Pick It: World Champion (168) Saul Alvarez vs. World Champion (154) Jermell Charlo (Saturday, Showtime PPV, 8:00 PM EST)
The term world champion doesn’t always mean what we like to think it used to. With a plethora of belts, sanctioning body shenanigans, and manipulated rankings, how could it? Sure, a lot of those same things always existed, but for the most part the champ was THE champ until slowly stopped being the case in the 1960s and 1970s.
Well, this Saturday, it’s a pair of champs in the purest sense possible. Lineal, undisputed…they’ve done it all at super and junior middleweight. 33-year old Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KO) is the lighter champion, jumping two weight classes off a layoff of more than a year for the biggest challenge of his career. 33-year old Saul Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO) is looking to make it three straight since a loss at light heavyweight to Dmitry Bivol.
Can he remind everyone of the form he held from the Golovkin rematch through his unification victory over Caleb Plant? Before fans find out, a solid undercard will feature Yordenis Ugas-Mario Barrios and Jesus Ramos-Erickson Lubin in fights that could have future implications at welterweight and junior middleweight, respectively. It’s one of the better pay shows, top to bottom, of 2023.
Additional Shows to Watch For
Friday – Farmer vs. Barrajas (Combat Sports Now, 7:00 PM EST)
Boxing’s options for paid viewing continue to expand with CombatSportsNow.com being the latest place to find some sweet science. 33-year old former junior lightweight titlist Tevin Farmer (31-5-1, 6 KO) makes only his second appearance since a 2020 loss to Joseph Diaz in a lightweight main event. Farmer will face 33-year old Oscar Barrajas (7-8-1, 2 KO).
Saturday – World Champion Opetaia vs. Thompson (DAZN, 2:00 PM EST)
28-year old lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (22-0, 17 KO) was guts personified in beating arguably the second best cruiserweight among a fabulous core that made up the Usyk era in the division. Opetaia overcame a busted jaw to win a unanimous decision and makes his return to defend history’s (and the IBF’s) title in the class. 30-year old Jordan Thompson (15-0, 12 KO) is a sizable underdog but he doesn’t know how to lose. Will Opetaia teach him?
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