Pick It, Part 1: Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano II
When to Watch: Friday, November 15.
The main broadcast begins at 8pm Eastern Time (1am GMT).
The preliminary broadcast begins at 5.30pm Eastern Time (10.30pm GMT).
How to watch: The main broadcast will stream on Netflix. The preliminary undercard will be available on Most Valuable Promotions’ YouTube, Netflix Sports YouTube, and Netflix’s Tudum.
Why to Watch: The main event between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will probably be the most widely seen boxing match in the United States for years, and the show’s promoters are thankfully using that platform to bring those eyes to other fighters.
In essence, Paul-Tyson is the freak show that will get people into the big tent — be it on Netflix or in the massive AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. And once the audience is seated, they’ll realize there’s more to this three-ring circus than a 58-year-old former heavyweight champion taking on a 27-year-old social-media-influencer-turned-boxer.
The best fight of the show, and the most notable professional boxing match of the week, is the rematch between the undisputed junior-welterweight champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) and Amanda Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs).
Which is saying a lot, given that this week also brings another significant event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where there are unification fights at cruiserweight and strawweight, plus other other notable matches.
Taylor-Serrano II brings two of the best female fighters in the world back together two-and-a-half years after their first meeting. That bout in April 2022 took place one division lower, back when Taylor was the undisputed lightweight champion. At the time, Serrano was a unified featherweight titleholder who had been moving up and down on the scales for opportunities, paydays, challenges, additional world titles, and to try to get more attention for her considerable talent.
They headlined at Madison Square Garden and lived up to the hype, earning recognition as BoxingScene’s Women’s Fight of the Year.
Thirteen months later, Taylor went up to 140 to challenge Chantelle Cameron for the undisputed championship. Taylor fell short via majority decision but fared better in their rematch in November 2023, when taking a majority decision of her own and all four titles. Taylor still has a pair of belts at lightweight as well. She was also the lightweight gold medalist at the 2012 Olympics. She competed but did not win a medal in 2016.
It’s been almost a year since Taylor last fought. She’s 38 years old. Then again, Serrano’s 36 years old and has only gone two rounds in the past year.
After the first Taylor fight, Serrano returned to 126, added a third world title with a victory in September 2022 over Sarah Mahfoud, and then became the undisputed featherweight champion with a decision in February 2023 over Erika Cruz Hernandez.
Serrano’s past appearance at featherweight was in October 2023, when she shut out Danila Ramos. She was supposed to face Nina Meinke in March in her home of Puerto Rico but had to cancel that fight at the last second when a hair product got into her eye and affected her vision. So when Paul-Tyson was postponed from its July date, pushing the Taylor fight back as well, Serrano stayed busy with a two-round win against the overmatched Stevie Morgan.
Both women have earned their places in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. One more victory will only add to their legacies. It also helps that this event will earn them the kind of payday that has long eluded female fighters.
Also on this show:
Mario Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBC welterweight title against Abel Ramos (28-6-2, 22 KOs).
Shadasia Green (14-1, 11 KOs) will face Melinda Watpool (7-0, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title.
The featherweight contender Bruce Carrington (13-0, 8 KOs) returns to the ring quickly after his somewhat disappointing performance against Sulaiman Segawa in September, when he takes on Dana Coolwell (13-2, 8 KOs).
A battle of unbeaten lightweights will pit Lucas Bahdi (17-0, 15 KOs) against Armando Casamonica (14-0, 3 KOS).
Pick It, Part 2: Gilberto Ramirez-Chris Billam-Smith (DAZN)
When to Watch: Saturday, November 16.
The broadcast begins at midday Eastern Time (5pm GMT).
How to watch: DAZN
Why to Watch: Two of the top cruiserweights will headline in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a fight that will not only produce a unified titleholder but also potentially send the winner towards a clash with the lineal and IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs) is a 34 year old from Bournemouth, England. He earned the WBO belt in May 2023 with a majority decision over Lawrence Okolie.
Billam-Smith defended that belt in December, when stopping Mateusz Masternak in the eighth. Masternak was ahead on two of the three judges’ scorecards at the time but had been hurt by Billam-Smith’s body shots, and suffered a rib injury bad enough to withdraw. In June, Billam-Smith avenged his only pro loss, winning a rematch over the previously unbeaten Richard Riakporhe, via unanimous decision.
Ramirez seized the WBA title in March with a wide decision over Arsen Goulamirian. That made the 33 year old from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, into a two-division titleholder. He held a belt at 168 from 2016 to 2018, moved up to 175, and ultimately lost a wide decision to the titleholder Dmitry Bivol in late 2022. In 2023 he arrived at cruiserweight and took a unanimous decision over former light-heavyweight titleholder Joe Smith Jnr. Ramirez is also teasing that he could wind up at heavyweight within a couple of years.
Either way, even bigger things await the winner – and this is a nice spotlight for a division that has long entertained but doesn’t often get the commensurate attention.
Ramirez-Billam-Smith is supported by a few interesting fights on the undercard:
Oscar Collazo-Knockout CP Freshmart: This other unification bout features two 105lbs titleholders.
Collazo (10-0, 7 KOs) is a 27 year old from New Jersey, and lives in Puerto Rico. He won the WBO title with a seventh-round stoppage of Melvin Jerusalem in May 2023 and has made three successful defenses – including a wide decision in June over the 14-1-1 Gerardo Zapata.
Freshmart (25-0, 9 KOs), also known as Thammanoon Niyomtrong, is the longest reigning current titleholder. He has held the WBA belt since June 2016, when he outpointed Byron Rojas. Freshmart has made 12 successful defenses, including a unanimous decision in a long-awaited fight with the former titleholder Wanheng Menayothin in July 2022. After 26 months away, Freshmart, somehow still the titleholder, won a majority decision over Alex Winwood in September.
William Zepeda-Tevin Farmer: Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) is a top lightweight contender who, until recently, was ranked first by all four sanctioning bodies, putting him in position to take on any of the titleholders.
It looks like Zepeda’s team has selected their path forwards. This bout will be for the WBC’s interim belt, which puts the winner on course to face the full titleholder Shakur Stevenson. That fight had been in negotiations a few months back. According to one report, Zepeda’s wife was due to give birth and so the 28-year-old fighter from Mexico didn’t go forwards with facing Stevenson. Those who were skeptical then will be even more so now that Zepeda is already back in the ring.
He delivers when he’s in the ring, however. In recent years, Zepeda has defeated the likes of former titleholders Rene Alvarado and JoJo Diaz – both by decision. He’s scored knockouts over former contenders Jaime Arboleda and Mercito Gesta. He took out Maxi Hughes in four rounds in March and Giovanni Cabrera in three rounds in July.
Farmer, a 34 year old from Philadelphia, is 33-6-1 (8 KOs). He captured a junior-lightweight world title in 2018 and made three successful defenses before losing it to Joseph Diaz Jnr at the start of 2020. Farmer then spent more than three years away before returning in June 2023. He put together a three-fight winning streak that came to its conclusion in July, when he lost a decision to the contender Raymond Muratalla.
Jose Ramirez-Arnold Barboza: This fight features a former unified titleholder against a long-time contender. The winner could wind up in position to challenge for the WBO title at junior welterweight.
Ramirez (29-1, 18 KOs) previously held two world titles at 140lbs but lost them to Josh Taylor in a fight for the undisputed championship in May 2021. The 32 year old from California’s Central Valley returned with a decision over Jose Pedraza in March 2022, knocked out Richard Commey in the 11th round in March 2023, and then had to overcome some tough moments en route to a wide decision over Rances Barthelemy in April.
Barboza (30-0, 11 KOs) has been ranked first by the WBO for a long time, dating back to June 2023. Barboza was second before then. He moved up after Teofimo Lopez, who was rated first at the time, defeated Taylor for the WBO title and lineal championship. The 32 year old from Los Angeles has fought twice in 2024, stopping Xolisani Ndongeni in eight rounds in January and getting the nod in a split decision over Sean McComb in April.
More Fights to Watch
Tuesday, November 12: Guillermo Rigondeaux-Dannis Aguero Arias (StagePilot.com)
The broadcast begins at 6pm Eastern Time (11pm GMT).
Rigondeaux, the two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba who earned world titles at junior featherweight, is now 44 years old. Since dropping decisions to John Riel Casimero in 2021 and Vincent Astrolabio in 2022, Rigondeaux has fought twice in Florida – both wins coming in 2023. There was a 74-second KO of the 33-17-1 Jesus Martinez and a seventh-round KO of the 12-0 Charlie Clemente-Andino. Rigondeaux has been out of the ring for 17 months.
Aguero Arias (20-2, 17 KOs) is a 33 year old from the Dominican Republic. He was stopped after two rounds with William Encarnacion back in 2016 and has won nine in a row since. His past appearance was in January 2023, when he dispatched the 15-3 Irvin Gonzalez in four rounds.
This fight will be held at the E11EVEN Miami nightclub.
Thursday, November 14: Kim Clavel-Mayela Perez (TrillerTV.com)
The broadcast begins at 7pm Eastern Time (midnight GMT).
Clavel (19-2, 3 KOs) is a former junior-flyweight titleholder looking for her third win in a row. The 34 year old from Montreal won the WBC belt in July 2022 but lost it in her first defense, when outpointed by Yesica Nery Plata in January 2023. Clavel also dropped a split decision to unified titleholder Evelin Nazarena Bermudez in October 2023.
Perez (20-27-4, 10 KOs) is a 39 year old from Saltillo, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico, who has lost four in a row – including a unanimous decision in December 2023, against Adelaida Ruiz.
This fight will be at the Casino de Montreal.
Friday, November 15: Ahmed Elbiali-Guillermo Ruben Andino (DAZN)
The broadcast begins at 11am Eastern Time (4pm GMT).
Elbiali (23-1, 18 KOs) is an Egyptian light heavyweight living in Florida. His lone defeat came in 2017, when he was stopped in six rounds by Jean Pascal. Elbiali has won seven straight since but has not been overly active, appearing just once a year over the past three years. In his past fight, Elbiali won a close decision over the 14-6-3 Rodolfo Gomez Jnr in June 2023.
His opponent at the Agenda Arena in Dubai is Andino (19-9, 6 KOs), a 33 year old from Argentina who has fought as low as middleweight and as high as heavyweight.
Andino has most recently been at 200lbs and above, was stopped by cruiserweight contender Yamil Peralta in four rounds in July 2023, and then dispatched in a single stanza by the heavyweight prospect Lenier Pero in September 2023. Andino since rebounded with a pair of wins at home against unheralded opposition.
Friday, November 15: Abdul Khan-John Edwardson (DAZN)
The broadcast begins at 1pm Eastern Time (6pm GMT).
Khan (11-0, 2 KOs) is a junior lightweight from Bolton, England. The 22 year old is a cousin of Amir Khan, the retired former junior-welterweight titleholder. Abdul Khan is making his second appearance of 2024; in February he outpointed the 17-72-7 Cristian Narvaez. Khan has only faced two opponents before, and has recorded more wins than losses.
Edwardson (6-1, 0 KOs) will be the third. The 36 year old is from Liverpool and so will be performing in his hometown at the Liverpool Olympia. Edwardson is coming off his first defeat and an 11-month layoff; he lost on points in December 2023 to the 6-2 Lewis Wood.
Friday, November 15: Mary Casamassa-Adriana Dos Santos Araujo (CombatSportsNow)
The broadcast begins at 7pm Eastern Time (midnight GMT).
Casamassa (5-0, 1 KO) is a middleweight from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She outpointed the 19-20-3 Olivia Gerula in March. Dos Santos Araujo will be only the second opponent Casamassa has faced with more wins than losses.
Dos Santos Araujo (6-2, 1 KO) picked up a bronze medal as a lightweight in the 2012 Olympics and then competed again, without as much success, in the 2016 tournament. She won her first six professional bouts as a junior welterweight and then came in very overweight for a loss in October 2020 to Chantelle Cameron, in a fight for a vacant world title. Dos Santos Araujo then spent three and a half years away, returning in April as a middleweight and losing a decision to Melinda Watpool.
Saturday, November 16: Jimerr Espinosa-Rogelio Jimenez (DAZN)
The broadcast begins at 8pm Eastern Time (1am GMT).
Espinosa (16-2, 15 KOs) is a 26-year-old junior welterweight fighting out of Mexico City who will headline for the second straight time in nearby Naucalpan. In April, he returned from a split decision loss in December to the 2020 Olympian Delante “Tiger” Johnson. Espinoza got back on the winning side of things, stopping the 15-3-2 Angel Martinez Hernandez in five rounds.
Jimenez (13-1, 9 KOs) is a 24 year old whose sole loss came in December 2022 via split decision, against the 4-7-1 Carlos Reyes. He’s notched five victories since, including an eighth-round knockout of the 18-2-1 Alexander Espinoza in July.
Saturday, November 16: Dominique Crowder-Duke Micah (DAZN)
The broadcast begins at 7pm Eastern Time (midnight GMT).
Crowder (17-0, 10 KOs) is a 31 year old from Baltimore, Maryland, who turned pro in 2019 and has mostly been fighting as a junior featherweight. This bout at the Tropicana Atlantic City will be at bantamweight. Either weight class is amazing given that Crowder is listed as 5ft 10ins.
Crowder’s most recent win was in May, when he won a unanimous decision over the 10-6-1 Ryan Lee Allen (Allen, you may recall, went on to upset Carlos Jackson in October on the undercard of Bakhram Murtazaliev-Tim Tszyu).
Micah (24-2, 19 KOs) is a 33 year old from Accra, Ghana who represented his country in the 2012 Olympics, competing at flyweight and losing to the eventual bronze medalist Michael Conlan.
As a pro, Micah was humbled in his first and only title shot, when stopped in three rounds by John Riel Casimero back in September 2020. Micah then spent nearly four years away from the sport, coming back in May in the Team Combat League and then stepping back within the confines of the Queensberry rules in September, when losing an eighth-round TKO to the unbeaten Carlos Gonzalez.
The undercard includes welterweight prospect Avious Griffin (15-0, 14 KOs) against Adrian Gutierrez (12-2-1, 6 KOs).
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing”, is available on Amazon.
