Saturday, March 1 2014 On HBO Live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (47-1-1) vs. Bryan Vera (23-7)- In their first fight, I felt that Vera controlled most of the fight by setting the tempo. At the same time though, I could see why many felt Chavez was the victor, as Chavez himself did some cute stuff on the inside. In this rematch, if I am Vera, I would throw a short tight left cross and then rip a over hand right when Chavez steps in to carve Vera?s mid section. That shot will be available for Vera, so Vera must take it. But I am expecting to see a slightly better prepared Chavez this time around. Give me Chavez Jr. by Unanimous decision.
Orlando Salido (40-12-2) vs. Vasyl Lomachenko (1-0) (for Salido?s WBO featherweight title)- The key for Salido is to bully Lomachenko and take him into deep water and drown him. When I last saw Salido a few months back at Karla?s sports lounge and restaurant, I advised him that his best shot is to take Loma to the ropes, eliminate the space, and catch him with that vicious over hand right. Easier said than done, Loma?s footwork is borderline brilliant stuff to me. The kid can move and is stronger than he looks, so with his back on the ropes is the precise time to strike, simply because he will not be able to take the needed step back to dodge the missile. In the center, Loma will score at will and I can see him hurting Salido with a damaging body blow. Salido is like Glen Johnson, a rough, rugged, tough veteran that can really fight, so I am expecting a good scrap. I am going back and forth on this, but I am taking Lomachenko by late stoppage.
Saturday, March 1 2014 from SECC in Glasgow, Scotland
Ricky Burns (36-2-1) vs. Terence Crawford (22-0) (for the WBO lightweight title)- No need to romance this one, Burns is an ok fighter, but I feel that Crawford will box Burns silly and will end up stopping Burns. Crawford to me is simply the truth, everything Burns does well, Crawford does better. Crawford will catch and shoot and will be too slick for Burns to figure out. Crawford by TKO in the 9th round.
