Boxing TV Guide: Guys You've Never Heard of Fighting for Money

Boxing TV Guide: Guys You've Never Heard of Fighting for Money

Your television guide to the best boxing bouts of the weekend. Men you've never heard of will fight for money. But which are worth watching? And who will win? All questions are answered in this weekly feature.

Oct 21, 2016 by Jonathan Snowden
Boxing TV Guide: Guys You've Never Heard of Fighting for Money
The countdown has begun for the fall's top fights--but Manny Pacquiao versus Jessie Vargas and Sergei Kovalev versus Andre Ward are still weeks away. Boxing is in the doldrums and has been for months. But there is hope. 

This weekend, guys you've never heard of will fight each other for money on TV. We're here to tell you which ones are worth watching and who will win--and why. After all, bad boxing is better than no boxing at all.

Mauricio Pintor (19-2-1, 12 KOs) vs. Fernando Marin (13-0-3, 9 KOs)

KEY INFO
Date: Friday, October 21
Network: Telemundo
Promoter: All Star Boxing
Undercard bouts: Whatever fits on TV

Interest Level: Low

These guys aren't especially good, but at least they are evenly matched. Marin is likely to march forward, and Pintor will probably be willing to meet him in the middle and engage. Marin will most likely be more active when working inside, but if Pintor can keep some distance, he seems to throw cleaner, more effective punches overall. In a Mexican-style brawl, activity is going to play a role in the judges' scoring. Moving backward or being backed to the ropes, as Pintor will probably be, should prove the difference in a close fight.

Main Event Prediction: Fernando Marin by Split Decision


Luis Nery (20-0, 14 KOs) vs. Richie Mepranum (31-5-1, 8 KOs)

KEY INFO
Date: Saturday, October 22
Network: beIN Sports
Promoter: Zanfer
Undercard bouts: TBD

Interest Level: Medium

This is easily the best fight of the weekend. Nery has a few decent wins already under his belt, beating the likes of David Sanchez and John Mark Apolinario. Mepranum is a perfectly appropriate gatekeeper for him to fight. He's coming off a loss in April against Carlos Cuadras, and while he's lost more major fights than won, he did get a decision win against a prime Hernan "Tyson" Marquez.

Nery, the hard-hitting southpaw, will be stuck fighting another lefty here. Look for him to start slow and have some issues adjusting. Still, good young fighters tend to beat good older fighters. The circle of life and all.

The undercard is still being pieced together at press time and could consist of just about anything. It is Mexico, after all.

Main Event Prediction: Luis Nery by Sixth-Round KO


Lucas Fernandez (10-1, 7 KOs) vs. Carlos Farias (13-10-3, 1 KOs)

KEY INFO
Date: Saturday, October 22
Network: TyC Sports
Promoter: Eduardo Morresi
Undercard bouts: Nothing remotely good

Interest Level: Low

This is a rematch of a July bout that Fernandez won by a fairly wide margin on the cards, dropping Farias in the process. Promoters, apparently, want you to believe something has changed in the past three months.

Well, don't.

Neither of these guys has a bright future in the sport, and there are no former contenders or prospects on the undercard to get hyped about either. Even TyC Sports can't bring it this month. Yikes.

Main Event Prediction: Lucas Fernandez by Unanimous Decision