The most publicized match of the weekend is also the most lopsided as Tyson Fury battles unknown Tom Schwarz in his first appearance as part of the ESPN/Top Rank organization in Las Vegas.
Fury, who is the lineal heavyweight champion, but does not physically possess a title, is entering the fight after his draw with Deotay Wilder, in which Fury dominated the bout, but was floored twice by Wilder and despite winning many more rounds allowed Wilder to escape with a draw.
I thought Fury won that fight anyway, which shows his domination even with the knockdown, but shows his chin can be questioned within reason.
If you thought Andy Ruiz knocking out Anthony Joshua was an upset, Tom Schwarz defeating Tyson Fury would be earth-shattering.
Schwarz is undefeated but has never fought a top fifty fighter, let alone defeated one or even fought anyone that you have ever heard of, so who knows what Schwarz really brings to the ring.
In other words, this is the ultimate squash match or a star vs "Enhancement Talent".
The semi-main is interesting from the light heavyweight division as veteran contender Sullivan Barrera faces Jesse Hart, who is moving up from super middleweight for his venture into the division.
Barrera, who is a solid backend of the top ten contender ilk that has become a gatekeeper of sorts that defeats fighters of a certain level (Joe Smith, Felix Valera for two examples), but isn't quite an elite level fighter with losses to Dmitry Bivol and Andre Ward.
Hart, who lost two exciting and fairly close decisions to Gilberto Ramirez in super middleweight title fights, seems to have more than his hands full in this one.
ESPN+ adds to their fight day with a featherweight title fight from the United Kingdom as IBF champion Josh Warrington defends against his mandatory contender Kid Galahad.
Warrington, who decisioned Carl Frampton in his last fight, looks to move forward to a rumored unification fight with WBO champion Oscar Valdez but must get by the undefeated Galahad to do so.
DAZN returns with the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series inside the cruiserweight tournament with three titles on the line between the two fights.
The main event will see newly gifted WBO champion Krzysztof Glowacki defending that title as well as fighting for the vacant WBC title against former division Mairis Briedis.
Glowacki was elevated by the WBO from one of their lesser titles, which might be the only reasonable reason to have those ridiculous "titles" to become their full champion.
Both titles in this fight were formerly held by Oleksandr Usyk, who vacated all four championships in the division after winning last year's WBSS, for his move to the heavyweight division.
Briedis formerly was the WBC champion before losing a majority decision to Usyk in last year's semi-final in the only fight that Usyk has been challenged in over his career.
I scored that fight a draw and off that fight, Briedis looked to be a solid favorite to win the second year tournament,
Instead, the top seed threw a shoe in horse racing parlance and against the eighth-seeded and hand-picked per WBSS rules, Noel Mikaelian and appeared to have handily lost as I had Mikaelian ahead 115-111.
I was stunned to see Briedis given a unanimous decision with two of the cards being fairly wide,
Briedis' performance is what makes this interesting as Briedis should be able to outbox the slow Glowacki.
Glowacki never stops moving forward though and if he catches Briedis, who knows what happens and if Mikaelian showed a declining Briedis, Glowacki could very well take Briedis out.
The other end of the tournament looks to have an explosive ending on tap as the IBF championship vacated by Oleksandr Usyk will be decided by the victor of the Yunier Dorticos-Andrew Tabiti fight.
The undefeated Tabiti decisioned Ruslan Fayfer in the first round in a dull fight, while Dorticos lost in last year's semis via a final round knockout in a fight of the year candidate against Murat Gassiev before a first-round decision win over Mateusz Masternak that saw Dorticos go the distance for the first time in his career.
I think this one should be an exciting shootout that could end early with both fighters landing quickly and often.
In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 141-127.
Heavyweights. 12 Rds
Tyson Fury vs Tom Schwarz
R.L: Fury Unanimous Decision
TRS: Fury KO 8
Light Heavyweights, 10 Rds
Sullivan Barrera vs Jesse Hart
Both: Barrera Unanimous Decision
IBF Featherweight Title. 12 Rds
Josh Warrington vs Kid Galahad
Both: Warrington Unanimous Decision
WBO and Vacant WBC Cruiserweight Titles/ World Boxing Super Series Semi-Final. 12 Rds
Krzysztof Glowacki vs Mairis Briedis
Both: Briedis Unanimous Decision
Vacant IBF Cruiserweight Title/World Boxing Super Series Semi-Final. 12 Rds
Yunier Dorticos vs Andrew Tabiti
R.L: Dorticos KO 6
TRS: Dorticos KO 4
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