With the boxing world uncertain whether a fight will break out between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright tonight, but there are some action fighters on the undercard.
Despite a weigh in ruckus, both men are too good to let bad temper – and their opponent – get the better of them in a battle of counter punchers.
It’ll be a technical affair, even if it’s a spirited one, and will be enjoyed by those with a tolerance for pared down drama and technical excellence.
There’s little technical about Oscar Larios, the windmill punching ex champ who takes on unbeaten Jorge Linares in a Mexico vs Venezuela battle for the WBC featherweight title.
But of all the fighters on tonight’s card, few guarantee the drama that lightweight puncher Michael Katsidis brings.
He’s an all-out slugger with impressive fitness and very heavy hands.
Coming off a riveting win over Graham Earl last February in London – in which both were down with Earl retired after five rounds of mayhem – the Aussie-Greek makes his US debut at the Mandalay Bay tonight.
It’s a comedown fight after winning fight of the year, and especially after his mooted fight with classy Joan Guzman got called off, after the Dominican pulled out injured.
Taking on Filipino southpaw Czar Amonsot for the WBO interim title, the 22-0 (20 KOs) Katsidis could be in for an easier night’s work. Czar was KO’d in a round only two fights ago, by a right hand that dazzled and destroyed him.
The combination of Katsidis’ power and Czar’s (18-2, 10) vulnerability (he was stopped in his only other loss also by Butar) point to an early night, although Michael can be easy to hit and can make hard work of things, while Amonsot is known for being a competent lefty.
Maybe it’s not quite as straightforward as it sounds.
In that smashing fight, Katsidis had Earl down in the first and second only to get careless and fall himself later in the second. The Aussie went all out over the next two rounds, but while getting the better of the action he was taking hard counters.
Earl even seemed to get the better of some of the fifth frame exchanges, but was so groggy he was pulled out.
Had Katsidis been in with a bigger puncher or a better technician, he may have been beaten. The 27-year-old has a lot of flaws to iron out before he guns for WBO and WBA champion Juan Diaz.
The WBO have ordered the fight, but barring an early KO or some drastic improvements in the skill department, it looks a big ask. Diaz, 23, has shown both skill and workrate, especially in grinding down Acelino Freitas earlier this year.
There is almost the feeling that Katsidis hits too hard for his own good – he doesn’t get the opportunities to try out different moves and to pace himself through long fights.
The choice of a man coming off a first round stoppage as opponent, then, doesn’t seem to contribute too much to the bigger picture of the Aussie’s career.
Amonsot, with his southpaw style, may give him something to think about but it would come as a bit of a surprise if Michael doesn’t take him out and cause further ripples on the international scene.
