Avila Perspective, Chap. 264: Bam vs Sunny, Jake Paul and Farewell Showtime

Avila Perspective, Chap. 264: Bam vs Sunny, Jake Paul and Farewell Showtime

Time to unload all your bullets.

Every December boxing promoters send out their fighters one last time before the end of the year to fulfill contracts.

This week several loaded smaller shows in Southern California kick it off Thursday evening and maverick promoter/fighter Jake Paul brings his brand on Friday and then PBC and British outfit Matchroom Boxing ends it on Saturday.

All of these shows will be streamed.

Roy Englebrecht Events starts off the week on Thursday Dec. 14, at the OC Hangar in Costa Mesa, California with a sold-out boxing card. Almost every show he produces is sold-out.

Headlining the card will be heavyweights Kubrat Pulev (the kisser) versus Andrzej Wawrzyk (34-2) in the main event. FITE.TV will stream the impressive roster of fights at the Orange County location. Pulev (29-3) was the fighter who kissed an alleged reporter on camera a few years back at the same venue.

On the same night, Golden Boy Promotions stages its boxing card at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. The main event features Jose “Tito” Sanchez (11-0, 7 KOs) against Walter Santibanes (12-2, 2 KOs) in a featherweight fight set for 10 rounds. DAZN will stream the boxing card.

Sanchez lives in the Coachella Valley and has a big following. He will be facing Arizona’s Santibanes whose last fight in the same arena resulted in a huge upset knockout win over another Coachella Valley fighter, Manuel Flores. He was undefeated too until Santibanes ended his night on the canvas.

Golden Boy is sending out six of its undefeated prospects to the prize ring. It should be an interesting end of the year.

Friday in Florida

Jake Paul has changed the game or the usual method of promoting in the boxing world. He also is one of the few promoters who believes in women’s boxing and puts money behind his beliefs.

Just ask Amanda Serrano who has surged to the top of women’s boxing due to Paul’s backing. She is a millionaire because of his trust.

Paul (7-1, 4 KOs) faces his own challenge on Friday night when he meets Andre August (10-1-1, 5 KOs) in a cruiserweight fight set for eight rounds on Friday Dec. 15, at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

DAZN will stream the Most Valuable Promotions event that also features female super middleweights Shadasia Green versus Franchon Crews-Dezurn. This WBC world title fight will not be for the timid.

Battle of the Flyweights

Undefeated flyweights clash as Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) meets Sunny Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday Dec. 16. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.

WBO flyweight titlist Rodriguez trains out of Riverside, California and won the title last April against Cristian Gonzalez. He formerly held the super flyweight title but decided to drop down.

“I’m more comfortable at flyweight,” said Rodriguez a few weeks ago during a media day in North Hollywood. “I was fighting at an even lower weight.”

Though Rodriguez defeated back-to-back champions Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras, he opted to drop down to flyweight to compete for as long as his body allows.

Now he will be facing yet another champion in Edwards.

IBF flyweight titlist Edwards fights out of London, England and has been gunning for Rodriguez for a while. Even while fighting others, he called out Rodriguez and has finally received his wish for a Gunfight at the OK Corral. Well, maybe not exactly.Tombstone, Arizona is actually about 193 miles south.

Edwards has excellent speed and agility and can make the fight extremely boring if he wishes. But the ultra-athletic Londoner has the ability to stand and fight too.

“I like a build-up, but that’s more for the fans than for me, I like them to be excited for the fight. Maybe I’m more of the spiteful one, the outspoken one, the confident one. Whereas he’s a very good fighter but he seems uneasy in public, he isn’t happy in front of the camera, he’s not confident in front of groups of people. If he wasn’t a boxer, you wouldn’t see much of him at all,” said Edwards.

Will Edwards match skills against Rodriguez or use a hit-and-run style to avoid contact?

We just saw a similar clash last week when Devin Haney used his speed and skills to out-maneuver southpaw Regis Prograis over 12 one-sided rounds. Will this be a repeat of that super lightweight contest?

“He’s a very good fighter, very technical, very skillful, fast, smart,” said Rodriguez. “I knew one day down the line we would meet up and here it is.”

It’s England vs Texas.

Showtime’s Farewell

It’s the last roundup for Showtime Boxing

Super middleweight David Morrell (9-0, 8 KOs) meets Sena Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) for the WBA world title on Saturday Dec. 16, at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minn. Showtime will televise the TGB Promotions card.

In case you did not know, Showtime will no longer televise boxing after 38 years.

Ironically, this was one of the best years for Showtime with blockbuster pay-per-views with Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia leading the way. Other successful fights included Terence Crawford vs Errol Spence Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo.

All did great numbers but the smaller shows lacked the ability to attract viewers.

Don’t blame it on Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza.

If he were allowed to put female title fights on those low drawing fight cards the numbers would have been much better.

Fights to Watch (Pacific Coast time)

Thurs. DAZN 6 p.m. Jose “Tito” Sanchez (11-0) vs Walter Santibanes (12-2)

Thurs. FITE.TV 7 p.m. Kubrat Pulev (29-3) vs Andrzej Wawrzyk (34-2).

Fri. DAZN 3 p.m. Jake Paul (7-1) vs Andre August (10-1-1); Shadasia Green (13-0) vs Franchon Crews-Dezurn (8-2).

Sat. DAZN 9 a.m. Sarah Boorman (17-0) vs Yesica Nery Plata (29-2).

Sat. ESPN+ 11:30 a.m. Francesco Grandelli (17-2-2) vs Stefan Voda (14-0).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Jessie Rodriguez (18-0) vs Sunny Edwards (20-0).

Showtime 6 p.m. David Morrell (9-0) vs Sena Agbeko (28-2).

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