Every Fucking Last Thing You Should Know About (Irish) Boxing This Weekend
We have boxing on all 3 nights this weekend, and with Paddy’s Day almost here, it’s only fitting that 2 of those Main Events involve filthy micks from the other side. This rarely happens with Irish fighters…
… so let’s get to it.
And for those who don’t care for boxing, my apologies…
Tonight’s main event showdown in Philly is set to broadcast on DAZN and pits undefeated challenger Jono Carroll (16-0-1) from Dublin against Philadelphia native Tevin Farmer (28-4-1) for Farmer’s IBF World Super Featherweight Title.
Carroll was a bouncer before he became a fighter. Here’s a highlight from his sizzle reel…
This should be a one-sided fight that goes the distance. Unlike the nameless bouncer above, both men are southpaws with matching low KO rates (just 18% for both), so it’ll come down to speed and experience, and Farmer has more of both. Tevin lost 4 out of his first 12 professional fights but has since rattled off 20 straight victories, and tonight’s UD will probably be the 21st W for my favorite cross-eyed boxer.
I’ll skip ahead to Sunday’s match real quick… On St Patrick’s Day, a horde of drunken Irishmen will descend on MSG’s HULU Theatre to watch Belfast native, two-time Irish Olympian, and undefeated top featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (10-0, 6KOs) take on some guy named Ruben Garcia Hernandez (24-3-2, 10 KOs)… The only things I know about Ruben is that he is named after my favorite sandwich, has only been knocked out once as a pro, and took four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire the 10-round distance in a 2017 bout.
I know a little more about Conlan. Mainly, he has great defense for a guy with limited experience. He is also a smart fighter who can give opponents different punching angles. He looks big for his weight class and uses his size to his advantage.
I have to pick the donkey on Paddy’s, so I like Conlan to knock Hernandez the-fuck-out.
Here’s little-seen footage of Conlan’s first amateur bout… He’s the one in gray.
Now on to our Main Event…
Saturday night’s pay-per-view card is obviously the most intriguing of the weekend as Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia, two of boxing’s top fighters pound-for-pound, square off in AT&T Stadium down in Dallas for Spence’s IBF Welterweight World Title.
The main storyline here is that Garcia (39-0) is jumping up 2 weight classes to challenge Spence (24-0). Garcia has won titles in four weight classes, while Spence holds a world title at welterweight, boxing’s most talent-laden division.
Before I make a prediction, I have to ask- Why the fuck did Garcia insist on this fight?
I have always felt that if I was the best in any class, I would put all my concentration in continuing to be the best in that same class. For some reason, boxers feel differently and like to cement their legacy by winning belts at a number of different weights.
I suppose that tactic is fine, but in order to win belts up and down the scale I feel like a fighter must do 2 things:
1) Do it gradually. Similar to bloggers, boxers have a natural tendency to get heavier as they get older, so their weight progression is something they should develop, not rush. Since Jan 2013, Garcia has fought featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, and junior welterweight… He’s adding welter to that list tomorrow night… That ain’t gradual.
2) Find beatable opponents at comfortable venues to get a better idea of punching power, ring size, etc at that higher level. Spence is not beatable and AT&T is not a smaller venue… In fact, the stadium is 20 miles from where Errol grew up and Spence is an undefeated monster in a STACKED division.
Bottom line: Mikey has a better corner, more experience (albeit at lower weights) and is arguably a better boxer. There is also the argument that Garcia has nothing to lose since he is such an underdog. But all that should be nullified by Spence’s formidable size and strength advantage. He’s the natural welterweight and has a bigger frame, 5’10”, with a 72-inch reach (meanwhile, Garcia is only 5’6″ with a 68-inch reach). He’s a southpaw who knocks out his opponents at an 88% clip (vs Garcia’s 77%).
I want to see a competitive fight, but ultimately I think Spence in 10.
Enjoy the fights, and take a report.
-Large
Last tidbit: On the undercard of Spence vs Garcia, someone dug up former heavyweight contender Chris Arreola… He’s a 39-year-old with a 37-5-1-2 record… That last “2” were the decisions he won but were later ruled “no contest” after he failed post-fight drug tests.
I don’t recommend you watch Chris fight tomorrow night, I just like his last name, and I like saying, “His opponent’s quick jab just might be enough to pierce areola.”
See what I did there?
See you at Bar 9.
TAR
-L