Tomorrow night on HBO brings us the return of consensus top lightweight and WBA titleholder Jorge Linares. Even better is that the Venezuelan will be in tougher than he has in some years against former British Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell. Antonio Orozco returns in the co-feature as well.
There was a time when Jorge Linares was anointed one of boxing’s next pound for pound stars. After he won his first belt by stopping Oscar Larios at featherweight on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins fight with Winky Wright on HBO PPV, expectations could not have been higher. Linares was not just supposed to be a good titleholder, but a virtuoso. He was supposed to be a star.
Of course, we know now that this did not happen. It is difficult articulate just how a three division world titleholder who has gone unbeaten since early 2012 has somehow had a disappointing career, but that is the truth. The trouble began in 2009. In his second defense of his second reign, Jorge Linares was caught cold in his adoptive Japan against Juan Carlos Salgado. Two big knockdowns in the first round were all he could stand. Just like that, the Jorge Linares hype bubble had burst.
Four fights and a little over a year and a half later, Linares got his first crack at a lightweight belt against Antonio DeMarco. For most of that night, Linares was the dominant figure that he was supposed to be. Several cuts opened up on his face, however, and by the championship rounds he was fighting severely compromised despite having dominated the fight. One huge eleventh round push from DeMarco had Linares collapsed along the ropes and finished. Then, the very next time out for the Venezuelan, Linares was again badly cut, this time against Sergio Thompson near the very start of the fight. By the second round he was dropped and finished with his vision compromised and his skin failing him once more.
It felt in that moment that Jorge Linares was done as a top fighter, but it turns out that could not have been further from the truth. The 32 year old has not lost in the five and a half years since that night. He also picked up his belt at lightweight and has defended it three times. Beyond belts, he is widely considered the top lightweight in the sport. Linares has also made a bit of a name for himself in Britain by first stopping Kevin Mitchell and then defeating Anthony Crolla twice. Though Saturday night’s fight will take place in California, he is meeting a British fighter there too.
Luke Campbell (17-1, 14 KOs) is not Anthony Crolla or Kevin Mitchell, however. The 29 year old is significantly more physically gifted than either of those men. In fact, he is the most talented fighter Jorge Linares has fought since his losses, if not ever. While it is important to properly acknowledge that Linares has turned his career back around and once again has made himself into a top fighter, it is just as important to note that he hasn’t really done it against elite physical talent.
Campbell took his loss in December of 2015 against tough Frenchman Yvan Mendy by a narrow split decision in a big upset. He has rebounded well since then though. Pretty good wins over Argenis Mendez. Derry Matthews, and Darleys Perez have put him in this spot. This is a big step up for the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, as it would be for most fighters, but for many Linares has not quite shook that aura of vulnerability and that alone makes the Brit a very live underdog here.
While this is an excellent main event, I cannot say the same for the supporting bout. Antonio Orozco (26-0, 17 KOs) is a fine fighter. The 29 year old is not a future pound for pound elite, but he is a good pro who is likely to win a belt in his career. I don’t have a problem with him in an HBO co-feature. Roberto Ortiz (35-1-2, 26 KOs), however, is another story. Ortiz’s record is entirely manufactured by lining up midlevel Mexican journeymen. He was blown out in two the one time he stepped up in class against Lucas Matthysse. In his last fight, he only managed a draw against entirely uninspiring competition.
Orozco is unlikely to ever really be a superstar, but this is showcase matchmaking for his HBO debut. Golden Boy is lining him up to roll and look good here.
The HBO broadcast will begin at 10 PM Eastern from the Inglewood Forum in California. This fight would have made much more sense in Britain, but I don’t think Golden Boy knows the US has an Eastern seaboard, let alone about other countries entirely.
