World Titles and Domestic Titles on the line ahead of another big weekend of championship boxing
This past weekend was very much a testament to that as Alycia Baumgardner and Kiko Martinez became the latest fighters to defy the odds as they shocked Terri Harper and Kid Galahad in Sheffield to claim the Woman’s WBC super-featherweight and IBF featherweight title, respectively.
With that in mind and the need for fireworks in the ring even more than ever, it does not stop there and in fact, there is yet another stacked weekend of boxing ahead so here’s what you can expect and where you can find the action with world and domestic titles on the line.
Saturday 20th November:
Riakporhe vs Durodola
Wembley Arena, London
Sky Sports Boxing
8:00pm
Cruiserweight power puncher Richard Riakporhe headlines a stacked card for Boxxer this weekend as he takes on Olanrewaju Durodola for the WBC Silver Title at Wembley Arena.
Riakporhe will be looking to make yet another statement as he targets a potential world title shot in 2022. The 31-year-old comes into the fight with a perfect record of 12-0 (8 KO’s) having beaten Krzysztof Twardowski by Unanimous Decision last time out at the exact same arena back last month.
Currently ranked at number 10 by the WBC and 13 by the WBO at cruiserweight, with a win here you would have to think that Riakporhe will all but seal a potential world title shot at Ilunga Makabu’s WBC crown or who knows, maybe even have a shot at Lawrence Okolie’s WBO Belt setting up a domestic showdown for the ages!?
Opposite him though stands 41-year-old Durodola, who despite his age comes into the ring with an impressive record of 36 wins and 8 losses, with 33 of those wins by way of knockout. The Nigerian is currently ranked at number 5 by the WBC and will provide a stern test for Riakporhe, who is ten years his junior!
Also on the card, Caroline Dubois is set to make her professional debut having signed with Boxxer in September off the back of the summer’s Olympic Games. Dubois, sister of heavyweight fighter Daniel, comes into the pros with an outstanding amateur record of 40 fights, 37 wins and just 3 losses. She will face off against Lithuania's Vaida Masiokaite, who’s current record stands at 2-10-4.
The explosive Florian Marku will face off with Frenchmen Jorick Luisetto as he goes to add to his record of 9-0-1. Marku who beat Maxim Prodan last time out by split decision in their 10 round contest on the Anthony Joshua/Oleksandr Usyk card claimed the IBF International Welterweight Title that night and is currently ranked 12th by the IBF. A win here will only further his chances of opening up some big opportunities in 2022.
Another very exciting clash on this card sees a battle for the vacant British light-heavyweight championship as former champion Hosea Burton takes on Dan Azeez as he looks to claim back the crown he lost to Frank Buglioni back in 2016.
As for Azeez, he comes into the fight with an unbeaten record of 14-0 with 9 of those wins coming by way of knockout. Last time out he stopped Czech Republic’s Ivo Zednicek in the third round of the scheduled six at an MTK Global card in Bedford as he prepared for this showdown eagerly anticipated British title fight with Burton.
As well as all that, Undefeated cruiserweight Mikael Lawal faces Leonardo Bruzzese. Lawal comes to the ring with a 14-0 record with 8 coming by knockout. Lawal, who’s course to the British title has been hit slightly due to the withdrawal of Steven Ward, who he was previously due to fight, however, Ward pulled out and instead he faced Benoit Huber, an opponent in which he had no problems in dismissing, getting the job done in the third round of the scheduled six.
Elsewhere on the card, there’s a heavyweight bout between Nick Campbell (3-0) and Danny Whitaker (4-5). Adam Azim (1-0) looks to make it two out of two after winning in his debut last time out while brother Hassan makes his own debut.
Saturday night’s Boxxer card at the Wembley Arena as mentioned at the top, is stacked and the action gets underway live on Sky Sports Boxing from 8pm. With so many guys and girls looking to make statements in 2022 there can be no doubt that a fair few of those can be found on this card. Do. Not. Miss. It!
Sunday 21st November:
Crawford vs Porter
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Sky Sports Boxing
2:00am
IF by the time the Boxxer card has finished and IF you haven’t already had your fill of boxing for the evening and more importantly IF you can stay up or not sleep through your alarm then in the early hours of Sunday morning, there is a real treat in store for you courtesy of Top Rank and TGB Promotions! (Honestly, the next day is also fine, we’ve all been there, just avoid all social media and sports news channels, you’ll be fine!).
Unbeaten WBO king Terence Crawford will once again put his WBO World Welterweight crown on the line as he takes on Shawn ‘Showtime’ Porter in front of the bright lights of Las Vegas at the famous Mandalay Bay.
In a fight where both men claim they have the other's number and in a fight where both men firmly believe they are the better fighter, this really is one you do not want to miss because this fight right here could be a fight of the year contender and an instant classic!
Coming into this one, Crawford, who has defended his WBO crown five times since he claimed it back in 2018 after he KO’d the then-champion Jeff Horn in the 9th round is without a doubt, for me, one of the toughest and best pound for pound fighters in the sport today, However, many will say and I do agree, this will be his biggest test yet or at least the first real test in which his talents may be seriously tested and questions may he asked of him because Porter is true warrior who, as we know, isn't one who is particularly familiar with sleeping on the canvas! (Not going to out and out say it, that’s the closest I’m going!)
Crawford’s defenses of his WBO crown have so far come against the likes of Jose Benavidez Jr, Amir Khan, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and most recently in 2020, Kell Brook. Not one of those fighters stayed around to see the final bell, although Benavidez Jr did come the closest, only going down in the final round of the fight but even then he was never going to win the fight and it was only a matter of time, as for the other guys, they were probably on that borderline in which they were probably never going to be able to hang with Bud for one reason or another. (Sorry, Kell!)
‘Showtime’ Porter, is a guy who is infamous for his chin (final reference), he's been there and done it consistently when a world title is on the line and let's not forget, he's been a world champion not once, but twice before! Oh and his record of 31-3-1 has wins over the likes of Adrien Broner, Andre Berto, Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas on it too!
Crawford will no doubt be the favourite and so he should be but as we have seen in recent weeks, anything can and does happen when that first bell rings. Porter has the power and ability to mount a serious challenge and take the fight to Crawford but Bud as we know has so far proven why he's in the conversation for pound for pound one of the best.
Again, just like the Boxxer card earlier in the night, this is a fight you are not going to want to miss and it should be once again a fantastic week of boxing. Catch all the action live from 8pm on Saturday night and make sure you have that popcorn to hand!
Tom Wade of SimBoxx
