Boxing Challenge

The boxing challenge was going to return with a WBC junior welterweight title defense by Jose Ramirez in his native Fresno on ESPN, but those plans went out the door when challenger Danny O'Connor could not make the weight and was hospitalized with severe dehydration.
Normally, I'm very critical of fighters that don't make weight, but clearly, O'Connor was trying to hit the mark and simply couldn't.

With the title fight canceled, Top Rank moved two fights up the card and the new co-main event was added to the challenge.
The new main event is interesting as undefeated Egid Kavaliauskas faces strong veteran, Juan Carlos Abreu.
Kavaliauskas is coming off his best win, which saw him win in a dominating stoppage of David Avaneysan, while Abreu is the type of solid gatekeeper that should at least make Kavaliauskas work for a victory.
A victory could mean a title shot in the fall against WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

The new televised bout will feature undefeated junior lightweight prospect Andy Vences against Frank De Alba.
Vences drew with fellow prospect Erick DeLeon in his last fight and could use a solid effort after the DeLeon fight was less than exciting.
The veteran De Alba is coming off a loss to O'Shaquie Foster and might be the perfect foil for Vences.

In Kazakhstan, former two-division champion Beibut Shumenov returns from a brief retirement to fight for one of the WBA's minor trinkets against Hizni Altunkaya.
Shumenov suffered an eye injury that forced his retirement and his return seems to be questionable to me.
If Shumenov cannot get past Altunkaya, he needs to move on as Altunkaya's resume ranks with the worst I've seen for a title bout, even it is not a "real" title.
The native of Turkey suffered his only loss to the only fighter that you have heard of in Kryzstof Glowacki and has fought some of the worst opponents that you can imagine, including a decision win in his last fight against an opponent that entered the fight with a record of 3-6-1.

In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 107-83

Welterweights. 10 Rds
Egid Kavaliauskas vs Juan Carlos Abreu
R.L: Abreu Unanimous Decision
TRS: Kavaliauskas Unanimous Decision

Junior Lightweights, 10 Rds
Andy Vences vs Frank De Alba
Both: Vences Unanimous Decision

Cruiserweights. 12 Rds
Beibut Shumenov vs Hizni Altunkaya
Both: Shumenov Unanimous Decision