After several hyperactive weeks in a row, the sport of boxing hits a lull on its short term upcoming schedule. There is one big card this weekend as Top Rank on ESPN returns to settle one of the Terence Crawford vacated junior welterweight titles, but that is about it in terms of internationally relevant fights. There are a few other cards at least worth noting at least.
Friday, March 16th
Sammy Valentin (13-1, 10 KOs) v Juan Ruiz (20-1, 12 KOs), welterweights – Florida – Telemundo, 11:35 PM Eastern
This is a card that will be broadcast on television if you have Telemundo. That is about all it has going for it. Valentin and Ruiz are both busted prospects that were never really close to being significant ones to begin with. It is a well matched fight though, for what that is worth.
Saturday, March 17th
Matty Askin (22-3-1, 14 KOs) v Stephen Simmons (18-2, 7 KOs), cruiserweights & Joe Joyce (2-0, 2 KOs) v Donnie Palmer (9-1-1, 8 KOs), heavyweights – Channel 5 (UK), 5:30 PM Eastern
Askin and Simmons meet in a British cruiserweight title fight in the main event here, but they aren’t top cruiserweights. They aren’t the draw here either. 2016 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Joe Joyce fights his third pro fight as the show’s actual attraction in its co-main event. Palmer is here to lose, of course, but he is also 6’10” so it will be interesting to see how Joyce deals with that at the very least.
Jose Ramirez (21-0, 16 KOs) v Amir Imam (21-1, 18 KOs), WBC junior welterweight title & Oleksandr Gvozdyk (14-0, 12 KOs) v Mehdi Amar (34-5-2, 16 KOs), light heavyweights – New York – Top Rank on ESPN, 8 PM Eastern
This is the only true must watch show this weekend. Jose Ramirez and Amir Imam might be a low key Top Rank on ESPN main event compared to the show’s headlined by more established stars, but it is an exciting fight between two young, talented guys for a vacant world title. I think Ramirez probably rolls, but it is an action fight on paper for as long as it goes. I also appreciate the early, 8 PM start here. Ultra talented Oleksandr Gvozdyk has a showcase fight in the co-main event that won’t be competitive, but it is worth noting that it is for a secondary WBC belt that will definitely put him in line to fight the Adonis Stevenson versus Badou Jack winner. WatchESPN prelims start super early at 5:30 PM and feature the likes of Michael Conlan, Christopher Diaz, Felix Verdejo, and Jose Pedraza. I wouldn’t be surprised if the popular Irish prospect “Mick” Conlan sneaks on the main card instead though. This is a really solid show start to finish.
Sunday, March 18th
Ryuya Yamanaka (15-2, 4 KOs) v Moises Calleros (28-7-1, 16 KOs), WBO minimumweight title & Carlos Canizales (19-0-1, 16 KOs) v Reiya Konishi (15-0, 5 KOs), light flyweights – Japan
A couple titles are on the line in Japan. There is a minimumweight title fight and a secondary light flyweight title fight. Canizales and Konishi will be marketed as a world title fight, of course, but it is for one of those stupid duplicate WBA belts that they keep pretending that their corrupt sanctioning body will stop making. Ryoichi Taguchi owns the real thing.
