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| Photo Credit: Danny Moloshok |
Fox shows two featherweight fights as Leo Santa Cruz
(TRS #1)defends his WBA title in a squash match vs Chris Avalos and Abner Mares (TRS #5) faces Andres Gutierrez.
The WBA mandated a Santa Cruz-Mares fight in a rematch of their 2015 fight, but in typical PBC fashion instead of giving people what they want- take nine months off and give them something that they don't want.
Santa Cruz against Avalos is a mismatch with Avalos losing more than he wins of late and while Mares-Gutierrez looks good on paper and Gutierrez has just one loss (a decision loss to Cristian Mijares) but to the only name fighter on his record.
In other words-it's a card that never needed to happen.
Undefeated junior welterweight Eddie Ramirez will open the show against former lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco in Ramirez's first real test.
DeMarco holds a knockout win over Jorge Linares but has looked a bit shopworn of late.
PBC has a far more interesting card on Showtime Saturday night with three of the four junior middleweight titles on the line in Brooklyn.
The most anticipated of the triad has WBC champion Jermell Charlo (TRS #2) defending against highly regarded prospect Erickson Lubin (TRS #5).
Both Charlo and Lubin are thought to have a lot of promise, but in this fight, both champion and challenger have faced not even good competition with this fight being the first test for both.
I think this could go either way and could even end via knockout because we just don't know very much about either guy when the going gets tough.
WBA champion Erislandy Lara (TRS #1) is the only solid favorite on the evening as the Cuban ex-patriot will defend against former U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha.
Lara is known for his smooth boxing ability that rarely excites against good opponents, so even in defeat, we will find out much about the undefeated Gausha, who hasn't fought anyone of note.
Lara, who likes to call out big names and then shrink behind the big coat of manager Al Haymon, might have a vulnerable chin if someone can land a big shot, so Gausha does have hope.
The opening bout has IBF titlist, Jarrett Hurd (TRS #4), putting his belt up vs veteran Austin Trout.
Trout, who has a win over Miguel Cotto in 2012, has fought only once in the last two years in a loss to Jermall Charlo and hasn't beaten recognizable competition since the Cotto fight still might be a small favorite over Hurd, who is extremely talented, but owns just one win over a top 20 opponent (Tony Harrison, in his winning of the vacant belt).
Are we noticing a trend with PBC's younger fighters?
Four of them on this card (Lara and Trout are veterans in their 30's) are still looking for fights against good opposition-let alone championship level challengers.
This only hurts their fighters, but that's their way of doing business.
From London, we have George Groves (TRS #4) defending his WBA super middleweight title against Jamie Cox as the top seed in the World Boxing Super Series in perhaps the weakest bout in both brackets of the WBSS.
Groves, who fought plenty of top opponents in his career with wins over James DeGale, Martin Murray and his title win last out vs Fedor Chudinov, is still vulnerable as he has lost his share as well with defeats against Badou Jack and two losses to Carl Froch takes on Cox, who is undefeated against unknown opponents.
The winner will fight Chris Eubank Jr. coming off his impressive quarter-final KO of Avni Yildirim in the semi-finals.
I lead the challenge over Ramon Malpica 137-126..
WBA Featherweight Title. 12 rds
Leo Santa Cruz vs Chris Avalos
R.L:Santa Cruz Unanimous Decision
TRS: Santa Cruz KO 6
Featherweights. 12 rds
Abner Mares vs Andres Gutierrez
Both: Mares Unanimous Decision
WBA Junior Middleweight Title.12 rds
Erislandy Lara vs Terrell Gausha
Both:Lara Unanimous Decision
WBC Junior Middleweight Title.12 rds
Jermell Charlo vs Erickson Lubin
Both:Lubin Unanimous Decision
IBF Junior Middleweight Title. 12 rds
Jarrett Hurd vs Austin Trout
R.L: Hurd Unanimous Decision
TRS: Hurd Split Decision
WBA Super Middleweight Title/World Boxing Super Series Quarter-Final. 12 rds
George Groves vs Jamie Cox
R.L: Groves Unanimous Decision
TRS: Groves KO 9
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