stars spread throughout.
The main event will pit former three-division champion, Mikey Garcia, against former WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas.
Garcia, who suffered his first loss last year to IBF champion Errol Spence in what was considered an ill-advised attempt at welterweight glory, has decided to stay at 147 pounds rather than return to 140 pounds against young champions Jose Ramirez or Josh Taylor or drop to 135 pounds for what was once a dream fight against Vasyl Lomachenko.
Garcia has issues with his former promoter, Top Rank, and it is Top Rank that promotes all of the previously named fighters, so I guess I can understand why Garcia would try to stay at 147, but working with Matchroom, a company that has none of the top welterweights, makes little sense in the short run.
Vargas looked good in stopping the naturally smaller Humberto Soto and should gotten decisions in his two fights before that in draws against Thomas Dulorme and Adrian Broner, but skill-wise is a step below Garcia.
If Garcia can adjust to the weight, he is a cut above Vargas, but although Garcia is a deserved
favorite I have a feeling Vargas is sitting on a strong performance.
The undercard is loaded and as a result, four fights join the challenge.
Former pound for pound entrant Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez challenges for a title for the first time since his shocking knockout loss to Srisaket Sor Rungivisai in September 2017 as Gonzalez faces WBA junior bantamweight champion Kal Yafai.
Gonzalez has fought only twice since the Rungvisai loss against low-level competition, so what the Nicaraguan has left to offer is open to conjecture, while Yafai is a smooth boxer without a lot of pop
(four of his five title defenses lasted the distance), which plays to the side of Gonzalez.
It's all about "Chocolatito" here- If the time off has rejuvenated him, I think he's the better fighter, but Yafai is younger and has been more active so if there is permanent slippage, Yafai has the edge.
Julio Cesar Martinez attempts to continue a blazing hot run as he defends the WBC flyweight title for the first time against Jay Harris of Wales.
Martinez knocked out undefeated number one contender Andrew Selby, knocked out Charlie Edwards only to have the fight called a no contest when Martinez hit Edwards after knocking him down in a fight that would have won him the WBC title and won the title after Edwards vacated rather than face Martinez again by knockout over former champion Crisofer Rosales.
Martinez is one of the more exciting fighters in the game and is a coming star.
The undefeated Harris looked strong in stopping former Olympian Paddy Barnes in four rounds but is a decided underdog here.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker continues his comeback against Shawndell Winters.
Parker looks to be ready for another shot at a title or top contender and Winters has never faced a fighter of Parker's caliber in the past, so this appears to be a stay busy fight for Parker.
In what will be a WBA eliminator, junior middleweights Israil Madrimov takes on Charlie Navarro.
Madrimov has looked devastating in his four wins and has been compared to Gennady Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko.
That's pretty high company and Madrimov is almost universally touted as a fighter that potentially could be among the best in the game fairly quickly.
The 40-year-old Navarro isn't expected to offer very much resistance in what is a sanctioned squash match.
In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 33-30.
Welterweights. 12 Rds
Mikey Garcia vs Jessie Vargas
Both: Garcia Unanimous Decision
WBA Junior Bantamweight Title. 12 Rds
Kal Yafai vs Roman Gonzalez
R.L: Yafai Unanimous Decision
TRS: Gonzalez Unanimous Decision
WBC Flyweight Title. 12 Rds
Julio Cesar Martinez vs Jay Harris
R.L: Martinez KO 6
TRS: Martinez KO 3
Heavyweights. 10 Rds
Joseph Parker vs Shawndell Winters
R.L: Parker KO 3
TRS: Parker KO 4
Junior Middleweights. 10 Rds
Israil Madrimov vs Charlie Navarro
R.L: Madrimov KO 5
TRS: Madrimov KO 3
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