Pick It: TBRB #3 Terence Crawford vs. #10 Egidijus Kavaliauskas (Saturday, ESPN, 9 PM EST)

Crawford (35-0, 26 KO) attempts his third defense of the WBO welterweight belt on Saturday. Kavaliauskas (21-0-1, 17 KO) might make a good fight out of it but he’s a big underdog for a reason and comes in off a draw against Ray Robinson.

Seeing Crawford apply his tremendous skill is always worth a look but it’s not the real reason to tune in for this one. Make sure to catch the semi-final at lightweight as IBF titlist Richard Commey (29-2, 26 KO) defends his crown against rising hopeful Teofimo Lopez (14-0, 11 KO). It’s a serious scrap with real ramifications for the year ahead. If Commey-Lopez goes the distance, it could be the upset of the weekend. Undercard action starts on ESPN+ at 5:45 EST.   

Additional Shows to Watch For

Friday – DAZN (7:30 PM EST): Ortiz vs. Solomon

For all the hype guys like Lopez and Devin Haney have received at lightweight, the brightest US talent under the age of 23 might be 21-year old welterweight Vergil Ortiz (14-0, 14 KO). A bruising puncher with a solid overall skill set, Ortiz will be a contender sooner than later if he keeps winning. Brad Solomon (28-1, 9 KO) will present a fresh, experienced challenge and look to learn against. Can Solomon play early obstacle and spoiler? Solomon has never been stopped and so far that’s all Ortiz does.

Saturday – ESPN+ (3 PM EST): Golden Contract Tournament

The quarterfinals are in the bag for the Jr. welterweight round; now we turn to light heavyweight action. Eight men are vying for some long-term financial stability and a chance to move their careers forward. Keep an eye on the undefeated Tommy Philbin (13-0, 4 KO) and Steven Ward (12-0, 4 KO), the lone men in the field protecting their “0” in separate bouts.

Saturday – Facebook (8 PM EST): De La Hoya vs. Robles

After being carefully moved early in his career, the matchmaking of 25-year old Diego De La Hoya (21-1, 10 KO) hit snags in 2019. In his first bout of the year, a clash of heads meant a second round “No Contest.” That was a better outcome than a stoppage loss in six to veteran Ronny Rios last time out. The Jr. featherweight regroups here against Renson Robles (16-6, 9 KO). Robles has been stopped only once by former bantamweight champion Luis Nery.

Monday - ESPN+ (10 AM EST): Kotochigov vs. Clavero

Snowed in or just calling in sick for a three-day weekend on Monday? Boxing has some time for you to kill at lightweight. Kazakh prospect Viktor Kotochigov (10-0, 4 KO) takes center stage against the more experienced Javier Clavero (27-5, 5 KO). Neither man carries big knockout numbers but Clavero has been stopped twice before.     

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com