The most publicized bout takes place in Toronto as WBC (and linear) light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson makes a rare appearance as he defends his title against former WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack, who vacated his title in order to rise in weight and shoot for Stevenson's championship.
Stevenson, who has managed to take an exciting career with lots of anticipated fights by the followers of the game and turned it into a punchline with inactivity, dodging top contenders and fighting a parade of no-hopers following his first two defenses (against then-undefeated Tavoris Cloud and future cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew) is finally stepping up the competition with Jack, who is on a solid run of victories against good competition with wins over Anthony Dirrell, George Groves (a split decision win that looks better with Groves run through the World Boxing Super Series), Lucien Bute and a draw with James DeGale before a win over Nathan Cleverly in his first bout at 175.
I would be very tempted to pick Jack here, but I keep coming back to Jack's only loss on ShoBox to journeyman Derek Edwards, who hit Jack with a looping right hand in round one that essentially ended the fight.
The only thing that Adonis Stevenson really does well is punch with knockout possibility with every attempt and his best punch?
A looping right hand and that is what makes this fight so interesting.
Showtime also travels to beautiful Oxon Hill, Maryland (Why don't I ever get invites to these bouts?) with the very talented Gary Russell placing his WBC featherweight title against mandatory contender Joseph Diaz.
When people try to tell you that titles do not matter, refer them to situations such as these where Russell promoted by PBC and televised by Showtime has to defend against Diaz promoted by Golden Boy and has appeared on HBO- this fight never happens without the WBC.
Sanctioning bodies do a lot to screw up our sport, but they are able to make a lot of fights that wouldn't be made without them.
I'm a big fan of Gary Russell the fighter- Russell is fast, punches well and has boxing skills, but unfortunately he has been mismanaged in such a way that I wonder if his management thinks as much of Russell's ability as I do as Russell is 1-1 against top ten fighters in his career and has made just two defenses of his title in a three year reign-both against fighters that had next to no chance of defeating him.
Diaz hasn't impressed me as a potential world champion but strikes me more as a solid top ten contender that does nothing exceedingly well but doesn't have a lot of weaknesses either with the exception of not being a huge hitter.
Diaz is the anti-Russell, where he has stayed active, defeating good, but not great opposition in the meantime and just worked harder.
If Russell fights his fight, he likely wins this going away, but if his inactivity and lack of facing good opponents causes him any type of struggles at all- I can see Diaz outworking Russell and pulling the upset.
Showtime starts the day with a live stream on their YouTube and Facebook pages of the IBF featherweight title fight as Lee Selby defends against Josh Warrington in an all-UK battle from Leeds, England.
Selby will be making the fifth defense of his title, but his resume' lacks anything resembling a big fight victory.
The undefeated, yet light-hitting (six KO's in twenty-six wins) Warrington brings a nice payday and lots of local interest, but will not likely improve the marketability elsewhere for Selby as he attempts to unify titles or make bigger fights.
Warrington is a live dog in this fight, but one would have to make Selby the favorite in this one.
In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 88-70 to this date.
WBC Light Heavyweight Title.12 Rds
Adonis Stevenson vs Badou Jack
R.L: Jack Unanimous Decision
TRS: Stevenson KO 8
WBC Featherweight Title. 12 Rds
Gary Russell vs Joseph Diaz
R.L: Russell KO 4
TRS: Russell Unanimous Decision
IBF Featherweight Title.12 Rds
Lee Selby vs Josh Warrington
Both: Selby Unanimous Decision
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