We start at the Rock, which we usually cover New Jersey Devils hockey from and the World Boxing Super Series finishing the quarter-finals in the cruiserweight division with IBF champion Murat Gassiev (TRS #2) against former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk.
Gassiev was my pick to win the tournament and comes off a title-winning effort over Denis Lebedev, which netted him the IBF title from Lebedev, but due to a mind-numbing decision by the WBA, not their title.
Wlodarczyk is undefeated since losing his title three years ago but against very light competition.
The winner will face Yunier Dorticos in the semi-finals early next year.
HBO has a two live fight card from Verona New York and an important one on tape delay.
The tape-delayed fight comes out of Belfast Northern Ireland with a bantamweight unification as hometown fighter Ryan Burnett puts his IBF belt up against WBA champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov (TRS #3).
Zhakiyanov upset American Rau'shee Warren for the WBA title on a PBC show in his last fight.
This one should be a good one
The live card has WBA junior lightweight champion Jezreel Corrales (TRS #3) defending against undefeated Alberto Machado.
Corrales barely squeaked by Robinson Castellanos in his last defense getting knocked down twice in a fight stopped seconds into the tenth round when a clash of heads resulted in a stoppage and Corrales earning a close and debatable majority decision.
I would have rather seen a rematch, but at 5'10 (Very tall for a 130 pounder) the untested Machado will have some advantages.
The other bout sees the return of a TRS favorite as the super talented and just as poorly managed Demetrius Andrade (TRS #3 at junior middleweight) moves up to middleweight after vacating his minor belt at 154 rather than wait for a mandated (and likely tedious) shot at Erislandy Lara against undefeated and yet again untested Alantez Fox.
Fox has fought one fighter that you've ever heard of in fringe contender Frank Galarza in his eighth pro fight and drew with him, so not sure what we are getting in Fox.
Andrade has bounced from HBO to Showtime and now back to HBO.
If I had my choice, we would see either Charlo brother against Andrade at either 154 or 160 in what would be a very intriguing fight to see that could go either way...
Then we move to Japan on ESPN2 early Sunday morning as the ESPN/Top Rank contract bears fruit as the network shows the minor WBA title, which should have been left vacant, but that's beside the point as Hassan N'Dam faces Ryota Murata in a rematch that saw Murata dominate (he won 118-110 on my card) and knock N'Dam down in their first fight, yet lose a stunning split decision.
This decision was arguably the worst of the year in boxing and was so bad that the WBA apologized for the judging with the order for an immediate rematch.
Power hitting WBC flyweight champ Daigo Higa (TRS #3) defends on the undercard (No U.S television, I think) against Tomas Masson.
The undefeated Higa has stopped all thirteen of his opponents and will be making his first title defense.
I lead the challenge over Ramon Malpica 146-133
IBF Cruiserweight Title/World Boxing Super Series QuarterFinal. 12 rds
Murat Gassiev vs Krzysztof Wlodarczyk.
R.L; Gassiev KO 8
TRS: Gassiev KO 3
WBA-IBF Bantamweight Title Unification. 12 rds
Zhanat Zhakiyanov vs Ryan Burnett
R.L: Zhakiyanov Unanimous Decision
TRS: Burnett Split Decision
WBA Junior Lightweight Title. 12 Rds
Jezreel Corrales vs Alberto Machado
Both: Corrales Unanimous Decision
Middleweights. 12 rds
Demetrius Andrade vs Alantez Fox
R.L: Andrade KO 7
TRS; Andrade KO 10
Middleweights 12 Rds
Hassan N'Dam vs Ryota Murata
R.L; N'Dam Unanimous Decision
TRS: Murata Unanimous Decision
WBC Flyweight Title. 12 rds
Daigo Higa vs Tomas Masson
R.L: Higa Unanimous Decision
TRS: Higa KO 5
No comments:
Post a Comment