Boxing TV Guide: Juergen Braehmer Looks to Make His Case
Boxing TV Guide: Juergen Braehmer Looks to Make His Case
Jonathan Snowden breaks down this weekend in boxing, including Juergen Braehmer vs. Nathan Cleverly for the WBA light heavyweight world title.
I don't think boxing is dead. Signs of life are everywhere--you just have to know where to look. Last weekend Anthony Crolla and Jorge Linares wowed the boxing community. Saturday it will be Juergen Braehmer and Nathan Cleverly demanding the world watch. A Braehmer win could very well put the controversial German next in line for the Andre Ward-Sergei Kovalev winner later this year.
As the sport continues to fade here in America, it's growth in the United Kingdom and Europe continues unabated. And, as the sport's center shifts, so does its delivery mechanism. The best fight this weekend isn't on HBO, Showtime or any other traditional television network. It's streaming on the internet, right here at FloBoxing. Here's hoping this is just the first of many times we can make that claim.
Of course, Braehmer versus Cleverly isn't the only fight worth watching this weekend. There are obscure, but talented, fighters up and down the dial. Our job here at FloBoxing is to find the hidden gems and let you know both what to watch and who will win--and why.
Mike Lee (17-0, 10 KOs) vs. Chris Traietti (21-3, 17 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 9PM EST
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: Round 3 Promotions
Undercard bouts: Alantez Fox (20-0-1, 9 KOs) vs. Ronald Montes (17-3, 15 KOs)
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Boxing loves its great white hopes. From James Jeffries to Gerry Cooney and beyond, racial dynamics have often driven box office in the sport of kings. Mike Lee, once part of Notre Dame's collegiate boxing program, is the latest looking to capitalize.
Lee manages to sell tickets through channels most us have probably never considered--I guess some people really do read those alumni emails and come out to support one of their own. His opponent has never beaten anyone significant and was iced by fringe light heavyweight contender Edwin Rodriguez in just two rounds. Of course Lee is so inactive and bad that Top Rank dropped him in spite of being a ticket seller. That makes this a toss up. Here's hoping it's at least an entertaining one.
The undercard attraction is more interesting athletically, as Fox has been in pretty tough already and managed to not lose.
Main Event Prediction: Mike Lee by Unanimous Decision
Petr Petrov (37-4-2, 18 KOs) vs. Michael Perez (24-1-2, 11 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 10PM EST
Network: Estrella TV/ringtv.com
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Undercard bouts: Bastie Samir (14-0) vs. Sijuola Shabazz (6-1)
Interest Level: Medium
Since losing to Omar Figueroa Jr. in 2012, Michael Perez has rebounded well to take wins against men like Martin Honorio and Miguel Acosta. Those names may not mean much to casual fans, but to hardcores it's a sign Perez still has something in the tank. Petrov, the ESPN Lightweight Boxcino champion from back in the glory days when ESPN used to show boxing regularly, is basically a lateral move, but a good one. He'll provide a ton of pressure to Perez and this should make for an interesting main event. I expect Perez to get out to an early lead and Petrov to close the fight up late.
Main Event Prediction: Michael Perez by Split Decision
Hanzel Martinez (23-2, 18 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Quartey (20-2, 19 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 11PM EST
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: RJJ Promotions
Undercard bouts: Juan Antonio Lopez (11-1) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-3), John Vera (14-0) vs. Milorad Zizic (12-1)
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Is this a great boxing card? Not really. But the fights are all well matched and you get a look at fighters who don't often get TV time. Quartey hasn't fought outside Africa and Martinez has only ventured north a couple of times.To me, that's a win.
These aren't elite names, but the high KO ratios means it'll probably be a spectacle to watch. On the undercard, John Vera is an interesting fighter worth keeping an eye on.
Main Event Prediction: Hanzel Martinez by 4th Round KO
Alejandro "Payasito" Hernandez (31-11-2, 16 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Dominguez (18-5-2, 12 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 15th
Network: Telemundo
Promoter: All Star Boxing
Undercard bouts: Telemundo's pick of pseudoprospect contests
Interest Level: Low
There's some sort of WBC belt at stake in Mexico City between these two men competing at 122lbs but it doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. Hernandez is a scrappy former titlist at lighter weights, and Dominguez is a general nonfactor defending a belt he won against someone with a record of 3-6-1. This is anyone's fight, if only because mediocre fighters are always able to find a way to lose. But, if you're the gambling kind, Payasito is definitely the safer bet.
Main Event Prediction: Payasito Hernandez by Unanimous Decision
Juergen Braehmer (48-2, 35 KOs) vs. Nathan Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs)
Key Info
Date: October 1st
Network: Floboxing.tv
Promoter: Sauerland
Undercard bouts: Partial undercard will be shown, headlined by Enrico Koelling (21-1) vs. Ryno Liebenburg (17-3)
Fireworks Potential: High
This is a fight five years in the making. There's already an expansive preview of the card elsewhere on FloBoxing if you want the details.
As far as predicting a winner in the main event, this comes down to how Cleverly has recovered in the year he's had off. Did the war with Fonfara take too much out of him? Was the time off healthy? My sense is that he's a very, very dangerous opponent for Braehmer. He's naturally bigger, stronger, and younger. He's easily the toughest fight for the German since he fought Marcus Oliveira in 2013--and quite possibly the best Braehmer has ever been in the ring with. I'm going to guess that Cleverly saves some face and gets a W here.
Main Event Prediction: Nathan Cleverly by 8th Round KO
Phil Williams (15-8-2, 14 KOs) vs. Brian Howard (11-1, 9 KOs)
Key Info
Date: October 1st
Network: Floboxing.tv
Promoter: Grand Casino
Undercard bouts: full undercard to be shown
Fireworks Potential: High
Phil Williams, on paper, seems to be the obvious victim here. But Williams is actually the local guy. He's had quite the career, fighting former national amateur champs in Anaheim, California and African heavyweight contenders in Tanzania. Howard has fought once in the last 4 years, but he made it count with a KO victory. Literally anything could happen.
Main Event Prediction: Brian Howard by 2nd Round KO
As the sport continues to fade here in America, it's growth in the United Kingdom and Europe continues unabated. And, as the sport's center shifts, so does its delivery mechanism. The best fight this weekend isn't on HBO, Showtime or any other traditional television network. It's streaming on the internet, right here at FloBoxing. Here's hoping this is just the first of many times we can make that claim.
Of course, Braehmer versus Cleverly isn't the only fight worth watching this weekend. There are obscure, but talented, fighters up and down the dial. Our job here at FloBoxing is to find the hidden gems and let you know both what to watch and who will win--and why.
Mike Lee (17-0, 10 KOs) vs. Chris Traietti (21-3, 17 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 9PM EST
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: Round 3 Promotions
Undercard bouts: Alantez Fox (20-0-1, 9 KOs) vs. Ronald Montes (17-3, 15 KOs)
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Boxing loves its great white hopes. From James Jeffries to Gerry Cooney and beyond, racial dynamics have often driven box office in the sport of kings. Mike Lee, once part of Notre Dame's collegiate boxing program, is the latest looking to capitalize.
Lee manages to sell tickets through channels most us have probably never considered--I guess some people really do read those alumni emails and come out to support one of their own. His opponent has never beaten anyone significant and was iced by fringe light heavyweight contender Edwin Rodriguez in just two rounds. Of course Lee is so inactive and bad that Top Rank dropped him in spite of being a ticket seller. That makes this a toss up. Here's hoping it's at least an entertaining one.
The undercard attraction is more interesting athletically, as Fox has been in pretty tough already and managed to not lose.
Main Event Prediction: Mike Lee by Unanimous Decision
Petr Petrov (37-4-2, 18 KOs) vs. Michael Perez (24-1-2, 11 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 10PM EST
Network: Estrella TV/ringtv.com
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Undercard bouts: Bastie Samir (14-0) vs. Sijuola Shabazz (6-1)
Interest Level: Medium
Since losing to Omar Figueroa Jr. in 2012, Michael Perez has rebounded well to take wins against men like Martin Honorio and Miguel Acosta. Those names may not mean much to casual fans, but to hardcores it's a sign Perez still has something in the tank. Petrov, the ESPN Lightweight Boxcino champion from back in the glory days when ESPN used to show boxing regularly, is basically a lateral move, but a good one. He'll provide a ton of pressure to Perez and this should make for an interesting main event. I expect Perez to get out to an early lead and Petrov to close the fight up late.
Main Event Prediction: Michael Perez by Split Decision
Hanzel Martinez (23-2, 18 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Quartey (20-2, 19 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 30th, 11PM EST
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: RJJ Promotions
Undercard bouts: Juan Antonio Lopez (11-1) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-3), John Vera (14-0) vs. Milorad Zizic (12-1)
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Is this a great boxing card? Not really. But the fights are all well matched and you get a look at fighters who don't often get TV time. Quartey hasn't fought outside Africa and Martinez has only ventured north a couple of times.To me, that's a win.
These aren't elite names, but the high KO ratios means it'll probably be a spectacle to watch. On the undercard, John Vera is an interesting fighter worth keeping an eye on.
Main Event Prediction: Hanzel Martinez by 4th Round KO
Alejandro "Payasito" Hernandez (31-11-2, 16 KOs) vs. Emmanuel Dominguez (18-5-2, 12 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 15th
Network: Telemundo
Promoter: All Star Boxing
Undercard bouts: Telemundo's pick of pseudoprospect contests
Interest Level: Low
There's some sort of WBC belt at stake in Mexico City between these two men competing at 122lbs but it doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. Hernandez is a scrappy former titlist at lighter weights, and Dominguez is a general nonfactor defending a belt he won against someone with a record of 3-6-1. This is anyone's fight, if only because mediocre fighters are always able to find a way to lose. But, if you're the gambling kind, Payasito is definitely the safer bet.
Main Event Prediction: Payasito Hernandez by Unanimous Decision
Juergen Braehmer (48-2, 35 KOs) vs. Nathan Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs)
Key Info
Date: October 1st
Network: Floboxing.tv
Promoter: Sauerland
Undercard bouts: Partial undercard will be shown, headlined by Enrico Koelling (21-1) vs. Ryno Liebenburg (17-3)
Fireworks Potential: High
This is a fight five years in the making. There's already an expansive preview of the card elsewhere on FloBoxing if you want the details.
As far as predicting a winner in the main event, this comes down to how Cleverly has recovered in the year he's had off. Did the war with Fonfara take too much out of him? Was the time off healthy? My sense is that he's a very, very dangerous opponent for Braehmer. He's naturally bigger, stronger, and younger. He's easily the toughest fight for the German since he fought Marcus Oliveira in 2013--and quite possibly the best Braehmer has ever been in the ring with. I'm going to guess that Cleverly saves some face and gets a W here.
Main Event Prediction: Nathan Cleverly by 8th Round KO
Phil Williams (15-8-2, 14 KOs) vs. Brian Howard (11-1, 9 KOs)
Key Info
Date: October 1st
Network: Floboxing.tv
Promoter: Grand Casino
Undercard bouts: full undercard to be shown
Fireworks Potential: High
Phil Williams, on paper, seems to be the obvious victim here. But Williams is actually the local guy. He's had quite the career, fighting former national amateur champs in Anaheim, California and African heavyweight contenders in Tanzania. Howard has fought once in the last 4 years, but he made it count with a KO victory. Literally anything could happen.
Main Event Prediction: Brian Howard by 2nd Round KO