Boxing Challenge

The boxing challenge continues with bouts that don't have American television (one does have U.S TV) and can only be found via the stream, but I wanted to cobble together somewhat of a fun low-key boxing weekend.

The ESPN Plus app is showing two fights of interest with one in mid-afternoon from England as four-time title challenger Martin Murray stays busy after his fifth challenge was canceled when WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders feigned injury as he prepared to jump in, if needed, for a bout against Gennady Golovkin.
Murray still can be in a position for that fifth shot with a win over Mexico's Robert Garcia, who holds a minor belt of the WBC that means nothing other than it puts you into a better position in the WBC's rankings.
Garcia, who is on a nice run of victories over B- level competition, should be a decent measuring stick for Murray. who lost a terrible decision to Felix Sturm and arguable ones to Sergio Martinez and Arthur Abraham in title tilts.

ESPN + also features Miguel Berchelt's defense of his WBC junior lightweight title from Mexico against former WBA featherweight champion Jonathan Barrios.
Barrios has fought about everyone that you can name and lost a split decision to Lee Selby in his last fight for the IBF featherweight title that Selby then held, but looks to be in trouble against the larger and bigger hitting Berchelt, who can make an excellent argument that he is the best 130 pounder in the world with Vasyl Lomachenko moving up.

ESPN2 will have a Golden Boy card with the main event being the first leap forward for the very talented Vergil Ortiz against former WBA junior lightweight champion Juan Carlos Salgado.
Ortiz has crushed all nine of his opponents, but the grizzled Salgado is a huge step up even though he looks a bit faded.
Salgado holds wins over Jorge Linares (yes that Linares), Jonathan Barrios (mentioned above) and Argenis Mendez, but is just 1-7 since his victory over Barrios.

The final fight of the challenge does not have American television as former WBC junior welterweight champion Viktor Postol takes on undefeated Scot Josh Taylor in a title eliminator.
Postol, who holds a win over Lucas Matthysse, has fought just once since losing to Terence Crawford in a unification bout almost two years ago, while Taylor, a former Olympian, holds an impressive KO win over former lightweight champion Miguel Vasquez.

In the Boxing Challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 101-80

Middleweights. 12 Rds
Martin Murray vs Roberto Garcia
R.L: Garcia Unanimous Decision
TRS: Murray Unanimous Decision

WBC Junior Lightweight Title. 12 Rds
Miguel Berchelt vs Jonathan Barrios
R.L: Berchelt KO 7
TRS: Berchelt KO 5

Junior Welterweights. 10 Rds
Vergil Ortiz vs Juan Carlos Salgado
R.L: Ortiz Unanimous Decision
TRS: Ortiz KO 5

Junior Welterweights. 12 Rds
Viktor Postol vs Josh Taylor
Both; Postol Unanimous Decision