Weekend Preview - 6/24

The year has been littered with great weekends of fights so far and this weekend will be no different.

As usual it get kicked off with a good main even in the Friday Night Fights card, then a 3 fight HBO card, and a free streaming EPIX middleweight championship fight. I will be previewing these fights below.

Plus, for us boxing junkies, Telefutura has Brian Vera and James Kirkland on the same card, Telemundo has prospect Jesus Pabon in a sure action fight and FSN is broadcasting Mike Jones likely knockout of professional “opponent” Raul Munoz. Get your DVR’s ready to roll!

HBO Card
On Saturday on HBO's Boxing after dark 9:45ET/PT, there will be triple header headlined by Devon Alexander and Lucas Matthyse.

Devon Alexander vs. Lucas Matthyse
Many may remember Matthysse (28-1, 26 KOs) from his recent loss on HBO to Zab Judah in a close fight that Judah was lucky to squeeze out a SD victory. He doesn’t have great boxing skill but has great power. He is coming off of a KO win against, now stepping stone, DeMarcus Corley back in January. He is the brother of Walter Mattyse and has Carlos Baldomir in his corner. He owns a KO victory against Vivian Harris and is slowly building his resume to become a 140pd contender.

Boxing fans may still have a bad taste in their mouths from Alexander’s last performance on HBO against Timothy Bradley. It was hyped as great fight to kick off the year and turned out to be a dud. Both fighters promised action and fireworks while the fight contained more posturing than anything. Bradley controlled Alexander with good distance control as well as outworking (relatively) the St. Louis native until a head butt ultimately sent the fight to the scorecards. This is a crossroads fight for a Alexander who many thought was at the top of the division with his KO victory against Juan Urango last year.

This is a tough fight to handicap, but because of Matthyse’s issues with good boxers (see Zab Judah) I expect Devon to carefully pick him apart. My pick is Alexander in another so so performance. Alexander UD12

Tavoris Cloud vs. Yusaf Mack

The second fight on the televised undercard is Tavoris Cloud vs. Yusaf Mack for Cloud's IBF light heavyweight title in what should be a bang bang fight. Cloud does not know how to not come forward and Mack is no laydown opponent. Cloud has shown good boxing skills, a great right hand and stamina to maintain his pressure over 12 rounds (see Glen Johnson fight)

For Canadian - Haitian Yusaf his last two losses have came against good competition (Glen Johnson and Librado Andrade) and has good boxing skill. Many feel he has a suspect chin and doesn't do well against pressure (once again see his Glen Johnson fight). Sidenote: See why I love Glen Johnson? Win or lose, he exposes fighters for who they are. This is the sign of a real veteran.

Mack should give Cloud a test, but with Cloud’s crowd and judge appealing aggressive pressure Tavoris should come out with a KO victory in the later rounds. What makes this fight even more exciting is the fact that Mack likes to fight when attacked, which will undoubtedly will be the case Saturday night.

If Cloud can get past Mack there are huge fights on the horizon. Dawson, Pascal, and Hopkins loom at the top of the list. Cloud KO10

Bermane Stiverne vs. Ray Austin

Also televised will be upcoming heavyweight Bermane Stiverne vs. Ray Austin in an WBC heavyweight eliminator. Stiverne (20-1, 19KOs) has very good power and a good skill set. His only loss came in spectacular fashion against Demetrice King back in 2007 and he is (8-0-1 since then).

Ray Austin, 40 years old, will keep fighting as long as he gets a paycheck as a stepping stone. It’s too bad good fighters like him will sacrifice his body in this horrendous heavyweight era. With the competition so weak, he will continue to get fights and make “prospects” beat him.

Unfortunately, the Cornelious K9 Bundrage rematch with Sechel Powell for Bundrage's IBF junior middleweight title will not be televised. Fight junkies will remember their first punch double knockdown fight last time they met. (VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST HERE IF YOU MISSED IT). If K9 can win this fight he should be in line for a good payday in an unification matchup.

Felix Sturm vs. Mathew Macklin – EPIXHD.COM, EPIX
Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KOs) will be defending his WBA middleweight belt for the 10th time against Irishman Mathew Macklin (28-2, 19 KOs). Both fighters have been criticized for weak competition, but both have plodded away with their careers in workmanlike fashion to rise to the this stage. It’s a very close fight but Sturm should have too boxing skill and will use his good jab to beat Macklin. Also, because of the fact that Sturm is the defending champion and fighting in his home country, Macklin has to win convincingly in order to take this belt away. Sturm UD12.
There is also no reason to miss this fight. It will be shown on Epixhd for a free trial if you sign up. HD streaming boxing? What can be bad about that?

Friday Night Fights
John Molina vs. Robert Frankel
John Molina (22-1, 18 KOs), who is never in a dull fight because of his lack of boxing prowess but incredible power will be facing off with Frankel (28-10-1, 5 KOs). Frankel will likely give Molina a tough fight, but will be eventually overmatched by the sheer talent and power of John Molina. You have no excuse to miss this one as it is once again streaming on ESPN 3.

Saul Alvarez V Ryan Rhodes BAD Wrap

This weekend we saw a glimpse of the future. Saul Canelo Alvarez has been a rising star in the Golden Boy stable for a few years now. Now it seems as though they cannot hide him anymore. He is a bonafide star in his hometown, home state, and home country. Because of his active aggressive style, he pleases the masses and continues on his meteoric rise through the division.

Up this weekend against him was Ryan Rhodes. Rhodes (45-5, 31 KOs) is a battle tested veteran who was supposed to give Alvarez trouble with his jab, his switching stances, and his toughness. Instead, Alvarez passed the test in flying colors. Alvarez showed patience, poise, and decent hand speed.

He won every round on the Fight Knights scorecards and eventually stopped the Englishman in the final round. Alvarez’s sharp crisp combinations were unmatched and unanswered by Rhodes. Instead all Rhodes could do was turtle up every time Alvarez would start throwing, leaving room to work to the body.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been mentioned as a possible opponent. However, this will likely wait and simmer because they are both making such good money taking fights that don’t have as much risk. Alvarez’s team is targeting the Victor Ortiz V Mayweather PPV for another match and early rumors have Vanes Martirosyan (2004 Olympian 30-0 19Kos) as the early favorite to get that match. Regardless of who he fights next, the boxing world will be waiting. Huge fights are on the horizon with big names that promise big action. (Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Martinez). Best quote of the night? The star himself when being asked who he wanted next.

“I will fight anyone, even if it’s the devil.”

If only more fighters would do and say that.

Also on the undercard was Adrien Broner taking out Jason Litzau quickly in the first round. In our preview, we noted that Litzau’s style was tailor made for Broner’s mayweather-esque style. Broner controlled most of the action in the beginning of the first round and then connected with a right left combination. After that, it was the “American Boy” hanging on for until referee Curtis Thrasher had to step in after a hellacious uppercut that landed flush. Broner should be considered a title contender soon and will have to start taking on bigger and bigger names. Jason after a good upset win against Celestine Caballero, will need to go back to the drawing board. He is still young enough to pick back up and get another good name fight before calling it a career.

HBO Weekend Preview 6/18/11

Saul Alvarez V Ryan Rhodes

HBO – B.A.D. – Boxing After Dark – 6/18/11

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will be defending his newly minted 154 pound belt for the first time against his mandatory challenger Ryan Rhodes.

Alvarez (36-0-1, 26 KOs) has been an exciting prospect to watch. He has a entertaining style, a good story, and interesting demeanor. His left hook and right hand are as good as any in the division and he has big fights looming on the horizon. The last time we saw him he fought another UK fighter in Mathew Hatton. Hatton, Ricky’s younger brother, was able to go the distance with Alvarez despite taking huge shots throughout the fight. Because of Hatton’s lack of punching power, Alvarez was able to maintain a large amount of pressure throughout the fight.

Ryan Rhodes (45-4, 31 KOs) is a well traveled a 34-year-old southpaw who tendency to switch to orthodox throughout his fights. Rhodes, a former European junior middleweight champion, has been fighting in the middleweight weight class for most of his career. This is his third shot at a world title, he lost to Otis Grant in 1997 much earlier in his career and an interim middleweight shot in which he was stopped by Jason Matthews in the 2^nd round. His last four fights have been TKO victories and is currently on a 10 fight win streak. He is best remembered probably for his 2009 bout with Jamie Moore (when he won his first European title) in a slug fest. (See below for the full fight, it’s a damn good one)

Both fighters have good jabs and use it to set up their hooks with the same hand. Both fighters like to wear down their opponents (albeit in slightly different manners). Rhodes will be the bigger man in the ring and probably has a foot speed advantage. The fight storyline will likely whether the stalker and can more effective or the stalkee can effectively stay away. It’s hard to see Rhodes coming out with a victory here, it is his first fight outside of the UK and is up against a rising superstar. However, while many in the boxing community is seeing this as the first fight that Alvarez has a chance of losing.

While I expect Alvarez to have a tough fight against Rhodes counter punching southpaw style, I also expect Alvarez to wear Rhodes down with raw power and talent and eventually stopping him.

Jason Litzau V Adrien Broner

Broner (20-0, 16 KOs) is coming off of a disappointing performance against Daniel Ponce De Leon in his last fight on HBO. Broner will have the motivation to put that fight behind him against someone who is tailor made for his flicker stance style. Jason Litzau is coming of a career reviving win against Celestino Caballero last November on HBO. If Broner doesn’t show up and work, Litzau with his aggressive high punch output style, may make it a tough night. I expect Adrien Broner to cruise here.

Interesting note on the telecast. Howard Lederman is going to be commentating as an analyst for the televised undercard match. Roy Jones Jr. has to sit out because he promotes Jason Litzau, Max and Larry were both unavailable. Interesting to hear Mr. Lederman speak more than 30 seconds at a time.

Now sit back and enjoy the what many consider to be Fight of the Year of 2009.