(language NSFW)
You can thank me later for introducing you to the beauty of Aussie hip hop. There’s no time now, though. We have to get to this week’s fight schedule, which, with the scratching of Marcos Maidana-Robert Guerrero, is a lot less exciting than it could have been.
We’ve got a “big” heavyweight card live from Germany on Epix, the debut of Mayweather-Ortiz 24/7 on HBO, welterweight contender Vyacheslav Senchenko, a bunch of Spanish language shows and brothers Librado Andrade and Enrique Ornelas fighting on the same card (the aformentioned family affair).
- Alexander Povetkin-Ruslan Chagaev and Robert Helenius-Sergei Liakhovich, Saturday, Epix, Erfurt Germany. It’s an Eastern European, too-many-consonants-in-your-name-for-my-liking kind of weekend. The big show of the week is in Germany, where they loves themselves some heavyweights. Teddy Atlas’ poorly managed charge, Alexander Povetkin (21-0), takes a serious step up in competition against former Wlad Klitschko victim Ruslan Chagaev (27-1-1). Chagaev has no pop what so ever, but he’s technical as all get out and might give Povetkin, who hasn’t fought since last December, some problems. If Povetkin beats Chagaev, it might mean that he’s ready to be embarassed by a Klitschko brother. On the undercard, Finland’s Robert Helenius (15-0) takes on veteran Sergei Liakhovich (25-3). Helenius impressed last time out in “the battle of the nightmares” against Sam Peter; he’s technical, powerful and fit for a heavyweight. Liakhovich, who’s lost to such leading lights of the heavyweight division as Shannon Briggs and Nikolay Valuev, shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the rising star.
- 24/7 Mayweather-Ortiz, Saturday, HBO. I feel a bit mean to the guys who are actually fighting this weekend for putting this second on the list, but what are you going to do? Mayweather-Ortiz 24/7 makes its debut on HBO on Saturday, and most of us will be watching. Despite Floyd’s promises in this video, it’s probably going to be more of the same old crap, with Floyd waving dollar dollar bills in our face while he roller skates around his mansion and Victor giving us his fake badass/chilled out dude routine. Still, 24/7 is usually so well done that it could probably sell me a mega-fight between Wladimir Klitschko and this guy, so I look forward to it. I’m a sucker.
- Librado Andrade-Matt O’Brien and Enrique Ornelas-Alfredo Contreras, Saturday, AT&T U-Verse Stream, Leon Mexico. Fun brothers and all ’round super middleweight good guys Librado Andrade (29-4) and Enrique Ornelas (31-7) are fighting on the same card in Mexico this weekend. That’s kinda cool, but neither brother is fighting anyone of note. Andrade’s guy, Matt O’Brien (18-2) is 1-2 in his last two bouts, against no one in particular. Fair enough I suppose, since Andrade is coming off a loss himself, a close decision to Aaron Pryor Jr. Ornelas is facing Alfredo Contreras (11-11-2), who is 0-4-1 in his last five. All in all, don’t expect to draw too many conclusions about the fighting Mexican bros from this card. Still, Andrade can’t be too far outside the top 10 at super middle; he had current it-boy Lucian Bute down and out in their first fight, has mixed it up with the best and will always, always bring the pressure.
- Ulises Solis-Jether Oliva, Saturday, Fox Deportes, Guadalajara Mexico. At first, I thought the most interesting thing about this bout was that it featured my adopted hometown hero, junior flyweight Ulises Solis (33-2-3). That was until I realised that his undefeated Filipino opponent, Jether Oliva (17-0), has chosen to be known as “Hitler” in the ring. That might be a bit of a problem in future, if Oliva is hoping to emulate the success of fellow countryman, Manny Pacquiao. Seriously, why did nobody say that this was a bad idea? What is he trying to convey? That he commits genocide in the ring? Too many questions, on with the analysis. Good on Solis for not taking a soft touch after two grueling, foul filled fights with Luis Lazarte. Oliva is something of an unknown quantity, having never fought outside the Phillipines. He fights like a right handed, less technical version of Manny (surprise!). Solis showed some pretty extreme grit in putting up with all Lazarte’s crap, then going back down to Argentina for the rematch. Put that together with his skill and speed, and we could have ourselves a real fire fight here. Let the World War II analogies roll!
- Vyacheslav Senchenko-Marco Antonio Avendano, Friday, Donetsk Ukraine. Senchenko, Ring Magazine’s number five welterweight, defends his alphabet title against one of those damn mysterious South Americans. Senchenko (31-0) is a solid fighter of the Eastern European mode; upright, fit and fast to the jab. Avendano (30-7-1) has lost to every B to C level fighter he’s ever fought, including James Kirkland conqueror Noburo Ishida, twice. Nevertheless, he’s been training with Miguel Acosta and has a lot of experience. Still, I doubt that this’ll be much more than a showcase for the Ukrainian. But really, number five? Damn, welterweight, you used to be cool.
- The Rest. Junior featherweights Jose Nieves and Cuauhtemoc Vargas rematch Nieves’ disputed win from April on Telemundo, Friday. Nieves is the better fighter on paper….Tarnished junior welterweights Hector Serrano and Juan Garcia face each other in Fight Night Club on Thursday on FSN…Ballyhooed junior welterweight prospect Frankie Gomez stays on the same trajectory he been on for the last little while against eight and one Adrian Granados on TeleFutura Friday.
