It's sinister-looking redhead week in boxing (which explains the creepy picture), with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fighting on pay-per-view against Alfredo Angulo Saturday. As usual during a PPV week, we're going to give the undercard a slightly more detailed preview treatment, as well as look at the rest of the week's fights, such as they are. The Alvarez vs. Angulo undercard is definitely a good one, as PPV undercards go, which may or may not be a reflection of the PPV-worthy status of the main event, we couldn't possibly say (though we can aggressively hint). Jeff Pryor's preview of that fight will be along tomorrow, but let's just jump straight into the rest of it.
Canelo Alvarez Vs. Alfredo Angulo Undercard
- Leo Santa Cruz vs. Cristian Mijares. The presence of a fight that could upstage the main event is always a good sign on a PPV, and this junior featherweight bout fits the bill. Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO), a punch-flinging machine who many see as the second coming of Antonio Margarito, is taking his toughest challenge to date against Mexican veteran Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO). Maybe I'm a sucker (I thought Victor Terrazas would at least challenge Santa Cruz), but I think Mijares at least has the tools to pull the upset here: he's a southpaw, he can box a bit and he can take a punch. That's not to say that I think it's going to happen, but Santa Cruz has shown he can be outfoxed and I'm just waiting for someone to nail him while he's doing his windmill impression.
- Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo. If you need to grab a beer (or shampoo your cat) during the broadcast, this junior middleweight fight might be the time to do it. That said, it could be kind of interesting in that it's a monumental step up for Charlo (17-0, 13 KO), whose twin brother Jermell passed his first exam against Gabe Rosado in January. Unfortunately, perhaps for both us and Charlo, Molina (22-5-2, 6 KO) is no Rosado, who is something of a professional game loser. Molina is going to maul and hold and bore in on Charlo, whose natural game is to hunt and peck from the outside. If he can maintain some distance and work hard and fast when he's on the inside, then he can win. If not, Molina gonna Molina.
- Jorge Linares vs. Nihito Arakawa. Consistently fragile Venezualan lightweight Linares (35-3, 23 KO) is on the comeback trail after back to back knockout losses in 2011/12. Smooth on his feet, he can box beautifully from the outside but has had a tendency to get caught with big bombs and go down. Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO), an aggressive but relatively limited fighter, has been brought in to make Linares look good. And there's an 80 percent probability he'll jab Arakawa into unrecognisable mush. But with a guy like Linares, that other 20 percent is always going to be there.
The Rest Of The Week’s Boxing Schedule
- Rustam Nagaev vs. Marvin Quintero, Friday, ESPN2, Pala Calif. Friday Night Fights is on something of a streak, what with their Boxcino tournaments and all, and this fight is no exception. It's just going to be a couple guy with a few losses going for it, no questions asked (which, thinking about it, should be FNF's motto). Russia's Nagaev (26-6-1, 16 KO) is a determined come forward brawler with a bit of skill, while Mexico's Quintero is, uh, a determined come forward brawler with a bit of skill. What's not to like? I don't even care who wins!
The Rest. Should-be-retired featherweight Jorge Arce is putting on a show on Saturday for Mexicans who don't like Canelo (they exist, trust me). Arce could lose to a stiff breeze these days, but his opponent, Brazils' Aldimar Silva Santos, seems to have lost to a few stiff breezes himself. If this is the kind of thing you're into, it'll be on UniMas… There's also an all Latin American junior flyweight fight in the non-traditional boxing city of Lima, Peru on Saturday, between Alberto Rossel and Colombia's Gabriel Mendoza.
