Avila Perspective, Chap 118: Seven Nation Army, Canelo and Fights Galore

A glut of top shelf championship fights is causing promoters to cram.

Big time revenue earners Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez take their last swings of the year but not against each other.

First, Los Angeles showcases two televised fight cards on back-to-back days beginning on Wednesday and Thursday, then things move to Florida and Texas.

PBC on Fox opens the week featuring welterweight prospects Eimantas Stanionis (11-0) and Janer Gonzalez in the main event from the historic Shrine Auditorium on Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Los Angeles. No fans will be allowed, but it will be televised on FS1 and Fox Deportes.

Thursday’s fights emanate from the Wild Card Gym and feature a female world title fight as the opening act on the Ring City USA fight card. It will be televised on NBC Sports Network. No fans allowed.

So far, this new boxing series has been a success.

Canada’s Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2) meets Paola Torres (12-4-1) for the WBA featherweight world title in a co-main event. Sadly, the 10-round fight will be held at two-minute rounds and not three-minute rounds.

The other main event pits undefeated super welterweights Charles Conwell (13-0) and Madiyar Ashkeyev (14-0) in another 10-round affair. It should be brutal while it lasts.

Big Dogs

Recently we saw Anthony Joshua, Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford and Teofimo Lopez take their swings. Now it’s time for two of the remaining big dogs.

Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) and his “Seven Nation Army” theme song will march into the boxing ring on Friday to face Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

It feels weird to say Hollywood, Florida. Everyone knows there is truly only one real Hollywood and that’s in California. It’s home for the motion picture industry and also near home to Golovkin.

Matchroom Boxing now promotes both Golovkin and Alvarez and hopes to match them up for a third encounter.

Good luck.

Arguments erupt whenever someone brings up Canelo and Golovkin’s fights. Some say Golovkin won and others Canelo. I truly believe a clear winner will never emerge; they are just too closely matched in talent.

Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) left Golden Boy Promotions and now is aligned with Matchroom Boxing and will be facing Great Britain’s Callum Smith (27-0,19 KOs) for the WBA and WBC super middleweight world titles on Saturday Dec. 19, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Fans will be allowed and it will be streamed live on DAZN.

Canelo has a severe height disadvantage of about seven inches and probably even more in reach. Sure, he dismantled Rocky Fielding two years ago, but Smith defeated Fielding in the first round when they fought. Canelo needed three.

It’s going to look strange to see a midget redhead Mexican trying to get inside the reach of the gangly looking Smith. Anything can happen.

Little Dogs

Former super middleweight world titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (40-0, 26 KOs) moves up to light heavyweight and fights Alfonso “Tigre”Lopez (32-3, 25 KOs) on Friday on www.Fite.TV. The pay-per-view card called “Battle of the Rio Grande” begins at 5 p.m. from Galveston, Texas.

Ramirez and Golovkin both trained in the same gym and now fight on opposing boxing cards.

“It really doesn’t matter. We can both fight on the same day and people will still tune in. Boxing is what people want and they are getting it. And GGG, it’s a good thing because the fans want to see boxing. It’s been needed and like I said, the fans will be watching all three fights that weekend,” said Ramirez referencing Golovkin’s fight on Friday and Alvarez’s fight on Saturday.

Another Saturday boxing card features undefeated prospect Jaron Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) meeting veteran Chris Van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight clash. Showtime will televise the PBC boxing card at 6 p.m.

“I’m ready to rock and roll and keep my knockout streak going with No. 17 on December 19,” said Ennis.

On Sunday, Thompson Boxing Promotions stages its last show at Omega Products International in Corona, Calif. A small but potent fight card features Richard Brewart (7-0) and Louis Hernandez (8-0-1) in a middleweight fight. Ruben Torres (13-0) fights Jose Rodriguez (23-13-1) in a super lightweight fight. And Saul Sanchez (14-1) battles Mario Hernandez (10-1-1) in a super flyweight bout.

It’s cramming time.

Fights to Watch

Wed. FS1 6 p.m. Eimantas Stanionis (11-0) vs Janer Gonzalez (19-3-1).

Thurs. NBC SN 6 p.m. Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2) vs Paola Torres (12-4-1).

Fri. DAZN 2 p.m. Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1) vs Kamil Szeremeta (21-0).

Fri. Fite.TV. ppv 5 p.m Gilberto Ramirez (40-0) vs Alfonso Lopez (32-3).

Sat. DAZN, 5 p.m. Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2) vs Callum Smith (27-0).

Sat. Showtime 6 p.m. Jaron Ennis (26-0) vs Chris Van Heerden (28-2-1).

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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