The April 14 pay-per-view event at the Alamaodome in San Antonio -- headlined by a double-header of Manny Pacquiao v. Jorge Solis and Jorge Arce v. Cristian Mijares -- now has a set, six-fight card, with Top Rank clearly hoping that quantity will equal quality, rather than the appeal of a true main event.
Finalized additions: Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. takes on Anthony Shuler (20-4-1) in yet another showcase fight for the super-protected Chavez (10 rounds); bantamweights Bernabe Concepcion and Benjamin Flores (10 rounds); and 20-year old, southpaw welterweight prospect Victor Ortiz battle 37-year old Tomas Barrientes (8 rounds), who hasn't won a fight since a DQ victory over fellow journeyman Emanuel Augustus in 2004.
Chavez is also rumored to be a part of the Cotto/Judah undercard in June, taking on former light welterweight contender Michael "No Joke" Stewart. Stewart is probably most famous for his losses to Ricky Hatton (a fifth round TKO in 2004) and Sharmba Mitchell (a hugely lopsided unanimous decision six months prior to the Hatton loss).
The other fight on April 14 will see Brian Viloria return to take on Edgar Sosa for the light flyweight title that was vacated by the suspended Omar Nino.
This is the type of pay-per-view that really better carry an affordable pricetag. I'm going to buy it because I buy pretty much all PPV events, and I love to watch Pacquiao and Arce, but it's three showcase fights with predictable winners, a popcorn fight between Concepcion/Flores (no disrespect to either fighter is truly intended, but it's an FNF-level fight), and Arce/Mijares, which should easily steal the show.
The April 7 HBO card headlined by Calzaghe/Manfredo also now has a finalized, three-fight lineup. WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli defends against Hackensack's own Bobby Gunn, and British super prospect Amir Khan will be knocking out "Supersonic" Steffy Bull (real name Andrew Bullcroft), owner of a 24-4-1 career record with victories over such impressive fighters as Carl Allen (18-54-6), Billy Smith (8-47), and Peter Buckley (31-239-11), among others.
Khan's last victory garnered some boos from the British fans, and I've read from the British press that fans are simply sick of seeing Khan in the ring against overmatched fighters. This one doesn't look to be any better, but Khan's skills are supposedly legit.