- Alycia Baumgardner looks to avenge her lone pro loss to Christina Linardatou, Saturday on DAZN; card also features pro debut of Cuban amateur great Andy Cruz.
- Frank Martin headlines on Showtime, also on Saturday, with Nonito Donaire facing Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC bantamweight title on the card.
- BKFC back on Friday!
FITE, 9:00 pm ET, Country Boxing: Where Music Meets Boxing. They’re back! It’s free. John will spend an hour of his life researching this show, and I might cut it all from the podcast when he forces me to talk about it again.
ProBox TV, 7:30 pm ET, William Foster III vs Fradimil Macayo. That is the current listed time. John will be here for live coverage and we’ll have the officially official time for you on Wednesday morning at the latest. Not a bad fight on paper! The WBA Fedecentro 130 lb title is ON THE LINE! It is currently vacant. There are prospects on this card, including Kelvin Davis, the brother of Keyshawn whom Top Rank keep farming out to lower-level promoters, which keeps him busy. I’m a really positive person so I’ll put it that way. I do like the Najee Lopez vs Christopher Brooker matchup, Brooker’s a scrappy vet and Lopez needs that sort of a test right now. BLH will have live coverage.
DAZN and Social Media, 8:00 am ET, Kelly vs Corzo press conference.
DAZN and Social Media, 4:00 pm ET, Baumgardner vs Linardatou 2 press conference.
DAZN and Social Media, 8:00 am ET, Kelly vs Corzo weigh-in.
DAZN and Social Media, 4:00 pm ET, Baumgardner vs Linardatou 2 weigh-in.
FITE+, 9:00 pm ET, BKFC 47: David Mundell vs Mike Richman. It’s a Friday, it’s BKFC, ain’t got nothin’ else happening, it’s “The Redneck vs The Marine,” let’s bare knuckle it, baby! Come on by and watch this almost never boring action! I’ve never, in fact, seen a full show I’d call “dull” from BKFC. The occasional fight, sure, but never a full show. BLH will have live coverage.
DAZN, 2:00 pm ET, Josh Kelly vs Gabriel Corzo. This isn’t a Matchroom show, Josh isn’t back with them, it’s a Wasserman show that, for whatever reason, DAZN has picked up. Not complaining, giving people more options is fine, and without Canelo, they’re gonna need to beef that schedule but good. I imagine working with the Sauerlands (who are the Wasserman guys now) is easy enough considering they’re tied to Misfits Boxing, too. You’d think Kelly would be beyond fighting BoxRec’s No. 201 junior middleweight after a terrific showing against Troy Williamson, but whatever. Qais Ashfaq vs Liam Dillon for the vacant British title at 130, some more fights.
DAZN and Social Media, 5:00 pm ET, Baumgardner vs Linardatou 2 prelims.
DAZN, 8:00 pm ET, Alycia Baumgardner vs Christina Linardatou 2. From Detroit! Baumgardner defends her undisputed championship at 130 against the one woman to hold a win over her. Linardatou won an eight-round split decision over Baumgardner in Louisville back in 2018. Her only losses are to Delfine Persoon (2016) and Katie Taylor (2019) at 135 and 140. She’s been fighting at 140 and actually hasn’t made the 130 lb limit since that Baumgardner fight five years ago, so that might be worth a note. She is a good fighter, and this is not one Baumgardner can take lightly, even with all her career momentum. Sadly, Richardson Hitchins vs Montana Love is not happening, but Andy Cruz’s pro debut is happening, and that is worth tuning in to see on the undercard. He may be truly special, and he was as an amateur. BLH will have live coverage.
FITE PPV, 9:00 pm ET, Alliance Boxing: A Pro Boxing Event. Title says it all, really. Click the link if you want to learn more about the show. It’s $20, if you’re wondering that part.
SHO, 10:00 pm ET, Frank Martin vs Artem Harutyunan. The show also features Nonito Donaire vs Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC bantamweight title, plus a nice matchup between Elvis Rodriguez and Viktor Postol, who isn’t in his peak days anymore but still a crafty, solid fighter, and Rodriguez has shown some limitations that might make him vulnerable to that sort of guy. It’s a solid show, actually! Martin is a rising contender at 135 who looks like the goods, Harutyunyan is Armenian-born and lives in Germany, he’s taking a big step up in class here. Honestly, it kinda seems like SHO and PBC are punting this one in terms of promotion, but it’s really not bad, even if the undercard looks stronger than the main event. BLH will have live coverage.