First, the shifting post-Mayweather climate: Dan Rafael's new pound-for-pound ranking has Joe Calzaghe in the top spot, and Manny Pacquiao second. Notably, there are only two Americans in the top ten: Kelly Pavlik and Bernard Hopkins. Joining them are four Mexicans, two Puerto Ricans, and the aforementioned Welshman and Filipino.
On to the weekend bouts: after going back and forth half a dozen times, I like Arthur Abraham and his reconstructed jaw to take Edison Miranda with less controversy than in their first fight. You do have to wonder, however, if Abraham's first fight in the States (and second outside of Germany), the lingering psychological effects of getting beat up by Miranda the first time (even if he did get the decision), and the added weight (this fight is at 168) will all have a negative impact. On the other hand, in the interim since their first fight, Miranda received a terrific, possibly career-curtailing whupping from Kelly Pavlik, though he looked a lot better against the limited David Banks in his last bout.
In the HBO headliner, after going back and forth not once, I'll take Andre Berto by a flashy knockout win over Miki Rodríguez in a welterweight title fight.
[Gancho is 1-1 on the year in boxing predictions]
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