Also on the card: Michael Conlan vs. Ionut Baluta, junior featherweights; Troy Williamson vs. Kieran Smith, junior middleweights
Prediction: Mthalane UD
Background: Mthalane, a two-time flyweight titleholder, has demonstrated that he remains an elite fighter into his late 30s. The 38-year-old South African has won 16 consecutive fights since he was stopped by a prime Nonito Donaire in Nov. 8. He last fought in December 2019, when he knocked out Akira Yaegashi in nine rounds in the third defense of his second title. Edwards will be fighting for a major title for the first time. The 25-year-old Londoner, a capable boxer but a light puncher, is coming off a one-sided decision over Thomas Essomba in August. He has won all his fights by wide margins but has never faced anyone of Mthalane’s caliber. Unbeaten featherweight contender and former Olympian Michael Conlan faces Ionut Baluta in a scheduled 10-rounder on the undercard.
***
ANDY RUIZ JR. (33-2, 22 KOs)
VS. CHRIS ARREOLA (38-6-1, 33 KOs)
When: Saturday, May 1
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
TV/Stream: PPV
Division: Heavyweight
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Ruiz 15-1 favorite
Also on the card: Omar Figueroa Jr. vs. Abel Ramos, welterweights; Sebastian Fundora vs. Jorge Cota, junior middleweights; Jesus Ramos vs. Javier Molina, welterweights; Erislandy Lara vs. Thomas LaManna, middleweights (on Fox); Eduardo Ramirez vs. Isaac Avelar, featherweights (on Fox)
Prediction: Ruiz KO 10
Background: Ruiz will be fighting for the first time since he lost his heavyweight titles to Anthony Joshua by decision in December 2019, six months after he stopped Joshua to win them. He weighed 283½ pounds for the rematch, evidence that he hadn’t trained properly. He has since begun working with trainer Eddy Reynoso and has shed a considerable amount of weight. Arreola, 40, also has committed himself to the sport. He’s coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Adam Kownacki in August 2019 in which he threw a division record 1,125 punches, an indication that he worked hard going into the fight. He has been training with Joe Goossen to maintain his fitness and refine his technique. The winner of the fight will be in prime position for a shot at a major title in the near future.
***
JOSEPH PARKER (28-2, 21 KOs)
VS. DEREK CHISORA (32-10, 23 KOs)
Also on the card: Katie Taylor vs. Natasha Jonas, lightweights (for Taylor’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO titles); Dmitry Bivol vs. Craig Richards, light heavyweights (for Bivol’s WBA light title); James Tennyson vs. Jovanni Straffon, lightweights; Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Marcus Morrison, middleweights
Prediction: Joseph Parker UD
Background: Parker, ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, has won four consecutive fights since losing back-to-back decisions against Anthony Joshua (which cost him his WBO belt) and Dillian Whyte in 2018. The Kiwi was last in the ring this past February, when he outpointed countryman Junior Fa in Auckland. He hopes to position himself for another shot at a title. Chisora, a 37-year-old former title challenger, is coming off a respectable performance in a losing cause against Oleksandr Usyk this past October. Chisora lost a unanimous decision but was fit and competitive. However, a second consecutive setback could dash any hopes he has of climbing back into serious title contention.
***
Also fighting this week: Former three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (29-4, 25 KOs) of Colombia is scheduled to face Mexican Jorge Garcia Jimenez (14-3-1 11 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout in Mexico City (Estrella TV). Marriaga is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Joet Gonzalez in September. Garcia has been out of the ring for almost two years.
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