This is one of the busiest boxing weekends in recent memory, and some of the world?s top fighters (Terence Crawford) and some of its biggest potential stars (Anthony Joshua, Jermall Charlo) will be in action. HBO and Showtime will offer competing cards, so here?s one compelling reason to watch each and every major fight that will occur Saturday (by the time you read this, another intriguing match, Joseph Parker vs. Andy Ruiz for a vacant heavyweight belt in New Zealand, will be completed, though you can watch it on tape delay Saturday night on HBO).
Terence Crawford (29-0. 20 KOs) vs. John Molina (29-6, 23 KOs), HBO: It?s usually a pleasure watching Crawford, currently No. 8 on the Forbes Pound-For-Pound Moneymakers list, fight. Molina is coming off the biggest victory of his career, an upset win vs. Ruslan Provodnikov, but he?ll probably be no match for Crawford. A win for Crawford could propel him forward to a 2017 date with Manny Pacquiao, one of the most interesting fights that can be made in the sport.
Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) vs. Eric Molina (25-3, 19 KOs), Showtime: The most exciting young heavyweight in the world, Joshua will try to keep his perfect knockout record intact against Molina, who was knocked out by Deontay Wilder in 2015. But Molina is coming off a big knockout of former contender Tomasz Adamek, and he?ll have a puncher?s chance vs. Joshua. If Joshua wins, though, we can expect him to fight Wladimir Klitschko next April.
Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs), Showtime: He had quite a run from 2010-13 when he beat Vic Darchinyan, Joseph Agbeko, Eric Morel and Daniel Ponce De Leon, but since then, Mares lost his featherweight title to Jhonny Gonzalez and then fell in a junior lightweight title bout to Leo Santa Cruz 16 months ago. Mares has had eye problems, but he could get his career back on track with a victory vs. Cuellar. The problem is that Cuellar, a featherweight titlist, has plenty of power (each of his last nine opponents have hit the canvas at some point during their matches). This should be a fun main event on Showtime.
Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs) vs. Julian Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs), Showtime: His twin brother, Jermell, who also happens to be a junior middleweight titlist, will be cheering him on (), but this will be one of Jermall?s biggest tests. Williams hasn?t faced the caliber of opposition that Charlo has defeated during his career, but Williams is tough and tenacious and should give Charlo a good fight.
