The Undercard of The Event

By Elias Sandoval

This Saturday in Arlington, TX Manny Pacquiao takes on Joshua Clottey in the new Cowboys stadium for the WBO welterweight title. The bout has been dubbed The Event and will be shown on HBO pay-per view for a price tag of 49.99. There’s no doubt that the main event is worth the bump up in your next cable bill but how about the undercard.

The major promoters in boxing have expressed that the casual consumer purchases these pay-per view shows strictly based on the main event alone. Well In recent time’s hardcore fans have countered by demanding for more meaningful and entertaining preliminary bouts to big pay per view shows.

As the supporting fights for The Event was put together and confirmed I would read that a lot of fans where chalking this up as another poor pay per view undercard. I personally would disagree with this opinion; I think the undercard is solid and with an excellent main event should produce a great night of boxing. Make no mistake about it this is not the great Don King pay per view undercards of the past but a solid lineup and I’ll explain.

Opening up the telecast is John Duddy (28-1) vs. Michael Medina (23-1-2). While this is not world class stuff the Irishmen Duddy has been known to be in some pretty entertaining brawls. Let’s hope this is the case and we get a slugfest but overall my expectations are low for this fight
The next contest is an interesting clash as Alfonso Gomez (21-4-2) from contender fame takes on Mexican great Jose Luis Castillo (60-9-1). Gomez is a fighter that has been in his share of barn burners and even though Castillo is well past his prime his style is built for action. I think Castillo has a little something in the gas tank and Alfonso will try to make a statement in the fight leading to an entertaining affair. This may not hold much significance in the boxing world but should be fun to watch.

In the co-main event Humberto Soto (50-7-2) will face David Diaz (35-2-1) for the WBC lightweight title. This fight is not only meaningful but should produce fireworks as it pits Diaz a face forward brawler against an aggressive boxer in Soto. The winner of this fight will receive a belt and could possibly set himself up for a future bout against fellow top rank fighter Edwin Valero. In my opinion you’ll get to see one of the most underrated fighters in the world today when Humberto Soto ply’s his craft Saturday night.

Those three fights with Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey being the attraction and headliner is a pretty strong pay per view. I’ll be making my own event out of the fight with friends & family; will continue our normal festivities during a big fight which means good food and lots to drink.

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