Saturday, June 17, 2023

Boxing Challenge

     Only three fights in the boxing challenge weekend but with one world title at stake, a mandatory challenger putting his status at risk, and an eliminator that will decide a mandatory contender, the three fights all have high stakes.

On DAZN and Matchroom, Regis Prograis defends his WBC junior welterweight title for the first time in his hometown of New Orleans, and needs a win for a potential unification fight against IBF champion Subriel Matias later this year.

Prograis impressively pounded Jose Zepeda in winning the WBC title vacated by Josh Taylor with an eleventh-round knockout and regained some of the prestige that Prograis had lost after his close decision loss to Taylor in 2019.

Danielito Zorrila steps in as a replacement for the injured Liam Paro against Prograis and the 17-1 Zorrilla owns a second-round knockout over long-time contender Pablo Cesar Cano as his best win.

But Zorrilla's only loss was last summer to contender Arnold Barboza and while losing a decision to the undefeated Barboza certainly is no crime, it's hard to see how Zorrilla can fend off the bigger and more powerful Prograis.

The remaining two fights are televised by Showtime from Australia as Tim Tszyu continues to stay busy to prepare for his eventual title chance against the unified junior middleweight kingpin Jermell Charlo, against veteran Carlos Ocampo.

Tsyzu was very strong in stopping former WBC champion, Tony Harrison in nine rounds in March and was expected to finally challenge Charlo now as the champion continues to recover from a hand injury that has caused two postponements of a fight against Tsyzu, causing Tszyu to decide to take this match vs Ocampo to stay sharp for his title challenge.

Ocampo has lost both of his highest-profile fights, losing by a first-round knockout against Errol Spence for the IBF welterweight title in 2018, and lost a unanimous decision to Sebastian Fundora in his most recent bout last October.

The WBO, who lists Tszyu as the mandatory challenger for Charlo, ruled on May 30th that Charlo-Tszyu must take place by Sept 30th or Charlo will be stripped of their title.

The co-feature will be an IBF title eliminator at junior featherweight between Ra'eese Aleem and Australia's Sam Goodman with the winner stepping into the mandatory slot in the organization for current IBF and WBA champion Marlon Tapales, who won the title with an upset split decision win over Murodjon Akhmadalev earlier this year.

Tapales has been given permission by the WBA to wait on a mandatory challenge in order to face the winner of the Stephen Fulton-Naoya Inoue fight for Fulton's WBC and WBO belts for sn undisputed four title champion in the division, so the winner may have a long wait on their hands before their eventual chance.

Aleem has built his record with several wins over contenders a cut below the top of the division on PBC cards, while the undefeated Goodman notched his most important win in March with a unanimous decision over former IBF champion T.J. Doheny.

Boxing Challenge

WBC Junior Welterweight Title. 12 Rds
Regis Prograis vs Danielito Zorrilla
Ramon Malpica: Prograis KO 7
TRS: Prograis KO 10
Vince Samano:Prograis KO 8

Junior Middleweights. 12 Rds
Tim Tszyu vs Carlos Ocampo
R.L: Tszyu KO 10
TRS: Tszyu KO 6
V.S: Tszyu KO 8

Junior Featherweights.12 Rds
Ra'Eese Aleem vs Sam Goodman
All: Aleem Unanimous Decision



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