Here are the official posters for a couple of Top Rank-promoted cards this weekend.
On September 16, the first-ever pro boxing event on the campus of the University of Notre Dame takes place, with graduate Mike Lee the featured player:
Lee (6-0, 4 KO) faces Jacob Stiers (4-1, 2 KO) in a six-round light heavyweight bout. Stiers, 32, is a Kansas City club fighter and shouldn't be much of a problem for Lee in his Notre Dame homecoming.
Also featured on the card, junior middleweight prospect Glen Tapia (10-0, 5 KO) faces Marcus Thompkins (5-4-1, 2 KO) in a six-rounder. In addition: Derrick Findley (18-6, 11 KO) vs Darnell Wilson (9-1-2, 7 KO), middleweights, 8 rounds ... Travis Loveless (20-0, 17 KO) vs Troy Lowry (27-11, 16 KO), super middleweights, 8 rounds ... Yauheni Shishporenak (7-2, 6 KO) vs James Shorter (pro debut), heavyweights, 4 rounds ... Ramiro Bueno Jr (1-2, 0 KO) vs Jon Wright (0-1, 0 KO), super middleweights, 4 rounds.
On Saturday, a couple of brighter Top Rank prospects are in action in Parker, Ariz., at the BlueWater Resort & Casino. Blue chipper Jose Benavidez Jr (12-0, 11 KO) faces Angel Rios (9-7, 6 KO). Benavidez, a local, has potential to become a nice draw in what I feel is perhaps the greatest untapped boxing market in the United States right now. This will be a six-rounder.
Also, Filipino junior welterweight Mercito Gesta (22-0-1, 12 KO) takes on Manuel Perez (16-6-1, 4 KO). Gesta vs Perez is scheduled for 10 rounds. Both of these fights will be televised on Top Rank Live.
Also in action: Andy Ruiz Jr (11-0, 7 KO) vs Yohan Banks (4-5-3, 2 KO), heavyweights, 6 rounds ... Gabino Saenz (4-0, 4 KO) vs Esteban Nichol (3-2, 1 KO), super bantamweights, 4 rounds ... Hanzel Martinez (13-0, 11 KO, super flyweight), Jose Roman (11-0, 9 KO, lightweight) and Juan Gonzales (3-0, 2 KO, junior middleweight) also scheduled.