William Joseph Saunders vs. Marcelo Esteban Cóceres

Saturday @ Staples. WBO super middleweight title at stake, 1st defense of Saunders. Cóceres is currently not ranked top 15 by any org in any weight class, and is a career 154/160lb campaigner.

This is BJS' third outing after the Demetrius Andrade debacle in October of last year (wherein the licensing board here in MA denied him a license for use of nasal spray, as crack reporter IB detailed on the scene in the room where it happened ) and first since then in the United States. He is coming off the vacant title capture against unheralded Serb-German fringe contender Shefat Isufi via UD in May.

Cóceres is undefeated but untested beyond the domestic scene in Argentina. Indeed, his only previous venture outside its borders was a mere ferry ride away in Uruguay a few months after his pro debut. He isn't without quality wins on the Argentine domestic scene (namely Sebastian Luján and Mateo Verón) but those are still a far cry from stepping all the way up to world championship level.

 

Cóceres' last bout:

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Saunders' last bout:

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I know @Serge and @CST80 will eviscerate me for saying this, but I am putting all my wishful thinking vibes in the corner of Cóceres and praying he scores a miraculous upset KO despite not having a tenth of Saunders' in-ring class.

a) I'm still harboring a grudge over my birthday present in 2018 being spoiled by the Gypsy's idiocy (and subsequently exacerbating the situation with his rudeness at the MSAC hearing, which drove the nails in the dream fight's coffin and ensured that my ticket ended up being good for only a sub-par - if surprisingly entertaining, for a few rounds - Andrade vs. Kautondokwa match-up)

b) he's kind of a smug *****, you have to admit, even if you like him.

c) supporting the Argie scene is a long-standing tradition for me, nearly as much as is supporting underdogs.

 

I choose to not view it that way. This is the main event of the real pro boxing card, and there's some white collar BS to directly follow on the broadcast that just happens to be in the same ring at the same venue.

 

Don't forget the mighty Adamu!