Fight Week: Charlo brothers, Josh Taylor, Dorticos vs. Briedis
FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in boxing in capsules.
JERMALL CHARLO (30-0, 22 KOs)
VS. SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO (13-2, 10 KOs)
Jermall Charlo will face his biggest test at middleweight when he fights Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
When: Saturday, Sept. 26
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV: Pay-per-view
Division: Middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s WBC title
Odds: Charlo 1½-1
Also on the card (Part I of PPV): Brandon Figueroa vs. Damien Vasquez, junior featherweights; John Riel Casimero vs. Duke Micah, bantamweights (for Casimero’s WBO title)
Prediction: Charlo UD
Background: The main event of the first portion of the pay-per-view card is essentially a 50-50 fight. Charlo has picked up at 160 pounds where he left off at 154 – remaining unbeaten – but he hasn’t faced the same-level of opposition, which changes in this matchup. The complete fighter from Houston beat Austin Trout and Julian Williams at 154, which helped establish him as one of the most-respected fighters in the world. However, since moving up in weight, he has faced Jorge Heiland, Hugo Centeno Jr., Matvey Korobov, Brandon Adams and Dennis Hogan, none of whom provided an adequate test of Charlo’s ability at middleweight. Meanwhile, Derevyanchenko fought the best in the division in two of his last three fights. The Ukrainian pushed both Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin to their limits in losses some believe he did enough to win. In other words, one could argue that he proved more in two losses than Charlo did in five victories at 160. Bottom line: Both fighters are excellent, experienced boxers with power.
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JERMELL CHARLO (33-1, 17 KOs)
VS. JEISON ROSARIO (20-1-1, 14 KOs)
Jermell Charlo faces Jeison Rosario in a winner-take-all fight on Saturday. Andrew Hemingway / Showtime
When: Saturday, Sept. 26
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV: Pay-per-view
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s WBC and Rosario’s WBA and IBF titles
Odds: Charlo 3½-1
Also on the card: Luis Nery vs. Aaron Alameda, junior featherweights (for vacant WBC title); Daniel Roman vs. Juan Carlos Payano, junior featherweights
Prediction: Charlo KO 9
Background: The featured fight in Part II of the pay-per-view show also is a toss-up. Charlo rebounded from a disputed unanimous-decision loss to slick Tony Harrison in December 2018 by stopping Harrison in the 11th round this past December, which allowed him to regain his title. Jermall Charlo’s twin has impressive credentials at 154 pounds, with victories over Vanes Martirosyan, John Jackson, Erickson Lubin, Austin Trout and Harrison, among other notable opponents. Still, Rosario could be his defining fight at the weight. Rosario has blossomed recently under trainer Luis Perez, who introduced the powerful, but raw Domincan to regimentation. The discipline paid off in January, when he stopped talented Julian Williams in five rounds to win two junior middleweight titles. Remember: Williams was coming off a dominating victory over Jarrett Hurd and was considered one of the best in the business. Rosario is big, strong and good. This is an even matchup.
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JOSH TAYLOR (16-0, 12 KOs)
VS. APINUN KHONGSONG (16-0, 13 KOs)
Josh Taylor took a giant step in his career when he defeated Regis Prograis. Stephen Pond / Getty Images
When: Saturday, Sept. 26
Where: York Hall, London
TV: ESPN+ (U.S.), BT Sport (U.K.)
Division: Junior welterweight
At stake: Taylor’s IBF and WBA titles
Odds: Taylor 17-1
Also on the card: Charlie Edwards vs. Kyle Williams, bantamweights; David Oliver Joyce vs. Ionut Baluta, junior featherweights
Prediction: Taylor KO 7
Background: Taylor has emerged as a major star the past few years, with victories over Viktor Postol, Ryan Martin, Ivan Baranchyk and, most significantly, Regis Prograis. The victory over Prograis in October, which unified two 140-pound titles, lifted Taylor onto some pound-for-pound lists. The Scot is a superb boxer with good power and sharp ring intelligence. He’s expected to face Jose Ramirez in a massive showdown to unify all four major titles early next year, assuming he wins on Saturday. Khongsong is largely unknown to those in the west. The 24-year-old native of Thailand has fought outside his country only once and that was in Japan. He appears to be a solid, aggressive boxer with heavy hands. His knockout of Akihiro Kondo was particularly striking. Khongsong isn’t shy about engaging with his opponents, which could lead to his demise against a fighter of Taylor’s ability.
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YUNIEL DORTICOS (24-1, 22 KOs)
VS. MAIRIS BRIEDIS (26-1, 19 KOs)
Mairis Briedis faces Yuniel Dorticos for the WBSS championship and a cruiserweight title.
When: Saturday, Sept. 26
Where: Plazamedia Broadcasting Center, Munich
TV: Pay-per-view
Division: Cruiserweight
At stake: Dorticos’ IBF title
Odds: Briedis 1½-1
Also on the card: Denis Radovan vs. Robert Talarek, middleweights; Leon Bunn vs. Timo Laine, super middleweights.
Prediction: Briedis UD
Background: The final of the cruiserweight portion of the World Boxing Super Series, which was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, is finally here. Dorticos, a big puncher from Cuba, bounced back from a knockout loss to Murat Gassiev in 2018 to outpoint Mateusz Masternak in the first round of the tournament and stop Andrew Tabiti in 10 rounds in the semis to win the vacant IBF title in June of last year. Briedis, a polished boxer with power, is Dorticos’ toughest test since Gassiev. The Latvian proved his mettle by fighting Oleksandr Usyk on even terms in a majority-decision loss in 2018. He outpointed Noel Gevor in the first round of the WBSS and stopped Krzysztof Glowacki in three rounds in the semis to win the WBO title. He lost his belt when he chose to face Dorticos rather than Glowacki, his mandatory challenger, in a rematch.