If you look at the picture above, you’ll see Adrien Broner being a knob (alternative caption: me if I ever have to watch another Adrien Broner fight). Luckily, there’s plenty of boxing on this week to wash the taste of AB’s spoiling/general tastelessness out of our collective mouth. There’s only one really big show: Tim Bradley vs Jessie Vargas on HBO, but there’s plenty of other less high profile fights on other channels. Let’s get to it:
- Timothy Bradley vs Jessie Vargas, Saturday, HBO, Carson Calif. The week’s only elite offering sees Vargas (26-0, 9 KO) move up to welterweight to fight Bradley (31-1-1, 12 KO). Both men are skilled boxers, but I think Bradley’s versatility — he can pressure, counterpunch and box — and iron will to win will carry the day. Vargas has just squeaked by much lesser opponents (Josesito Lopez, Khabib Allakhverdiev) and Bradley is a class above.
- Amnat Ruenroeng vs Johnriel Casimero, Saturday, Bangkok. A very nice fight for fans of the little guys, with flyweight’s #2 contender Ruenroeng (15-0, 5 KO) taking on the division’s #10, Casimero (21-2, 13 KO). Track down a stream if you can.
- Gilberto Ramirez vs Derek Edwards, Friday, TruTV, Hidalgo Texas. An OK fight here, with lanky Mexican super middleweight prospect Ramirez (31-0, 24 KO) facing fringe contender/journeyman Edwards (27-4-1, 14 KO). Ramirez is at the point where he’s ready to step up, and Edwards doesn’t quite cut it. “Zurdo” should look to impress against a guy who took Andre Dirrell the distance.
- Julian Pollard vs Tyrone Spong, Saturday, BKB PPV, Las Vegas. A Big Knockout Boxing pay-per-view headlined by a pair of unknown heavyweights. Pollard (6-0, 6 KO) played defensive end for Syracuse, but has never fought off the Massachusetts club circuit, while Spong (2-0, 2 KO) is from the tiny South American nation of Suriname. Oh, and Shane Mosley’s son is fighting too. If the last BKB card between Gabe Rosado and Curtis Stevens was anything to go by, Mosley’s social media presence should be better than the actual fights.
- Dominic Wade vs Sam Soliman, Friday, Showtime, Shelton Wash. A good crossroads fight, pitting 41-year-old veteran Soliman (44-12, 18 KO) against former US Olympian Wade (17-0, 12 KO). Assuming the leg injury that troubled Soliman against Jermain Taylor is healed, it’ll be a big step up for the American. Soliman’s activity and awkwardness can be a real handful, even for a lengthy, skilled guy like Wade. If the leg isn’t 100%, he should make easy work of the Australian.
- Dennis Hogan vs Kenny Abril, Friday, CBS Sports Net, Niagara Falls, N.Y. Australian/Irish junior middleweight prospect Hogan (21-0-1, 7 KO) fights durable local guy Abril (14-7-1, 7 KO) in a lower-order fight.
- Alan Sanchez vs Stephen Claggett, Friday, Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes, Salinas Calif. Tarnished welterweight prospect Sanchez (15-3-1, 8 KO) takes on Canadian club fighter Claggett (21-3-1, 14 KO).
