Pick It: TBRB #8 (at 115) Carlos Cuadras vs. #10 (at 108) Jesse Rodriguez (Saturday, DAZN, 8:00 PM EST)
What was supposed to be the latest chapter in the finest multi-man rivalry of this era is suddenly something very different. 33-year old former WBC super flyweight titlist Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1, 27 KO) makes his first start since a 2020 stoppage loss to Juan Fracisco Estrada. Cuadras dropped Estrada early in the affair but couldn’t hang on in a fantastic affair. Will the time away be a welcome rest? He was planning for Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, another aging warrior, for a vacant WBC belt. Instead, on short notice, it will be 22-year old Jesse Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KO).
“Bam” is a highly regarded young tiger with nothing to lose and a chance to stamp himself a player in much the same way a young Naoya Inoue did against Omar Narvaez. Is Rodriguez up to the test or has he bitten off more than he can chew in this sudden jolt up the scale? This might be the best fight of the weekend. Even if it’s not, it’s got a real air of intrigue to it.
Additional Shows to Watch For
Saturday – Shields vs. Kozin (Fite, 3 PM EST)
With Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano signed, the next best clash in women’s boxing may be just a fight away. The only woman to defeat 26-year old two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (11-0, 2 KO) as an amatuer was Savannah Marshall at the 2012 World amateur championships. They could be headed to a showdown but first Shields will need to defend her middleweight belts against tough 23-year old Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KO). In action on the men’s side, fans get a regional clash between world rated middleweights. 32-year old Chris Eubank Jr. (31-2, 23 KO) has won five straight since a loss to George Groves while 29-year old Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 KO) enters off a loss to WBO titlist Demtrius Andrade.
Saturday – Thurman vs. Barrios (Fox PPV, 9:00 PM EST)
33-year old former unified welterweight titlist Keith Thurman (29-1, 22 KO) has been out of the ring since a 2019 loss to Manny Pacquiao and missed all of 2018, 2020, and 2021. Will his body hold up long enough to make another run? Will it matter if 26-year old Mario Barrios (26-1, 17 KO) finds welterweight more to his liking, and the experience of a loss to Gervonta Davis as educating? WBA featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz faces Keenan Carbajal along with an interesting Jr. featherweight clash between Luis Nery and Carlos Castro. Undercard action kicks off on Fox at 7 PM EST.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
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