It’s a big week for split-site doubleheaders. Though that sounds like a type of pimple, it actually refers to fight broadcasts that are sourced from different locations. This week there’s one such card, on HBO, that draws from Buenos Aires and Los Angeles and another on Showtime from Brooklyn and Sheffield, England. Geographically, it’s a weird mix – but the fights seem to work and that’s all that matters.
- Sergio Martinez vs. Martin Murray, Saturday, HBO, Buenos Aires And Ontario Calif. Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez is making a return to the ring after knee surgery and to Argentina after 11 years fighting abroad. His opponent, Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11 KO), has the tools to ruin the party. A classic pressure fighter, Murray will be all over Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KO) like a rash. Still, you have to favour the fast, hard-hitting Argentine southpaw in this duel. Unless his knee is giving him trouble, he should be able to avoid Murray for the most part and pot-shot him with that frightening right hand of his. On the Argentine undercard, Canadian welterweight prospect/contender Antonin Decarie (27-1, 8 KO) faces a stiff test from local hard man Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28 KO). The Argentine lacks the nuance of his Canadian foe, but more than makes up for it with his awkwardness, power punching and stick-to-itiveness. It should be a fun battle, but my money’s on Abregu. The Californian portion of the card is headlined by the cursed, oft-rescheduled heavyweight clash between Bermane Stiverne (22-1-1, 20 KO) and Cris Arreola (35-2, 30 KO). I’ll believe it’s actually happening when I see it on my TV. It’s an intriguing clash at any rate, between a swarming puncher in Arreola and a more upright boxer-puncher in Stiverne. Neither of these guys is operating at a particularly high level, and Arreola has had a long period of inactivity, but I’m looking forward to two big boys letting the leather fly.
- Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah, Saturday, Showtime, Brooklyn. A high level crossroads fight headlines Showtime’s Saturday doubleheader. The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board’s #1 junior welterweight, Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KO) faces the organisation’s #7, Zab Judah (42-7, 29 KO). Judah has been around forever, but seems more motivated now that at any other stage in his career. His freaky speed isn’t what it once was, but it’s still quite something. Garcia is riding high on wins over Erik Morales and a knockout of Amir Khan, but there are those that question whether he’s truly elite – Morales was old, after all, and Khan always seems a few seconds away from a nap on the canvas. Garcia’s critics say that he’s clumsy and over-reliant on his left hook. Certainly Judah, a skilful southpaw, has the tools to put some hard questions to the Philly native. Whether Judah can hang with Garcia’s power is the question. Unfortunately, Judah is almost always going to seem like a losing bet because of his previous pike-outs. Decide for yourself. On the televised undercard, #4 middleweight Peter Quillin (28-0, 20 KO) faces Fernando Guerrero (25-1, 19 KO). Quillin is talented and very athletic, but showed against Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam that he can be outworked if you avoid him (which N’Jikam wasn’t very successful with in the end, getting dropped six times). Guerrero might be able to do that, but I don’t rate his chin. I think he ends this on his back. Middleweight cancer survivor and nice guy Danny Jacobs also fights. The English portion of the card, which will be shown on tape delay, is a comeback fight for the aforementioned Amir Khan after that aforementioned knockout. Khan (27-3, 19 KO) faces veteran Julio Diaz (40-7-1, 29 KO), who was last seen holding much fancied prospect Shawn Porter to a draw. Khan will likely have too much speed, skills and reach for the 33-year-old California resident, but every fighter who faces Khan has a better than usual chance of a Hail Mary KO.
- The Rest. Lightweight favourite Raymundo Beltran (27-6, 17 KO) faces Alejandro Rodriguez (19-9, 11 KO) on UniMas on Saturday… James Toney fights Australia’s Lucas Browne (15-0, 14 KO) on Saturday in Melbourne – Toney (74-7-3, 45 KO) doesn’t really have much left, but Browne is very green. Twitter Legend Clarence Tillman III fights on the undercard.
