Boxing TV schedule for Dec. 16-21
It’s a very busy week coming as we close in on the holidays.
Monday, Dec. 16
ESPN+, 10:00 am ET, Viktor Kotochigov vs Javier Jose Clavero. This is an MTK Global card from Kazakhstan, which frankly isn’t the most important thing in the world, but it’s on, we’ve all got legal access with a nice stream, and what else is there to do on a Monday morning in mid-December? So come on over to your ol’ pal Bad Left Hook’s place and talk some boxing. The card also features Sultan Zaurbek and other prospects in action. BLH will have live coverage.
Thursday, Dec. 19
DAZN, 2:00 pm ET, Richard Riakporhe vs Jack Massey. Riakporhe and Massey, both unbeaten, will vie for the vacant British cruiserweight title, most recently held by Lawrence Okolie, who is seeking graduation onto the world stage. The card will also feature Luther Clay vs Freddy Kiwitt in welterweight action, plus Shannon Courtenay, Kieron Conway, Charles Frankham, Hopey Price, and Donte Dixon from York Hall in London. BLH will have live coverage.
Friday, Dec. 20
DAZN, 7:00 pm ET, Daniel Jacobs vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Julio Cesar Martinez vs Cristofer Rosales, Maurice Hooker vs Uriel Perez, Daniyar Yeleussinov vs Alan Sanchez. The rest of the show will also have prospects Ray Ford, Nikita Ababiy, and Reshat Mati in action, plus Liam Smith and Josh Kelly will be in separate bouts, and Gabriel Rosado will be doing something, either fighting on the prelims or fighting Jacobs in the main event if the Chavez deal goes screwy. Main card action will start at 9 pm ET like always on DAZN. BLH will have live coverage.
Saturday, Dec. 21
ESPN+, 2:30 pm ET, Daniel Dubois vs Kyotaro Fujimoto, Liam Williams vs Alantez Fox, Sunny Edwards vs Marcel Braithwaite. Dubois is back in action against Japan’s No. 1 heavyweight, Fujimoto. This might sound good, but Japan has exactly three heavyweights. I think the best fighter Fujimoto has fought as a pro might’ve been Solomon Haumono, back in 2012, and Haumono stopped him in five. He did manage a 10-round split decision win over Nobuhiro Ishida in 2015; you know, the Ishida that fought James Kirkland and Paul Williams and GGG? The junior middleweight? Yeah, him. What I’m saying is prepare for slaughter, because Dubois is a legitimate top heavyweight prospect, maybe the best in the game right now. Williams-Fox is an WBO 160 eliminator, and Edwards-Braithwaite is for the vacant British junior bantamweight title, most recently held by Sunny’s brother Charlie, in fact, back in 2017. There aren’t a lot of British fighters at 115, this is the entire history of the belt. BLH will have live coverage.
FS1, 6:00 pm ET, Hugo Centeno Jr vs Juan Montiel. The PBC prelims kick off on FS1, headlined by a 160-pound bout between Centeno and Montiel, a couple of solid guys who aren’t serious contenders. Not sure what else we’ll see; I’m guessing Jhack Tepora vs Oscar Escandon. But we’ll be here. BLH will have live coverage.
FOX, 8:00 pm ET, Tony Harrison vs Jermell Charlo 2, Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Liborio Solis, Efe Ajagba vs Iago Kiladze. Harrison-Charlo 2 is a big rematch for both, about a year after the first fight. Harrison hasn’t fought since, postponing the rematch with an injury, and Charlo fought Jorge Cota in June instead, smashing Cota in three. Charlo feels he was robbed last year (most people do), and he’s looking to get what he sees as his WBC 154-pound title back. Rigondeaux is moving down to 118 at age 39, a weight he’s never made in his 10 years as a pro, to face Solis for a secondary WBA belt. Ajagba is a hard-hitting heavyweight prospect you want to see. BLH will have live coverage.