This coming saturday night June 21st, from the StubHub Center in California, Golden Boy presents a triple header of boxing that will air on SHOWTIME. The card features welterweight action in the return of Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero, who faces Yoshihiro Kamegai and Devon Alexander taking on Jesus Soto Karass. The card is headlined by the featherweight showdown between amateur studs Vasyl Lomachenko and Gary Russell Jr.
The Lomachenko versus Russell match has some real back story to it. Russell is 24-0 as a professional and is one of the USA’s most decorated amateurs during the first decade of the 21st century. Russell is a (+145) underdog to Lomachenko however, who is favored at (-165). Lomachenko is probably the most decorated amateur boxer of all time, as he boasts a 396-1 overall record and Olympic Gold Medals in two weight classes. He is 1-1 as a professional, but he jumped into deep waters right away, losing a split decision in his title bid against rugged Orlando Salido. With a war against Salido under his belt, that may be enough to value his professional experience as the equal of Russell’s, who is criticized for soft opponents. Which leaves Russell as the underdog in every aspect.
Guerrero returns to face a handpicked opponent. “The Ghost’ has been off for over a year, but is favored heavily at (-550), with the return on Kamegai at (+425). There is an open question about Guerrero, and that is will he fight with the same aplomb and guts that he always fought while he was on the way up? It becomes a question because his last outing, a loss to Floyd Mayweather over a year ago, was by far his biggest payday, and as Marvelous Marvin Hagler, one of the grittiest boxers of all time once said ‘It’s hard to get up and run miles in the morning when your laying in a 4 post bed with silk sheets.
Devon Alexander is an even wider (-850) favorite over rugged veteran Jesus Soto Karass. Karass recently defeated former world champion Andre Berto, and is coming off a hard nosed showing against fast rising Keith Thurman, but his overall level and quality of opposition are below that of Alexander. With a win, Alexander could be heading for a showdown with Keith Thurman in what is a crowded welterweight division.
