Showtime has the bigger mainstream bout as WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder finally faces a test in the most avoided heavyweight in the world Luis Ortiz in a bout that was supposed to have occurred last year when it was canceled when Ortiz tested positive for a banned substance.
I've been back and forth on this fight on a prediction because I can plausibly see the fight going either way (and in about every way possible) and that's coming from someone that has been critical of Wilder due to his opposition and that I have questions about his chin.
Ortiz has questions as well, mainly his age and just how much his various out of the ring issues have taken away from his skills.
I can see either fighter landing early and earning a spectacular win, but for Wilder and his vaunted power, I think that is a strategy for a defeat.
Wilder comes in wide and Ortiz has the type of pop that can make Wilder pay for his lack of refinement, so I think Wilder is better suited to use the skills that won him his only win against top 20 opposition in his only time going the full distance in his first fight vs Bermane Stiverne- move a little, use the jab and keep Ortiz at bay.
The problem with that strategy is this- Wilder's campaign to fight Anthony Joshua is based around his having tremendous power, yet should he use this tactic against Ortiz, he will have boxed against both of his top ten opponents, which doesn't help his promotion in attempting land a Joshua bout.
It is strange that the fighter that is supposedly the banger in this fight might have to box in order to win.
In Showtime's other bout, a rematch of a controversial fight that ended crazily last year features Andre Dirrell vs Jose Uzcategui for an 'interim' title that doesn't need to have an interim champion anymore at 168 pounds.
In the first fight which was a rare entertaining bout for Dirrell, Uzcategui held a close lead over Dirrell and knocked him down face first at the bell to end round eight.
Dirrell, who has often flopped around to try to gain an edge, was "unable" to continue and the referee, who should have gone to the scorecards (where Uzcategui would have won a decision) decided to disqualify Uzcategui and give the trinket title to Dirrell, but that was only part of the fun as Dirrell's uncle and then trainer attacked Uzcategui with a punch to the face.
The rematch should be a fun one with the in the ring and out of the ring history involved.
Flipping to HBO, who counterprograms with a doubleheader of two light heavyweight title fights.
The main event looks like a squash to me as Sergey Kovalev continues his comeback in a WBO title defense against unknown Igor Mikhalkin.
Mikhalkin has one recognizable name on his record (a decision win over Thomas Oosthuizen, who was once given a small premium cable push) and has just nine KO's in his twenty-one wins.
To me, Mikhalkin is tailor-made for Kovalev to look strong against (like his last fight vs Vyacheslav Shabranskyy) and shouldn't trouble Kovalev terribly.
Kovalev has long been a TRS favorite and I'll give him a mild pass on Mikhalkin for his second bout back, but he'll need to step up the level of opponent next time out in order to build a case for being back in true form.
The best bout is the co-feature as rising star Dmitry Bivol defends his WBA title against talented Sullivan Barrera.
Bivol has looked devastating against lower level competition and just might be the next big star at light heavyweight but takes a large step in competition against Barrera, who has wins over Joe Smith, Karo Murat and Felix Valera against just one loss against Andre Ward.
Valera is the best opponent that Bivol has faced and Valera went the distance with both men.
I slightly favor Bivol as Barrera has been knocked down in four of his last five fights, I think if Bivol is what many (including myself) think he may be- he'll finish Barrera when he hurts him...
In England, Kell Brook returns to the ring at junior middleweight against Sergey Rabchenko.
Brook, who has lost his last two against elite opponents in Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence and had eye sockets broken against both, gets Rabchenko as the sacrificial lamb as Rabchenko was stopped by fringe contender Tony Harrison in his last fight twenty months ago.
Brook should take a step forward in what should be a showcase return...
In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 28-23.
WBC Heavyweight Title. 12 Rds
Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz
R.L: Ortiz KO 4
TRS; Wilder Unanimous Decision
Super Middleweights. 12 Rds
Andre Dirrell vs Jose Uzcategui
R.L: Dirrell Unanimous Decision
TRS: Uzcategui Split Decision
WBO Light Heavyweight Title. 12 Rds
Sergey Kovalev vs Igor Mikhalkin
R.L: Kovalev KO 5
TRS: Kovalev KO 3
WBA Light Heavyweight Title. 12 Rds
Dmitry Bivol vs Sullivan Barrera
R.L: Bivol Unanimous Decision
TRS: Bivol KO 10
Junior Middleweights. 12 Rds
Kell Brook vs Sergey Rabchenko
R.L: Brook Unanimous Decision
TRS: Brook KO 9
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