Showtime's card main event will clean one of the WBA welterweight mess a bit as Jamal James faces Radzhab Butaev with the winner to match against WBA champion Yordenia Ugas, the recent conqueror of Manny Pacquiao.
James, who suffered his only loss against Ugas, has beaten a few fighters of the top twenty ilk such as Thomas Dulorme in his last fight, Diego Chavez, former lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco, and Abel Ramos but lacks wins against a top ten welterweight.
The undefeated Butaev was a decorated amateur but of his thirteen wins none are against even fringe contenders and in his only fight against a solid fighter, Butaev lost a close unanimous decision to Alexander Besputin in a fight that would be changed to a no-contest when Besputin failed the post-fight drug test.
Judging on the styles of the two fighters, I would lean towards James, who is the more versatile of the pair to win the fight to outbox the attacking Butaev and earn the title fight against Ugas but neither are really deserving of a mandatory opportunity.
The welterweight that does continues to be avoided as Jaron "Boots" Ennis faces Thomas Dulorme, who as mentioned above lost a decision to Jamal James in his most recent fight.
It would be another good, not great win for Ennis after knocking out former IBF junior welterweight champion Sergei Lipinets last time in the ring but Dulorme is a division gatekeeper and a win is unlikely to do too much to help him gain a championship attempt.
Dulorme is good enough to make anyone work for a win and other than in his knockout loss to Terence Crawford, hasn't been outclassed but his resume' states a clear fact- you have to be a top ten caliber boxer to defeat him.
ESPN Plus and Top Rank are live from New York with their main event in the junior welterweight division with highly ranked Jose Zepeda defending his high ranking against Josue Vargas.
Zepeda is remembered for his 2020 fight of the year win over Ivan Baranchyk and his narrow loss to then-WBC champion Jose Ramirez but has been known to fight down to his competition in two recent efforts against Hank Lundy and Kendo Castaneda in winning but lackluster outings.
Josue Vargas was a highly thought prospect that has stalled a bit despite having only one loss, a goofy DQ loss when he was fighting four-rounders.
Vargas isn't a huge puncher and this is a step up as his best win was over Kenda Castaneda and his win was more impressive than Zepeda's win over the same Castaneda.
In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 142-123.
TRS: James Unanimous Decision
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