We've been on full hype mode for the two big cards on U.S. television tonight, but what else is going on around the world of boxing? There are a few more notable fights out there.
WBA Super Bantamweight Title
Celestino Caballero (28-2, 19 KO) v. Lorenzo Parra (28-1, 18 KO)
San Juan de Los Morros, Venezuela
Former 112-pound champion Parra's career went off the tracks last year. First, he was four and three-quarters pounds overweight to defend against Takefumi Sakata, and then he quit in the third round. Eight months later, he returned to the ring at 122 pounds to face an absolute bum named Benjamin Rivas (4-22-2 going into that fight) and finished him off in the second round. Now, he gets a shot at the extremely awkward and rangy Caballero.
The 6'1" welterweight Paul Williams is a freak; but Caballero is 5'11" and fights 25 pounds lighter than Williams. Caballero is also a dirty fighter a lot of the time, a hothead, and lacks real boxing skill, choosing to swing with gigantic right hands. But when you're an absolute genetic mutant like Caballero, you can get away with a lack of fundamentals. He's like a super bantamweight Nikolai Valuev.
Former flyweight Parra will be giving up six and a half inches to Caballero, and a lot of reach. Jorge Lacierva found some brief success against Caballero last year in a bowling shoe ugly (but entertaining) bout on the undercard of Vazquez-Marquez II by basically jumping and lunging.
Kevin Mitchell (26-0, 19 KO) v. Walter Estrada (34-5, 23 KO)
Atlantic City, NJ
23-year old super featherweight Mitchell makes the trip from the U.K. with Lockett to take on Colombian Walter Estrada on the untelevised undercard in AC. Mitchell could be the next great English fighter. He knocked out Carl Johanneson in his last fight. Estrada, 33, should be no real challenge. His inflated record is a total sham on paper. He once fought Scott Harrison for the WBO featherweight title, and was knocked out in the fifth. He later stepped up in class again against Vicente Mosquera, and was destroyed over eight rounds, knocked down twice before his corner stopped it.
Sergio Martinez (42-1-1, 22 KO) v. Archak TerMeliksetian (16-6, 13 KO)
Uncasville, CT
Speaking of sham records, Sergio Martinez is back in action on the Showtime untelevised undercard. Here's hoping TerMeliksetian, who is unspecial but has some pop, will just knock Martinez out. It's not Sergio's fault he gets ranked by the Ring and the sanctioning bodies, but it's a joke. His last two opponents have had a combined 28-14 record, and his last fight was a four-rounder. Before those two guys, he fought a dude who was 3-34-2. He did beat Saul Roman prior to that, but that monumental occasion came on the heels of wins over other cans (1-7-2, 13-24-2, 11-14-3, 6-9, 12-23-2 records -- in a row). He's 33 years old. S--t or get off the pot, guy. Archak has lost five of his last six, which makes him an ideal fake step up for Martinez.