The Boxing calendar has really picked up in recent weeks, and this coming weekend also features multiple lines already at the sportsbooks. Below are several lines that are coming up from across the world. The Mexican capital hosts the bout with the highest name recognition, as welterweight Antonio Margarito makes his return to the ring for the first time in more than four years as he faces veteran Jorge Paez Jr. Margarito is coming in a solid (-750) favorite over Paez, who is returning at +525. Margarito is a controversial figure in many boxing circles, as he was found to have loaded gloves for his match with Shane Mosley back in January of 2009, and many suspect he used loaded gloves in his previous fight to that with Miguel Cotto, which is really the most prominent win of Margarito’s career. In November of 2010 Manny Pacquiao bludgeoned Margarito,breaking his eye socket. His next bout 13 months later, in December of 2011 he was stopped my Miguel Cotto in their rematch and he has been denied a boxing license for several years due to his damaged eye. Paez is a second generation fighter from Mexico who at 28 years old will be 9 years younger than Margarito. The WBA’s Heavyweight title is on the line at the Colosseum Sport Hall in Grozny, Russia as titleholder Ruslan Chagaev (37-2-1) faces the challenge of Australia’s undefeated Lucas Browne (23-0). The bout has a relatively close line, with Chagaev the champion favored paying -220 and Browne coming back at +180. Chagaev is based out of Germany and his two losses are to Alexander Povetkin and Wladimir Klitschko. Browne is a big puncher who has 20 KOs as a professional. He has been the mandatory challenger to Chagaev for some time now, and if he goes home with the belt he will be the first Heavyweight champion in Ausralia’s history. The Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania hosts Showtime Boxing and the main event of that event sees a Super Welterweight 12 round bout between Julian Williams and Marcello Matano. The unbeaten Williams, who sports a 21-0-1 record is a big -5000 favorite over Matano who is returning at +2500. Matano is on a four fight winning streak, and the Italian is the IBF’s Inter-Continental champion at Super Welterweight, but this will be his first fight outside of his native Italy.
