A week out from the fight, Manny Pacquiao’s battle with Lucas Matthysse in Malaysia finally has American television distribution. We also have a new IBF titleholder, a major Cuban defection, and some issues in the French speaking parts of the world to go over.
- Pacquiao TV – First, the big one. Manny Pacquiao’s (59-7-2, 38 KOs) well matched fight next weekend with Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) finally has a confirmed broadcast home on ESPN+. Despite the fight being in Malaysia, it will take place in prime US time and air at 9 PM Eastern. Secondary featherweight title fight between Jhack Tepora (21-0, 16 KOs) and Edivaldo Ortega (26-1-1, 12 KOs) will act as the co-feature. There are two other title fights at the flyweights that I hope make the broadcast too and probably will thanks to a preliminary broadcast starting an hour earlier at eight. All in all this is a good card and well worth paying for ESPN+ for the month if you don’t already subscribe. Just think of it as a reasonably priced $4.99 PPV, watch it, and cancel if you don’t want the service long term.
- A new star? – A major amateur star in the form of two time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez has reportedly defected his native Cuba while in Mexico. Ramirez took gold in 2012 and 2016 at 115 lbs and 123 lbs respectively, stopping the run of Shakur Stevenson in the gold medal match in Rio. There is a lot of unknown here in terms of what is next for Ramirez though. We don’t know what his plans are in terms of where he will base or whose banners he will fight under, but an important detail is that the Cuban star is still only 24 years old despite his lengthy and extremely successful amateur career. Time is on his side. 21 year old Rio 108 lb bronze medalist Joahnys Argilagos has reportedly defected as well.
- The IBF’s Decision – As expected with James DeGale vacating his super middleweight belt, the IBF has elevated interim titlist Jose Uzcategui (27-2, 23 KOs) to full titleholder status. Uzcategui picked up that secondary belt by stopping Andre Dirrell in their March rematch. For the new true titleholder’s first defense, the IBF has ordered that he take on fellow PBC fighter Caleb Plant (17-0, 10 KO). That should be an easy fight to make should both camps want it to happen. It is also a pretty good fight on paper and a big step up for Plant. No word on a potential date for that match up as of yet.
- Trouble in Montreal – Jean Pascal’s (32-5-1, 19 KOs) unretirement cash grab against former hockey player and UFC fighter Steve Bosse (1-0, 1 KO) has hit a snag. Bosse is finding it difficult to get licensed for the fight. Strangely this is not because of the mismatch, however. Instead, there seems to be some idea that Bosse has connections to a level of organized crime and that the fight might not entirely be on the level. That is a concerning accusation, of course, but an especially strange one given the mismatch at hand. It isn’t like Bosse would need to throw this to lose. He wouldn’t win anyway. I don’t care whether or not this fight actually happens as it is basically an exhibition, but I am glad the Quebec commission is looking into this if they feel it is a legitimate concern. Potential crime involvement in the sport is something left best in the past.
- Yoka Oh No – Last, apparently 2016 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tony Yoka, a five fight pro at this point, has missed three drug tests in less than a year. That isn’t a good look. Somewhat surprisingly given his star and potential to change French boxing, the French commission has suspended him for a year as a result. The 25 year is apparently free to fight abroad which definitely weakens the suspension, but at the same time Yoka has made it very clear that his intention is to fight in the home country and raise the status of the sport there in doing so. He doesn’t want to fight abroad so he may not.
