Canelo vs Khan has gone down a storm with the majority of fight fans, meaning the execs at HBO should have a hit on their hands come May 7th. It’s a David vs Goliath story between two top-drawer talents, and both men – particularly Canelo – have arena-filling fan bases. The undercard, now complete, ain’t too shabby either. In fact, as undercards go, only the most cynical would sound their protests at this Vegas lineup.
Chief support will see the return of hammer-fisted David Lemieux who was pummeled en route to being stopped by Gennady Golovkin last October. For what it’s worth, there’s no shame in going 8 rounds with ol’ ‘GGG’. Lemieux will be back in action against Glen Tapia, a young gun once touted to achieve great things in the sport before being savaged by James Kirkland in 2013 and Michel Soro last May. That’s boxing for you.
So Lemieux vs Tapia is basically a mismatch, right? Well, that’s kind of hard to say. While it’s true ex-champ Lemieux is the better fighter on paper, a Lemieux win shouldn’t be a foregone conclusion. Both men can bang, and we already know there are holes in Lemieux’s game which can be exploited. If Tapia can stave off Lemieux’s early attacks, his ring smarts could allow him to take home the upset.
Tapia shouldn’t be written off just yet, in other words. But should he lose, the road back will be a long one, indeed. Tapia will be climbing up from 154 to 160 pounds for the chance to exchange blows with Lemieux in this 10-rounder. Going in, Lemieux stands at 34 wins, 31 knockouts, 3 defeats, and Tapia at 23 wins, 15 knockouts, 2 defeats.
Mauricio Herrera and promising upstart Frankie Gomez will be clashing beforehand in a Welterweight 10-rounder. While neither man is ‘hot’ on most fight fan’s radars, both have plenty of talent and, if on their A-games, could make this an exciting affair. Herrera, who came close to outpointing Danny Garcia back in 2014, will be making his debut at 147. Herrera will be looking to improve on his 22 wins, 7 knockouts, 5 defeats, while Gomez will be protecting his unblemished 20-fight winning streak which includes 13 knockouts.
Patrick Teixeira will be kicking off the Canelo vs Khan card against Curtis Stevens in what looks to be an all-action battle between two boxer-punchers. Teixeira is unbeaten and probably the favorite going in, but should have his work cut out with the wily, experienced Stevens. This will be Teixeira’s first bout at Middleweight, with the action scheduled for 10 rounds. Teixeira has compiled a perfect record of 26 wins with 22 knockouts, while Steven’s reads 27 wins, 20 knockouts, 5 defeats.
What’s your take on the Canelo vs Khan undercard? And how do you see Lemieux vs Tapia, Herrera vs Gomez and Stevens vs Teixeira unfolding?
