Weekly Fight Schedule is highlighted by that little MayMac fight

There is a fight this weekend that you may have heard of at some point. Yes, folks, Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight week is upon us. Think whatever you think about that fight, but know there are some good undercard bouts at least. We also have Miguel Cotto’s return to HBO as well on the very same night as well as two pretty good PBC on FS1 cards. It is a busy week for the sport.

Tuesday, August 22nd

Juan Carlos Payano (18-1, 19 KOs) v Alexis Santiago (21-4-1, 8 KOs), bantamweights & Jamel Herring (16-1, 9 KOs) v Ladarius Miller (13-1, 4 KOs), lightweights – Nevada – FS1, 9 PM Eastern

Juan Carlos Payano is a top fighter. I have him ranked #3 at bantamweight. Santiago is a bit of an unknown, but Payano deserves a slot like this. Jamel Herring is a once beaten PBC lightweight prospect who got in over his head against Denis Shafikov last summer. This is his second fight back from that. Originally this was supposed to be the card headlined by Anthony Peterson and Mickey Bey, but unsurprisingly that fight isn’t happening. It is still an acceptable Toe to Toe Tuesday card.

Friday, August 25th

Sergiy Derevyanchenko (10-0, 8 KOs) v Tureano Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs), middleweights & Immanuwel Aleem (17-0-1, 10 KOs) vs Hugo Centeno Jr (25-1, 13 KOs), middleweights – Oklahoma – FS1, 9 PM Eastern

This is a really, really good FS1 card. Both fights are well matched, Derevyanchenko is definitely a fighter to watch, and he is in an IBF eliminator against a good fighter in Johnson to boot. Aleem can probably be expected to handle Centeno, but it isn’t a mismatch by any means and is a pretty good next step in his career. This is one of the better FS1 cards that PBC has done. The winner of the main event will be mandated to fight the GGG/Canelo winner should the victor choose to hold on to the IBF strap too.

Saturday, August 26th

Floyd Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) v Conor McGregor (0-0), junior middleweights & Gervonta Davis (18-0, 17 KOs) v Francisco Fonseca (19-0-1, 13 KOs), IBF featherweight title & Nathan Cleverly (30-3, 16 KOs) v Badou Jack (21-1-2, 12 KOs), light heavyweights & Andrew Tabiti (14-0, 12 KOs) v Steve Cunningham (29-8-1, 13 KOs), cruiserweights & Yordenis Ugas (19-3, 9 KOs) vs Thomas Dulorme (24-2, 16 KOs), welterweights & Juan Heraldez (12-0, 8 KOs) vs Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0, 12 KOs), junior welterweights – Nevada – FOX, 7 PM Eastern & Showtime PPV, 9 PM Eastern

It is finally happening. Mayweather/McGregor is here. The main event is a mismatch, but likely a fun spectacle. Gervonta Davis is in a squash match too, but he is a great prospect worthy of a showcase. Cleverly/Jack is a really good, important fight at light heavyweight with title implications. Tabiti/Cunningham is a classic hot prospect versus the old guard fight that I am interested in watching. Ugas/Dulorme is a really well matched fight between fringe contenders at welterweight. Finally, Heraldez and Borrego, who I like a lot, meet in a really fun and interesting PBC prospect match early in their careers.

Note that this card begins at 7 PM Eastern on FOX before transitioning to Showtime PPV at 9. The price tag will be listed at $100.

Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) v Yoshihiro Kamegai (27-3-2, 23 KOs), WBO junior middleweight title & Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) vs Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs), WBC super bantamweight title – California – HBO, 9:45 PM Eastern

Not spending $100 on the Showtime mismatch? There are fights for you anyway. HBO is bringing a world title double header featuring the quiet return of Miguel Cotto. He should destroy Kamegai here stylistically, but it will be an action fight while it lasts. The co-main event is a good scrap for a belt at 122 lbs as well. This card is getting no hype, but what could in the face of the other fight that night?