FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in capsules
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JAZZA DICKENS (29-3, 11 KOS)
VS. RYAN WALSH (26-2-2, 12 KOS)
When: Wednesday, Dec. 2
Where: Production Park Studios, Wakefield, England
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Featherweight (10 rounds)
At stake: Golden Contract tournament final
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Ricards Bolotniks vs. Serge Michel, 10 rounds, light heavyweights (Golden Contract tournament final)
Prediction: Walsh SD
Background: The fight was supposed to have taken place in September but it was postponed after Walsh tested positive for COVID-19. Dickens, a 29-year-old from Liverpool, England, defeated Leigh Wood by a majority decision in a brutal fight on Feb. 21 to reach the tournament final. He has won seven consecutive fights since he back-to-back setbacks in 2016 and 2017, a technical decision against Thomas Patrick Ward and a second round stoppage against Guillermo Rigondeaux. Dickens suffered a broken jaw in the latter fight. Walsh, 34, defeated Tyrone McCullagh by a wide decision the same night of Dickens’ semifinal. Walsh, from Cromer, England, is a former British featherweight titleholder. He is the twin brother of junior lightweight title challenger Liam Walsh.
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BRANDON ADAMS (21-3, 13 KOS)
VS. SONNY DUVERSONNE (11-2-2, 8 KOS)
When: Thursday, Dec. 3
Where: Wild Card Boxing Club, Hollywood, Calif.
TV/Stream: NBC Sports Net
Division: Junior middleweight (10 rounds)
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Larry Gomez vs. Brian Ceballo, 10 rounds, welterweights; Mahonri Montes vs. Gor Yeritsyan, 8 rounds, welterweights
Prediction: Adams SD
Background: This is the second installment of the new Ring City USA boxing series at Freddie Roach’s gym on NBC Sports Network. Adams is coming off a near-shutout loss to titleholder Jermall Charlo in June of last year, meaning he will have been out of the ring 18 months. Adams, a decent boxer, made a name for himself by outpointing Shane Mosley Jr. to win the “Contender” series in November 2018. The Los Angeles fighter is ranked No. 10 at middleweight by the WBC. Duversonne, a late comer to boxing at 27, was also a late replacement for this fight. The 30-year-old Floridian has lost his last two fights, although he was competitive in both. He lost a unanimous decision to unbeaten prospect Lorenzo Simpson but put Simpson down on Oct. 9 and lost a split decision to Chordale Booker on Nov. 4. Duversonne has an 80-inch reach, 10 inches longer than Adams’.
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BILLY JOE SAUNDERS (29-0, 14 KOS)
VS. MARTIN MURRAY (39-5-1, 17 KOS)
When: Friday, Dec. 4
Where: London
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Super middleweight (12 rounds)
At stake: Saunders’ WBO title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Saunders 17-1 (BetMGM)
Also on the card: James Tennyson vs. Josh O’Reilly, 12 rounds, lightweights; Zach Parker vs. Cesar Nunez, 10 rounds, super middleweights
Prediction: Saunders UD
Background: Saunders was supposed to have faced Canelo Alvarez earlier this year but the fight was canceled because of COVID-19 and Saunders fell out of consideration as a potential opponent for the Mexican star. The slick boxer from the London suburbs last fought in November of last year, when he stopped Marcelo Esteban Coceres in the 11th-round in a surprisingly competitive fight. The former 160-pound titleholder will be making the second defense of his 168-pound belt, which he won by easily outpointing Shefat Isufi in May of last year. Murray, Saunders’ countryman, will be fighting for a major title for the fifth time after failing in his first four attempts. The 38-year-old drew with Felix Sturm in 2011 and lost to Sergio Martinez (UD), Gennadiy Golovkin (TKO 11) and Arthur Abraham (SD). He has beaten two journeyman since losing a majority decision to Hassan N’Dam in December 2018. His last fight was 13 months ago.
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ERROL SPENCE JR. (26-0, 21 KOS)
VS. DANNY GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOS)
When: Saturday, Dec. 5
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
Division: Welterweight (12 rounds)
At stake: Spence’s IBF and WBC titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: Spence No. 5
Odds: Spence 3½-1 (BetMGM)
Also on the card: Sebastian Fundora vs. Habib Ahmed, 12 rounds, junior middleweights; Julio Ceja vs. Eduardo Ramirez, 12 rounds, featherweights; Josesito Lopez vs. Francisco Santana 10 rounds, welterweights; Miguel Flores vs. Isaac Avelar, 10 rounds, junior lightweights
Prediction: Spence UD
Background: Spence, a gifted, versatile boxer-puncher, will be making his fifth title defense in his first fight this year. Last year he shut out the smaller Mikey Garcia in March and defeated Shawn Porter by a split decision in a thrilling back-and-forth brawl in September. The following month he was involved in a horrific one-car accident in which he rolled his Ferrari and was thrown through the windshield. Somehow he suffered only minor injuries and says he’s fine now. Garcia is a former two-division titleholder who has lost only in close fights against elite opponents, Keith Thurman (SD) in 2017 and Porter (UD) the following year. He has defeated Adrian Granados (KO 7) in April of last year and Ivan Redkach (UD) in January since the Porter setback. Garcia is naturally smaller than Spence but is known as an excellent counterpuncher with power and a sturdy chin.
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