Pick It: TBRB #1 Mauricio Lara vs. #4 Leigh Wood (Saturday, DAZN, 2:00 PM EST)
After a near two-year wait, the reward for handing Josh Warrington his first loss is here. 24-year old Mauricio Lara (25-2-1, 18 KO) watched as Warrington won and lost a title in the time since their first fight, waiting for his chance. 34-year old WBA titlist Leigh Wood (26-2, 16 KO) knows a bit about waiting too. Since his epic win over Michael Conlan last year, his next chapter has sputtered.
There was talk about a possible showdown with seeming WBA “super” champion for life Leo Santa Cruz until, finally, Santa Cruz’s multi-year absence from the class resulted in his leaving the belt behind. Wood now defends as the WBA’s primary titlist for the first time. Both men can crack. Both have been stopped once. This could be another early-year gem in a slate of them so far in 2023.
Additional Show to Watch For
Friday – Holmes vs. Villareal (Showtime, 9:00 PM EST)
It’s a Friday night ShoBox tripleheader and those can always be fun. The main event here should be with a pair of undefeated Jr. middleweights set to lock horns. 28-year old Ardreal Holmes (12-0, 5 KO) is entering off his first ten-round contest. 25-year old Ismael Villareal (12-0, 8 KO) has been scheduled for ten but never been past six. This one is scheduled for ten with two prospects looking to keep their “0.”
Saturday – Sturm vs. Altay (DAZN, 10:50 AM EST)
The super middleweight comeback of 44-year old former middleweight titlist Felix Sturm (42-6-3, 18 KO) hasn’t been a resumption of old standards. It’s just been an older fighter making a living. Nearly one year since a loss in his last start, Sturm is back in action against 38-year old Sukru Altay (15-2, 14 KO). Altay enters off a win and has been stopped once.
Saturday – Ramlavs vs. Costa Do Nascimento (FITE, 12:00 PM EST)
This card from Latvia will be available for $12.99 for those who need a fix with their lunch. 33-year old Jr. lightweight Artjoms Ramlavs (15-2, 8 KO) is coming in off a loss but has the home country edge. 32-year old Eduardo Costa Do Nascimento (9-1, 5 KO) has only lost his second fight by decision.
Saturday – #3 Hovhannisyan vs. #7 Nery (DAZN, 6:00 PM EST)
The Jr. featherweight main event will come well later than the start time but will be worth the wait. It could end up being the fight of the day and is one of the better non-title fights in the last few months. 28-year old former two-division titlist Luis Nery (33-1, 25 KO) is trying to make it three in a row since a knockout loss to Brandon Figueroa. 34-year old Azat Hovhannisyan (21-3, 17 KO) has won seven straight since losing in a title shot versus Rey Vargas in 2018. One of these men will stay alive for a title shot in a two division with two unified titlists.
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
