In order to uphold the long, if temporarily forgotten, tradition of using animals boxing for the weekly schedule, I found myself frequently clicking on pictures in Google Image search that led me back to this very site, because we’d used them before. Nevertheless, I soldiered on and did what any truly lazy person would do: I took a screen shot from YouTube. Enough about my indolence, though. Let’s get to the fights.
- Joseph Diaz, Jr. vs Victor Terrazas, Thursday, ESPN2, 11:30 pm, Indio, Calif.
Diaz (25-0, 13 KO) is a promising young featherweight, so this fight has the possibility of being a good stay busy bout or a waste of his time. It’s definitely not a step up. Terrazas (38-4-2, 21 KO) is just 1-1-1 since getting stopped by Leo Santa Cruz. In 2013. While Diaz is not a huge puncher, he’s quick and sets his punches up nicely. If Terrazas has anything left, it should be fun until Terrzas gets stopped. The rest of the card is rounded out by Golden Boy prospects, so if you’re into watching young fighters learn on the job, and are a night owl, it might be worth your time to check out.
- Callum Smith vs Nieky Holzken, Saturday, WBSS YouTube, 5 p.m., Arena Nürnberger Versicherung, Nuremberg, Germany.
This bout was originally supposed to pit Smith (23-0, 17 KO) against Jurgen Braehmer to decide who would meet George Groves in the super middleweight final of the World Boxing Super Series. Braehmer pulled out just two days ago with a severe illness. Fortunately for everyone involved, 34 year old Dutchman Holzken (13-0, 10 KO) was already scheduled to fight this weekend so he was able to step in on short notice. Holzken is largely unknown having been a kick boxer primarily, but he owns some decent wins and seems to have decent pop on his shots. I’m definitely leaning Smith here, but hopefully we will get a good show.
- Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs Juan Francisco Estrada, Saturday, HBO, 9:30 pm, Indio, Calif.
Oh, sweet JESUS YES! Superfly 2 is finally here. Brent Hedtke will have the official TQBR preview for this card tomorrow, so I’ll tuck my pride into my belt and be brief. Brick-fisted junior bantamweight Sor Rungvisai (44-4-1, 40 KO) catapulted into our awareness last year by waging a hellacious battle with Roman Gonzalez in March and then brutally knocking him out in the rematch in September. The man across from him, Juan Francisco Estrada (36-2, 25 KO) damn near stole the show that night in September by adjusting to opponent Carlos Cuadras and then pulling away late. This should be an amazing fight. And if that bout wasn’t enough, the aforementioned Cuadras (36-2-1, 27 KO) is taking on McWilliams Arroyo (16-3, 14 KO) in another super flyweight bout. Cuadras gave Estrada and Gonzalez all they could handle in close losses and Arroyo always comes to fight. Arroyo is coming off a 22 month layoff, so there’s an element of mystery to him, but if both men are near peak, it will be good. The televised opener will feature flyweights Donnie Nietes (40-1-4, 22 KO) and Juan Carlos Reveco (39-3, 19 KO) in matchup of top ranked contenders. Off TV, number 10 at flyweight but still #1 in my heart, Brian Viloria (38-5, 23 KO) takes on Artem Dalakian (15-0, 11 KO).
