The above video of Jermain Taylor looks like it was made by someone who is definitely not crazy and wouldn’t shoot their cousin… right?
Apart from the former middleweight champ/brain-injury-sufferer, there are a few fights on TV, though they’re nothing to write home about (unless you’re one of the boxers fighting, in which case I think at least an email or text message home would be justified). Let’s get to it in all its relatively unexciting glory.
- Sam Soliman Vs. Jermain Taylor, Wednesday, ESPN2, Biloxi Miss. Wednesday Night Fights returns on ESPN2, with a pretty gross “world title bout” between Aussie Energiser bunny Soliman (44-11, 18 KO) and the aforementioned definitely-not-crazy Taylor (32-4-1, 20 KO). It’s gross because Taylor suffered a brain bleed in 2009. The injury prompted promoter Lou DiBella to say he would no longer promote Taylor, but he’s obviously had a change of heart/fancies a new in-ground pool. With Taylor’s depleted reflexes and tendency to fade, I don’t see this being remotely competitive. On the undercard, super middleweight enigma Andre Dirrell (22-1, 15 KO) faces Nick Brinson (16-2-2, 6 KO), who was last seen losing to Dominic Wade, who’s a slower, less powerful version of Dirrell. It’s not going to be a competitive fight either.
- Carlos Molina Vs. Cornelius Bundrage, Saturday, ESPN2, Cancun. Past-it old guy fights mauling, dirty not old guy. What a marketing line, I’m shocked they didn’t use it. What can you say? The 41-year-old Bundrage (33-5, 19 KO) must be cashing in his chips against Molina (22-5-2, 6 KO), a good fighter of the Bernard Hopkins school of slowing fights right down and hugging a lot. The way I see it, Bundrage’s only shot is if Molina’s deportation to Mexico for 12-year-old sex charges has badly affected his mental state.
- The Rest. Undefeated featherweight Ronny Rios takes on veteran Robinson Castellanos Friday on FS1/Fox Deportes. Castellanos is coming off a KO loss but is something of a live dog… Telemundo has junior bantamweights David Carmona and Martin Casillas headlining from Mexico City the same night… On Saturday Jorge Paez Jr. continues the run of not-that-good sons of Mexican legends on UniMas against Aaron Herrera… Meanwhile over the pond Welsh featherweight Lee Selby gives Aussie Joel Brunker a crack in London.
