This weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule is a good one, people, with a couple of big underdog stories set to take place in Saturday’s headliners. Canelo vs Khan is of course one of those matchups, with Amir Khan trying to do the unthinkable by defeating formidable Mexican warrior Canelo Alvarez. Anthony Crolla might not be an underdog per se going into his dangerous meeting with puncher Ismael Barroso, but has overcome crushing adversity – following a coma-inducing assault outside his home – to lift Darleys Perez’s WBA crown late last year. It’s a good weekend of boxing.
Friday, May 6th
Cano vs Sanchez
Quintero vs Petrov
Estrella TV – 11:00pm EDT
If you’re itching for a solid appetizer prior to Canelo vs Khan and Crolla vs Barroso (below), this isn’t a bad card at all. No one is anywhere close to getting into world title contention in the near future, but it’s good matchmaking and therefore worth a look in. Former world title challenger Pablo Cesar Cano will be meeting with Alan Sanchez at Welterweight, with Petr Petrov and Marvin Quintero, also former title challengers, set to trade blows at Lightweight.
Saturday, May 7th
Crolla vs Barroso
Murray vs Speara, Burton vs TBA
AWE, Sky Sports 2 – 2:30pm EDT, 7:30pm GMT
‘Cinderella Man’ Anthony Crolla will be taking on nightmare puncher Ismael Barroso in the Manchester main event, and really, given it’s Crolla’s first title defense, you’ve got to respect the guy for stepping into the fire so soon. Crolla, who was knocked into a coma after disturbing a robbery outside his home last year, defied the odds by taking Darleys Perez’s WBA strap in November 2015, making him one of boxing’s most inspirational characters.
Crolla, who trains alongside the likes of top prospect Callum Smith at the Joe Gallagher Gym, seems to be improving on his craft with every fight, but will have to stay focused for every second on Saturday. Barroso, a devastating puncher who beat the stuffing out of Kevin Mitchell en route to a 5th round TKO last December, is an unbeaten Venezuelan who could build life-changing buzz by beating Crolla here. Obviously not one to miss.
The Matchroom Boxing undercard won’t blow your socks off like the Canelo vs Khan variety (below), but it does contain some familiar faces known for raising pulses. Martin Murray, who is set for a meaty Super Middleweight collision with George Groves on June 25th, will be keeping busy against Cedric Speara. 6’ 4” unbeaten Light Heavyweight prospect Hosea Burton will also be in action, though it’s unlikely his TBA opponent is going to turn into anything special with just five days remaining until fight night.
Boxing Base will have Live Coverage of Crolla vs Burton right here, plus Live Round by Round Updates over on Twitter via @BoxingBase.
Pulev vs Chisora
SAT1 (DEU) – 5:50pm EDT
Kubrat Pulev and Derek Chisora, a couple of Heavyweights who’ve hit their ceilings and are headed further into obscurity, will be meeting to decide the rightful owner of the vacant European title. Both fighters have returned to winning ways against non-contenders in recent times and do at least seem to be evenly matched here, however, even if this is the lowest-brow matchup of the weekend. It’s unlikely ‘Battle of the Giants’ is an appropriate tagline for this Team Sauerland event, but we’ll soon see.
Canelo vs Khan
Lemieux vs Tapia, Herrera vs Gomez, Teixeira vs Stevens, De La Hoya vs Santomauro
HBO PPV, Boxation – 9:00pm EDT, 1:30am GMT
Canelo vs Khan is both shamelessly unnecessary and wonderfully appealing at the same time. Amir Khan will be entering the ring in the unfamiliar role of underdog, while WBC Middleweight king Canelo Alvarez is expected to prove that a ‘good big man beats a good small man’ every time. But, however you slice and dice it, Khan is still one of the best operators Canelo will have shared the ring with; Khan has blurry hand speed, adept footwork, and is in with a chance if he can stay mobile and disciplined for twelve rounds. Khan is coming in off a Unanimous Decision over Chris Algieri last May, and Canelo his own UD over future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cotto in November.
If you’re really struggling to build any enthusiasm for this one then fear not as it could prove rather significant. If Khan is in fact mangled by Canelo, then a British dustup with Kell Brook (which looks far more competitive right now) will likely be Khan’s next target. Khan generally chases the green stuff, and a Wembley stadium PPV scrap with Brook seems like his next logical move. Conversely, if Khan beats Canelo, it’s definitely a good thing for boxing since…well, who the heck would’ve seen that game-changing upset coming?
Still dubious? Luckily there’s a fan-friendly undercard to soak up before Canelo vs Khan gets underway. David Lemieux and Glen Tapia will be clashing in a heavy-handed Middleweight co-feature, and veteran Curtis Stevens will be tackling solid upstart Patrick Teixeira in another TNT Middleweight affair. Welterweight matchup Mauricio Herrera vs Frankie Gomez could produce the goods, and promising upstart Deigo De La Hoya will also be in action against Rocco Santomauro.
Boxing Base will have Live Results of the Canelo vs Khan card right here, with Round by Round Updates on Twitter via @BoxingBase.
What are your picks for this weekend’s boxing action? Are there any surprises to be had in Canelo vs Khan and Crolla vs Barroso? Let us know in the comments below.
