After a busy slate this past cycle, we have a pretty busy incoming schedule to look forward to this week as well. This week’s schedule features a unification fight between Ryan Burnett and Zhanat Zhakiyanov, a big tripleheader in Japan headlined by a rematch, an HBO tripleheader, the continuation of the World Boxing Super Series, and more.
Thursday, October 19th
Gabriel Rosado (23-11, 13 KOs) v Glen Tapia (23-4, 15 KOs), middleweights & Alejandro Barrera (29-3, 18 KOs) v Keandre Gibson (17-1-1, 7 KOs) welterweights – Nevada – Golden Boy on ESPN – ESPN2, 11 PM Eastern
Typical Golden Boy on ESPN matchmaking here. These are well matched, competitive fights with no relevance to the top of the division. Rosado and Tapia are really desperate for wins in the main event to stay relevant. Rosado is a bit overrated as an action fighter, but together these two should make a good fight anyway.
Friday, October 20th
Joe Joyce (debut) v Ian Lewison (12-3-1, 8 KOs), heavyweights & John O’Donnell (32-2, 11 KOs) v Tamuka Mucha (16-1, 4 KOs), welterweights – England – Dave, 6 PM Eastern
British 2016 super heavyweight silver medalist Joe Joyce makes his pro debut on this David Haye/Richard Schaefer promoted card. Lewison is no world beater, but he is a stiffer test than normal for a pro debut. O’Donnell/Mucha is an English welterweight title fight in the co-main event if anyone cares.
Saturday, October 21st
Ryan Burnett (17-0, 9 KOs) v Zhanat Zhakiyanov (27-1, 18 KOs), WBA/IBF super bantamweight titles & Paul Hyland Jr (16-0, 6 KOs) v Stephen Ormond (24-4, 13 KOs), lightweights – Northern Ireland – Sky, 2:30 PM Eastern
Unification! This is one to get excited about. Burnett lifted his belt from Lee Haskins while Zhakiyanov won his from Raushee Warren. HBO will also be showing this fight on tape delay as the opener to their tripleheader later Saturday night. Unbeaten Hyland Jr is not a major prospect in the co-main event, but the Northern Irish crowd should be really into his fight anyway.
Josh Warrington (25-0, 5 KOs) v Dennis Ceylan (18-0-2, 8 KOs), IBF featherweight eliminator & Tyrone Nurse (35-2-2, 7 KOs) v Jack Catterall (18-0, 10 KOs), junior welterweights – England – BT Sport, 3:30 PM Eastern
Josh Warrington meets Denmark’s Dennis Ceylan for the right to fight Lee Selby. Should Warrington prevail, and that is no guarantee here, those two meeting would be a pretty big fight in the UK. Nurse and Catteral is a strong co-feature for the British junior welterweight belt as Catterall tries to prove himself a real prospect.
Murat Gassiev (24-0, 17 KOs) v Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (53-3-1, 37 KOs), IBF cruiserweight title & Maciej Sulecki (25-0, 10 KOs) v Jack Culcay (22-2, 11 KOs), junior middleweights – New Jersey – ITV Box Office, Audience – 9:30 PM Eastern
Murat Gassiev and Krzysztof Wlodarczyk meet here in the final World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarterfinal. The winner gets Mairis Briedis. Maciej Sulecki and Jack Cuclay meeting in the co-main event is actually a pretty good fight between fringe contenders at the weight. One will take a big step forward with the win over the other.
Jezreel Corrales (22-1, 8 KOs) v Alberto Machado (18-0, 15 KOs), WBA super featherweight title & Demetrius Andrade (24-0, 16 KOs) v Alantez Fox (23-0-1, 11 KOs), middleweights – New York – HBO, 10 PM Eastern
This HBO card is actually a tripleheader as the Burnett/Zhakiyanov unification fight will be aired on tape delay to open the show. Jezreel Corrales has been a fun titleholder and is here in against unbeaten, but largely untested Puerto Rican power punching prospect Alberto Machado. Machado did not look great last time out. Demetrius Andrade is moving to middleweight in the co-main event for what looks like an easy first fight up there.
Sunday, October 22nd
Hassan N’Dam (36-2, 21 KOs) v Ryota Murata (12-1, 9 KOs), middleweights & Ken Shiro (10-0, 5 KOs) v Pedro Guevara (30-2-1, 17 KOs), WBC light flyweight titles & Daigo Higa (13-0, 13 KOs) v Thomas Masson (17-3-1, 5 KOs), WBC flyweight title – Japan – WatchESPN.com, 7 AM Eastern
Unfortunately, it seems WatchESPN.com will only have the main event as Murata’s Top Rank ties are the extent of the relationship here. That fight is for a secondary title, though of course it will be marketed as a real title fight. Ken Shiro and Pedro Guevara is a really great matchup in the co-main event with the Japanese home titlist being the underdog in my view. Daigo Higa will probably just roll over Thomas Masson, but maybe not. He is pretty crude at times.
