Three boxing things I’m looking forward to 3-13/14
I was looking forward to an interesting weekend of boxing cards along the East Coast of the United States but due to the coronavirus epidemic, boxing cards left, right, up and down have been cancelled. Late Thursday night, the gavel was dropped on a majority of major sporting events postponed or suspended play.
That hammer kept coming early Friday. The Masters, the annual big-time golf tournament in April decided to halt as well as the country tries to figure how to prepare for this.
Statement from Chairman Ridley:
"Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone @TheMasters, @anwagolf and @DriveChipPutt National Finals."
Full details at https://t.co/FX2AN1MLsY pic.twitter.com/Z2DjS5TYdG
— The Masters (@TheMasters) March 13, 2020
There is still some boxing going on this weekend, so what may be the last weekend of action in boxing, let me look at that but first look back on the three things I was looking into last week.
Zach Parker taking on Rohan Murdock was the best fight on the card out in Manchester last week. It was so good, the DAZN feed in the US had to show it in between the Hughie Fury-Pavel Sour bout. Video hiccups aside, Parker looked good wearing down Murdock to a 10th round stoppage win.
Efe Ajagba against Razvan Cojanu looked a little better stopping him in nine rounds. The big issue with Ajagba was will he improve his head movement? And while that will still be a work in progress, he didn’t get knocked down like he did against Kiladze back in December.
Will Adam Kownacki make quick work of Robert Helenius?
Well it was quick work…for Helenius.
Helenius who was listed in most Sportsbooks as much as a 25 to 1 underdog and was an afterthought to a main event that was another hometown bout for the Brooklyn based Kownacki turned into another “PBC on Fox” upset in the main event. Helenius got the stoppage victory in the fourth round and also rebounded from a loss to Gerald Washington where many had written him and this contest off for him.
WHAT A SHOT! ?
Robert Helenius drops @AKbabyface in Round 4. #KownackiHelenius pic.twitter.com/a8rmQKYf9S
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) March 8, 2020
With that out the way, here are the three things I’m looking forward to this weekend.
Brandun Lee against Camilo Prieto
While the U.S. will probably clamp down in upcoming shows, the one tonight out of Hinkley, Minnesota on Showtime is still on. Don’t expect any crowd participation as it will be an empty venue with only “essential personnel” (a phrase we all better get used to hearing for a while) for this “Shobox” series main event.
When I spoke to Lee this week about his upcoming match up against Camilo Prieto, I asked about if he was looking to getting some rounds in as he has been active and blowing away opposition.
Lee told me flat out, “I’m not here to dance. I’m here to knock him (Prieto) out.”
We’ll see how that works as he knows he going up against a natural welterweight, something that Lee knows he isn’t. Despite that, I don’t see this being a long affair to close out Showtime.
The continuing impact of the coronavirus on upcoming cards.
Speaks for itself, but a lot of upcoming fights have already been canned. Ones that I’m keeping an eye on is Raging Babe’s card out in Philadelphia, and the upcoming DAZN card out in Oxon, Hill, Maryland between Maurice Hooker and Regis Prograis.
Lots to sort before any formal announcement on the direction of the #PhillySpecial. I spoke to most of the fighters and thankfully, we’re all in this together. Standby.
— Raging Babe (@RagingBabe) March 13, 2020
The third thing was postponed due to the coronavirus epidemic but it would’ve been if Edgar Berlanga go past the 1st round of his bout on ESPN+. We’ll have to wait and see when they reshuffle all of these cards for later on.
