Boxing Challenge

Well, almost a whole week off.
The final overnight trip of the year is in the books and I'll be writing about that soon, tomorrow is my annual reconnecting with my longtime friends-AKA the IFL Draft and we have one week to go in the graphing season.
Very soon, you'll have more here than you can stand!

In the boxing challenge, it's a two-fight ESPN card with a possible future star and a fight that is for more than a championship, it's about the dollars that come with the next fight that the winner will receive.

The main event is interesting as veteran warhorse Ray Beltran makes his first defense of his WBO lightweight title against former IBF junior lightweight champion Jose Pedraza.
The title is on the line, but the added bonus is that the winner will face WBA champion Vasyl Lomachenko in a unification bout in December for what will be a career high purse no matter which fighter wins tonight.
This is a fight that could go either way as Beltran is a walk forward fighter against the smoother boxing Pedraza.
Beltran has often come up short in his fights against elite fighters, but Pedraza is more good than great and in his title loss to Gervonta Davis, he was basically mowed down by the stronger, aggressive Davis, who had less experience than Beltran, but more natural talent.
I could see Pedraza outboxing Beltran, but I think this comes down to toughness and few will challenege Beltran in that category.

In the other title fight on the card, WBO junior featherweight champion Issac Dogboe makes his first defense after a spectacular win over Jesse Magdaleno to win that championship.
Dogboe faces 37 year old Hidenori Otake of Japan, who lost to Scott Quigg in his only fight against world class opposition.
Otake is ranked 6th by the WBO, so he's at least eligible for the title shot, but seems to be the opponent to showcase the skills of Dogboe, who will have an interesting mandatory coming up soon in Diego De La Hoya should he notch the expected win.

In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 125-100.

WBO Lightweight Title, 12 Rds
Ray Beltran vs Jose Pedraza
Both: Beltran Unanimous Decision

WBO Junior Featherweight Title. 12 Rds
Issac Dogboe vs Hidenori Otake
R.L; Dogboe Unanimous Decision
TRS: Dogboe KO 10