Just like Blake Anderson, we’re nice guys at TQBR. So nice that we bring you the schedule even when there’s virtually nothing on. Not unless you’re a Klitschko beatdown enthusiast/German, which is pretty much the same thing anyway. The younger Klitschko is fighting former cruiserweight Jean-Marc Mormeck, who really has no business in the ring with him. Serial fat man Joan Guzman continues his junior welterweight “comeback” on ESPN on Friday, while slightly faded junior featherweight Fernando Montiel eats Jorge Arce’s Indonesian leftovers in the form of Angky Angkota. Nasi goreng is probably tastier. Other happenings include junior lightweight fringe contender Vicente Escobedo fighting on TeleFutura and Pongsaklek Wongjongkam fighting in his first mismatch of 2012. What an occasion.
- Wladimir Klitschko vs. Jean-Marc Mormeck, Saturday, Epix, Dusseldorf Germany. I knew that run of intriguing heavyweight fights couldn’t last. When this is the biggest bout of the week, it might be time to think about actually going out on Friday or Saturday night. It’s going to be a brutal mismatch and Mormeck (36-4) is going to get stopped. These days I’m inclined to think your only shot at beating a Klitschko is if Vitali gets injured (which didn’t even help Dereck Chisora) or you’re a huge banger who flukes it with Wlad (56-3). I can somewhat forgive the fight because it’ll be big in Europe thanks to Mormeck’s Frenchness and Germany’s Klitschko love and it’s not like there are a huge number of other options out there at heavyweight. Mormeck was not a big puncher at cruiser and he’s had a most unimpressive run at heavyweight, narrowly winning (read: being gifted) decisions against fringe contenders Timur Ibragimov and Fres Oquendo. Wlad is Wlad and is going to go all Wlad on him. The end.
- Joan Guzman vs. Jesus Pabon, Friday, ESPN2, Hollywood Fla. Joan Guzman, the Dominican Republic’s ridiculously talented, under-motivated could-have-been superstar wants back in to the boxing game. The trouble is that he’s failed to make weight so many times before, it’s difficult to see him getting a spot on a premium network. Probably doesn’t help that it looked a little bit like his last opponent took a dive. Maybe I’m wrong though, since ESPN is willing to give him another go. This time out, Guzman (31-0-1) is facing Puerto Rico’s Jesus Pabon (17-2), who looked very ineffectual in his last outing, 2nd round stoppage against Javier Castro last June. A similar fate likely awaits him against the much, much more skilled Guzman. If he makes weight. On the televised undercard, welterweight Ed Paredes (29-3-1) looks to continue his two and a bit year winning streak against Cosme Rivera (34-14-3). Rivera, an honest fighter if ever there was one, is a decent enough test for where Paredes is at.
- The Rest. Perennial junior lightweight fringe contender Vicente Escobedo (24-3) faces Lonnie Smith (14-2-2) on TeleFutura Saturday night… Flyweight king Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (83-3-2) does his usual thing with a mismatch in Thailand, this time of the has-been variety, against Filipino Sonny Boy Jaro (33-10-5). Wonjongkam’s seven opponents from 2011 had a combined record of 47-63-6… Junior featherweight Fernando Montiel (46-4-2) isn’t as good as he once was, back when he was on a lot of pound-for-pound lists, but he’s still pretty good. He’s facing Angky Angkota (25-6), who’s lost twice to Jorge Arce, on Saturday in Sinaloa. I say put Arce and Montiel in together in Sinaloa for a faded Mexican legend battle… On the same day in South Africa super middleweight prospect Thomas Oosthuizen (17-0) faces Serge Yannick (14-1) of Australia, who’s defeated the usual suspects at home… In England, also on Saturday, Jamie McDonnell (18-2-1) defends his European bantamweight title against Spain’s Ivan Pozo (32-6-1).
