This weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule has something in store for just about every kind of fight fan. Amidst a completely stacked lineup, boxing purists will get their fill in a potentially game-changing dream matchup, while HBO puts on a Junior Lightweight triple-header of dynamite, all-action punchers. For a complete forecast of upcoming fights, check out our 2017/2018 Boxing Schedule. Let’s get to it.
Friday, December 8
Pascal vs Elbiali
Luis Ortiz vs Daniel Martz, Chad Dawson vs Edwin Rodriguez
Fox Sports 1 / Deportes – 9:00pm ET, 2:00am (Saturday) GMT
Veteran Jean Pascal continues his storied, nowadays slipping, career, here hoping to re-enter the Light Heavyweight mix with a victory over unbeaten prospect Ahmed Elbiali. This is your classic crossroads affair of experience vs youth, with the outcome probably telling us a great deal about both fighters’ immediate futures. The greater urgency is of course with Pascal, who needs to either win or look remarkable enough in defeat in order to remain on primetime shows.
Ortiz vs Martz is what it is: a big-name Heavyweight in Luis Ortiz (looking to bury a doping scandal) who’ll probably destroy the limited Daniel Martz. Dawson vs Rodriguez doesn’t seem particularly significant in the Light Heavyweight big picture, but this pair of fringe contenders could produce an exciting scrap.
Saturday, December 9
DeGale vs Truax
Lee Selby vs Eduardo Ramirez, Anthony Yarde vs Nikola Sjekloca, Daniel Dubois vs Dorian Darch
SHO YouTube, Boxnation, BT Sport – 2:50pm ET, 6:35pm GMT
James DeGale, who escaped with a Draw following a grueling fight with Badou Jack in January, will end his 11-month layoff against Caleb Truax. It’s hard to get awfully interested in this headliner, mainly because Truax isn’t regarded as a world-beater in today’s Super Middleweight arena, having notably been knocked out within two minutes by Anthony Dirrell last year. Bigger names are obviously out there for DeGale, but most of those guys are currently tied into the WBSS tournament.
Selby vs Ramirez holds some potential intrigue, with unbeaten Junior Lightweight contender Eduardo Ramirez looking good on paper and certainly in his prime, six-years younger at 24. Prior to that, a couple of notable Matchroom stars-of-tomorrow will continue their ascents, with Anthony Yarde and Daniel Dubois in action.
Lomachenko vs Rigondeaux
Christopher Diaz vs Casey Ramos, Shakur Stevenson vs Oscar Mendoza, Michael Conlan vs Luis Fernando Molina, Bryant Jennings vs Donnie Haynesworth
ESPN / Deportes, Boxnation – 9:00pm ET, 2:00am (Sunday) GMT
Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux sit within today’s Pound for Pound Top 10, and there’s a strong argument that they possess the best skill sets and ring IQs on the planet. While many boxers were born to fight, Lomachenko and Rigondeaux were born to fight exceptionally well, and a sublime combined amateur record – reportedly 859-13 – has made these guys almost untouchable in the pro ranks. Lomachenko, who will defend his WBO Junior Lightweight belt, is the favorite given Rigondeaux will be climbing up two divisions to find him.
In the buildup, there’s more Junior Lightweight action, with prospect Christopher Diaz meeting Casey Ramos, plus Featherweights Shakur Stevenson and Michael Conlan, another pair of celebrated amateurs, also doing their thing in career-building fights. Heavyweight Bryant Jennings also keeps the momentum going.
Salido vs Roman
Tevin Farmer vs Kenichi Ogawa, Francisco Vargas vs Stephen Smith, Denis Shafikov vs Rene Alvarado
HBO, Sky Sports Action – 10:20pm ET, 3:20am (Sunday) GMT
The Junior Lightweight division is red-hot right now, and this exciting triple-header hosts a bunch of ferocious punchers who could well land a shot at facing the winner of Lomachenko vs Rigondeaux (above). There isn’t really a bad fight on this card. Orlando Salido vs Miguel Roman looks like an all-out war between two venomous punchers, with A-side Salido (the only man to have beaten Vasyl Lomachenko) back to unleash more hell. Expect fireworks till this thing is over.
Farmer vs Ogawa, for the vacant IBF title, looks like a tasty appetizer. Prior to that, former champ Francisco Vargas will be locking horns with Stephen Smith, a determined contender who couldn’t quite get over the hump in his previous two championship efforts. Shafikov vs Alvarado, yet another 130-pound bout, gets the evening underway. For the record, there’ll be four of BB’s Top 10 Junior Lightweights in action on this very night: Farmer (No.7), Vargas (No.5), Salido (No.2) and Lomachenko (No.1).
So there you have it, readers. Who are you backing in Lomachenko vs Rigondeaux, the explosive Salido vs Roman card, plus the rest of this weekend’s matchups?
