This weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule isn’t half bad. Errol Spence Jr will be locking horns in his first true acid test against still-hungry ex-champ Chris Algieri, and Gary Russell Jr will be defending his WBC Featherweight strap against gritty challenger Patrick Hyland. There’s also plenty more action taking place throughout the globe, including an intriguing clash between Josh Warrington and Hisashi Amagasa. Here’s the lowdown on this weekend’s TV schedule and fight times…
Friday, April 15th
Potapov vs Young
Bernado vs Menard, Zubov vs Bejenaru
Showtime – 10:00pm EDT
A typical ShoBox card as far as the Tale of the Tapes are concerned here, with a bunch of prospects looking to build their platforms. Nikolay Potapov is a solid Bantamweight upstart who will be tackling Stephon Young, a decent climber with the greater question marks circling his head. Eudy Bernado vs Mason Menard is scheduled for 8 rounds at Lightweight in the co-main event, with Alexey Zubov vs Constantin Bejenaru at Cruiserweight prior.
Soto Karass vs Kamegai
Shabranskyy vs Findley
Estrella TV – 11:00pm EDT
Jesus Soto Karass, a limited yet highly-entertaining Welterweight gatekeeper, will be back in action in what could be the best scrap of Friday night. Soto Karass and Yoshihiro Kamegai love to bang and should make this a memorable encounter. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, a rising blue chip Light Heavyweight, will provide chief support against a tough, tried-and-tested Derrick Findley. Shabranskyy was the second man (after Jean Pascal) to better fellow division contender Yunieski Gonzalez, winning a Majority Decision last December. This is a promising card, without doubt.
Saturday, April 16th
Warrington vs Amagasa
Hall vs Guerrero, Ryan vs Haikali
Sky Sports 1 – 3:00pm EDT, 8:00pm GMT
The Warrington vs Amagasa main event really does look worth a look in. Josh Warrington is an unbeaten Featherweight prospect who made mincemeat of supposed acid test Joel Brunker last September, and will be taking a big step up against Hisashi Amagasa. Guillermo Rigondeaux beat up Amagasa en route to an 11th round TKO back in 2014, but Rigondeaux hit the deck twice himself in the 7th round. Which obviously makes Amagasa dangerous. For the record, the only other man to drop Cuban master Rigondeaux is Nonito Donaire. Amagasa is made of strong stuff and – unless that beating truly knocked something out of him – we should see a decent scrap on Saturday. If Warrington passes this test, he’ll edge considerably closer to breaking into Boxing Base’s Featherweight Top 10.
Stuart Hall is a former IBF Bantamweight champ who will be clashing with a solid opponent in Rodrigo Guerrero. With Hall now 36, we’ll have to see what this likable Cinderella Man still has left in the tank. Junior Welterweight dustup Dave Ryan vs Martin Haikali will take place prior, with the Commonwealth Championship on the line.
Join us here at Boxing Base for Live Results Coverage of Warrington vs Amagasa, and catch us on Twitter via @BoxingBase for Live Round by Round Updates.
Spence Jr vs Algieri
Glowacki vs Cunningham, Browne vs Kalajdzic
NBC, Boxnation – 8:30pm EDT, 1:00am GMT
This fight represents a natural progression for Welterweight uber-prospect Errol Spence Jr, with former 140-pound champ Chris Algieri ready to upset the odds. There’s a chance Algieri could get seriously smashed in this encounter, but personally I don’t see that happening. Algieri isn’t considered a world-beater, but he’s young, always hungry, and stubbornly refuses to take on tune-up opponents. Algieri is no stranger to gruelling high-brow events, having survived two knockdowns against Ruslan Provodnikov en route to victory in June 2014, and six knockdowns against Manny Pacquiao a few months later.
Things may be a little different against a highly-refined prime fighter like Spence Jr, but we’ll soon see. What makes this a very significant fight is that there’s a lot on the line. Algieri, one of boxing’s most exciting underdogs, would steer himself back into the Welterweight Top 10 with a win here. It seems pretty unlikely, but we all saw what happened to prospect Sadam Ali recently when he got pummelled by Jessie Vargas. As for Spence Jr, it’s fairly obvious; most people are expecting him to win and, if he does, he’ll become a legitimate threat to top players like Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.
Chief support will come in the form of WBO Cruiserweight battle Krzysztof Glowacki vs Steve Cunningham, which, in all honesty, looks like a stay-busy bout for the champ. Cunningham has plenty of experience, both at Cruiser and Heavyweight, but just isn’t considered to be a serious contender these days. Cunningham fought to a Draw against Antonio Tarver last August, while Glowacki went through hell to knockout Marco Huck in the 11th round on the same night.
Light Heavyweight Marcus Browne is a highly-touted upstart who will be looking to shine against unbeaten Radivoje Kalajdzic beforehand. Browne looks significantly superior on paper, but should have enough of a task to deal with to rouse some interest in this one.
Can’t catch the action? Boxing Base will have Live Results Coverage of Spence Jr vs Algieri right here. If you’re a fan of the Round by Round variety, join us on Twitter via @BoxingBase.
Pacquiao vs Bradley III: Replay
HBO – 10:00pm EDT
Here’s your chance to catch the replay of Manny Pacquiao’s ‘advertised’ last hurrah against Timothy Bradley, which originally aired last weekend. If you missed it, or just didn’t fancy coughing up the Pay-Per-View price tag, then you can put your feet up and smug triumphantly with the free version. I’ll tell you for nothing that it’s well worth a watch. Or, if you can’t wait that long, you can quickly digest our Pacquiao vs Bradley Full Fight Report.
Russell Jr vs Hyland
Pedraza vs Smith
Showtime, Sky Sports 1 – 11:00pm EDT, 4:00am GMT
Gary Russell Jr obviously should be in with a bigger threat than Patrick Hyland, but it’s happening so…learn to deal with it, I guess. Russell Jr, who has been out of action for thirteen months since crushing Jhonny Gonzalez last March, will be making the second defense of his WBC Featherweight strap. Hyland is a capable enough operator – he lost a hard-fought decision to Javier Fortuna in 2012 – but looks to be pretty overmatched in a fight that’s all about levels. I hope I’m wrong.
Luckily there’s a real gem in the co-main event, however, with two standout Junior Lightweights fighting for the IBF crown. Unbeaten Jose Pedraza will be making his second defense in a fight that’s hard to call. Head on the block, I’d back Pedraza in this one, but Smith – who has come on leaps and bounds since being stopped by Lee Selby back in 2011 – is in with a real chance.
Boxing Base will have Live Results right here, plus Round by Round Updates of Pedraza vs Smith via @BoxingBase.
Verdejo vs Rodriguez
Diaz vs TBA
UniMas – 11:00pm EDT
Lightweight uber-prospect Felix Verdejo will be returning in a stay-busy fight against Jose Luis Rodriguez set for 10 rounds. Featherweight prospect Christopher Diaz will also be in action against a yet-to-be-named opponent in a 6-rounder.
Claggett vs Heerden
Macias vs Ponce
CBS Sports Network – 11:00pm EDT
Steve Claggett and Chris van Heerden aren’t considered to be serious contenders at Welterweight, but this pairing looks pretty decent and could deliver some fireworks. Neeco Macias and Limberth are set to collide prior in a Junior Middleweight 8-rounder.
Estrella vs Corley
Molina vs Lozano
Televisa (MEX) – 11:00pm EDT
Ex-champ and now very seasoned DeMarcus Corley will be facing heavy-handed Adrien Estrella in a fight that smells a little…off. Estrella remains a prospect of sorts, but it’s just a shame that Corley, 41, who now stands at 44-26-1, is continuing to fight way into his twilight. Junior Middleweights Oscar Molina and Mario Lozano will also be in action.
How about it, fight fans? Who are you picking in Spence Jr vs Algieri, Russell Jr vs Hyland, Warrington vs Amagasa, plus the rest of the matchups in this weekend’s TV Boxing Schedule? Let those predictions rain…
