Friday, March 18, 2022

Boxing Challenge

        Boxing may not have many well-known fighters doing battle this weekend but two world titles are at stake, a former world champion continues his comeback, a prospect attempts to regain some of his shine, and a fight that was promoted to the main event on their show could be the fight of the weekend.

Not televised in the United States, the rematch between Masamichi Yabuki and Kenshiro Teraji for the WBC light flyweight title from Kyoto Japan might be the fight with the largest stakes of the weekend.

Teraji was looked at as the best fighter below flyweight and had he defeated the veteran and prohibitive underdog Yabuki in their September 2021 fight, Teraji would have likely taken his undefeated record to flyweight and a title fight against another exciting fighter in WBO flyweight champion Junto Nakatani this year.

Instead, Yabuki, who had never fought for a title higher than the Japanese championship, fought the fight of his life and led on the scorecards after nine rounds before a candidate for the round of the year in 2021 occurred as Teraji roared out of his corner knowing that he likely needed a knockout to win and badly hurt Yabuki.

Teraji looked to be on the verge of pulling a miracle comeback almost as big as Leigh Wood'srally last week against Michael Conlan until Yabuki fought off Teraji and stopped him to win the title in the same round.

This should be an excellent rematch with the main questions surrounding Teraji's preparation after maybe not being in top shape for their first fight and Yabuki's ability to repeat a performance that few expected him to give in the first place.

The other world title event comes from Dubai and new promoter Probellum and IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards defends his championship against Muhammad Waseem.

Edwards impressively won his title from long-time champion Moruti Mthalane last April and defended against Jayson Mama in December, both won by unanimous decision.

Waseem has won four straight since his only loss, a decision to Moruti Mthalane.

The co-feature from Dubai is a showcase fight for former WBA junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis as Prograis continues his comeback from his only loss- a close decision to Josh Taylor in a unification fight that was also the finals of the World Boxing Super Series in 2019.

Prograis has fought only twice since the defeat in knockout wins over outclassed opponents Juan Heraldez and Ivan Redkach and seems to be fighting an opponent of the same ilk this time in Tyrone McKenna of Ireland.

McKenna has lost only twice but both losses were to his best opponents in Jack Catterall and Ohara Davies and own only six knockouts in his twenty-two victories.

The two evening cards from ESPN and DAZN are prospect-based and while interesting will only have one fight for the challenge.

DAZN and Golden Boy were scheduled to have welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz return to the ring against Michael McKinson in a stay busy bout but Ortiz dropped out with an illness.

The co-feature was promoted to the main event with an interesting welterweight bout between two up-and-coming prospects that are beginning to near fringe contender status as Alexis Rocha faces Blair Cobbs.

Rocha has knocked out both of his opponents since losing his only fight in a unanimous decision to Rashidi Ellis in 2020 in his first jump in competition, while the flashy and undefeated Cobbs knocked out veteran Brad Solomon in his last fight.

Cobbs has tons of personality and if he is able to climb up the ladder, more and more people are going to pay attention but Rocha will test how much steak or sizzle that the future of Cobbs may hold.

ESPN with Top Rank places undefeated super middleweight bomber Edgar Berlanga in their main event against Canadian Steve Rolls.

Berlanga started his career with sixteen first-round knockouts in a row before being taken the distance in his most recent two fights and faded badly down the stretch as Marcelo Coceres knocked him down in the ninth round.

Berlanga suddenly has lots of questions about his future and needs a spectacular performance to shine his star a bit.

The veteran Rolls has only one loss but it was against his only top opponent where he was stopped in four rounds by Gennady Golovkin in 2019.

Rolls is a natural middleweight so he's a much smaller fighter than Berlanga, so if Berlanga goes the distance with Rolls even more alarms will go off regarding him.

WBC Light Flyweight Title. 12 Rds
Masamichi Yabuki vs Kenshiro Teraji 
All: Teraji Unanimous Decision

IBF Flyweight Title. 12 Rds
Sunny Edwards vs Muhammad Waseem
All: Edwards Unanimous Decision

Junior Welterweights. 10 Rds
Regis Prograis vs Tyrone McKenna
R.L: Prograis KO 7
TRS: Prograis KO 5
V.S: Prograis KO 9

Welterweights. 10 Rds
Alexis Rocha vs Blair Cobbs
R.L and V.S: Rocha Unanimous Decision
TRS: Cobbs Unanimous Decision

Super Middleweights.10 Rds
Edgar Berlanga vs Steve Rolls
R.L: Berlanga KO 3
TRS: Berlanga KO 6
V.S: Rolls Unanimous Decision

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