Hey, what do you know? Moments later, I see this tidbit: Mikkel Kessler and Edison Miranda will fight on May 24, on Showtime...opposite the return of Ricky Hatton on HBO.
(Edit: Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer says that Hatton's fight WILL be televised in the U.S., but apparently not on HBO or Showtime. Huh? We'll see about that.)
Seriously, why do it? Meanwhile, there's nothing happening on May 17 in the boxing world on American TV, besides perhaps a small PPV.
But all complaining aside, Miranda-Kessler is going to be a good one. There's already bad blood there, as Miranda went above and beyond calling Kessler out for the fight. Truth be told, it kind of rubbed me the wrong way with Kessler. This is a fight he should have jumped to take. His fight with Calzaghe did terrible ratings on HBO, yet both major networks wanted this fight. Miranda has a good name in the States, is an exciting fighter, and is very beatable.
But between originally dropping out of negotiations and having to be basically slandered before signing to fight Miranda, and his falling off the earth act during promotion for his fight with Calzaghe, Kessler just doesn't seem all that likable. Maybe it's just me.
I hope this one starts slightly before HBO's card that night so we have a chance of seeing both, although to be fair, I would be OK missing Paulie Malignaggi's rematch with lame duck Lovemore N'dou.
ALSO: Try this one on for size. Rafael said in his notebook (linked below in the Quintana-Williams II post) that Lou DiBella and Don King are talking about Jermain Taylor v. Ricardo Mayorga. Seriously.