Joan Guzman Fights TONIGHT

UPDATE: Guzman lost by technical decision, as the fight was stopped when he was injured in the eighth round. The two hit the mat, he hurt his leg and the fight was halted. Two judges had it for the Russian 76-75, the other 76-75 for the Dominican.

Joan Guzman, a most talented boxer who has been back on track recently, gloves up tonight in Florida, against 17-0 Khabib Allakhverdiev (age 27; from Russia; a southpaw).

The vacant WBA junior welter crown will be up for grabs.

Our man Ron Borges will help call the action at the BB & T Center near Ft. Lauderdale, and you can check out the scraps on BOUNCE TV and Pursuit.

You’ll recall Guzman has shown immense talent, but also too much fondness for food. He’s back on track with his willpower, though at 36, we’re not sure how much he has left.

I asked Borges for the lowdown on the scrap. He told me one interesting tidbit, that Micky Ward is an assistant trainer to Guzman. “Guzman may be in the best shape of his life,” Borges relayed of the Domnican born New Yorker with a 33-0-1 mark. “He weighed 138 yesterday and showed off his abs, and said, “Look at this!” Team Guzman hopes for a shot at Lamont Peterson off a big win.”

The network BOUNCE markets toward African-Americans, and is offered on local “free” channels nation-wide, and the Alabama-based Pursuit, on satellite, is mostly about hunting and fishing and the like. Acquinity is the promoter.