A look at Main Events Part II

By Matthew Goldstein

24/03/2005

A look at Main Events Part II

With the Fernando Vargas comeback this week, Kermit Cintron taking on Antonio Margarito, and Arturo Gatti facing Floyd Mayweather in June (all discussed in yesterday’s article), one would think Main Events was doing enough work to stop right there and not take any more risks with their other up-and-coming boxers.While stacking the pay-per-view under card with Shane Mosley is a no brainer, Main Events did not hesitate to
put their undefeated heavyweight Calvin Brock in a dangerous bout with Boxingtalk’s #7 heavyweight Jameel McCline.  In addition Juan Diaz will face dangerous Ebo Elder and it appears that Rocky Juarez will soon challenge tough WBC titlist Injin Chi, Boxingtalk's #3 featherweight.  Click here to read part two covering Main Events’ busy schedule.

When news of ESPN PPV's first major boxing pay-per-view first broke, it was unclear what Main Events had up its sleeve. However, as the show’s line-up emerged, the card was stacked with an exciting and intriguing match-ups in which no one is able to confidently foresee a winner.  The undefeated Brock will be facing his toughest test to date in McCline, who last November gave  IBF champ Chris Byrd everything he could handle including a trip to the canvas.  McCline went on to lose by split decision. At 24-0 with 20 KOs, Brock can enter into the top ten with a win over Boxingtalk’s #7 heavyweight in the world.  Ranked #22 by Boxingtalk, nobody would have argued with Brock taking one more solid journeyman type before taking on a test like McCline.  However, Main Events and Brock seem to be eager to show off what they feel is the heavyweight divisions’ best kept secret.  With the entire division in disarray,intriguing match ups don’t come around that often. Brock’s one problem is that the gargantuan McCline will do everything in his power to use Brock as a steppingstone to another title shot.

Also on the April 23 pay-per-view card, Juan Diaz will be matched against one of his toughest opponents to date, the exciting Ebo Elder who reached boxing fame in his last fight, a dramatic twelfth round TKO of Courtney Burton.  Elder had been taking a severe beating but his warrior mentality never let up as he stopped Burton in a fight of the year candidate. Although only ranked #26 in the world, Elder seems the perfect match up for the high volume punching of Diaz, the WBA lightweight titlist.  Perhaps Diaz is not the most powerfullightweight, but he ripped the title right from the hands of Lakva Sim last July with uncompromised determination. Diaz then defended his title twice in two soft matches against Julien Lorcy and Billy Irwin.  Elder seems ready to pull Diaz into a barnburner that should have fight fans out of
their seats even before the main event takes place.     

Finally, Main Events’ rising young star and hard hitting Rocky Juarez seems headed for a title shot against the tough WBC featherweight title holder, Injin Chi, who is regarded as a worthy titleholder with toughness to match any featherweight.  In a loss to Eric Morales, the rugged featherweight won the boxing world’s respect by giving Morales all he could handle. Although Chi is not recognized for superior boxing skills, his toughness and punch output kept him undefeated in his last seven fights.  This will most certainly be the toughest fight of Rocky’s career.  Last December, after Rocky knocked out Guty Espadas inside of two rounds, He explained the did not care who he takes a world title from, as long as he wins.  “It was always my dream as a child.” Rocky went on to destroy Juan Carlos Ramirez with a first round KO on ESPN a few weeks ago.

Although improbable, if the Main Events boxer wins each and every fight discussed in this two-part, will they have the audacity, there will be a huge power shift in the New jersey promoter’s favor.  Would main Events then try to do it again?  No matter how well Main Events does, the fans are scoring much needed wins in the seemingly losing battle of seeing only competitive fights.