This weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule will mark the end of an era, with one of boxing’s modern legends about to (supposedly) bow out from the sport. A British beast will also be stepping into the ring, hoping to capture a piece of the Heavyweight crown before the weekend is through. Let’s get to it!
Friday, April 8th
Troyanovsky vs Cuenca II
Boxnation (UK) – Noon EDT, 5pm GMT
Eduard Troyanovsky and Cesar Rene Cuenca will be doing it all again, with Cuenca looking to exact revenge following a stoppage to Troyanovsky last November. It won’t be the most anticipated affair of the weekend given the odds seemed to be heavily stacked against Cuenca, but it’s not a bad showdown to whet your appetite before Saturday night’s action gets underway. IBF champ Troyanovsky will enter the ring with 23 wins, no defeats, 20 knockouts, and Cuenca 48 wins, 1 defeat, 2 knockouts.
If you’ve heard of Cuenca, chances are you’re probably in the minority. In fact, I’d bet you’re a hardcore fan if you have – not that I’m judging. Cuenca kind of made headlines around the time Floyd Mayweather took on Andre Berto last September, mainly because Cuenca was about to match ‘Money’s’ 49-0 record and perhaps become the first 50-0 fighter.
It wasn’t to be, however, with Troyanovsky scoring a 6th round TKO over Cuenca when they met two months later; meaning Mayweather is now the only fighter on the planet (to the best of this writer’s knowledge) who has the chance to beat Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record. Way to geek it up on a Tuesday!
Anyway, the Troyanovsky card has a bunch of other notable fighters in action, even if they are involved in matchups which heavily favor the A-side prospects. I’m sure you’re familiar with this kind of support action by now.
Saturday, April 9th
Joshua vs Martin
Selby vs Hunter, McDonnell vs Vargas, Groves vs Brophy, Macklin vs Rose
Showtime, Sky Sports Box Office (UK) – 1:00pm EDT, 6:00pm GMT
It’s not the most competitive mainstream Heavyweight matchup out there, but Joshua vs Martin is of great significance for a ton of reasons. Well, a fair few anyway. Both men are bona-fide Heavyweight physically, possessing impressive smarts and knockout power. They’re also unbeaten, which even the most cynical of boxing fans must admit makes this ‘battle-of-sort-of-unproven-fighters’ even more seductive.
Going in, Anthony Joshua holds a bone-shaking 15 wins, 15 knockouts, and Charles Martin 23 wins, 1 draw, 21 knockouts, plus his newly-acquired IBF title. Joshua has a legion of British fans behind him, and carries serious crossover appeal stateside and beyond. With a Gold medal and a 100% KO ratio in the pro game, Joshua has plenty of self-belief and ability, with only Dillian Whyte having been able to take him beyond three rounds.
Martin seems to be getting overlooked by many boxing scribes right now, but I think it would be unwise for Joshua to underestimate him. Not that Brit’s need to worry; Joshua has his head on straight and, despite being one of the fight game’s best seek-and-destroy fighters, seems to be pretty humble. Martin is big enough, strong enough, and plain old dangerous enough to be in with a chance, though. So let’s not start hitting the Twitterverse and panning this event just yet. If you’re in need of further buildup, Sky Sport’s Joshua vs Martin: The Gloves are Off should do the trick.
While it’s true Martin is probably the easiest Heavyweight title-holder to pick off (given he won the IBF strap from Vyacheslav Glazkov by default), he’s an appropriate stepping stone for Joshua. It’s hard to believe Joshua will be stepping into the ring for only the sixteenth time as a pro, and, however you slice and dice this fight, it’s mightily impressive that it’s for a world title already.
Why else is this fight of such great meaning? Well, if you’re a fan of today’s deepening Heavyweight scene, you’re probably aware that it’s always in need of an excitement boost and new blood in general. Tyson Fury is ‘colorful’, Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz are plain wrecking machines, and if a high-caliber boxer-puncher like Joshua can start rubbing shoulders with them, he’ll finally be in line to shake things up even further. He’ll likely be avoided for some time, no doubt, with David Haye more likely to face him first, but there’s only so long today’s champs can turn away.
Anyway, I’m getting a little long-winded here for a Boxing TV Schedule, so I’ll wrap this thing up. IBF Featherweight champ Lee Selby will be taking on Eric Hunter in the co-main event, and will be joined by Super Middleweights George Groves and David Brophy, plus Junior Middleweights Matthew Macklin and Brian Rose. Groves looks to be in a winnable fight, but Selby will need to have his wits about him with Hunter. Macklin vs Rose could be the best scrap of the night, even if they are considered domestic-level types.
Boxing Base will have Live Coverage right here, plus Round by Round Updates over on Twitter via @BoxingBase.
Culcay vs Prada
Koelling vs Cherviak, Zeuge vs Acosta
SAT.1 (DEU)
Jack Culcay will be taking on Jean Carlos Prada in a Junior Middleweight 12-rounder, supported by Light Heavyweight 12-rounder Enrico Koelling vs Oleksandr Cherviak. Super Middleweights Tyron Zeuge and Ruben Eduardo Acosta will kick off the night’s action.
Pacquiao vs Bradley III
Abraham vs Ramirez, Valdez vs Gradovich, Ramirez vs Perez
HBO PPV, Premier Sports (UK) – 9:00pm EDT, 2:00am GMT (10th)
When originally announced, Pacquiao vs Bradley III wasn’t warmly received, it has to be said. But as we now enter fight week, it fills one with mixed emotions, especially since this could be the final time we’ll ever see Manny Pacquiao in action before tuning into politics. In terms of the actual fight, it isn’t actually that bad. Pacquiao may have declined somewhat over the past few years, but he’s still an elite Welterweight, as is Timothy Bradley.
Pacquiao is looking to end his legacy with a bang, while Bradley is still building his own en route to securing his own place in the Boxing Hall of Fame. Which he’s probably on the cusp of already. It should be intriguing stuff. For the record, Bradley won their 2012 meeting via controversial Split Decision, but was soundly beaten via the Unanimous variety in a competitive 2014 rematch. Pacquiao stands at 57 wins, 6 defeats, 2 draws, 38 knockouts, and Bradley 33 wins, 1 defeat, 1 draw, 13 knockouts.
If you’re still not sold on the main event, you’ll be pleased to know the undercard is plenty colorful. Arthur Abraham vs Gilberto Ramirez is a tasty Super Middleweight matchup which will see the WBO title on the line. Oscar Valdez and Jose Ramirez, fighting prior, are both promising upstarts, and haven’t been matched poorly. Valdez will be taking on ex-champ Evgeny Gradovich in a Featherweight 10-rounder, while Ramirez will be kicking off the night’s action against Manuel Perez in a Lightweight contest, also set for 10.
Romero vs Veron
TyC Sports (ARG) – 10:00pm EDT
Christian Nestor Romero will be taking on Adriean Luciano Veron in a Welterweight 10-rounder.
Rojas vs Ankrah
Hernandez vs Perez
Televisia (MEX) – 11:00pm EDT
Tomas Rojas will be trading blows with Prosper Ankrah in a Featherweight 10-rounder, joined by Junior Lightweights Eduardo Hernandez and Devis Perez.
Give us your thoughts on this weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule. Is it repeat or revenge in swan song Pacquiao vs Bradley III? Will we see a passing of the torch in Abraham vs Ramirez? And will there be a new British world Heavyweight champion when Joshua vs Martin is through? Plenty of fights. Get discussing!
