Sherdog’s Weekend Boxing Preview

Mikey Garcia looks to silence the haters and notch his first win at welterweight.#GarciaVargas pic.twitter.com/srwoxHUNVK

— DAZN USA (@DAZN_USA) February 27, 2020

Join DAZN now to live stream 100+ fight nights a year!

Advertisement

WHAT: Sanjarbek Rakhmanov vs. Keith Hunter
WHEN: Feb. 28
WHERE: Las Vegas
HOW TO WATCH: Showtime, 10:45 p.m. ET
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: Because it serves as the headliner for the latest installment of Showtime’s long-running contender series ShoBox “The New Generation.” The show always features rising prospects, many of whom have gone on to become world champions. Rakhmanov (12-2-1, 6 KOs) is a late replacement for Malik Hawkins and figures to have his hands full with Hunter. Rakhmanov has made all of his professional appearances in Nevada, but he has yet to face someone as highly touted as Hunter. With that said, Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs) has only recently begun fighting opponents with winning records, so this should be a terrific matchup between two young prospects.

* * *

WHAT: Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas
WHEN: Feb. 29
WHERE: Frisco, Texas
HOW TO WATCH: Dazn, 9 p.m. ET
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: Because this is by far the best matchup of the entire weekend and could be an early candidate for “Fight of the Year” by the time it ends. Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs) will make his first appearance since he suffered his first pro defeat nearly a year ago, and the Californian should be out for blood. Garcia is one of the top fighters in the world, having captured titles at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight before he lost to Errol Spence Jr. in a failed bid to strike welterweight gold. Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs) is a solid fighter who has been in the ring with some of the sport’s best, including Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. However, aside from a victory over Antonio DeMarco, the Las Vegan has come up short in every major fight in which he has appeared. Vargas should give Garcia some trouble before the latter eventually prevails.

In addition to Garcia-Vargas, the card features a WBA super flyweight showdown between champion Khalid Yafai (26-0, 15 KOs) and former multi-divisional world titleholder Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (48-2, 40 KOs). Plus, WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (15-1, 12 KOs) defends his crown against Jay Harris (17-0, 9 KOs).