This weekend’s TV boxing schedule contains a bunch of marquee names, and even a fight the most casual of boxing fans have already jotted down on their calendars. Oh yes, we have a high-profile ‘glamour division’ championship in the mix. Let’s get straight to it:
November 28th TV Boxing Schedule
Charlo vs Campfort
NBC
Jermall Charlo will be defending his IBF Junior Middleweight title against Wilky Campfort, who, in all honesty, looks to be tailor made for the unbeaten standout. The numbers on Campfort’s record look promising, but the names behind it definitely aren’t. So, yeah, this looks to be another showcase PBC headliner.
Red hot prospect Errol Spence will be providing chief support when he takes on Alejandro Barrera. This fight doesn’t look overly competitive on paper either, but is to be expected since Spence is still a fully-fledged upstart. For what it’s worth, Barrera has some pop in his punch, is 29-years-young, and has never been knocked out. It’s something.
Erickson Lubin, another rising prospect, will also be in action, taking on Alexis Camacho in a Junior Middleweight 10-rounder.
Klitschko vs Fury
HBO, Sky Sports Box Office, RTL
Ah, yes, the big one even casual fans can’t resist. Tyson Fury will be looking to relieve Wladimir Klitschko of his RING, WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO belts. If you care to know, Deontay Wilder is in possession of the only missing strap, that being the WBC variety. A boring fact.
Fury isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s one fact you can’t deny: the man’s done an incredible job of promoting this fight, pretty much all by himself. If it meant dressing up as Batman, singing to Klitschko, and generally making a fool of himself, Fury was more than prepared to fill that role. Meanwhile Klitschko has been…well, keeping a stern face.
You probably already know a fair deal about what makes this Heavyweight showdown interesting, so I’ll just offer a basic outline. Pessimistic boxing fans say: Wladimir Klitschko is going to wipe the floor with Fury, a circus clown who is yet to face a bona fide threat. Optimistic fans say: Klitschko is on the decline, and will crumble under a taller, heavier, hungrier opponent in Fury.
Personally, I’m with the pessimists all the way. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to believe in Fury. More than anything, I just want Klitschko vs Fury to live up to the hype, to be competitive, dramatic and entertaining. Since this fight is an ‘event’, its tale will make an impression on a lot of potential new fight fans. So, for that reason, it’s paramount it delivers the goods, no matter the outcome.
Cotto vs Canelo (Repeat)
HBO
Last weekend’s HBO Pay Per View headliner will be getting the replay treatment. Cotto vs Canelo didn’t live up the advertised war, but it wasn’t all that bad. If you haven’t yet seen the fight, I suggest you tune in, or alternatively, just read Boxing Base’s Cotto vs Canelo Full Report.
Imam vs Granados
Showtime
Amir Imam, Boxing Base’s No.8 Junior Welterweight, will be taking on Adrian Granados in the main event. Imam is unbeaten, heavy-handed, and considered to be one of boxing’s brightest future stars for very good reason.
Granados, 26, shouldn’t pose a serious threat, but does have a wealth of experience against some quality opponents, meaning he could be a tough customer. The ‘unprotected’ fighter didn’t shame himself against the likes of Brad Solomon (Loss, SD 12) and even Olympic medalist Felix Diaz (Loss, MD 12), so he more than deserves our respect going in.
Also in action will be unbeaten Heavyweight prospect Oscar Rivas who will be taking on Joey Abell in a 10-rounder. Rivas, 28, has looked mostly promising to date, while Abell has a tendency of getting knocked out, notably against upper-tier opposition. For that reason, I won’t be labeling this fight compulsory viewing.
DeGale vs Bute
Showtime, Sky Sports 1
This clash seems to have come round fairly quickly, and with little noise surrounding it. James DeGale will be making his first IBF Super Middleweight title defense against former champ Lucian Bute. While DeGale is a heavy favorite here, Bute has home advantage in his native Montreal, Canada, plus vast experience at world level, not to mention enough power to cause an upset.
Not that I think there’s much of a chance of that happening. If Bute is confident and on top form, however, this fight will act as a good measuring stick to gage just how good DeGale is, and how much damage he can do at 168 pounds, maybe even 175 in the near future.
The co-feature is also worthy of your attention. Eleider Alvarez, Boxing Base’s No.6 Light Heavyweight, will be trading blows with Isaac Chilemba, our No.7. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe this dustup will be acting as a WBC world title eliminator, meaning Adonis Stevenson could be facing the winner in 2016.
And that’s all, fight fans. Give us your take on the weekend’s boxing action, and of course, your valued picks. Will Klitschko vs Fury deliver? Will James DeGale encounter any difficulties with veteran Lucian Bute? Spill your thoughts…
