Saturday Fox Sports 2 5:30 pm Luis Collazzo vs Bryant Perella
-This is a very interesting matchup. Collazzo is the veteran former world champ who has fought the best of this era. He is coming off a pretty long layoff but his last fight was a big knockout win against top prospect Sammy Vazquez. Perella is the young prospect who has had some impressive wins since his only loss, a knockout to former Cuban amateur star and contender Yordenis Ugas. I can’t fault Perella too much for that fight, his handlers did a horrible job of putting him in there with a crafty fighter like Ugas after only a handful of fights. That loss was a product of horrible matchmaking. I think Perella can fight but I feel again, this is a bad matchup for him. Collazo is a crafty southpaw, similar to Ugas. He is coming off a very good win and although he has had a layoff he has got to know a win here and he may get a title shot.
Pick- Collazo by TKO in 10
Saturday Fox 730 pm Tripleheader
-Sergey Lippinets vs Erik Bone
Lippinets is a former world champion who lost his title to Mikey Garcia in a very competitive fight. Garcia hurt him but could not put him away and Lippinets had his moments and won some rounds which is saying a lot considering Garcia is a top pound for pound fighter in the world. Bone is a solid fighter, more than a journeyman but not quite a contender. He has fought several world class guys and while he has not beat any of them he always comes to fight and is competitive. Lippinets is at a different level though and is just coming into his prime.
Pick-Lippinets by Unanimous Decision
-Peter Quillin vs J’Leon Love
Quillin, the former world champ who lost his title by first round KO to Danny Jacobs several years ago is back in his first meaningful fight since that loss. Love has had a once promising career have too many starts and stops and this to me should be one of his final chances to make a real move. Quillin is the better fighter who has fought better guys but he has one fight since the Jacobs fight and that was off tv. It is very hard to tell what he has left. I still think it should be enough though.
Pick-Quillin TKO 6
Andre Berto-Devon Alexander
This is an interesting main event. Two of the top guys over the past 10 years finally meet, although it probably is a year or two too late. I sense a very competitive fight though but I just think Alexander has more left in the tank. Berto was one of the most exciting fighters of the past decade, wars with guys like Robert Guerrero, Jesus Soto Karass and Luis Collazzo cemented that reputation. These fights take something out of a fighter though and in his last fight he took a pretty good beating from Shawn Porter. Alexander is coming off a draw with Victor Ortiz in a fight most thought he clearly won. Alexander is the better boxer and he is a hard guy to stop. A couple years ago I may have picked Berto but not today.
Pick-Alexander by Decision
HBO Saturday Night Doubleheader
-Dmitry Bivol-Isaac Chilemba
Bivol in my opinion is the best light heavy in the world and I believe over the next year he will get the fights to prove it. Chilemba has been a fringe contender for several years and while he has been competitive at the top level he has never really been able to win there. A bad stoppage loss two fights ago seemed to be the end of him but he came back and in his last fight beat 26-2 Blake Capparello which propelled him to this fight. Chilemba is crafty and is a tough guy to stop but I think Bivol will do it.
Pick-Bivol TKO 9
Sergey Kovalev- Elidier Alvarez
Very interesting fight. Alvarez has been waiting for his big opportunity for a while now. Good wins over Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal have gotten him here. He is a very good fighter who will be competitive with anyone in the division. Kovalev’s accomplishments speak for themselves and while the Andre Ward rematch was a bad loss he has bounced back with two wins against solid guys although in his last fight it looked like he may be moving towards the back end of his career. At his best Kovalev beats Alvarez but Im not sure if he is at his best anymore. Alvarez has been waiting for this opportunity and should be hungry. This is a tough fight to call. I am going to take a shot and go with the upset in a back and forth fight.
Pick-Alvarez by split decision
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