Boxing on Television Preview: Eimantas Stanionis vs Vergil Ortiz, Jaron "Boots" Ennis vs Roiman Villa, Diego Pacheco vs Manuel Gallegos
Weekend of July 8th
Two great welterweight title fights headline this weekend. While neither are for the full title, both winners will likely be elevated to full titleholder status after Spence vs Crawford (assuming that the winner will eventually vacate to move up or retire).
Main Event: Diego Pacheco vs Manuel Gallegos
Date: July 7th, 2023 (Friday)
Venue: Monterrey, Mexico
Broadcast: DAZN
Promotional Affiliation: Matchroom Boxing
My Notes
Pacheco is a super-middleweight prospect who is moving towards title contention. He’ll probably be in position to challenge for a title in a few years. He will face Manuel Gallegos, who is also in the WBO’s top fifteen contenders.
Rocky Hernandez, the WBC super-featherweight mandatory challenger, will have the first fight of a new promotional deal with Matchroom on this card. He will face Jonikar Tovar, who is from Venezuela and hasn’t fought in a year. This should be a tune-up fight.
These Matchroom Shows in Mexico are not high-profile, but they do earn high praise for entertainment.
Main Event: Luis Nery vs Froilan Saludar
Date: July 8th, 2023
Location: Metepec, Mexico
US Broadcast: ESPN+
Mexican Broadcast: Fox Sports Mexico
Promotional Affiliation: Zanfer Promotions
My Notes
Nery is coming off a sensational win in a WBC super-bantamweight eliminator against Azat Hovhannisyan. This is more of a stay-busy fight. Saludar recently fought Andrew Maloney at super-flyweight and he wasn’t all too competitive there. This would be his most notable fight since then. There’s not too many compelling reasons on paper to watch this, especially if you have access to another show this evening.
Main Event: Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs Roiman Villa
Date: July 8th, 2023
Venue: The Boardwalk Hall Theater in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Broadcast: Showtime
Promotional Affiliation: Premier Boxing Champions
Who are these guys?
Jaron “Boots” Ennis the the IBF interim welterweight titleholder. He won the title by decision in January against Karen Chukhadzhan. He has a reputation for knocking out opponents while being defensively responsible.
Roman Villa is the top contender in the IBF’s rankings at welterweight. Villa went from obscurity to win an upset on ShoBox in October. That gave him an IBF eliminator against Rashidi Ellis where he won a majority decision in January. This was on the same card where Ennis won the interim title.
What’s at stake?
Ennis’ interim title. The winner would technically be in line to face the Spence-Crawford winner, but the winner of Spence-Crawford may vacate and move up in weight rather than face any of the mandatory challengers. The WBA and WBC are also likely to be ahead of the IBF in the mandatory rotation in any case.
Why did this fight get made?
Ennis needed a fight after it was clear he was going to have to wait for his mandatory title shot. Ennis isn’t a guy that people are lining up to fight since he is dangerous, difficult to punch, and not well-known yet. Villa was willing to take the fight. Ennis is from Philadelphia, so this is a fight that can start to build him as a local attraction.
What’s on the undercard?
Edwin De Los Santos, who is coming off a knockout win over Jose Valenzuela on the Ruiz-Ortiz card, is expected to face Joseph Adorno at lightweight. Adorno is coming off a decision loss at super-lightweight against Elvis Rodriguez. Adorno has missed weight at lightweight several times before. If Adorno’s weight issues don’t prevent the fight from happening, this should be a good matchup.
Yoelvis Gomez will face ShoBox veteran Marquis Taylor. Gomez is coming off a long layoff due to a broken wrist.
Preliminary fights will likely be carried on the Showtime Sports YouTube Channel.
Final Thoughts
This is a great fight. Stanionis-Ortiz will give it competition for being the best fight of the weekend, but this is absolutely worth watching.
Main Event: Eimantas Stanionis vs Vergil Ortiz
Date: July 8th, 2023
Venue: The AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas
Broadcast: DAZN
Promotional Affiliation: Golden Boy Promotions
Who are these guys?
Eimantas Stanionis is the WBA’s regular welterweight titleholder. He won the title a year ago by defeating Radzhab Butaev by decision. This is his first defense. He is affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions.
Vergil Ortiz is a contender who has knocked out all 18 of his opponents. He is the WBA’s mandatory challenger. He knocked out Michael McKinson in the 9th round in his most recent fight, which occurred in August. Ortiz has never gone past the ninth round. He is promoted by Golden Boy.
What’s at stake?
The WBA’s regular welterweight title. The winner of this fight would either be a mandatory challenger for Errol Spence or the new full titleholder if Spence vacates and moves up in weight.
Why did this fight get made?
The WBA ordered it. It went to a purse bid, which Golden Boy won with a bid of $2.3 million. PBC bid $2.1 million to support Stanionis. The fight has been postponed twice for medical reasons (once for each fighter).
What’s on the undercard?
Marlen Ezparza will face Gabriela Alaniz for three of the four titles at flyweight. This fight was originally scheduled for April, but postponed due to a visa issue.
Floyd Schofield and Joseph Diaz will also be on the card in separate fights.
Final Thoughts
The main event will be a great fight for as long as it lasts. I will make no promises for how long it lasts.