The schedule heats up this week after the quiet week that was. Showtime returns with an Adrien Broner main event to highlight the week while Amir Khan and Carl Frampton also bring excitement to the UK scene on separate cards Saturday. Golden Boy on ESPN also returns Thursday night with a relatively decent main event too.
Thursday, April 19th
Lamont Roach (16-0, 6 KOs) v Orlando Cruz (25-6-1, 13 KOs), junior lightweights & Jose Lopez (19-2-1, 14 KOs) v Miguel Angel Gonzalez (22-3, 19 KOs), junior lightweights – Puerto Rico – Golden Boy on ESPN – ESPN2, 9:30 PM Eastern
This is a pretty good Golden Boy on ESPN card by the low standards of the series. Lamont Roach is a nice, skilled prospect, but not a blue chipper that is guaranteed to be destined for greatness. Orlando Cruz is a former fringe contender. He is definitely past it a bit, but he still represents a good test for a prospect on the verge of contention. This card is co-promoted by Cotto Promotions too. Jose Lopez in the co-main event is a prospect the Puerto Rican outfit are trying to make happen, but he was upset last time out and really needs a win here.
Friday, April 20th
Max Ornelas (10-0-1, 4 KOs) v Juan Antonio Lopez (12-3, 4 KOs), bantamweights & Jimmy Williams (14-0-1, 5 KOs) v Marquis Taylor (8-1), welterweights – Las Vegas – BeIN Sports, 10 PM Eastern
Roy Jones Jr promotions continues their BeIN Sports contract with this show highlighted by 19 year old bantamweight prospect Max Ornelas. This is an easily skippable card even if get BeIN Sports as it is pretty small time. Still, Roy is doing well to already have this contract and a couple prospects that have some upside this early into his promotional career. It is something to watch if you want.
Saturday, April 21st
Carl Frampton (21-1, 14 KOs) v Nonito Donaire (38-4, 24 KOs), featherweights & Zolani Tete (26-3, 21 KOs) v Omar Andres Narvaez (48-2-2, 25 KOs), WBO bantamweight title – Belfast – BT Sport (UK), 2:30 PM Eastern – Showtime Streaming (US)
I know that Nonito Donaire doesn’t have enough left to really be a compelling opponent for Carl Frampton in 2018, but I am still looking forward to see them in the ring together. It is just a cool matchup for the boxing fan in me. Narvaez is about 400 year years old in the co-main event too, but Tete is a little overrated at this point and the Argentinian is solid in there. Zolani could catch him early, sure, but if he doesn’t this could be a more compelling matchup than is being expected. BT Sport has the call in the UK and thankfully we have a legal feed of that broadcast stateside thanks to Showtime. They will be streaming the show on both their Facebook and Youtube pages.
Amir Khan (31-4, 19 KOs) v Phil Lo Greco (28-3, 15 KOs), welterweights & Sean Dodd (15-2-1, 3 KOs) v Tommy Coyle (23-4, 11 KOs), lightweights – Liverpool – Sky Sports (UK), ESPN+, 5:30 PM Eastern
The return of Amir Khan marks the other major card in the UK this weekend. Khan has been out two years and is in really soft here in his Matchroom debut against Canadian Phil Lo Greco as is the Eddie Hearn way. In defense of this fight someone will inevitably point out that the right shot can always starch Amir Khan’s fragile chin. That’s true, but it isn’t coming from Phil Lo Greco. More interesting than the fight itself is the fact that it will be streamed stateside on ESPN’s brand new $5 per month streaming service ESPN+. Top Rank is now in the business of acquiring the broadcast rights to international fights for ESPN+ and this is their first example. It also looks like the whole show will be shown start at 1:30 PM Eastern if you’re interested in that.
Adrien Broner (33-3, 24 KOs) v Jessie Vargas (28-2, 10 KOs), welterweights & Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) v Hugo Centeno Jr (26-1, 14 KOs), middleweights & Gervonta Davis (19-0, 18 KOs) v Jesus Cuellar (28-2, 21 KOs), WBA super featherweight title – Brooklyn – Showtime, 9 PM Eastern
Showtime brings the weekend’s big card. Enigmatic and troubled Adrien Broner returns in a relatively even fight with Jessie Vargas in the main event. Broner doesn’t really deserve Showtime main events anymore, but he draws big numbers with his persona and will continue to get them until that changes. It is a good action fight on paper too. Jermall Charlo probably rolls against Hugo Centeno, but Centeno has surprised us before. I’m most interested in seeing what we get from Tank Davis in the opener and only title fight. The 23 year old is one of the most promising offensive talents in the sport, but I don’t like who he surrounds himself with and he looked awful in his last fight after looking spectacular in the one before that. Which Tank will we get Saturday night? Jesus Cuellar is being pulled up a weight class here, but he can fight if Davis is off his game again.
