The city of sin Las Vegas, Nevada will be buzzing for this weekend’s bout between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. It’s a fitting fight that will only heighten the Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Beyond the event, which has been promoted very well by Oscar De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions, will the actual fight match the hype? It’s a fair and obvious question to ask given the lack of activity from Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in recent years.
Chris Carlson
Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko: No Country for Old Men
90,000 crazed fans will fill Wembley Stadium to root on their countryman Anthony Joshua in his quest to take the boxing world by the balls. Standing in his way is the former kingpin of the heavyweight division Wladimir Klitschko. It’s a classic tale of youth versus experience in a vintage match that could tilt the balance to the next generation.
If Joshua wins, especially convincingly a new era will be ushered in not just in the division but a new star will be born the world over. A Klitschko victory heightens his long-term legacy and at the same time cheapens the rest of the division to an extent moving forward besides Tyson Fury.
Busy Boxing Weekend Stateside & Across the Pond
The upcoming fight schedule for this weekend is filled to the rim with action-packed fights and if we’re lucky we may even get a fight of the year candidate. Events being staged in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Liverpool, and Leicester involve different levels of meaning from stern challenges to stay-busy.
Let’s start in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center on leading network in the United States Showtime. Shawn Porter and Andre Berto face off in a fun welterweight matchup with a mandatory slot on the line for Keith Thurman’s WBC’s strap.
Lomachenko’s Pound for Pound Path
Vasyl Lomachenko is a hot-button topic across many social media platforms and of course in boxing forums. Nobody can deny or argue against Vasyl’s skill-set, the main sticking point of this recent debate is just how great this two-time gold medalist from the Ukraine is.
Based off HBO’s broadcast team a casual boxing fan may assume Loma is the best fighter on the planet. HBO and Bob Arum will tell you he’s hands down the best fighter of this still developing generation. Arum loves to skip right on past Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones, Pernell Whitaker, and unbelievably the four kings of the 1980’s. That’s right Bob has to journey all the way to the 1970’s to compare Lomachenko to the great Muhammad Ali. Let us not forget, at least Arum is the promoter so one can expect him being overzealous at times.
Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Jason Sosa Tops HBO Rare Tripleheader
By now everyone’s top 10 pound for pound list includes Vasyl Lomachenko and the majority of the boxing world agrees, Loma is a top 5 pugilist in the sport. Some go as far to say he’s the best based off eye test in the last year. If the main event doesn’t do much for you, the undercard has two fighters who potentially could do some damage at their respected division facing decent talent. This rare tripleheader on HBO will be broadcasted from the MGM National Harbor Hotel and Casino in Maryland.
Even as a sizable 8 to 1 underdog on the betting books, Jason Sosa is comfortable in that role. His disputed draw versus Nicholas Walters and knockout upset over Javier Fortuna gives him the confidence to make a run for the money. Once the bell rings it will show if Sosa can hang with the Ukraine native.
Marco Huck vs. Mairis Briedis: Is Huck ready to pass the torch?
Former 200-pound limit champion Marco Huck meets the new kid on the block Mairis Briedis, for a WBC cruiserweight title fight. The fight being upgraded due to Tony Bellew’s absents is a nice boost for the fighters. More importantly, Huck’s career is on the line against what some have branded one of the next generation cruisers.
Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla Run It Back
Manchester Arena in England will be jam-packed again for a rematch from an entertaining dust-up between Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla this Saturday. In the states Showtime, currently leaving HBO in the dust, will be the broadcaster of this lightweight showdown in the afternoon. The big question heading into this rematch is what if anything can Crolla do differently?
Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs: Good Boys Bad Intentions
Daniel Jacobs and Gennady Golovkin fight for legacy this Saturday night live on HBO PPV at the Mecca of boxing Madison Square Garden. Most think Jacobs represents Triple G’s stiffest test during an impressive title defense run at middleweight. Roman Gonzalez and Carlos Cuadras return in separate bouts on the undercard and if both successful the plan is to run it back in the summer. There first scrape was highly entertaining and very close hence the need for a rematch.
Honestly speaking it’s totally acceptable to ask if Danny will be yet another good boy. And that’s not said to make fun of ‘The Miracle Man’ it’s a real question that will be answered on Saturday. Jacobs defiantly looks every bit the part of a big and powerful middleweight something Golovkin hasn’t had to deal with. Sure, Martin Murray is a big guy but lacks the power punching. Marco Antonio Rubio, David Lemieux, and Curtis Stevens all had power but were unable to deplore it enough in their fights against GGG.
Lemieux vs. Stevens: A Prelude to Canelo?
A future date with Canelo is potentially at stake when former middleweight champion David Lemieux and Curtis Stevens meet in the main event on HBO this Saturday night. Could this be a setup bout to ensure a quality opponent for Canelo Alvarez in September assuming Golden Boy Promotions and K2 Promotions can’t seal the deal on a Canelo vs. Golovkin fight? Regardless of what the future holds for the winner, the matchup itself is worth watching.
Thurman vs. Garcia: A New Welterweight Chapter
The PBC puts a stamp on 2 years of business with a pair of fighters who’ve attracted the most exposure on terrestrial television. Danny Garcia meets Keith Thurman in a unification bout to start a new chapter at the welterweight division. Once again, Garcia is the underdog in this CBS main event live from Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. Also, rising prospect Erickson Lubin takes on hard-punching Jorge Cota for a WBC Title Eliminator in the co-feature.