The Boxing Weekend: Juan Manuel Lopez Headlines on Showtime
By Geno McGahee
Friday
ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights
Twin River Event Center, Lincoln, Rhode Island
Henry Lundy, 18-0-1, 10 KO’s, will be defending his WBO/NABO Lightweight title against John Molina, JR., 20-1, 16 KO’s, in a ten round bout. Lundy has taken on some relatively good competition as of late, including Richard Abril (12-1-1), winning a split decision and climbing off the canvas to do it, and most recently, dominating Tyrese Hendrix (18-0-1), en route to a decision win. Molina, JR., has taken it easy in his last two fights, scoring early stoppages over weak opposition. His last fight against an opponent with a pulse was a defeat at the hands of Martin Honorio. Molina, JR., hopes to impose his power this Friday night.
SHOBOX
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Showtime’s hit series SHOBOX comes to New Jersey with welterweight contender, Mike Jones, 21-0, 17 KO’s, facing off against Irving Garcia, 17-4-3, 8 KO’s, in a ten round contest. Jones is rated at #2 in the WBO and should have little problem continuing his winning ways on Friday night.
In another welterweight scrap, Antwone Smith, 18-1-1, 10 KO’s, collides with Larnardo Tyner, 24-3, 14 KO’s, in a ten round match.
Saturday
Showtime Championship Boxing
San Juan, Puerto Rico
One of the most exciting fighters in the game, Juan Manuel Lopez, 28-0, 25 KO’s, defends his WBO Featherweight title against the challenge of Filipino Bernabe Concepcion, 28-3-1, 15 KO’s. Lopez is a very big puncher and has made quite the impact on boxing, knocking out fighters like Daniel Ponce De Leon in one round and stopping the tough Gerry Penalosa in ten. He began to get the reputation as an invincible puncher before he ran into Roger Mtagwa, struggling to get the decision and barely making it out of the final round. He came back with an impressive knockout, but will be facing a fighter that has never been stopped.
Concepcion has never cleanly lost a fight. Two of his three defeats were by majority decision and his latest loss was by DQ. He has not lost since 2005 and will be a good challenge for Lopez, although fear of home cooking with the judges or officials has to be on his mind.
In what promises to be a fun slugfest, Herman Marquez, 27-1, 20 KO’s, takes on Nonito Donaire, 23-1, 15 KO’s, for the interim WBA Super Flyweight Title. Donaire has been busy since his biggest win, a stoppage of Vic Darchinyan in 2007, but he has been living in the shadow of Manny Pacquiao, the biggest draw in the Philippines.
Marquez has an impressive record but his opposition has been very suspect. His loss was to the only man with a pulse that he has faced. I would not be surprised if this bout ends early with Donaire stopping the aggressive Marquez. Donaire has faced the much tougher opposition and has to be considered the big favorite going into Saturday’s showdown.