Taylor-Serrano III
Friday, Netflix, check local listings for start time
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will fight for the third time, and don’t be surprised if it is the last for both, or close to the fight for them.
The two have given us a pair of great fights, and the final bout at Madison Square Garden more than likely will be special. Taylor-Serrano gave us the best fight of 2023 when they fought their prior and last year they had another equally interesting bout, but it was overshadowed by Paul-Mike Tyson. With all eyes on them, this should be one for the ages, or at least I hope so.
Undercard:
The recent Most Valuable Promotions signee Alycia Baumgardner will face Jennifer Miranda, as Baumgardner puts her undisputed junior lightweight titles on the line. Baumgardner is a compelling figure and has been forgotten about due to inactivity.
A junior featherweight unification bout will see one of my favorites in women’s boxing, Ellie Scotney, take on Yamileth Mercado. A 50-50-type fight on paper, it is a chance for Scotney to show her brilliance at this level if she can separate herself in this one. Mercado has also been underestimated often, only to defy the odds, such as in her last fight, outworking Ramla Ali, who also fights on this card.
A women’s bantamweight unification will see Cherneka Johnson take on Shurretta Metcalf. The two have taken two different paths to the top. Johnson holds back-to-back wins over Nina Hughes, and Metcalf started her career off with multiple losses and rebounded to become a titleholder.
Chantelle Cameron will face Jessica Camara in a battle of like-minded junior welterweights. Cameron holds a win over Taylor, but has been out of sight, out of mind for far too long. She is one of the best of this era, and Camara always brings pressure, though she had a nasty cut against Caroline Dubois that it is hard to believe won’t carry into this bout.
Savannah Marshall will face Shadasia Green to unify two super middleweight titles. This fight is simple: Green is a fighter who believes that she is one of the best, and now she faces an elite fighter in Marshall, coming off a long layoff. Marshall gave Claressa Shields a tough fight. The winner of this fight should be in the running to fight Shields again on a big platform.
Women’s middleweight Tamm Thibeault will face Mary Casamassa. Thibeault is moving quickly up the ranks. Wouldn’t be shocked if she fights for a title by December.
Ramla Ali returns against Lila Furtado. Ali has suffered two early career losses, so it will be interesting to see how she returns.
Welcome to New York
Summers in New York City are like a teenage existence that I always wished I could experience. This year, a super middleweight WBC eliminator bout between Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz will fill my nostalgia.
Saturday, DAZN PPV, check local listings for start time
Berlanga is better than people think and a real puncher. He showed that he has craft and he can be rugged in a fight against Canelo Alvarez. Sheeraz looked average at best against Carlos Adames, fighting to a draw with the WBC middleweight titleholder. Sheeraz is moving up in weight and taking on a famous fighter with the hopes of getting back into position for a title shot. This is a huge risk for Sheeraz, who is starting to move a bit fast in his development, whereas Berlanga has had about five years of honing his craft at the world-class level.
Undercard:
Shakur Stevenson will put his WBC lightweight title on the line against William Zepeda. The question is simple: Can Stevenson stop the volume of Zepeda? Tevin Farmer gave Zepeda fits, but Farmer at this point is a lot different than Stevenson, Farmer sits in the pocket and will load up on shots along with boxing. Stevenson has a style to outbox Zepeda, but we haven’t seen Stevenson in with a brute like Zepeda as of yet. An interesting match-up that lost some shine because of how human Farmer made Zepeda look. News flash, Farmer is a really good fighter, and it isn’t a big deal that Zepeda had issues in those fights.
WBC junior welterweight titleholder Alberto Puello is a polarizing figure for someone who never gives notable interview quotes. I think he might be the best guy in the division. My co-host, Dakota, believes he has made some generous decisions and is dubious of how he can sustain at the top of the sport. Enter Subriel Matias, a former belt holder who weaponizes pace and looks to make a fight physical. One of us will be right after this weekend, and Matias is a fighter who will test not just your skills, but your desire to be in the sport, as he is one of the nastiest pressure fighters of the modern era.
Light heavyweight David Morrell returns after his loss to David Benavidez to face my favorite 2020 Olympian Imam Khataev. Morrell hasn’t looked like the same guy since moving up to light heavyweight, but he is still a very special fighter. I am a huge Khataev fan, but honestly, this feels a bit early for him. Khataev loves to exchange, and the versatility of Morrell might be a bit too much for Khataev at this point, but that is why they fight the fights. I would keep an attentive eye on this one.
Other Notable Bouts:
On Saturday, ProBox TV returns with a WBC junior flyweight eliminator bout between Erick Badillo and Gerardo Zapata. Super middleweight Lester Martinez will also return after a knockout win over Joeshon James. The card will take place in Fresno, California and I will be there.
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