The Yuletide season is in the air, but don?t tell that to some boxing champions who are trying their best to stay away from the buffet table.
While the year is about to come to a close, there are still some good title fights left in the boxing calendar. Some of the recognizable names booked to see action this late in the year are Mexican superstar Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez, British slugger Carl ?The Jackal? Frampton, American power puncher Jermall Charlo and our very own Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes.
Alvarez, who finally defeated Gennady Golovkin in September for the WBC middleweight (160 lbs.) title, is set to surface at New York?s Madison Square Garden on December 16 (Manila time) to contend for the WBA ?regular? super middleweight (168 lbs.) title held by Briton Rocky Fielding. Nobody asked for this fight but Alvarez needs it to kick-off the mega contract he signed with DAZN, the popular streaming service dedicated to pro boxing.
In October, Alvarez signed a mind-blowing 11-fight, five-year contract with DAZN worth $365 million. It is the richest contract in the history of sports, beating the 13-year, $325 million deal baseball player Giancarlo Stanton signed with the Miami Marlins. When Alvarez takes on Fielding, the fight will be made available to DAZN subscribers.
Alvarez (50-1, 2 draws, 32 knockouts) is heavily favored to beat the lanky and limited Fielding (27-1, 15 knockouts). Briton Callum Smith, who is recognized as the genuine WBA super middleweight champ, knocked out Fielding in just one round in November 2015. Fielding does not move his head well and tends to throw plodding blows. Surprisingly, instead of challenging the unbeaten Smith, Alvarez settled for the lesser known Fielding.
A week after Alvarez-Fielding, on December 23 (Manila time), it will be the turn of Briton Carl Frampton to challenge IBF featherweight (126 lbs.) champ Josh Warrington (27-0, 6 knockouts) in Manchester, England. Frampton, a former unified junior featherweight (122 lbs.) champ, got his career back on track after he defeated Nonito Donaire Jr. in April.
Frampton (26-1, 15 knockouts) has not been that impressive in the featherweight class and is expected to have his hands full against Warrington. While he has the punching power of an ant, Warrington offers a fierce and busy work rate in the ring and is never shy to mix it up.
On the same date in Brooklyn, New York, American slugger Jermall Charlo will defend his WBC interim middleweight (160 lbs.) title opposite Willie Monroe, Jr.
Nicknamed ?Hitman,? Charlo?s pulverizing right hand has helped him amass a record of 27-0 with 21 knockouts. Charlo remains untested though and not a few were turned off when veteran Austin Trout lasted 12 rounds with him in May 2016. Charlo has also been relatively inactive, having fought just twice in the last two years. Charlo should bamboozle Monroe Jr. and stay within the radar for a dream showdown with either Golovkin or Alvarez.
Lastly, on December 31, in Macau, China, our very own Donnie Nietes will face Japanese star Kazuto Ioka for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight (115 lbs.) championship.
Nietes (41-1, 5 draws, 23 knockouts) and Ioka (23-1, 13 knockouts) are both three-division world champions, having captured titles in the minimumweight (105 lbs.), junior flyweight (108 lbs.) and flyweight (112 lbs.) divisions. Nietes nearly nailed a fourth division crown in September but was held to a draw by countryman Aston Palicte in a battle for the vacant WBO junior bantam crown.
Nietes, the country?s longest reigning champion, has not tasted defeat since dropping a decision to Angky Angkotta in September 2004. It is a winning streak that has stretched to 14 years and covered 34 fights. Ioka is 9-0 since losing on points to Thailand?s Amnat Ruenroeng in May 2014.
Nietes offers a cautious, defense-oriented counterpunching approach. Nietes is already 36 years old, but remains a tough nut to crack because of his exceptional counterpunching skills.
Ioka is a boxer who loves to work behind the left jab and offers a good left hook-right straight combination. The 29-year-old Ioka has knocked out 3 of his last 5 opponents. He debuted in the junior bantamweight division in September with an impressive unanimous decision over Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo.
Nietes-Ioka should be a very intriguing and competitive affair. Word is that Nietes? amazing winning streak has caught the attention of Japanese boxers and they all want a shot at the crafty Filipino. Ioka gets the first crack and it will be interesting to see if he can pull off the task.
It?s the season to be jolly, but somebody?s nose is likely to get busted up and it?s not going to be Rudolph?s.
