Boxing: February !5-16, 2008 [View All]

[H2O Man]

(All bouts subject to change)

FRIDAY - at Uncasville, Connecticut (ESPN2) -
10 rounds, welterweights: Delvin Rodriguez (21-2-1, 13 KOs)
vs. Troy Browning (20-0-1, 8 KOs); 10 rounds, light
welterweights: Ali Oubaali (20-3, 17 KOs) vs. Ashley Theopane
(20-2-1, 7 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Nuremberg, Germany - 12 rounds,
heavyweights: Nikolay Valuev (47-1, 34 KOs) vs. Serguei
Lyakhovich (23-2, 14 KOs); 12 rounds, super middleweights:
Vitali Tyspko (21-2, 11 KOs) vs. Robert Stieglitz
(31-1, 19 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Las Vegas (HBO PPV) -
12 rounds, WBC middleweight title: Kelly Pavlik
(32-0, 29 KOs) vs. Jermain Taylor (27-1-1, 17 KOs);
12 rounds, WBC super flyweight title: Cristian Mijares
(33-3-2, 14 KOs) vs. Jose Navarro (26-3, 12 KOs);
10 rounds, middleweights: Ronald Hearns (17-0, 13 KOs)
vs. Justin Astorga (11-1-1, 6 KOs); 12 rounds, super
flyweights: Fernando Montiel (35-2-1, 26 KOs) vs.
Martin Castillo (33-2, 17 KOs); 8 rounds, light
flyweights: Cesar Lopez (20-5, 4 KOs) vs. Brian
Viloria (20-2, 12 KOs).

Three interesting fight cards this weekend. The ESPN card looks to be entertaining, and I think that Uncasville-based promotions are usually of a good quality. I don't think this is what Teddy had complained about. Good young welterweights almost always make for action-packed fights.

I wish that the fights cards from Germany would play on US tv. Both Valuev and Lyakhovoch are interesting heavyweights, and either one could give the others in the division a real contest. American sports fans aren't seeing a lot of the heavyweight action these days. I wish the promoters would consider low-fee PPV coverage of these cards in the US; everyone could be happy with that.

I do not think that the Pavlik vs Taylor rematch should be PPV. I'm not going to purchase it. However, I think it will be interesting. On one hand, Pavlik has to be favored to repeat -- perhaps in fewer rounds -- but it is an error to take Taylor for granted.

Before their first fight, I did a break-down of what rounds Kelly tends to end fights in. He is very dangerous between 6 and 9 rounds. Now, as he moves towards his prime, and with added weight, he may end fights quicker. He isn't fighting as often, and it will be interesting to see if that changes anything for him.

I've always liked this young man Jermain. I did not think Manny S worked well with him. There was no improvement in four fights -- in fact, he regressed. Now Taylor is back with Oxell Nelson.

I was surprised that Taylor said he didn't spar much for the first Pavlik fight. He was in Manny's rural, secluded camp, and I guess he concentrated on other things. If you are the middleweight champion, you should be able to secure the services of many sparring partners.

This guy beat B-Hop twice. He also decked Pavlik, and if he hadn't freaked, he could have possibly stopped him. It is hard to read this young man from a few interviews on tv, but I think he is ready to go to war.

The problem is, that may make him an easier target. Who do you pick?