The championship fight. The pinnacle of achievement across combat sports for centuries. A premiere attraction that draws millions every year. But not all title bouts are created equally.
So which title bouts every week are the ones to watch? We’ll look over every title fight from across the combat sports landscape and give you the five best based on five criteria:
- Competitiveness: Is this an even matchup? Or just a warm body to throw at a champion? It’s a title fight, so we want the best possible at that division in that promotion.
- Excitement: How exciting will this fight be? A clash of two elite talents throwing everything they have at each other in an attempt to win the gold? Or a half-dead plod-fest devoid of action or risk?
- Juice: A sort of catch-all term for all the factors behind the matchup. Is there a story leading up to the match? A true rivalry? Anticipated rematch? Do the fighters dislike each other? Were the circumstances leading to the fight extraordinary, or was it just a promoter putting two names against each other? Is there a lot of excitement or hype going into it?
- Prestige: Applies to the belt itself, but also to the fighter wearing it. Is this a long-tenured champion defending? Is this an interim title or one that was vacated? Has the champion increased the prestige of the title or is this a fight that will increase the prestige of it?
- Viewing Ease: We all don’t mind suffering for our art (or hobbies), but sometimes paying twenty dollars for a choppy stream, or searching your cable plan for a channel you’re pretty sure was just invented three days ago in the 6000s isn’t the best of times. How easy, affordable, and stress-free is this bout to watch?
So here are your five best gold options for the weekend.
5. IBF World Junior Lightweight Championship: Tevin Farmer (c) (28-4-1) vs. Jono Carroll (16-0-1)
When/Where: Friday, 7:00pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 2
Juice: 3: Farmer’s run from 7-4-1 Philly Armory washout to world champion is still a fantastic story that needs more attention.
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4: After the signing of GGG, DAZN looks like a little better deal, these days.
Total: 17
4. IBF/WBA/WBO World Lightweight Championships: Katie Taylor (c) (12-0) vs. Rose Volante (c) (14-0)
When/Where: Friday, 7:00pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 4: Volante is no can, and she’s a legit champion, but Taylor is still a level above every woman in the division not named Delfine Persoon.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 3
Prestige: 5: Taylor’s looking to add the WBO to her WBA and IBF Lightweight championships on her way to clean out the division. All that’s left? Or, just Persoon and the WBC belt. That’s the money match right there.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 19
t1. Titan Fighting Championship Flyweight Championship: Juan Puerta (c) (16-6) vs. Gustavo Balart (8-1)
When/Where: Friday, 8:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 5: Seeing as how their last tussle ended via flying knee KO, and Balart’s last fight ended in twenty seconds, I’m going to guess there will be some fireworks in this one.
Juice: 3: Balart suffered his first loss in his pro career to Puerta at Titan 48 via flying knee. It was hellacious. Since then, Balart has rebounded, winning back-to-back bouts in Titan, including a 20-second stoppage of Wascar Cruz at Titan 52. Now he’s back for revenge and a title.
Prestige: 3
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 20
t1. WBO World Flyweight Championship: Kosei Tanaka (c) (12-0) vs. Ryoichi Taguchi (27-3-2)
When/Where: Saturday, 3:00am, AsianBoxing.info/CBC
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 3
Juice: 3: These two were supposed to meeet in 2017 when they were both junior flyweight champions, however, Tanaka suffered eye injuries before that could happen. Now, Tanaka is a three-division world champion, and Taguchi is finally getting the fight he was promised two years ago.
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4: CBC Television and Asianboxing.info have partnered to have a free global stream, and that goddamned rules because Japanese boxing is fantastic, and there needs to be a reliable outlet for it. It would be a five except for the start time :/
Total: 20
t1. IBF World Welterweight Championship: Errol Spence Jr. (c) (24-0) vs. Mikey Garcia (39-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 9:00pm, Pay-Per-View
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 5: I’ll eat my hat if this isn’t a barnburner. These are two of the most exciting and entertaining fighters on the planet.
Juice: 3
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 2: YOW, that price tag. Hoooo boy.
Total: 20
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