This Week in Boxing: Part One.

After a terrific weekend in boxing behind us now, we can look forward to another exciting week of action packed fights. Our latest installment of “This week in Boxing” kicks off this Tuesday (April 5th) with the Venezuelan WBA flyweight champion Lorenzo Parra, who is making

his fourth title defense. Lorenzo Parra is undefeated and sports a very impressive record of 25-0 with 17KOs He faces the relentless Yo Sam Choi (26-5 with 15KOs) in a rematch that many felt was inevitable. Choi went the distance with Lorenzo the first time around in September of last year. Many felt that the fight was a lot closer then the scorecards read. Both fighters pack grenades in their gloves and this fight is sure to be one for the ages. I am going to tell you like I keep telling everyone else “don’t sleep on the little guys.” As we move over to Merauke City, Papua Province, Indonesia, Muhammad Rachman (49-7-3 21KOs) makes the first defense of his IBF minimumweight title that he won when he beat Daniel Reyes back in September of last year. Rachman faces a very tough opponent in Fahlan Sakkreerin. Sakkreerin sports an impressive record of 54-4-2 with 23KOs. Although he is coming off a knockout loss to Jose Victor Burgos, expect Fahlan to come back strong. Again look for another action packed fight from the little guys.

As we fast-forward to Thursday April 7th, we make a quick stop in Ontario, Canada. Fitz Vanderpool is making his first appearance since his first round knockout loss to Marco Antonio Rubio. In a non-title match, Vanderpool (24-6-4 13KOs) takes on Venezuela’s own Marcos Avendano (17-4-1 11KO’s) in eight rounds of action in the junior middleweight division. We then stop in Birmingham, England where Wayne Elcock will fight for the first time in his hometown against Darren Rhodes. At age thirty-one, Wayne sports a pretty young record of 13-1-0 4KOs. This is good in terms of physical maturity combined with not too much wear and tear on the body. Darren Rhodes, who happens to be English as well, plans on shocking the world by upsetting the middleweight in his own backyard. Rhodes at 16-8-3 with 7KOs knows that the end may be near. He needs an impressive victory to state his claim that he is a serious middleweight contender.

From England, we move over to the United States. Goossen Tutor Promotions has a show that will be televised live from Temecula, California on Fox Sports. Former IBF cruiserweight Champion Vassiliy Jirov fights for the first time since his knockout loss to Michael Moorer in December. In his comeback fight, Jirov takes on former cruiserweight Forrest Neal, who is also coming off a loss. Steve Cunningham knocked out Neal in the fourth round back in October of last year. Both fighters have a statement to make, so this should be another good one. On the same card former undisputed heavyweight champion Riddick “Big Daddy Bowe takes on Billy Zumbrun in his second fight back since his eight year hiatus. Bowe is coming off a knockout victory over Marcus Rhode. Billy Zumbrun sports a record of 17-5-1 with 9KO’s. I don’t know, but I think the only one taking Riddick Bowe’s comeback seriously his himself. Also junior welterweight Steve Forbes is set to do battle with the well-traveled journeyman Sergio Macias. In what I feel is the best division in boxing, just one loss can send you all the way to the bottom. Look for Steve Forbes to put on an impressive performance over the 14-16-0 with 6KO’s Sergio Macias.

The second installment of the current “This Week in Boxing” edition is coming soon.

Edwin Gonzalez can be reached at prpapa427@aol.com