Not a whole lot going on this weekend, and there's even less going on since Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. pulled out of his main event for inability to make weight in time (rather than the reported rib injury).
Friday, July 24
ESPN2, 10:00 p.m. Eastern - Antonio Escalante vs. Cornelius Lock; Juan Velasquez vs. Jose Beranza; Carlos Velasquez vs. Juan Nazario. Escalante's been on a good run since being upset by Mauricio Pastrana, beating Mike Oliver and Gary Stark in his last two. Lock does his best to make good fights, but he's a level below Escalante and probably doesn't have the power to knock him out.
Saturday, July 25
Top Rank PPV, 9:00 p.m. Eastern ($39.95 suggested price) - Urbano Antillon vs. Miguel Acosta, Giovani Segura vs. Sonny Boy Jaro, Alejandro Martinez vs. Juan Alberto Rosas, Samuel Peter vs. Marcus McGee. Antillon can win a paper title if he wins this one, which looks like another gimme. Segura is defending his title against Jaro, a C-level brawler who upset Eriberto Gejon on the Pinoy Power card. The other two are filler bouts, no better than what you'd see on Telefutura.
Elsewhere around the globe:
- Paulus Moses defends his bogus WBA regular lightweight title against Takehiro Shimada, who isn't bad for a late replacement. I saw his title victory over Yusuke Kobori, and unless he improves pretty drastically, I suspect he'll lose the first time he steps up in class (or maybe sooner). He may have the same record as fellow Namibian Harry Simon, but he's no Harry Simon.
- Hundred-year old Aussie heavyweight journeyman Bob Mirovic rematches Kiwi John Hopoate in a fight that seems completely inexplicable. Hopoate convincingly beat Mirovic last year, and Mirovic has lost 5 of his last 6. I realize he needs to earn a paycheck from somewhere, but maybe it's time to stop getting paid by being hit in the head.
- Fres Oquendo faces off against Bruce Seldon. Oquendo has had some hard luck in his career - a recent loss to James Toney that looked like a clear win in my book, a controversial stoppage against John Ruiz in a title fight he was keeping close, and close losses to Evander Holyfield and Chris Byrd that many felt he should have won. Make no two buts about it though - Oquendo usually does just enough to win rounds, and it's his own damn fault for not dominating when he has the ability to do so. Seldon is just a gatekeeper at this point in his career. Since coming out of retirement in 2004, he has knockout losses to Tye Fields, Kevin Johnson and Gerald Nobles. Oquendo should cruise in this one.
- On Irish television on Saturday, many brothers named Hyland will be fighting. Can't say I know too much about them, or their opponents (other than Oisan Fagan, who's lost to Amir Khan and Paul Spadafora), but I find it interesting, and you might be able to find a stream if you're interested in watching.
- My favorite named Comanche Boy, George Tahdooahnippah, will be rematching Dan Wallace. What I find interesting is why they're rematching. The first one was declared a no-contest, after "severe weather" started after the first round. In an indoor casino. Can't make this stuff up.