This Thursday night, March 26th airing on ESPN2 from Hialeah, Florida a Super Lightweight 10-round bout sees undefeated Rances Barthelemy (21-0) facing veteran Angino Perez (18-6). Right now, the books have Barthelemy heavily favored at (-7500) to extend his winning streak as Perez is returning (+2500). There is no over/under posted, and a second 10-rounder at welterweight between Colombia’s veteran head hunter Breidis Prescott and undefeated Fredrick Lawson (23-0) could see a line pop up closer to fight time. Barthelemy is a 28 year old who is originally from Cuba and boasts a long amateur record which includes a 2014 capturing of the IBF’s World title at Super Featherweight. Want a number that says it all? Perez last five wins come against opponents with a combined (5-110-2). Saturday is light on boxing in the United States, so we cross the pond to merry old England where the big news is the return of IBF World Welterweight champion Kell Brook as he defends his title for the first time on Saturday night as he squares off against Romania’s Ionut Dan Ion. Right now Brook is a comfortable (-1250) favorite over Ion, who is returning at (+800). There is no over/under to be had on this fight. Ion has a fine (24-2) record and he has won five fights in a row to build momentum, but the undefeated Brook really showed the depth of his game when he defeated Shawn Porter to capture the belt he is now defending. Though he cannot look past Ion, Brook is expected to win as he is facing potential superfights later this year, with potential opponents including Amir Khan and Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Eddie Hearn-promoted event will air on SHOWTIME in the USA and also features the European super bantamweight tile bout between popular Gavin McDonnell and Oleksandr Yegorov, so check back in for more lines later in the week. Staying in England but backing up to Friday the 26th of March, York Hall in Bethnal Green features the most competitive line up so far as Crusierweights Ovill McKenzie and Matty Askin clash for the British and Commonwwealth titles held by the former. Askin is a (+115) underdog to McKenzie, who is returning at (-135). Despite a less than eye catching (23-12) record, McKenzie has been on the regional title scene for a long time and has held belts at Light Heavyweight before going up to Cruiserweight. Askin is giving up a lot of experience, and with names like Tony Bellew and Enzo Macarinelli on his resume of McKenzie, the quality of opposition certainly also favors the title holder. In his last outing, McKenzie made short work of Jon-Lewis Dixon to win the regional titles via KO in 2 rounds. Askin’s fine (17-2) record includes a loss to Dixon back in 2012, so he will have to step up here. Expect lines to pop up for this Friday´s card promoted by Sergio Gonzalez in Panama. The card is headlined by the WBA World Female Featherweight title fight between Jelena Mrdjenovich and Francia Elena Bravo. The card also features Heavyweight Shannon Briggs facing Zoltan Petranyi as he is trying to stay busy in his quest for one more shot at relevance. Several other regional titles are on the line including the vacant WBA Fedelatin Super Featherweight title that will be contested by Costa Rica´s Freddie Fonseca as he faces Juan Huertas.
