Over the past couple of months we?ve gotten boxing shows that have been long on star power (including a pay-per-view by that name) and short on actual quality in the main event. The fight fan who is frustrated at the big names putting on mediocre fights (Pacquiao-Mosley, Mayweather-Ortiz, Hopkins-Dawson, the list goes on), if he can find an Internet stream or other means to watch Saturday night?s card at Arena Roberto Duran in Panama, will have an embarrassment of riches to choose from, as this might be the deepest card from doors open to final bell of any event in boxing this year.
The ostensible main event is between Alberto Mosquera (16-0-1, 12 KOs) and Brunet Zamora (21-0-1, 10 KOs) for the WBA interim title at junior welterweight, which in turn will make the winner a likely challenger for Marcos Maidana?s regular title in the WBA at 140. Why the WBA needs an interim belt holder when Maidana just defended the regular title less than a month ago (and Amir Khan holds the ?super? title after the win over Zab Judah unified the WBA and IBF belts), no rational person can say other than that this is a naked grab for 3% of the purse. Whatever the lame excuse, it got two undefeated fighters together for 12 rounds of action, so maybe it would be impolitic of the fan to complain in this specific instance. Mosquera-Zamora promises a well-matched contest between two guys with quality prospects on their list of guys they?ve beaten fighting for a chance to take their careers to the next level and crack the list of the best guys in one of the deepest divisions in the sport.
If one interim belt contest isn?t enough for you, the co-main event, five pounds down the scale at lightweight, pits Venezuelan veteran Miguel Acosta (29-4-2, 23 KOs), two fights removed from losing his shot at the WBA lightweight championship of the world to Brandon Rios by 10th-round TKO, against fringe contender Richard Abril (16-2-1, 8 KOs), who has stepped up twice in his career and lost twice, once by split decision to ESPN stalwart ?Hammerin?? Hank Lundy and once by split decision to Amir Khan conqueror Breidis Prescott, in both cases when Abril?s foe came in undefeated. Abril has never truly beaten a quality opponent, but on the other hand he has never been truly beaten up and soundly defeated either. Will the underdog pull out a win against a guy who owns a knockout win over Urbano Antillon (in round 9 on July 25, 2009) or will Miguel Acosta earn himself a potential rematch with Rios for the crown at 135?
