155-lb Catchweight Bout: Miguel Cotto (40-4) vs. Saul Alvarez (45-1-1)
Nolan Howell: Cotto has an interesting chance here. Playing his more defense, counter-fighting style may serve him best against Canelo. Fighters like Mayweather and Trout have flustered Canelo with their movement before. However, Cotto has learned to blend his bullish early style with his later matador style at the ripe age of 35 and has looked to be a rejuvenated fighter in the middleweight division. Canelo hasn’t quite been pressured in a way that Cotto could do to him. Kirkland did it last fight with some punches getting through, but he took a monstrous beating along the way. Cotto showed some of that capability in the Mayweather fight and his more recent outings at middleweight.
However, Cotto is at the end of his run and I think that stops here against a guy who could be the biggest star in boxing once the MayPac era finally blows over. Canelo will be too fast and aggressive and I think he will get Cotto to play defense. While Cotto may take a few rounds early, Canelo will wear him down against the ropes as he spends the fight backing him up and picking him off. After Cotto is tired, Canelo goes for the kill where ever he wants in the ring and he gets it. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez by eighth-round TKO.
Luke Irwin: It’s going to come down to what, if anything, Canelo learned from his bout with Mayweather. He looked, acted, and performed like a Golden Gloves performer in his first fight. Did that shake him up too much? Can he bounce back from that? I know he’s had three fights from that, but those were not challenges. Kirkland would have been if he was still under Ann Wolfe, but nonetheless, here Saul is.
Cotto’s hands are still dangerous, but Delvin Rodriguez, a shot Sergei Martinez, and Daniel Geale do not make a fantastic resume. So now we’re looking for both fighters’ biggest challenge in a few years. If this comes down to pure skill, movement, and strategy over twelve rounds, I think Canelo does enough in the later rounds. This won’t be a classic, despite the names involved, both are too technical and too good defensively to be clowned in front of their home crowds. Alvarez via SD.
WBC World Junior Lightweight Championship: Takashi Miura (c) (29-2-2) vs. Francisco Vargas (22-0-1)
Nolan Howell: An actually competitive test for the Golden Boy fighter Vargas, both fighters have run through the opponents given to them like they were supposed to. Vargas has fought the bigger names and stiffer competition by virtue of being stateside and is slightly favored over the lesser-known Miura. This is going to be a great fight and I will take Vargas to use this platform as a showcase. Francisco Vargas by unanimous decision.
Luke Irwin: This will be the fifth defense of Miura’s title, so I’m going to side with the champ. Vargas is a quality hand, but I think Miura uses his quickness to get the win. Miura via UD.
Junior Featherweight Bout: Drian Francisco (28-3-1) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0)
Nolan Howell: Rigondeaux via UD.
Luke Irwin: Ridiculous matchmaking. Rigondeaux via R8 TKO.
Vacant WBC Silver Featherweight Championship: Jayson Velez (23-0-1) vs. Ronny Rios (24-1)
Nolan Howell: Ronny Rios by unanimous decision.
Luke Irwin: Rios via UD.
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