I had really planned to order, watch, and score tonight's Top Rank PPV card featuring Manny Pacquiao v. Jorge Solis and Cristian Mijares v. Jorge Arce (the only fight on paper worth paying anything for), but then I sat down with my digital cable remote, went to the info, and worked my way over to the 'Buy' button.
And I couldn't do it. I had spent the last couple of days trying to rationalize why I would be paying to see Manny Pacquiao drill a sacrificial lamb, $44.95 for a big (quantity, not quality) card where the only thing I truly cared to see was Mijares/Arce. I couldn't figure out a good reason to order this show, save for my completist nature of needing to see every "big" fight.
But is Pacquiao/Solis a big fight? Kind of, but it's all because of Pacquiao. Solis is not completely undeserving, but he's absolutely out of his league.
As for the rest of the card, I'm not a fan of Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., showcases, and Concepcion/Flores and Barrientes/Ortiz are just space filler -- not that they aren't quality fights, but on a pay-per-view? They're Friday Night Fights fare. Good FNF fare, but FNF fare nonetheless.
Viloria/Sosa has "Viloria bounce-back" written all over it. Hawaiian Punch shouldn't have much trouble with Sosa, really. Omar Nino just had Viloria's number, at least to some degree. Plus, Viloria is a troubling fighter anyway, tough to figure out why he isn't better than he seemingly lets himself be.
Hey, if you order this one, best of luck. I hope it's a great card full of excellent fights, and part of me thinks that could wind up being the case. But I'm not willing to bet 50 clams on it.