Today, (Sunday, August 21, 2016) the Premier Boxing Champions are in Coney Island, New York’s Ford Amphitheater for a seven-fight boxing card headlined by a twelve round welterweight bout between top prospect Errol Spence Jr (20-0) and veteran Leonard Bundu (33-1-2). Spence Jr is one of the fighters from the 2012 Olympic team that failed to medal, but he has stayed undefeated as a professional and he has moved himself up the ladder where he is currently ranked #7 at 147 pounds by the respected Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. The mild mannered Spence is the total package in the ring, as he has a lot of power, speed and overall athleticism to go with tremendous technique. The bout has been labelled a title eliminator by the IBF, where the current champion is the #1 ranked Kell Brook. With Brook slated to fight as a middleweight against Gennady Golovkin, there is the very real possibility that the winner of Spence Jr vs Bundu will be in the driver’s seat vying for a vacant belt. Bundu is 41 years old now, but he has maintained a fine record throughout his career and he has gone 2-0 since his lone career defeat where he extended Keith Thurman the full twelve rounds in a failed bid to snag the WBA world title. The stocky Bundu will be giving up height and reach advantages to Spence Jr, but he is used to that at just 5’6. Bundu has just 12 KOs in his 33 wins so he does not bring the power Spence does, as the 26 year old Texan has 17 stoppages in his 20 wins. The PBC putting Spence on free televion by airing this fight on NBC is no coincidence, as Spence Jr is considered one of the hottest commodities in the welterweight division. The books have not posted an over/under for this one yet, but may as the fight approaches. Right now, Spence is a massive -9000 favorite, with Bundu kicking back at +3750. Also on the card is a 10 rounder for the vacant WBC International female title at featherweight as undefeated Heather Hardy (17-0) faces likewise undefeated Shelly Vincent (18-0) in a match that could put the winner on a collision course to face Brooklyn’s Amanda Serrano, who currently holds the WBO world title. WBC and WBA belts are held by Canada’s rugged Jelena Mrdjenovich so the winner of Hardy vs Vincent will certainly be eying a world title shot.
The Parting Shot #170 – Sam Alvey, Spencer Kyte, Adam Hunter
