I've had a busy week+, but there are just way too many significant matches on tonight to let pass by. No write-up, but let's make with some quick picks anyway. And they aren't coming easy…
Amir Khan vs Marcos Maidana [HBO]
--I'm very high on both fighters, but as skilled as Khan is, Maidana is the kind of guy that you could be winning against at first, and find yourself on the canvas the next. It isn't luck, as he himself is a good, though not technically-polished, fighter who is also quite dangerous. He has an unorthodox style, too, but Khan should be able to make it work against him. Too much gets made of his knockout loss against Brendis Prescott, and while a Maidana KO is wholly possible given who he is, Khan should be able to work from the outside and use his speed to outwork him.
Prediction: Khan, UD
Vic Darchinyan vs Abner Mares [Showtime]
Darchinyan is one of my absolute favorite fighters, but I haven't had a lot of faith in him after looking on the decline in his last few bouts ever since his failed campaign at bantamweight (against Joseph Agbeko, who is also in the tournament)--despite winning most of them. I'm not familiar with Mares' work off the top of my head, but with Darchinyan going back up against the best again, I'd rather be choose him, instead. Not every guy can take even moving up a few pounds, and the nasty little Armenian seems to be one of them, unfortunately. I could very well be wrong, since he can does have power, but the extra weight and his trouble taking punches from heavier fighters is still a concern.
Prediction: Mares, UD
Yonnhy Perez vs Joseph Agbeko [Showtime]
You can never be too sure in boxing, but Perez has bested Agbeko and Mares already, and with him being an impressive force in the ring, I have him as the projected winner. Agbeko was outclassed pretty easily in their previous match-up last Halloween, and is his first bout since then…
Prediction: Perez, UD
Lamont Peterson vs Victor Ortiz [HBO]
I don't like Ortiz's attitude and lack of heart, and I don't believe his last victory vs. the recently-retired Nate Campbell said a whole lot about anything new in him. Peterson, on the other hand, fought so limply against Timothy Bradley, but I think he has more in him than Ortiz does, skill-wise and what matters deep inside. Unless Ortiz mans-up…
Prediction: Peterson, UD
Probability of Prediction Correctness: 65%
P.S.: A whole lot of UDs going on…although stoppages are possible in all of them. I'm leaning very heavily towards a late one by Peterson against Ortiz…
CORRECTION [12.13.10]: Yonnhy Perez actually drew against Abner Mares (mistook "MD" as "majority decision" and not "majority draw" when looking up his past bouts), and Victor Ortiz also fought Vivian Harris after Nate Campbell and KO'd him in the 3rd round. Opinion still stands, though…
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