WBC World Middleweight Championship: Saul Alvarez (c) (46-1-1) vs. Amir Khan (31-3)
Nolan Howell: Khan says he wants to stand and trade with Canelo, but we all know that’s lip service to try and throw the champion off. Khan could potentially trouble Alvarez and frustrate him with his speed and movement, but Khan is prone to take a few each fight and those are ones he can’t afford against Canelo. Look for Alvarez to limit the movement of Khan by getting him against the ropes and wear him down until Khan’s inability to take a punch (though overstated) downs him. “Canelo” by eighth-round TKO.
Luke Irwin: Let’s get the notion that Khan is going to trade with Canelo right out the goddamned window. Not a chance in hell. Secondly, Khan fighting at middleweight is absurd. Absolutely absurdity. He shouldn’t even be fighting at welterweight in all honesty. Canelo is going to be absurdly bigger than Khan at fight time, but is Khan going to be able to move around as well with that extra mass on him? I’m seeing Khan sticking and moving, but getting mentally and physically tired later in the fight, which leads to an Amir Khan Mistake (patent pending), and a jaw that was glass at 140 gets obliterated at 155. Alvarez via R9 KO.
Vacant WBO NABO Middleweight Championship: David Lemieux (34-3) vs. Glen Tapia (23-2)
Nolan: Tapia has really hit his ceiling barring some miracle and Lemieux was riding high until the loss to GGG. The odds reflect the lopsided nature of this and Tapia is really just a big enough name for Lemieux to style on here in an appetizer for the main event. Lemieux by fifth-round TKO.
Luke: Both fighters are coming off of losses. Lemieux lost in the eighth round to the hardest puncher in all of combat sports. Tapia couldn’t last four rounds with Michel Soro. Lemieux via R3 TKO.
Welterweight Bout: Frankie Gomez (20-0) vs. Mauricio Herrera (22-5)
Nolan: Herrara is really the unthreatening old-timer here who has done his time and is now being fed to the promotional prospect in Gomez here. Gomez will have his hands full at times, but count on him to use his ring time to dissect Herrara and cruise. Gomez by unanimous decision.
Luke: I’m going to go against the traditional gatekeeper vs. prospect outcome and think Herrera takes it here. I think he’s got too much left in the tank before they put him out to pasture. Gomez could have used one more step before he got to a fighter of Herrera’s caliber. Herrera via UD.
WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Championship: Curtis Stevens (27-5) vs. Patrick Teixeira (26-0)
Nolan: Who doesn’t love a Curtis Stevens fight? Any fight with Stevens is sort of a coin flip given his deficiencies as an action fighter. Teixeria is the slight favorite, but I’ll take Stevens in a slugfest that goes back and forth. Stevens by split decision.
Luke: Picking with my heart instead of my head here. Stevens via R8 TKO.
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