While the world is talking about the welterweight matchup that will ensue in Brooklyn this weekend between Andre Berto and Shawn Porter, in the words of Dylan from Making The Band, on the West coast there will be more fire.
Undefeated WBO world champions Oscar Valdez, GIlberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and Jessie Magdaleno will headline an exciting world championship event in separate title defenses.
2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson will also be making his pro debut on pay-per-view, taking on Edgar Brito (3-2-1, 2 KOs), from Phoenix in a six-round featherweight bout.
Valdez (21-0, 19 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, will be making the second defense of his WBO featherweight title against NABO champion and No. 1 contender Miguel Marriaga (25-1, 21 KOs), from Arjona, Colombia. Valdez is an intriguing and personable 26-year-old champion with speed, power, and a high boxing IQ.
Because of HBOs unwillingness to show the fight, he is being put on pay-per-view, which does not help the boxing world, which is basking in the glow of better free boxing options now. It is the only thing holding this future superstar back from achieving the greatness he deserves.
Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs), from Mazatlan, Mexico, will be making his first defense of the WBO super middleweight title against Top 10 contender Max Bursak (33-4-1, 15 KOs), of Kiev, Ukraine. He was initially scheduled to make his first defense last July as part of the Terence Crawford vs. Viktor Postol pay-per-view, but a hand injury suffered in the summer altered those plans.
If ‘Zurdo’ comes out victorious, his promoter Bob Arum is looking to get a showdown with WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0).
Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas, will be making the first defense of his WBO junior featherweight title against WBO Latino champion Adeilson Dos Santos (18-2, 14 KOs), who hails from So Paulo, Brazil.
Shakur Stevenson is boxing newest hot topic and his debut is much anticipated. The Olympic silver medalist is only 19, but he has a strong understanding of how to build his profile by uniting with veteran promoter Bob Arums Top Rank and retaining light-heavyweight champion Andre Ward as his co-manager.
After rumors of Floyd Mayweather trying to sign him and even being spotted ringside in Rio at Stevensons Olympic bouts, Stevenson is now poised to start his career sans The Money Team.
With a card this deep, it is surprising it won’t be available on premium cable or network television. If you do decide to cough up some disposable income for the pay-per-view, know that it will be well worth it.
