DAZN Has the Biggie, but the ESPN Show in Stockton Will Siphon Away Some Viewers

It’s gotten lost in all the hoopla surrounding Canelo-Jacobs, but there’s an interesting show going head-to-head in Stockton. ESPN will televise while hoping to put a dent in the viewership of the more glamorous event in Las Vegas.

The featured bout of the ESPN tripleheader sees Artur Beterbiev (13-0, 13 KOs) defending his IBF world light heavyweight title against Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic (24-1, 17 KOs).

As an amateur, Beterbiev was one of Russia’s most highly decorated boxers. He signed with Canadian promoter Yvon Michel following the 2012 Olympics and took up residence in Montreal.

Beterbiev, 34, is now with Top Rank. He won his title in his 12^th bout on a Top Rank show in Fresno. In his last fight, his first title defense, he came off the deck to stop Callum Johnson in the fourth round at Chicago.  That kept his knockout streak intact.

Kalajdzic, who is from Serbia but has lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, since the age of seven, would be undefeated if not for a controversial split-decision loss to future WBA title-holder Marcus Browne. Kalajdzic was fighting in Browne’s backyard in Brooklyn, but the crowd booed when the verdict was announced. “Hot Rod” had one more fight after that match and then sat out 22 months while receiving treatment for his chronic hand injuries. This is his third fight back and it appears that he hasn’t lost any firepower.

Beterbiev-Kalajdzic has the look of a very entertaining fight, notwithstanding the fact that Beterbiev is a heavy favorite. As for the co-feature, which actually will be the first of the three televised fights, we’re not sure what to expect.  Defending IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (30-1-2, 20 KOs) looked very ordinary in his last start when he was held to a draw by Tijuana’s unheralded Alejandro Barrios. Heading into the match, the Filipino southpaw had won 17 straight and was being heralded as the heir-apparent to Manny Pacquiao as an object of affection in his homeland.

Ancajas’ seventh title defense will come against 33-year-old Japanese veteran Ryuichi Funai (31-7, 22 KOs). Funai has won seven straight against questionable opposition. This will be his U.S. debut.

It would seem nuts to go head-to-head with a Canelo fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend in a place like Stockton where Hispanics make up approximately 45 percent of the population. But hold the phone.

For the locals, a bigger attraction than the two title fights is the middle fight, a six-round lightweight contest between Gabriel Flores (12-0, 5 KOs) and Brazil’s Eduardo Pereira (23-5, 19 KOs).

Flores, born and raised in Stockton, is making his first appearance in his hometown. Bob Arum believes that he can be built into as big an attraction in Stockton as Jose Carlos Ramirez has become in nearby Fresno. Flores and Ramirez have the same agent, Rich Mirigian.

Flores, reportedly 91-7 as an amateur, signed with Top Rank at age 16, making him the organization’s youngest ever signee. He has an interesting back story. When he was 12 years old, his mother, with whom he was very close, was killed by a stray bullet while attending a child’s birthday.

Flores, who turned 19 two days ago, continued his studies at Cesar Chavez High School after signing with Top Rank and graduated last year. This week he returned to his alma mater and distributed 500 free tickets to the students for Saturday’s fight.

Stockton Arena, the site of Saturday’s show, has a capacity of 12,000. Top Rank anticipates a turnout of 10,000. They may well reach it, albeit the house will be heavily papered. The show will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes in the United States and on Box Nation in the United Kingdom. The first of the three TV fights is slated to go at 7 PST.

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