MIDDLEWEIGHT MELEE: The Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL will serve as the site for a Showtime World Championship Boxing middleweight doubleheader. The 12 round non-title main event bout will feature a rematch between Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KO’s) and undefeated IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (26-0, 21 KO’s). In the co-feature undefeated IBF #4 ranked contender Giovanni Lorenzo (26-0, 18 KO’s) challenges IBF #13 ranked contender and former world champion Raul Marquez (40-3-1, 29 KO’s) in a 12 round IBF Mandatory Eliminator bout. IBF champion Abraham is mandated to fight the winner of Lorenzo-Marquez in his next bout. SHOWTIME’s June 21 broadcast will begin at 9pm ET / PT. Tickets, priced at $202, $152, $102, and $52 are now on sale and may be purchased at the Hard Rock Live Box Office or TicketMaster.com.
LOYALTY: Lorenzo’s cut man Sid Brumbach is getting married today. He has put off his honeymoon until after the Lorenzo fight so he can be in Lorenzo’s corner on Saturday night . . . No word on whether he has informed his bride of this yet . . .
PREDICTIONS: An e-mail was sent to the boxing media and to boxing insiders asking their predictions for Saturday’s Lorenzo-Marquez bout. Surprisingly, of the 33 people who responded, 29 selected Lorenzo. Below are the predictions.
Marquez
•Marquez KO8
Conventional wisdom tells you that whenever there's a crossroads bout between an aging mediocre former title holder and a young unproven prospect, the youngster usually wins. Bear in mind, the last time Marquez was used to test a young, upcoming prospect he was brutally taken apart by Taylor in nine rounds.
But Giovanni Lorenzo is no Jermaine Taylor. To say he is an overprotected fighter is an understatement. His record reads like the membership roster of the Underachieving Boxer's Union. Granted he, like Marquez and Taylor, is of Olympian pedigree but how hard is it to make the Olympic team in a country as small as the Dominican Republic. He has displayed good speed and power as a pro but just about any above-average fighter can look spectacular against the parade of palookas he's faced.
Conventional wisdom, in this instance, is dead wrong. Lorenzo will dominate the first few rounds with his speed but Marquez' experience will kick in at about the fourth-round mark. A few well-placed body shots saps Lorenzo of his strength and Marquez tests his chin in the eighth round with a well-timed counter right hook. Lorenzo fails the test miserably as he slumps to the canvas for the full count.
Peter Lim
The Houston Chronicle
•Marquez by decision
Lorenzo is young and hungry, but he hasn’t faced any real competition, and has never gone past 8 rounds. Marquez is a 16 year veteran that is in a do-or-die situation. Lorenzo feels he is being dodged by the best, but 36 y/o Marquez has been waiting in line for a long time. He has shown that he still has something after his 2004 loss to Taylor, so I’m going with Marquez for skill and ability and the fact that he is southpaw. Lorenzo has never faced one before, and that spells trouble! Don’t count out Giovanni Lorenzo, but I do not believe he is a full grown middleweight, yet. So it will be Marquez by decision, using his rugged durability, and veteran ring skills. That silver medal form 1992 still has some luster too it.
MICHAEL CASSELL
PHILADELPHIA BOXING REPORT
•Marquez by SD
I see a tough fight for both combatants. Lorenzo's youth will be a big advantage for him; Marquez will use his experience as a counter to this. Both are hungry for a bigger fight, but it will be the veteran that will have his hand raised in the end. Marquez has better opposition to draw from and even more so, he is fighting for and with pride. He, Raul, knows this is the end of the line if he loses. Lorenzo can/will bounce back should he not be victorious.
John Martinez, ironboxing.com and brickcityboxing.com
•Marquez TKO 8
Lorenzo is younger, quicker and comes from a tremendous amateur background. He has never tasted defeat. His resume doesn’t have the big names on it; however, we have been shown that doesn’t mean anything. He is setting down on his punches and does have some good power. General consensus is that Lorenzo is the favorite of the battle worn Marquez, who happens to cut easy.
But I know Marquez trains well as he actually sparred with one of our young tigers. Should Marquez decide to rough up Lorenzo, which is something Lorenzo has never seen, and rip his body I believe the more mature fighter wins this. Avoiding a headbutt and major cut to Marquez, he may win inside the distance.
Kerry Daigle
Keeppunching.com
Lorenzo
•Lorenzo TKO 7 (on cuts)
Keith Idec
Herald News
•Lorenzo W 12
Kevin Iole
Yahoo Sports
•LORENZO TKO 7
Johnny Bos
Long-time boxing insider, advisor, and manager
•Lorenzo W 12
The SOUTHPAW stance and EXPERIENCE of Marquez will play a huge role the "first few rounds" of the bout but Lorenzo's powerful punches and steady work to the body will slow the former IBF Jr. Middleweight Champ down. Don't get me wrong Marquez is "no push over, even at 36 years old." Look for Marquez to try and take Lorenzo to school during the fight but... youth will endure and Lorenzo will walk away with a tough 12 round decision securing his #1 World IBF ranking and a step closer to a fight with "THE CHAMP"... Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik.
Nelson Fernández
Boxing manager and trainer
•Lorenzo TKO 9
Raul Marquez is a step up in competition for Giovanni Lorenzo, but I believe the promising Dominican will handle it well. The early going may be fought on even terms but as the fight progresses, I expect Lorenzo’s heavier artillery to overwhelm Marquez and seize the day.
Darius Ortiz
Boxing editor, ESPN.com
•Lorenzo TKO (on cuts)
Lorenzo has flown under the radar a bit. The kid can box, he's super hungry, and he understands the opportunity at hand. Thing, Marquez, even at 36, even having been hiatus much of 2004 and 2005, is a step up for Lorenzo. But I'm going with Lorenzo here, with desire being one of the main elements separating the two. Lorenzo via TKO, cuts.
Michael Woods
ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, and editor of www.thesweetscience.com
•Lorenzo W 12
I like the youth of Lorenzo to take the fight late.
Steve Kim
Maxboxing.com
•Lorenzo W 12
This will be a decent fight ... Lorenzo will come on strong down the stretch. I would not be surprised if there is a knockdown for either man.
12 round majority decision for Lorenzo
Francisco Salazar
Fightnews.com
•Lorenzo KO 6
Lorenzo has come a long way since his days as a prospect (when he fought here in Reading a few times). He'll overpower Marquez easily.
Don Stewart
Reading Eagle
•Lorenzo TKO 10
Bernie Bahrmasel
Double B. Publicity Inc.
•Lorenzo W 12
I think Giovanni Lorenzo is finally ready to step up, and with a good mixture of boxing ability and pressure, I see him winning a unanimous decision. Raul Marquez will match Lorenzo's aggression, and the Dominican's defensive flaws may allow Marquez to land a few clean shots, but Lorenzo has already shown the ability to battle back from adversity. Lorenzo's speed will offset Marquez's offense and the Mexican's tender facial tissue could also play a factor.
Sean Sullivan
Editor in Chief, Boxing Digest
•Lorenzo by late TKO (cuts)
A long overdue step up for the Dominican who has the look of a future champ but the resume of a severely protected fighter. The only upset I see occurring is if Lorenzo can't take a punch, or if he falls apart should Marquez take his best early and keep firing back. Barring that, I think his precise punching will be too much for Marquez' skin to handle, forcing a cuts stoppage shortly before the bout enters the championship rounds.
Jake Donovan
Boxingscene.com
•Lorenzo W12
Lorenzo is largely unproven, and hasn't met anyone with Marquez' resume to date. Marquez, however, is in the definite twilight of a fine career, having struggled to a draw against a spent Bronko McKart in his last outing. We'll go with youth and aggression over guile and a portside stance in this one, as Lorenzo scores a hard-earned decision in his first real test as a pro.
Scott Yaniga
Bayonne Evening Star-Telegram
•Lorenzo to go 27-0
Joe Pietaro
Editor-in-Chief , New York Sportscene magazine
•Lorenzo W 12
As good a fighter as Marquez was in his heyday, this is Giovanni Lorenzo's time.
Jason Abelson
The Fight Network
•Lorenzo TKO 8 or 9 on cuts
Every time Marquez has stepped up in the past five or six years he has gotten cut and suffered a loss. He took some time off, which can't help him, and has come back to look okay against lower competition, including Bronco McKart who was coming off a KO loss. Lorenzo is young and hungry which will be the difference to the younger man from New York stopping the former world champion on cuts in eight or nine rounds.
Marc Abrams
www.15rounds.com
•Lorenzo KO (middle rounds)
He's young, hungry and may be the future of the division and Marquez, at 36, is over a decade past his title days at 154. Good opportunity for Giovanni to add a name to his resume.
Michael Swann
www.15 Rounds.com
•LORENZO TKO 8
TIM PALESKY
HOST/PRODUCER, KNOCKOUT TV
•Lorenzo W 12
Frederick Dakarai
Milwaukee Courier
•Lorenzo by late KO or decision
Raul Marquez is a tough old vet, but Lorenzo will go back to the basics and box him. Marquez is susceptible to cuts which may become a factor. Marquez will come to fight and make it interesting, especially if Lorenzo chooses to stand and trade. Good fight, but in the end Lorenzo probably stops him late or takes a close but unanimous decision.
Danny Serratelli
Doghouseboxing/Brickcityboxing.com
•Lorenzo TKO 9
Lorenzo is a slick fighter who can mix it up. He sometimes keeps his hands a bit low, but that's because he's so confident of his abilities. This will go a few rounds because Lorenzo has been a bit inactive in 2008, otherwise he would end this fight sooner. Expect Marquez to have some success early before Lorenzo takes over and beats Marquez over 7-rounds before the referee or corner stops it.
Carlos Guzman
FightBeat.com
•Lorenzo W 12
I have learned the hard way in the past with these kinds of fights (veteran vs. up and comer.) My pick is Lorenzo.
Joe Cohen
Islander YouTube's Boxing Info
•Lorenzo W 12
This is a good test for Lorenzo, against Marquez, a dangerous veteran whose resume extends all the way back to the likes of Keith Mullings and Skip Kelp. This Showtime win for Lorenzo should pave the way for a title showdown with even bigger and better opposition in the middleweight division.
Amy Green
Boxing Writer/Publicist
•Lorenzo W 12
I stood next to Sechew Powell as I watched Giovanni Lorenzo struggle with Archak Ter-Meliksetian at Schuetzen Park, but since that night Lorenzo has been on a tear. The young middleweight is undefeated and ready to make his name known throughout the world. Lorenzo will carry his momentum into the biggest fight of his career against Raul Marquez and win by either a TKO or a wide decision. Although the fight is in Florida, Lorenzo will pick up a decisive road win and line himself up for a title shot.
Christopher Roche
www.brickcityboxing.com
•Lorenzo UD (10 rounds to 2 rounds)
Dante Amato
Freelance boxing writer
•Lorenzo W 12
Time to put up or shut up for undefeated Dominican prospect Giovanni Lorenzo, who steps up a notch or two when he faces former IBF jr. middleweight champion Raul 'El Diamante' Marquez.
In spite of the difference in the quality of their opposition, I think it's Lorenzo's time and I look for him to make a statement against veteran Marquez.
Elisa Harrison
Editor, Braggingrightscorner.com
•Lorenzo W12
Raul Marquez has embarked on a successful comeback thus far but this will be Giovanni's night. The 27-year old is on a 6-fight knockout streak and he'll look to make it 7 when he faces Marquez on June 21st. Raul has proved pretty durable throughout his career and he'll make it a competitive fight early on but the younger and stronger Lorenzo will win by a clear cut unanimous decision.
Ramon Aranda
Boxing Editor, AIM: Franchise2
• Lorenzo TKO 6
Lorenzo should win this one rather easily. Marquez has been beyond his better days for quite some time now and I believe that we will see him take a beating over six rounds before the referee saves him. Lorenzo is a very decent puncher and Marquez has become more of a stationary target as the years and wars in the ring have piled up. Lorenzo in six by a stoppage. It won't be a clean KO, but it will be enough to convince the referee that Marquez has had enough.
Geno McGahee
Managing Editor, ringsidereport.com
• Lorenzo KO11
The Lorenzo-Marquez fight is a step-up fight for Lorenzo. He takes on a veteran southpaw fighter who possesses some decent power. In Marquez's last fight, he and Bronco McKart wound up in a draw. Lorenzo has stopped his last eight opponents, all within 7 rounds. I see this fight going a bit longer. Lorenzo will be able to break down Marquez through the early rounds, but Marquez's experience will keep him in the fight. Lorenzo will finally wear out Marquez in the later rounds for a stoppage. Lorenzo stops Marquez in the 11th.
Bob Carroll
Fightin' Words Radio Show Co-host, www.fightinwordsonline.com
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