Arne’s Almanac: Beterbiev vs. Browne Highlights a Busy Boxing Weekend

Arne’s Almanac: Beterbiev vs. Browne Highlights a Busy Boxing Weekend

The week before Christmas is historically a dead zone for professional boxing. Not anymore. World title-holders Artur Beterbiev, Amanda Serrano, and Seniesa Estrada will be in action this weekend as will former title-holders Joseph Parker and Gilberto Ramirez, the latter of whom is 42-0, summoning allusions to Mayweather and Marciano.

Artur Beterbiev has won all 16 of his pro fights by knockout. In his amateur days, he was a two-time Olympian. In his final amateur bout, he lost a narrow decision to Oleksandr Usyk. The Montreal-based Russian owns two pieces of the world title at 175 pounds and is considered the best boxer in his weight class.

His opponent on Friday, Marcus Browne, is also a former Olympian, having represented the U.S. in the 2012 London Games. As a pro, the Staten Island, NY native is 24-1 (16). His lone loss came in a bizarre fight with veteran Jean Pascal. An accidental head butt terminated the match in the eighth round, sending it to the scorecards. Browne won most of the full rounds clearly but was knocked down three times and lost 75-74 on all three cards.

Bob Arum is pushing for Canelo Alvarez to back out of his proposed match with Ilunga Makabu and substitute Beterbiev. That would be a far more compelling fight for the Guadalajara redhead, albeit he doesn’t need a dangerous opponent to draw a big crowd. But Arum may be putting the cart before the horse. At age 36, Beterbiev isn’t getting any younger and Browne, 31, is arguably his most difficult test.

The most likely scenario is that Browne will win the early rounds but that the Russian will eventually wear him down and stop him late. The bout from Montreal’s Bell Centre will air live on ESPN +.

—

Earlier Friday, DAZN will televise an interesting fight in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Israil Madrimov (7-0, 5 KOs) opposes French veteran Michel Soro (35-2-1, 24 KOs) with the winner in line to challenge WBC/WBA/IBF super welterweight title-holder Jermell Charlo.

It’s a step-up-in-class fight for Uzbekistan’s Madrimov whose first five pro fights were in the United States. Soro has won five straight against capable opponents since losing a narrow decision to reigning WBO 154-pound kingpin Brian Castano.

As a pro, Madrimov (7-0, 5 KOs) has answered the bell for only 47 rounds, but he has a wealth of amateur experience and has been chalked a 5/1 favorite.

—

Saturday’s action begins in Manchester, England, where the main attraction is the rematch between Joseph Parker (29-2, 21 KOs) and Dereck Chisora (32-11, 23 KOs). The WBO will make the winner the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk.

They fought here on May 1 and New Zealand’s Parker, the former WBO title-holder, won a split decision. Chisora had him on the deck in the first 10 seconds of the fight, but his workrate declined as the bout wore on and Parker nipped it. Chisora was flabbergasted when the decision was read and more than a few neutral observers shared his vexation.

Parker-Chisora I was Parker’s first fight with trainer Andy Lee, the former Emanuel Steward disciple who is Tyson Fury’s assistant trainer and bosom buddy. Lee will be in Parker’s corner again on Saturday. As for Chisora, he had Buddy McGirt in his corner for his first encounter with Parker, but has gone back to Dave Coldwell. The bookmakers currently have Parker a 5/2 favorite.

Coldwell, best known for his work with Tony Bellew, also handles super middleweight Lerrone Richards (15-0, 3 KOs) who appears in the co-feature against Carlos Gongora (20-0, 15 KOs). Gongora’s fringe title will be at stake in this battle of southpaws.

A two-time Olympian from Ecuador who has taken up residence in Boston, Gongora is the nephew of former middleweight contender Segundo Mercado. His signature win was a 12^th round stoppage of previously undefeated Ali Akhmedov. This is his first trip to Europe, but he is favored to retain his belt.

—

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the pride of Mazatlan, Mexico, won the WBO 168-pound world title in 2016 and made five successful defenses before moving up to 175. He is coming off a fourth-round stoppage of Sullivan Barrera in what was Zurdo’s first outing for Golden Boy after his amicable split from Top Rank.

It has been noted that even as a title-holder, Ramirez has been matched very carefully. As champion, he twice defeated Jesse Hart, but Hart is unexceptional and both bouts were close. Nonetheless, he should have little difficulty turning away 36-year-old Cuban defector Yunieski Gonzalez on Saturday in San Antonio. Gonzalez has won three straight since getting stopped in three rounds by Oleksandr Gvozdyk, but against weak opposition.

Seniesa Estrada and former opponent Marlen Esparza are both in action on the undercard. East LA’s Estrada (21-0, 8 KOs) meets Guatemala’s Esther Micheo Santizo (9-0, 5 KOs) in a bout sanctioned for the WBA 105-pound title. Houston’s Esparza (10-1, 1 KO) opposes Mexican veteran Anabel Ortiz (31-4, 4 KOs).

Seniesa Estrada is outstanding as she showed in November of 2019 when she dominated Esparza, the former U.S. Olympian, in a bout halted after nine frames by an accidental head butt. She should have little difficulty overcoming her Guatemalan opponent. Esparza is matched tougher, but figures to turn away Ortiz who lost a lopsided decision to Seniesa in her lone previous appearance on U.S. soil.

—

The amazing Amanda Serrano (41-1-1, 30 KOs) has won titles at weights ranging from 118 to 140 pounds. She has a big fight on the drawing board for 2022, a match with Ireland’s Katie Taylor, but first she must get past Spain’s 38-year-old Miriam Gutierrez (14-1-1, 5 KOs) on Saturday in Tampa on SHOWTIME PPV underneath the rematch between Tyron Woodley and trendsetter Jake Paul.

That ought not be difficult, but Amanda’s performance will go a long way in setting the odds for the megafight with Taylor.

Fights to Watch

Fri., DAZN 10 a.m. ET – Israil Madrimov (7-0) vs. Michel Soro (35-2-1).

Fri. ESPN+ 8 p.m. ET – Artur Beterbiev (16-0) vs. Marcus Browne; Marie Eve Dicaire (17-1) vs. Cynthia Lozano (9-0).

Sat., DAZN 2 p.m. ET – Joseph Parker (29-2) vs. Dereck Chisora (32-11); Carlos Gongora (20-0) vs. Lerrone Richards (15-0).

Sat., DAZN 8 p.m. ET – Gilberto Ramirez (42-0) vs. Yunieski Gonzalez (21-3); Lamont Roach (21-1-1) vs. Rene Alvarado) (32-10)

Sat., SHOWTIME PPV 8 p.m. – Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley; Amanda Serrano (41-1-1) vs. Miriam Gutierrez (14-1-1)

Sat., FOX 8 p.m. David Morrell (5-0) vs. Alantez Fox (28-2-1); Richardson Hitchins (12-0) vs. Malik Hawkins (18-1).

Check out more boxing news on video at the Boxing Channel

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE