Weekend Preview: Klitschko-Adamek, Ringside at Gamboa
Heavyweight may be the only division that matters to casual fans, but we know Cuban featherweight phenom Yuriorkis Gamboa has earned top billing on any evening he enters the ring. That’s why we’re happy to inform you our esteemed editor will be ringside when Gamboa takes on veteran Daniel Ponce de Leon Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. An underwhelming undercard features Luis Cruz, Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso and Terence Crawford.
Gamboa is the overwhelming favorite to win but de Leon looked great losing a controversial decision to Adrien Broner in March and has more than enough tohold his own. The Cuban has always possessed a combination of vulnerability and dominance that make his fights among the most riveting in the sport. A number of intriguing opportunities await Gamboa but he seems perpetually on the verge of losing his unblemished record. We’re picking him to win this weekend and hopefully set up a long-awaited showdown with JuanMa.
HBO will broadcast the Gamboa fight after a replay of Vitali Klitschko vs Tomasz Adamek, which will take place Saturday afternoon in Wroclaw, Poland. We respect Adamek and his ability to pack the Prudential Center in Newark with Polish fans, but the man is basically a puffed-up cruiserweight fighting one of the toughest big men of all-time. Were he fighting little bro Wladimir we may have given the Pole a puncher’s chance, but Dr. Ironfist is a bridge too far.
Klitschko’s towering jab is likely enough to win him the fight, but should Adamek show more courage than the boastful David Haye (not difficult) he may find himself splattered on the canvas well before the scheduled twelfth. Adamek lacked the power to trouble spent giant Kevin McBride and his punches will do even less to the chiseled Ukrainian. The undercard is highlighted by Polish heavy Andrzej Wawrzyk and British cruiserweight Ola Afolabi.
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Washington-area fight fans can make their way to George Mason University’s Patriot Center to see NoVa junior middleweight and former Contender star Jimmy Lange takes on Raul Munoz. Lange is an exciting fighter and his ability to regularly sell more than 5,000 tickets proves the DMV is one of the most under-appreciated fight markets in the country. We can only hope Gary Russell Jr.’s handlers are watching and considering bringing their boy home in the near future. Also fighting on the card are Stiff Jab favorites Todd “White Lightning” Wilson and Zain “Tiger” Shah.
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Brooklyn’s Aviator Sports Complex will host a Boxing 360 card highlighted by local girl Amanda Serrano challenging Kimberly Connor for the vacant IBF junior lightweight strap. NYC-based Colombian cruiserweight Santander Silgado and Bronx light heavy Joel Castillo are also scheduled to fight.
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Friday night’s TV slate is highlighted by a quality ShoBox from Hinckley, Minn. featuring cruiserweight prospect Lateef Kayode and a good scrap between Hector Sanchez and Vincent Arroyo at 143 lbs. Telemundo has Antonio Pitalua vs. Cosme Rivera from Mexico City while Telefutura’s card is headlined by Gabriel Rosado vs. Keenan Collins from Philly.
Finally, ESPN3.com will carry the WBA junior middleweight eliminator on Saturday from Belfast between Northern Ireland’s Paul McCloskey and Breidis Prescott. Both men are clamoring for a rematch with titlist Amir Khan.
