Boxing doesn’t get better than this

FIGHT WEEK

Sports that hit the jackpot this week. Stephen Fulton Jr. will defend her 122-pound title against Naoya Inoue on Tuesday morning in Japan while Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. get ready to fight for the undisputed 147-pound championship on Saturday in Las Vegas.

STEPHEN FULTON JR. (21-0, 8 KO)) WITH. NAOYA INOUE (24-0, 21 KOs)

• Day: Tuesday, July 25
• Time: 4:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 a.m. PT (main event follows)
• Where: Ariake Arena, Tokyo
• television/stream: GAME +
• Assignment: Juvenile featherweight (122 pounds)
• dumbbell: Fulton 121.9, Inoue 121.7
• threatened: Fulton’s WBC and WBO titles
• the odds: Inoue 3-1 favorite (multi-store average)
• Pound-for-pound: Inoue No. 2, Fulton Honorable Mention
• Also on the card: Robeisy Ramirez vs. Satoshi Shimizu, featherweight (for Ramirez’s WBO title)
• Guess: Inoue University
• Background: Fulton vs. Inoue is one of the best fights that can happen in boxing. Both are undefeated, both are on Boxing Junkie’s weight list (Inoue No. 2, Fulton Honorable Mention) and both are at the top of their matches. Fulton, a master technician, won his first of two major titles by easily overtaking Angelo Leo in January 2021. The Philadelphian then added his second title by easily overtaking Angelo Leo. pass Brandon Figueroa by a majority decision in a tax brawl 10 months later. He’s giving an excellent performance, a performance is close to off against the capable Daniel Roman last June. Some people believe that Inoue is the best boxer in the world. The former third-place champion from Yokohama has a great combination of ability, speed and power, which allows him to overwhelm virtually all of his opponents. He last fought in December, when he dominated and then stop Paul Butler in 11 rounds defending his undisputed 118-pound championship. He then vacated all four of his titles. Inoue, who started at 108 pounds in 2012, will compete at over 118 pounds for the first time in his career. That could have been an equalizer for Fulton, whose bettors have created a significantly weaker team.

TERENCE CRAWFORD (39-0, 30 KO)) WITH. SPENCE JR ERROR. (28-0, 22 KOs)

• Day: Saturday, July 29
• Time: 8pm ET / 5pm PT (main event after that)
• Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
• television/stream: Pay per view
• Assignment: Middleweight (147 pounds)
• threatened: Spence’s IBF, WBA, WBC and Crawford’s WBO titles
• the odds: Crawford 1½-1 ​​favorite (multi-store average)
• Pound-for-pound: Crawford No. 1, Spence No. 4
• Also on the card: Isaac Cruz vs Giovanni Cabrera, lightweight; Nonito Donaire versus Alexandro Santiago, bantamweight (for the vacant WBC title); Yoenis Tellez versus Sergio Garcia, junior middleweight; Steven Nelson vs. Rowdy Montgomery, super middleweight; Jose Salas Reyes vs Aston Palicte, junior featherweight
• Guess: Crawford University
• Background: Who is the best welder in the post-Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao era? We’ll know on Saturday night, when No. 1 (Crawford) and No. 4 (Spence) finally meet in the ring. They have a combined record of 67-0 (52 KOs), a Hall of Fame certificate, exceptional talent, and the respect of all boxing followers. Crawford won his first world title at 135 a decade ago and went on to win major belts in two other divisions, climbing to the top of the pound list in the process. His most important victory came in November 2021, when he became the first stop Shawn Porter. Bud Bud last fought in December, when he beat David Avanesyan in six rounds. Spence, the 2012 Olympic athlete, is not as active as Crawford but is also an excellent all-rounder and has a better background. Among his victims were Kell Brook (whom Crawford also defeated), Mikey Gacia, Porter, Danny Gacia and Yordenis Ugas. The fight took place last April, meaning Spence has been out of the ring for 15 months. Saturday’s winner will win all four major titles in the 147-pound weight class and is arguably the most active fighter in all weight classes.

FIGHT THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

• Orlando Gonzalez vs Ramiro Cesena, junior lightweight, Kissimmee, Florida (ProBoxTV)

FRIDAY

• Seniesa Estrada vs Leonela Paola Yudica, strawweight (for Estrada’s WBA and WBC titles), Las Vegas (ESPN+)
• Idalberto Umara vs Wilfredo Flores, lightweight, Orlando, Florida (CBS Sports Net, postponed)

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