There are only two cards of note in the world of boxing this week, neither that are stateside. Headlining the week is Anthony Joshua’s title defense in Wales. Plus, the first round of the World Boxing Super Series concludes in Germany on Friday night.
Friday, October 27th
Juergen Braehmer (48-3, 35 KOs) v Rob Brant (22-0, 15 KOs), super middleweights – World Boxing Super Series quarterfinals – Audience, ITV Box Office (UK) – 3:30 PM Eastern
This marks the conclusion of the first round in both World Boxing Super Series quarterfinals. So far every top seed has won, but I actually slightly favor the much younger lower seeded American here. This is at least partly because it has been about one hundred years since Braehmer had to make super middleweight and I don’t think it will go well. The winner faces Callum Smith in the semifinals.
Saturday, October 28th
Anthony Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) v Carlos Takam (35-3-1, 27 KOs), WBA/IBF heavyweight titles & Khalid Yafai (22-0, 14 KOs) v Sho Ishida (24-0, 13 KOs), WBA super flyweight title & Dillian Whyte (21-1, 16 KOs) v Robert Helenius (25-1, 16 KOs), heavyweights – Showtime, 5 PM Eastern – Sky Box Office (UK), 1 PM Eastern
An Anthony Joshua fight would probably headline any week at this point. Carlos Takam is a late replacement, but he is durable and should be a live opponent in terms of effort. I think just by being likely to last longer Takam poses marginally more of a threat than original opponent Kubrat Pulev, but he still only has that heavyweight lucky punch chance. Showtime will have the main event stateside, but the two co-features for UK viewers are better than they are getting credit for based on what I am seeing on social media. There will also be a couple domestic level bouts, Katie Taylor, and the usual Hearn Olympic prospects on the British pay per view.
