Three Boxing Things I’m Looking For 2/20

Got a solid weekend of fights coming up this week from all over so without any delay let me point to you the three boxing things I’m looking for this weekend for February 20th.

Feel free to check out this weekend’s podcast with special guest and site contributor David Payne aka “The Boxing Writer UK” as we look back on the past weekend’s fights and previews this weekend’s as well.

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Let me also point you back on the results of the three things I was looking for last week, which probably played out the way I wrote in some alternate universe:

Patrick Teixeira-Brian Castaño should steal the weekend of fights. On paper, it should have, once the bell rang Castano was just the busier fighter winning easily to become the new WBO champion at 154 pounds. That win sets up a potential matchup for undisputed against Jermell Charlo which should be interesting. Didn’t steal the weekend.

The return of Richard Commey was a huge one and involved a highlight-reel knockout over Jackson Marinez to close out last week’s Top Rank Boxing on ESPN. As he makes his name back up the charts at 135 and against who, Commey will have the power to still be a force and why he was IBF champion.

Oh, the signature @RichardCommey celebration was back, too. ? #CommeyMarinez pic.twitter.com/rssWQA36j3

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 14, 2021

How fast does Josh Warrington stop Mauricio Lara? Two answers. Answer One was technically four rounds but the fight went nine. The other answer is it was Mauricio Lara applying the stoppage and not Warrington in an upset. Lara came overseas from Mexico and bought the hurt early and often to Warrington in the loss.

With last year’s brutal guesses out the way, here’s what I’m looking for this weekend:

Miguel Berchelt-Oscar Valdez is going to be explosive.

The long-awaited WBC Junior lightweight title defense of Miguel Berchelt taking on Oscar Valdez is something that has been waited on a long time and the all-Mexican main event is the fight of the week on ESPN. The bout has Berchelt coming off five straight wins by stoppage against Valdez who is still undefeated (28-0, 22 KO). This fight has vibes like Berchelt when he took on Francisco Vargas written all over it and I’m all in for it.

?? vs. ?? with ???? ???? than just a belt at stake.#BercheltValdez | SATURDAY | ESPN pic.twitter.com/4Wn4IRqFz7

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 15, 2021

Otto Wallin and Dominic Breazeale in a classic heavyweight crossroads fight.

“I was back in the gym in about 10 days. It was something that I didn’t want to dwell on,” is what Dominic Breazeale said Thursday at the final press conference as he goes into this one as the co-main event against Otto Wallin on Showtime. In case you didn’t know, the last time we all saw Breazeale was on the wrong end of a Deontay Wilder right back in 2019. In case you forgot, here is the knockout of 2019 featuring Breazeale.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED.@BronzeBomber banks a Round 1 KO against @TroubleBoxing.#WilderBreazeale pic.twitter.com/dtmcsVFqQh

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 19, 2019

He’ll look to clearly rebound from that in an equally tough matchup against Wallin. Wallin has been more active and was pretty impressive in his last fight in the “Fightsphere” against Travis Kauffman. This fight will have the winner back in the driver’s seat at heavyweight and Wallin is looking forward to that.

“This is a good step up but it’s not going to define me. I’m going to use it and move on to bigger and better things,” Wallin said at the final press conference Thursday.

What version of Adrien Broner will we get back in the ring?

Amanda Westcott/Showtime

“#Bronerwatch” is finally coming around to close out the Showtime show Saturday night against Jovanie Santiago. For Broner, the last time he was in action was 25 months ago. He also is fighting this contest at 147 despite all the press clippings and conversation saying 140. While many are expecting Broner to get by Santiago, the question importantly is how will he look? That has been the biggest knock on Broner in his last few fights despite being 1-2-1 is also the lack of output.

“The only thing that is going to be special is this ass whopping. He won’t be talking like that after Saturday”, Broner said at the final presser. Let’s see if he holds true to that as “The Problem” makes another crack at 140 in the ring.