Australia is hosting a grudge match between veterans Anthony Mundine (47-7) and Danny Green (35-5) this Friday night (February 3, 2017). Both men are former world champions, as Mundine had two reigns as the WBA’s 168-pound title holder and Green briefly held the 175-pound WBA world title. The two men have met once before, back in May of 2006, when Green won a unanimous decision. That fight was more than 10 years ago now, and the two men’s time as world champions came more than eight years ago. Both are in their forties at this point and this fight is for nostalgia purposes only. Adelaide Oval – Adelaide, Australia (83 KG Catch weight) Cruiserweight Anthony Mundine +210 Danny Green -250 Bob Arum and his Top rank Promotions are at the Roberto Clemente Stadium in Puerto Rico for a seven-fight boxing card that will air on Spanish language UniMas in the United States. A pair of high-level prospects from the island top the card, as Arum continues to try to keep Top Rank’s roster with a sharp international edge. The fact is, there is a void In Puerto Rican boxing, as Jose Pedraza’s January 14th loss to Gervonta Davis saw Pedraza surrender the last world title held by a Puerto Rican male. For a country with a rich boxing tradition, this is a travesty, and the two featured fights getting attention at the sports books may have Puerto Rico’s best chances at a world title in the short term. Undefeated 22-0 lightweight Felix Verdejo will defend his WBO Latino title against Nicaragua’s Oliver Flores (27-2-2). Verdejo is best remembered for his decorated amateur career representing Puerto Rico, and he has stayed the course as an professional. This will be his sixth defense of the Latino title, and Top Rank has judiciously been showcasing him on cards in the United States for the last two years. Flores is a hard-working veteran who has earned a couple of fights on the international scene, and he has not been able to break through with a win. To give you an idea of the high expectations set on Verdejo, Flores is a much bigger underdog for this fight than he was for his New Year’s Eve bout against Takashi Uchiyama in Tokyo. Another undefeated fighter hoping to become Puerto Rico’s next boxing sensation is 22-year-old Christopher Diaz (19-0), who is being brought along slowly in his pro career. His bout with veteran Efrain Esquivias is set for eight rounds. In his last outing, he defeated veteran Fernando Vargas, also in an eight-round bout. This is his first fight of 2017 after a 2016 that saw him go 5-0. Esquivias is a veteran that has seen his career go south, as he holds a 2-5-1 record since the start of 2012. Coliseo Roberto Clemente – San Juan, Puerto Rico Lightweight – 10 rounds Oliver Flores (27-2-2) +2750 Felix Verdejo (22-0) -6000 WBO Latino Title Super Featherweight – 8 rounds Efrain Esquivias (17-5-1) +2750 Christopher Diaz (19-0) -6000
Friday’s Worldwide Boxing Odds & Betting Matchups (February 3, 2017)
