The spring (or autumn if you’re in my part of the world) boxing schedule is always busy, and this week is no exception, with really solid fights on a variety of networks. So sit down, grab a peanut butter cup (via Rafe Bartholomew) and plan your viewing.
- Boxcino tournament semifinals, Friday, ESPN2, Bethlehem Pa. Friday Night Fights this week features the four semifinal bouts from their heavyweight and junior middleweight “Boxcino” tournaments. I love the Boxcino concept, but the last heavyweight edition was truly awful. Putting them in eight round fights is only going to make the pain worse. The junior middleweights figure to be more entertaining, with Brandon Adams (16-0, 11 KO), a likable and fan-friendly favourite from the last tournament at middleweight, taking on veteran Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KO), who doesn’t figure to give him too much trouble. Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KO) seems likely to meet Adams in the final; the Ukrainian had 200 fights in the amateurs and isn’t afraid to commit. His opponent, John Thompson (15-1, 5 KO) could prove able to box him from the outside, but tends to stick his chin out a bit too much..
- Frank Galarza vs. Sheldon Moore, Friday, Showtime, Brooklyn. Brooklyn junior middleweight Galarza (16-0-2, 10 KO) is a ShoBox staple, and can do a bit of everything. Moore (13-2-1, 9 KO), his relatively unknown Belgian opponent, isn’t going to set the world on fire but likes to mix it up.
- Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson, Saturday, NBC, Brooklyn. “Premier Boxing Champions” is back on NBC with a hell of a main event between top junior welterweights Garcia (29-0, 17 KO) and Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KO). It’s a bit crap that it’s at a 143 pound catchweight, but what are you going to do? Tim Starks will have a full preview later in the week, but I fancy Garcia’s heavier shots will please the judges more in a decision win. On the undercard, middleweight Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KO) seems like he should be sturdier and more skillful than Ireland’s Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KO), but Lee does have that one punch knockout power.
- Jessie Magdaleno vs. John Mark Apolanario, UniMas, Laredo Texas. Top Rank junior featherweight prospect Magdaleno (20-0, 15 KO) stays busy against Apolanario (18-5-3, 5 KO), a blown up bantamweight one fight removed from a string of losses.
- Orlando Salido vs. Rocky Martinez, Saturday, San Juan Puerto Rico. Where would boxing be without the Mexico/Puerto Rico rivalry? Salido (42-12-2, 29 KO), one of the meanest fighters in boxing, is relatively new to junior lightweight and is taking on contender Martinez (28-2-2, 17 KO) on his home turf in San Juan. This is almost guaranteed to be entertaining, with two guys who are completely unafraid to mix it up and can punch a bit too.
