Joe Joyce’s Manchester clash with Joseph Parker is a fight on the lips of every British boxing fan this weekend. This clash of top heavyweight contenders has everything one could ask for in an arena-headliner and is likely to spark talking points for weeks to come. But this heavy duty match-up is far from the only gloved action taking place this weekend. In fact, we are in for a particularly enticing set of bouts this weekend.
World titles, international clashes, pound-for-pound practitioners and solid-gold prospects. This weekend boasts all that and more. From out of the shadows cast by the main event giants, here are the five best non-heavyweight fights taking place this weekend.
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Kid Galahad vs Maxi Hughes - IBO Lightweight Championship
Originally scheduled as the co-main event for the cancelled Mauricio Lara vs Leigh Wood bout, this lightweight scrap is a worthy headliner. Hughes has been on a roll over the last two years, capturing the British lightweight title and the IBO crown. While that title is not seen as a genuine world belt, it has done wonders for ‘Maximus’. He was written off when Liam Walsh handed him his 5th career loss in 2019 but he is unbeaten since and looks better every time he fights.
Galahad is taking a risk here. The 32-year-old has not fought in ten months, since a shock knockout loss to Kiko Martinez while defending his IBF featherweight title. Galahad now moves up two weightclasses to meet Hughes, who is in the form of his life. The Qatari-born stylist deserves massive credit for taking a risk in his comeback fight. It should make for an incredibly absorbing bout.
Hannah Rankin vs Terri Harper - WBA & IBO Super Welterweight Championship
On the same night Galahad’s title was ripped from his grasp, Harper was KO’ed in her own world title defence. Alycia Baumgardner left the ring that night with the WBC championship, which ‘Belter’ has had to watch her use to secure an O2 date with Mikaela Mayer. Now Harper gets a chance to reign as a world champion once again.
She won’t have it easy, though. Rankin has been bang in form since being stopped by Savannah Marshall in 2020. A victory over veteran star Maria Lindberg saw her realise her dream of lifting a world title. The Scot successfully defended the belt last time out against Alejandra Ayala with a ten-round stoppage win. But doing the same against ‘Belter’ is a very different proposition.
Shakur Stevenson vs Robson Conceicao - WBC & WBO Super Featherweight Championship
Can anyone stop Shakur? Already a two-weight world champion at the age of 25, the Olympic silver medalist makes boxing look easy. Having beaten Oscar Valdez in a title unification bout in April, a win over Conceicao would put him in Fighter of the Year discussions. Stevenson lost his titles on the scales at Thursday's weigh-in, coming in over the 130lb limit. But the championships will still be on the line for Conceicao.
Beating the Brazilian is easier said than done. Ask Valdez, who needed a controversial decision to defeat him last year. Conceicao has won his only outing since, when he inflicted the first loss of contender Xavier Martinez’s career. A lot of people talk about Conceicao as something of an uncrowned champion. Beating Shakur is his chance to change that for the better.
Amanda Serrano vs Sarah Mahfoud - WBC, WBO, IBF & IBO Featherweight Championship
Serrano returns to the ring for the first time since her Fight of the Year battle with Katie Taylor back in April. ‘The Real Deal’ had been due to compete on the cancelled Jake Paul-Hasim Rahman Jr card. She now finds herself looking to unify her titles with IBF champion Mahfoud.
This is no soft-touch for Serrano. Mahfoud is unbeaten and looks to be peaking. This is Mahfoud’s first fight outside her native Denmark, while Serrano is debuting in the UK too. Another big women’s match-up in a year that has boasted a seemingly endless supply of them. Serrano has the edge here but don’t expect a walkover.
Keyshawn Davis vs Omar Tienda
A moderate step up in class for the Olympic silver medalist, but one that Davis should negotiate. This fight isn’t on the list for its competitive parity. You should watch this bout because it is a chance to get in on the ground level with the 5-0 ‘Businessman’.
Davis looks set to be one of American boxing’s defining talents going forward. An immensely decorated amateur and close friend of Shakur Stevenson, the pair have spoken of their desire to hold world titles simultaneously in the future. With Davis operating just one weight class about Stevenson, one wonders if some friendly fire might be in their collective future.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
