miguel Berchelt vs Mickey Roman
R.L: Berchelt KO 8
TRS: Berchelt KO 6

Light Heavyweights. 12 Rds
Sullivan Barrera vs Seanie Monaghan
R.L: Barrera Unanimous Decision
TRS: Barrera KO 4