Saturday March 7, Bloody Elbow presents fight coverage of the debut of Premier Boxing Champions live on primetime television. PBC Thurman vs. Guerrero airs live on NBC this Saturday, March 7 with a fight time of 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT. Bloody Elbow will have live fight coverage, including results and discussion.
This PBC debut is a high profile show that is getting a lot of attention, and rightfully so. When you factor in the intrigue of boxing's return to primetime, this becomes a show that may draw a lot of eyes beyond your typical boxing hardcores. And it should. This is not only an important card from a business perspective, it also has the potential to be a very entertaining action packed night that should appeal to MMA fans as well as boxing fans.
So, for the benefit of those tuning in Saturday night to check things out, here is your starter guide to Premier Boxing Champions.
THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Understanding what's going on behind the scenes with PBC is important, and those behind the scenes activities focus squarely on one name - Al Haymon. Haymon is a boxing manager who works with an absolutely massive stable of fighters, and not just any fighters - the elite of the sport are signed with Haymon. That includes crown jewel Floyd Mayweather, but also all of the fighters on this card and future PBC cards. Last year, boxing had a pretty down year in terms of quality ring action, and much of the blame for that was placed at the feet of Haymon. He's known for his matchmaking style that protects his fighters, building them up against lesser opponents instead of having them face the toughest challenges available. That's a style that does indeed get his fighters wins, but makes for pretty boring boxing.
With PBC, that all changes. Haymon has abandoned that formula (for now at least) and replaced it with very close, competitive fights. None of these PBC fights are easy to pick, and there's no possible result on this card that would shock me. Now that his fighters have the big exposure, Haymon is creating the big, exciting fights for them, and he's doing it on free TV. PBC airs on NBC this weekend, but in the coming months it will also be on Spike and CBS. There is talk that Haymon's ultimate goal here is to move boxing away from the PPV/pay channel model it has relied on throughout the modern era. If that is true, and if his plan to get there is to put great fights on free TV, then sign me up.
THE MAIN EVENT
In the night's featured fight, Welterweights Keith Thurman and Robert Guerrero square off. Thurman is, in many ways, the quintessential Haymon fighter. He's undefeated at 24-0 with 21 KOs and is seen as a potential big time star. He also spun his wheels aimlessly in 2014 fighting opponents who were clearly presented as fodder to Thurman, and has only one really good win (a 2013 victory over Diego Chaves). He's got great KO power (hence the nickname "One Time") and can blast opponents with a powerful shot out of nowhere. But he's also a skilled technical boxer who uses his finesse, speed, and technique to set up those powerful salvos. He's been brought up as a possible future Mayweather opponent - a big win here in such a high profile fight could help make his case.
Opponent Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (32-2-1) already was a contestant in the Mayweather sweepstakes, losing to Floyd in 2013. That loss came after a quality win over Andre Berto that saw Guerrero show a ton of guts and grittiness in a grueling war of attrition fight. Last year, he defeated Yoshihiro Kamegai in one of 2014's best fights - a knock down drag out affair that was one of the most action-packed and enjoyable fights of the year. Guerrero has over the years proven himself to be a real fighter's fighter - willing to move up in weight and take on all comers. A 14 year pro, Guerrero is definitely the aging star to Thurman's rising prospect in this battle, but those veteran instincts and battle-tested skills make him a very able spoiler. Guerrero is the big test Thurman has been waiting for - it will be thrilling to see if Thurman can pass it.
More PBC Boxing coverage:
Bad Left Hook
THE SHOW-STEALER
The show opens with a fight that just screams show-stealer. At 140 pounds, Adrien Broner faces John Molina, Jr. Broner (29-1) is cut from that Tito Ortiz mold - love him or hate him, if you're a boxing fan, you absolutely feel SOMETHING about Broner. A strong Mayweather disciple, Broner has taken much from the sport's king - including both an in ring style and a loud mouth outside the ring. He went 27-0 before losing to Marcos Maidana in a great fight in 2013 - since then he's bounced back with 2 decision wins and has looked mildly more matured. Though he styles himself after Mayweather, Broner is not remotely as adept at using Floyd's defensive style, but he does have skills that his detractors often overlook. Some once pegged Broner as boxing's next major star, and though that seems less likely these days, he remains a major figure in the sport.
On paper, John Molina, Jr. (27-5) seems like a potential sacrificial lamb here, clearly brought in to prop up the more "money" fighter in Broner. Molina comes in on a 2 fight losing streak - one of those losses coming against Lucas Matthysse in my pick for 2014's Fight of the Year, an absolutely incredible, must-see 11 round war. And while you could indeed view Molina in that light, to do so would be a mistake. He's a crafty fighter who is not afraid to tuck his chin, step in there, and throw heavy leather. He's also highly resilient, and will stay in a fight until you forcibly put him down. That could spell trouble for Broner, who has not scored a stoppage win in his past three victories. Broner is likely to put Molina on his back here, maybe more than once, but he better be mentally prepared for Molina to get back up and keep coming at him - if he's not, this could be the fight that permanently derails the Broner train.
Overall, it should be a fantastic night of fights - one that will appeal to any combat sports fan.
Join us here at Bloody Elbow for PBC Thurman vs. Guerrero results, discussion, and live fight coverage this Saturday, March 7.
THURMAN VS. GUERRERO FIGHT CARD:
Keith Thurman (24-0; 21 KOs) vs. Robert Guerrero (32-2-1; 18 KOs) - Welterweight (147 lbs.)
Adrien Broner (29-1; 22 KOs) vs. John Molina, Jr. (27-5; 22 KOs) - Junior Welterweight (140 lbs.)