Previewing the Spence-Ugas PPV Card, along with Conor Benn and Alycia Baumgardner's returns on DAZN

We are set for another packed weekend of boxing. I will be looking into the Showtime and DAZN cards and breaking down the major fights on each card.

Errol Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KOs) vs Yordenis Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs)

WBA,WBC and IBF Welterweight Titles, Showtime PPV Main Event

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, USA (Photo via Showtime Sports)

Three of the four welterweight belts will be on the line Saturday night as WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr will be taking on WBA champion Yordenis Ugas in a Showtime PPV main event. Ugas is coming off of a career defining victory as he defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision last August. Spence was originally set to face Pacquiao himself, but was forced to withdraw from the fight when he suffered a detached retina in training camp. Ugas took advantage of being the late replacement, as he decisively outpointed the Filipino legend over 12 rounds. Ugas possesses the high IQ that most Cuban fighters do, and growing up in Cuba he has an abundance of experience fighting southpaws. Spence looked like his normal elite self in a clear unanimous decision victory over Danny Garcia in his last outing, but after the retina injury he once again has people questioning if he will be the same Errol Spence that we have previously seen. Spence has appeared to be in fantastic condition in the leadup to the fight, and I expect him to be in prime form once again this Saturday night. Errol Spence has a work rate that can drown fighters in the later rounds, and I believe that his punch output and overall offensive versatility will be the difference in this one. Ugas will have his moments of success in this fight and win a few rounds, but I see Spence ultimately coming out victorious in a competitive but clear victory. Spence has been on the record saying that if he is victorious this weekend that he would only take one more fight before moving up in weight to the 154lb division, and that fight is a highly anticipated showdown with WBO champion Terence Crawford. Boxing fans can only hope that the fight can come to fruition, because that fight would determine not only the world’s best welterweight, but most likely the world’s best pound for pound fighter as well.

Prediction: Errol Spence via Unanimous Decision

Fight Odds via DraftKings: Spence (-550), Ugas (+400)

Isaac Cruz (22-2-1, 15 KOs) vs Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs)

Lightweight Bout, Showtime PPV Co-Main Event

(Photo via ESPN Ringside)

Coming off of a spirited effort in a unanimous decision loss to Gervonta Davis, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz returns as the co-main event on this weekend’s Showtime PPV card. He will be facing former Unified Featherweight Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in a 10 round lightweight affair. Gamboa was a 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, and was once a great Cuban champion of this generation, but is now 40 years of age and clearly not the same fighter that he once was. He has been inactive recently as well. While Cruz has fought five times since the beginning of 2020, Gamboa has only fought once in a lopsided points loss against WBC Champion Devin Haney. I expect Cruz to push the pace and try to use Gamboa’s advanced age and recent inactivity against him. I think that Gamboa will land his fair share of punches early, but it will be tough for him to deal with the relentless pressure of the young Mexican contender. In his prime I would have most definitely picked Gamboa to come out victorious in this matchup, but it is now over a decade ago since he reigned as unified champion. I can see Gamboa having success in spots during this fight, but I think he will have a difficult time dealing with the pressure of Cruz. Cruz should be able to wear down the rugged veteran and have enough success in the back half of the fight on his way to a wide unanimous decision points victory.

Prediction: Isaac Cruz via Unanimous Decision

Fight Odds via DraftKings: Cruz (-1400), Gamboa (+750)

Radzhab Butaev (14-0, 11 KOs) vs Eimantas Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs)

WBA “Regular” Title/WBA Title Eliminator, Showtime Free TV Main Event

(Photo via Premier Boxing Champions)

In what is the best fight to precede a PPV event in a while, two arguably top ten welterweights will square off in a bout where the winner will earn mandatory challenger status for the WBA at 147lbs. That belt is presently held by Yordenis Ugas and will be up for grabs in the PPV main event Saturday night. This fight is a fascinating clash of styles in what should be an entertaining encounter. Butaev is known for his relentless pressure and wearing his opponents down physically and mentally over the duration of the fight. Stanionis also likes to come forward, and he is a punishing body puncher which is going to be key in slowing down Butaev. Stanionis is a bit more versatile in his offensive attack, which makes this fight a difficult one to pick. I think that Stanionis will have his moments picking his punches, and winning his fair share of rounds in this contest. I have gone back and forth with whom I am backing for this fight because I can see a path to victory for both fighters. I will pick Butaev to continue his hot streak (after stopping Jamal James last fall) by defeating another legit opponent in Stanionis via an extremely close split decision. The winner will establish himself as a legit top tier contender in the 147lb division; and, in a competitive fight, the loser will not be that far away from another shot either.

Prediction: Radzhab Butaev via Split Decision

Fight Odds via DraftKings: Butaev (-115), Stanionis (-105)

Conor Benn (20-0, 13 KOs) vs Chris van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs)

WBA “Continental” Welterweight Title

Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, UK (Photo via DAZN)

Conor Benn returns to the ring this weekend as he faces the first southpaw of his professional career. Benn is coming off of an emphatic knockout of former 140lb world champion Chris Algieri, and is hoping for another standout performance on his way to a potential world title shot. Chris van Heerden is a career welterweight contender who has been vocal in the lead up to the fight saying that Benn is more of a puncher than a boxer, and that he will expose him on Saturday. Being the first southpaw Benn has ever boxed as a professional, I do expect the first few rounds to be a feeling out process. I anticipate that once the middle rounds come around, Benn will begin to have more and more success and eventually stop van Heerden somewhere in the middle of the fight. Being the son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn, Conor was always going to be a major draw and be in the spotlight. In his last few fights he has come a long way as a boxer and seems to be on his way to an eventual world title shot in the near future—something many people figured was impossible just a few years ago. A rumored next fight against former Welterweight Champion Kell Brook would be a massive sellout event, and would be the fight that would give Benn the world championship level experience before he goes on to chase titles of his own.

Prediction: Benn via Mid Round Stoppage (Rounds 5-8)

Fight Odds via DraftKings: Benn (-1400), van Heerden (+750)

Alycia Baumgardner (11-1, 7 KOs) vs Edith Matthysse (17-11, 1 KO)

WBC Super Featherweight Title

(Photo via DAZN)

Alycia Baumgardner will be making the first defense of her title on Saturday against Argentinian veteran contender Edith Matthysse. Baumgardner made a huge statement last year by dominating then undefeated WBC Champion Terri Harper and knocking her out in the fourth round of their title fight. She makes her first defense of her title this weekend on short notice with the hopes of unifying with WBA Champion Hyun Mi Choi later this year. A win in a unification bout against Choi could set up a potential undisputed showdown between Alycia and Mikaela Mayer, who holds the WBO and IBF super featherweight titles. Though Matthysse has eleven losses on her record, she has had many close losses in championship fights such as losing a split decision against then WBO super featherweight champion Ewa Brodnicka just two years ago and even held the WBA and WBC featherweight titles back in 2015. As long as she does not get caught up in future potential opportunities and look past her opponent, Baumgardner won’t have any trouble in her first title defense. I see Matthysse using her experience and veteran tendencies to stay on her feet for as long as possible, but believe that Baumgardner’s speed and power will be too much in the end.

Prediction: Baumgardner by Unanimous Decision/Late Round Stoppage (Rounds 8-10)

Fight Odds via DraftKings: Baumgardner (-2500), Matthysse (+1000)