Pick It: TBRB #4 Joseph Parker vs. #5 Joe Joyce (Saturday, ESPN+, 1:00 p.m. EST)
The Klitschko era of heavyweight boxing was often denigrated as dull, but it wasn’t just a reflection of the brothers’ dominance. How many memorable top heavyweight fights with someone else were particularly memorable? The guys outside of the title picture are also important and it’s one of the reasons the last six or seven years have seen increased praise for the division.
We’ve had what feels like more fun scrap with a variety of players, including the two men who battled it out this weekend. This fight has potential 30-year-old former WBO champion Joseph Parker (30-2, 21 KO) and 37-year-old 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce (14-0, 13 KO) in a no-win fight. sure. Both men need it. Both men can hit. Heavyweight boxing doesn’t need much else to be interesting, but the fact that this pits two of the world’s top heavyweights against each other gives it some meaning as well.
Additional shows to consider
Friday-Lopez vs. Gonzalez (ProBoxTV, 9:00 PM EST)
Junior featherweights take center stage in this main event on the streaming service. Crisofer Lopez (15-0-1, 10 KOs), 25, enters off back-to-back ten-round decision wins. Alejandro Gonzalez, 22 (11-4-2, 6 KOs) snapped a two-fight losing streak in his last outing and has only been stopped once.
Friday – Stevenson vs. #8 Conceicao (ESPN, 10:00 PM EST)
2016 Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs), 25, is now a former junior lightweight champion after dropping the weight. Stevenson’s belts will still be up for grabs for 33-year-old 2016 Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao (17-1, 8 KOs). The fight will continue and we have seen this story before. Up-and-coming young stars fighting way below where they probably should on the scale, losing weight, and expecting their enemies to show up anyway for a little more money isn’t new. It remains to be seen if Conceicao has a depleted Stevenson on his hands or if his already limited chances of winning are further reduced.
Saturday – Galahad vs. Hughes (DAZN, 2:00 p.m. EST)
It’s been nearly a year since 32-year-old former featherweight champion Kid Galahad (28-2, 17 KOs) was stunned by a Kiko Martinez long considered viable. It was Galahad’s first stoppage loss and the rebound starts here. Maxi Hughes (25-5-2, 5 KOs), 32, presents no real power threat on paper and has been stopped twice.
Saturday – Mayweather vs. Asakura (Fite TV, 11:00 PM EST)
Fans who just like to see one of the all-time great boxers make easy money by showing off some of what made him great can spend about 30 bucks on this showcase. Floyd Mayweather will have fun with Mikuru Asakura. He is there if you want him.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Classification Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be contacted at [email protected]
