DAVID LEMIEUX VS. HECTOR CAMACHO JR. Rounds / weight class: 12 rounds / middleweights Location: Montreal Television: ESPN3.com The backdrop: The hard-punching young Canadian star, who has never fought outside his native Montreal, welcomes another victim into his lair on Friday. Camacho (52-3-1, 28 KOs) has the name and gaudy record, which includes nine consecutive victories (against journeymen or has-beens) going into Friday. However, don?t be misled. He doesn?t have the skills to handle a young lion like Lemieux (23-0, 22 KOs) at this stage of his 14-year career. Camacho has been stopped only once in his career. Look for No. 2 against Lemieux. Also fighting: Antonin Decarie vs. Irving Garcia, 10 rounds, welterweights Rating the card: C+. Lemieux is fun to watch, even against someone like Camacho. We look forward to the day he faces a legitimate challenge.
BRIAN MINTO VS. PIERRE KARAM Rounds / weight class: 10 rounds / cruiserweights Location: Butler, Pa. Television: NESportsTV.com The backdrop: Minto (34-4, 21 KOs) has had a rough 11 months or so, getting pounded in four rounds by Chris Arreola in a heavyweight fight in December and then getting knocked down three times and out by cruiserweight titleholder Marco Huck in May. Karam (18-3-1, 6 KOs) should be more Minto?s speed. The U.S.-based Australian has fought only once in six years, losing to journeyman Mike Lloyd in April. Plus, Karam has never ventured this far above his pedigree. This should be a wipeout, something Minto could use to reclaim some momentum in his career. Rating the card: C-. We wonder whether Karam really has any business fighting Minto. Maybe we?re wrong. We?ll see.
SATURDAY
RAUL GARCIA VS. LUIS DE LA ROSA Rounds / weight class: 12 rounds / strawweights Location: Cartagena, Colombia Television: Fox Deportes
