Big Fights Upcoming in July
Boxing fans that were starved by a relatively lacklustre June should be heartened to hear that there are several big cards coming up during the month which could deliver some big time excitement. This includes a rematch of last year's Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" that has a stacked undercard along with several fight cards featuring some of the top talents in the lighter weight classes. There should be plenty to look forward to as July might be the hottest month of boxing yet in the Americas.
Here's a look at some of the top fight cards coming up this month:
Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz (July 31): The month of July will conclude with a rematch of the top bout of 2009 according to Ring Magazine's year-end review. Last February's bout for the WBO and WBA lightweight titles was a wild affair, with both fighters being hurt and cut before Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) took control with a pair of knockdowns before the fight was stopped in the ninth round. It would be tough to top that contest, especially since Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) is coming off of a pair of uninspiring performances in splitting fights against Paulie Malignaggi. Diaz will be looking to re-establish his credentials as a upper-echelon fighter by getting revenge on Marquez, who can use this fight to set up a big-money date against Amir Khan later this year.
The undercard to this bout could be one of the best in 2010. It's highlighted by top young prospect Daniel Jacobs (20-0, 17 KOs) taking on fellow undefeated challenger Dmitry Pirog (16-0, 13 KOs) for the vacant WBO middleweight title. Two of the most talented and exciting fighters of the last decade will also square off when Robert Guerrero (26-1-1, 18 KOs) takes on Joel Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KOs) in a battle of former world champions.
Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Bernabe Concepcion and Nonito Donaire vs. Hernan Marquez (July 10): Former super bantamweight champion Lopez (28-0, 25 KOs) proved that he could carry over his speed and power to the next weight class when he stopped Steven Luevano in the seventh round to earn the WBO featherweight title in January. He'll have a tough task in his first title defence when he takes on the highly-ranked former title contender Concepcion (28-3-1, 15 KOs) in Puerto Rico. The undercard features another fighter considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world when Donaire (23-1, 15 KOs) puts his WBA super flyweight title on the line against the power-punching Marquez (27-1, 20 KOs).
Fernando Montiel vs. Eric Morel (July 17): The recent Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry will get another chapter when the WBO and WBC bantamweight titlists collide in Chiapas, Mexico. Montiel (41-2-2, 21 KOs) is generally considered to be the best bantamweight in the world. The former super flyweight champion defeated Japanese champion Hozumi Hasegawa for the WBC crown on April 10. Standing in his way will be Morel (42-2, 21 KOs), a former U.S. Olympian who has won world titles at both flyweight and bantamweight.
Zab Judah vs. Jose Armando Santa Cruz (July 16): Judah (38-6, 26 KOs) was one of the most talented fighters in recent memory but his career has been threatened with a string of losses, lacklustre performances and inactivity. He'll be fighting for the first time in 2010 and working with a new trainer as he looks to get his career back on track and prove that he is still relevant in the welterweight division. In order to do that, he'll need to beat Santa Cruz (28-4, 17 KOs), a former interim lightweight champion who has won two consecutive fights since moving up to welterweight.
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