Al Bernstein On Boxing: Loaded Schedule – Two Sleepers

The boxing schedule for the last quarter of the year is ridiculously good. Big matches abound, starting with next week’s Floyd Mayweather Jr’s comeback fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

There is another mega fight in Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto, then three great matches in the Super Six World Boxing Classic and Paul Williams vs. Kelly Pavlik. Throw in Glen Johnson vs. Chad Dawson and you have an amazing schedule.

By the time we get to December, it would be understandable to see a dip in the boxing product. But, it is in that month that we may find two gems – two fights that might get a little less universal hype, but have almost can’t miss tags on them.

The first is December 5th when WBO Light Welter Champ Tim Bradley defends his title against Lamont Peterson. Between the two of them, they have not one single loss. They are both young and both in their primes. They are also both extraordinary boxers.

I have had the pleasure of announcing Bradley’s last several match-ups sand have seen his development as a young champion. Peterson, who survived a torturous childhood on the streets of Washington DC, is as skilled a fighter as you would ever see.

And reportedly, he recently gave Mayweather all he could handle in a now legendary sparring session in Las Vegas. This is an even match and having a real conviction on who will win is not an easy thing to do.

This fight has 12 rounds of really good action written all over it. I am not sure either man can knock the other out, and they they both have such good offense that they will throw a lot of punches and land a lot.

And, as hard as it is to pick a winner, it is equally hard for any objective observer to decide which fighter would hold their rooting interest. Both of these men represent what’s good about the sport, both have overcome early difficulties in life, and both are fun to watch in he ring.

Unless you are already emotionally attached to one of these fighters, my advice is to just sit back and admire great boxing.

Perhaps the same could be said for a late Christmas present for boxing fans on December 26th, when Shane Mosley takes on Joshua Clottey.

As you might remember, I picked Clottey to beat Miguel Cotto, so I am sold on him as a fighter. Even though he narrowly lost to Cotto (many think he won) Clottey still stamped himself as one of the elite of the welterweight division.

What makes he and Mosley such and attractive match-up is that they both have high work rates and mostly stand in the pocket and trade (even though Mosley is sometimes though of as something of a boxer and mover).

They are made for each other and will produce some great rounds. And, like Bradley vs. Peterson, it’s hard to imagine a quick knockout either way – or maybe no knockout at all.

For Clottey, who has two close losses to Antonio Margarito and Cotto, a loss here would demote him a bit and make it clear that he is good…but not quite good enough.

For the 37 year old Mosley, it is his biological clock that creates the urgency to keep winning. There is much at stake and that adds to what surely will be an exciting match.

Both of these matches are the perfect example of how boxing is creating great product for the fans, even if the media (mostly in the United States) does not recognize that enough to really cover these kinds of fights.

That’s a shame because these two boxing matches will assure that the sport ends on a high note in an already great 2009.