It’s a busy frame in the 2017 boxing schedule, with a crop of established champions and next-generation climbers set to rumble. Let’s dive in, filtering the lineup into a digestible Top 5 Fights. As always, July and the remainder of 2017 can be found in our newly updated Complete Schedule.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn (Boxnation, ESPN)
June 2, Brisbane, Australia
This matchup, on the assumption little known Jeff Horn poses a moderate threat at best, isn’t exactly what boxing fans were hoping for. Especially following Pacquiao’s meaningful WBO championship against Jessie Vargas last November. But, in all honesty, I’m not that bummed out about the whole thing.
Personally, I think we’ve already seen the best of the future Hall of Famer, and given Pacquiao’s almost 39-years-old and now entering fight number 68, so what if he’s in with a supposedly soft touch? For what it’s worth, Horn is a decade younger, doesn’t know what losing feels like in a pro ring, and does at least carry some decent pop.
Pacquiao vs. Horn Undercard:
- Michael Conlan vs. Jarrett Owen | Featherweight
- Jerwin Ancajas vs. Teiru Kinoshita | IBF Junior Bantamweight Championship
- Michael Conlan vs. Jarrett Owen | Featherweight
- Shane Mosley Jr vs. David Toussaint | Middleweight
Miguel Berchelt vs. Takashi Miura (HBO, Boxnation)
July 15, Los Angeles, California
This is yet another fine matchup of battle-born gun-slingers who provide fireworks in today’s tasty Junior Lightweight division. Takashi Miura earned his HBO return following a brutal war with Francisco Vargas in late 2015, while Miguel Berchelt proved himself by impressively stopping Vargas in another violent meeting in January.
So, yeah, Berchelt vs. Miura isn’t exactly hard to peddle. It’s two tidy boxers unloading bombs, and it’s unlikely the judges will be necessary. With both men sitting inside the good end of the Junior Lightweight Top 10, with a combined record of 62-4-2, 52 KO, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect high drama. The undercard is also a doozy, with each fight worthy of headlining its own show.
Berchelt vs. Miura Undercard:
- Jezreel Corrales vs. Robinson Castellanos | WBA Junior Lightweight Championship
- Joe Smith Jr vs. Sullivan Barrera | Light Heavyweight
Chris Eubank Jr vs. Arthur Abraham (ITV PPV)
July 17, London, England
When I first heard the announcement, I wasn’t too psyched about this matchup. But it’s not actually that bad. In fact, since we still don’t know a great deal about Eubank, who can really say that Abraham, while no longer considered a first tier fighter, can’t expose the inexperienced youngster?
Abraham is a solid, durable fighter with a wealth of experience both at 160 and 168, and a big 12-round engine to boot. Yes, Eubank is in his prime, has good momentum, and holds a world title (of sorts), but there are too many question marks surrounding what I have to call ‘hype’, since, in fairness, the guy hasn’t conquered much beyond domestic level.
This could be a stern test for Eubank, and should reveal more about just how high his ceiling might be going forward.
Eubank Jr vs. Abraham Undercard:
- Martin J Ward vs. Anthony Cacace | British Junior Lightweight Championship
- Lee Selby vs. Jonathan Barros | IBF Featherweight Championship
- Kid Galahad vs. Dennis Ceylan | Featherweight
- Robbie Davies Jr vs. Michal Syrowatka | Junior Featherweight
Mikey Garcia vs. Adrien Broner (Showtime)
July 29, Brooklyn, US
I’m conflicted about this Junior Lightweight scrap that’s sure to attract major attention from those insane folks on Twitter. The fight itself sounds delicious. Mikey Garcia is a guy who’s been knocking on the Pound for Pound door a whole bunch of times, and Adrien Broner is, well, a controversial character who has either been vastly overestimated or been squandering his talent.
With two big names trading blows for a world title, I should be completely sold. Except I’m not. Mainly because I question whether this is actually a genuinely good fight considering Broner’s many exploits with the law and what appears to be a lack of serious ambition. So, this is a fight where Broner needs to bring his absolute A-game and nothing less. Garcia is a savage boxer-puncher, and, as we saw against Dejan Zlaticanin in January, can turn out lights with one punch.
Garcia vs. Broner Undercard:
- Yet to be announced…
Carl Frampton vs. Andres Gutierrez (TBA TV)
July 29, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Carl Frampton decisively tasted defeat against Leo Santo Cruz in January, but returns here against Andres Gutierrez in a Belfast homecoming. I won’t pretend to know a great deal about Gutierrez, but, from the looks of his record, the hard-punching Mexican doesn’t look like the soft touch most were expecting. This will be Gutierrez’s first fight on away soil, but he has plenty of youth at 23-years-young.
So, even though Frampton has claimed the better scalps on paper, this matchup really could have been a whole lot worse. If anything, it could be a fun scrap that might turn into something interesting if Gutierrez goes balls-to-the-wall in what will be a huge opportunity. Beyond this, assuming Frampton is victorious, a clash with Lee Selby, or rematches with Scott Quigg or Santa Cruz are strong possibilities.
Frampton vs. Gutierrez Undercard:
- Yet to be announced…
Boxing in July: Best of the Rest
Frank Buglioni vs. Ricky Summers (Sky Sports 1)
July 1, London, England; British Light Heavyweight Championship
Alexander Povetkin vs. Andriy Rudenko (Sky Sports 1)
July 2, Moscow, Russia; Heavyweight
Diego De La Hoya vs. Alan Luques Castillo (TBA TV)
July 2, Villa Meredes, Argentina; Junior Featherweight
Bradley Skeete vs. Dale Evans (Boxnation)
July 8, London, England; British Welterweight Championship
Denis Lebedev vs. Mark Flanagan (TBA TV)
July 10, Russia; WBA Cruiserweight Championship
Omar Figueroa vs. Robert Guerrero (PBC on Fox)
July 15, Uniondale, New York; Welterweight
Amanda Serrano vs. Lucia Soledad Griffa (TBA TV)
July 21, San Juan, Mexico; Junior Featherweight
Ryoichi Taguchi vs. Robert Barrera (TBA TV)
July 23, Tokyo, Japan; WBA Junior Flyweight Championship
Artur Beterbiev vs. Enrico Koelling (TBA TV)
July 29, Quebec City, Montreal; Light Heavyweight
Sadam Ali vs. Johan Perez (ESPN 2)
July 29, Tucson, Arizona; Welterweight
Carl Frampton vs. Andres Gutierrez (TBA TV)
July 29, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Featherweight
What are your favourite picks for this coming July? Can Adrien Broner quash his doubters against Mikey Garcia? And could there be some other upsets in the works? Spill your thoughts below.
