Teofimo Lopez may not be fighting this weekend after testing positive for Covid-19, but there remain plenty of quality cards for boxing fans to enjoy.
While the unified lightweight king, fresh off the back of his incredible victory over Vasyl Lomachenko, has to wait to defend his belts, unbeaten champions Naoya Inoue, Jermall Charlo and Jaime Munguia are all in action.
There is also the small matter of another boxer v UFC fight to look forward to, with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr facing MMA star Anderson Silva.
Let’s take a look ahead to a bumper weekend of boxing action.
Naoya Inoue v Michael Dasmarinas
Where?
Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas
Why?
Inoue defends his WBA and IBF bantamweight titles
When?
Saturday 11:30pm (UK time)
How to Watch?
ESPN+
The Build-up:
Naoya Inoue (1/33), otherwise known as ‘Monster’ has beaten everyone put in his way on his path to becoming the WBA and IBF bantamweight king.
With 17 KOs to his record from 20 bouts, his nickname certainly holds up.
In 2019 he beat a now-rejuvenated Nonito Donaire in a fight of the year contender and his last fight saw Jason Moloney stopped in the seventh session of their MGM Grand fight.
Inoue, who stopped Yorkshireman Jamie McDonnell in the first round back in 2018, should prove too much of a step up for Michael Dasmarinas, who hasn’t fought at this level before.
Undercard:
Mikaela Mayer v Erica Anabella Farias (WBO World Female Super Feather Title)
Adam Lopez v Isaac Dogboe
Lindolfo Delgado v Salvador Briceno
Jermall Charlo v Juan Montiel
Where?
Toyota Center, Houston
Why?
Charlo defends his WBC middleweight belt
When?
Sunday 1:00am (UK time)
How to Watch?
Showtime
The Build-up:
Jermall Charlo (1/50) wasted no time in calling out Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez after his stoppage win over Britain’s Billy Joe Saunders, but he will have to wait a little longer for the mega money fight.
The American is another boxer with an unbeaten record, stopping 22 of his 31 opponents to date. His fight against Juan Montiel should be labelled under ‘tick over’ while he waits for the big boys in the middleweight division.
Coming off the back of an impressive unanimous decision win over a Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who gave both Gennadiy Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs serious problems, Charlo could well return to his knockout ways this weekend.
Undercard:
Gabriel Maestre v Cody Crowley
Angelo Leo v Aaron Alameda
Isaac Cruz Gonzalez v Francisco Vargas
Jaime Munguia v Kamil Szeremeta
Where?
Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas
Why?
12 rounds as Munguia builds himself up at middleweight
When?
Saturday 8.30pm (UK time)
How to Watch?
DAZN
The Build-up:
Jaime Munguia is a name familiar to fight fans in the UK, with wins over both Liam Smith and Gary O’Sullivan in the last three years.
He was meant to be in a really testing bout against Poland’s Maciej Sulecki, who has only been defeated by Demetrius Andrade and Jacobs, but the 36-0 former super welterweight king will instead face Kamil Szeremeta.
The 31-year-old was sent to the canvas four times by Golovkin in his last outing before the referee waved off the bout after the seventh round.
Munguia will want to dish out some punishment of his own as he works his way up the middleweight ranks.
Undercard:
Bektemir Melikuziev v Gabriel Rosado
Ibeth Zamora Silva v Marlen Esparza
Raul Curiel v Ferdinand Kerobyan
Blair Cobbs v Brad Solomon
Alexis Rocha v James Bacon
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr v Anderson Silva
Where?
Estadio Jalisco, Jalisco, Mexico
Why?
Why not? If Floyd Mayweather can fight a YouTuber in Logan Paul, then Chavez Jr can feel free to take on a UFC legend in Anderson Silva.
When?
Sunday 1:00am (UK time)
How to Watch?
beIN Sports
The Build-up:
Whether you are a fan of boxers facing YouTubers, or even boxers taking on UFC stars inside the ring, there is something extremely intriguing about this matchup.
Chavez Jr is far from the force of old and has lost three of his last five bouts including defeats to ‘Canelo’, Jacobs and Mario Abel Cazares.
He did stop Jeyson Minda last time out, but at 35, his best years in the squared circle are behind him.
Anderson is a legend of the MMA world, but did actually make his boxing debut all the way back in 1998. He was stopped in the first round against Osmar Luiz Teixeira on that night 23 years ago, but did bounce back seven years later with a KO win over Julio Cesar De Jesus.
Sixteen years on, has he got anything left to offer in the boxing world? That’s what makes this bout so intriguing.
Undercard:
Omar Chaves v Ramon Alvarez
Damian Sosa v Abel Mina
