Friday, April 19, 2019

Boxing Challenge

It's a big weekend in the boxing challenge as the first of three big fight weekends in a row begins with eight fights in the challenge.

The biggest fight of the weekend is with ESPN on Pay Per View as Top Rank presents arguably the top fighter in the world today defending his championship.
It depends on who you ask on the topic of the best fighter for their answer, but there would be some that would give the answer of WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford, who defends that title against former junior welterweight champion Amir Khan.
I'm not as down on this fight as many are. Khan has skills, he hits with some pop, he's an underrated boxer and he'll take chances and fight anyone put in front of him (except countryman Kell Brook for some reason).
Khan has one problem- an unreliable chin that has seen him on the floor more often than you can count off-hand and has been knocked out three times.
I doubt Khan's chin holds up in this one either as I think he'll win a few rounds and be in the fight for the first half before Crawford turns up the heat and finishes Khan in the second half.

The top three undercard bouts all are part of the challenge with two of Top Rank's top prospects in action and a fighter that was once thought to be a future star but fizzled out in orbit.
Featherweight prospect Shakur Stevenson faces a strong test in former world title challenger Christopher Diaz, while the electrifying lightweight Teofimo Lopez battles another former title challenger Edis Tatli.
Stevenson seems to have the tougher test of the two, but I expect both to emerge victorious in their matchups.
Felix Verdejo was once a rising star on the same level as Lopez and Diaz before out of the ring problems and injuries forced him out of the ring for far too long, followed by being knocked out in his return by Antonio Lozada in the final round, when he only had to survive to win a close decision.
Verdejo has won one squash since, but he's matched well against veteran Bryan Vasquez, who has fought many top opponents but beaten few of them.
It'll be interesting to see how Verdejo looks in this one.

While to see the above fights will cost you eighty dollars on PPV, the PBC counter-programs with a free slate on Fox.
The main event is an interesting pairing between former welterweight champion Danny Garcia and rugged Adrian Granados.
Garcia lost a decision for the vacant WBC title to Shawn Porter last year for the same title that Garcia lost to Keith Thurman, who had vacated that title during one of Thurman's eight-year layoffs.
Granados lost to the same Porter in his last major fight and has fallen short against his best opponents, although his loss to Adrien Broner could have gone to either fighter.

Heavyweight Andy Ruiz returns against Alexander Dimitrenko in a crossroads bout.
Ruiz has had problems with weight and staying in shape, but has fast hands when at his best, while Dimitrenko fought well before being stopped in the ninth by Bryant Jennings in his last fight.

Two minor titles are on the line with talented banger Brandon Figueroa facing Yonfrez Parejo in a junior featherweight bout in one while former flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero will fight Ricardo Espinoza in the other for a bantamweight trinket.
Figueroa should be favored over the veteran Parejo and a stoppage would be impressive as Parejo took former bantamweight champions Ryan Burnett and Zhanat Zhakiyanov the full distance in losses.
Casimero holds knockout wins over current WBC flyweight champion Charlie Edwards and knocked out Amnat Ruenroeng to win the IBF flyweight strap, but is untested at 118 pounds. while Espinoza has 20 KO's in his 23 wins, but in facing Casimero is taking a jump in class.

In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 79-71.

WBO Welterweight Title. 12 Rds
Terence Crawford vs Amir Khan
R.L: Crawford KO 10
TRS: Crawford KO 8

Featherweights. 10 Rds
Shakur Stevenson vs Christopher Diaz
R.L: Stevenson KO 7
TRS: Stevenson Unanimous Decision

Lightweights. 10 Rds
Teofimo Lopez vs Edis Tatli
R.L: Lopez KO 5
TRS: Lopez KO 3

Lightweights. 10 Rds
Felix Verdejo vs Bryan Vasquez
Both: Verdejo Unanimous Decision

Welterweights 12 Rds
Danny Garcia vs Adrian Granados
Both: Garcia Unanimous Decision

Heavyweights. 10 Rds
Andy Ruiz vs Alexander Dimitrenko
R.L: Ruiz KO 6
TRS: Ruiz KO 9

Junior Featherweights, 12 Rds
Brandon Figueroa vs Yonfrez Parejo
R.L: Figueroa KO 4
TRS: Figueroa KO 8

Bantamweights 12 Rds
John Riel Casimero vs Ricardo Espinoza
Both: Casimero Unanimous Decision






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