I was looking to improve on the 2018 season which proved to be a productive one in terms of the final number, but the win-loss ratio certainly could have been improved. So far I am not doing either very well, but another weekend brings us another three big cards beginning with a rare Friday night foray in the United Kingdom.
These Friday night events could become more popular in the months and years ahead if Boxing continues to boom as it has and in a bid to prevent as many card clashes occurring. Unfortunately with a number of networks interested in broadcasting big cards it is just something we have to deal with even if the fans are not going to like it for the most part.
Next week we will get a Friday night show from Philadelphia that is being broadcasted by DAZN in the United States and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. That is a decent looking event, but most Boxing fans will be looking forward to the first truly big fight of 2019 when Errol Spence Jr takes on Mikey Garcia in Dallas.
I will come back and revisit that next week but for now you can see my selections from the Boxing taking place on Friday 8th March and Saturday 9th March below.
I am going to add any selections from the Saturday cards on the day with plenty of time to write them out before those fights go live, but first up you can read my thoughts from a few of the fights taking place on Friday from historic Royal Albert Hall.
Johnny Garton vs Chris Jenkins
The British Welterweight Title will be the first on the line at the Royal Albert Hall and it looks like being a real slugfest between Johnny Garton and Chris Jenkins.
Both men are willing to dig as deep as they need to in order to win fights and I can see the two trading shots for the majority of this Twelve Round bout. Cuts could be a real problem for either Garton or Jenkins and it is perhaps the only way this fight is not going to go the distance and reach the cards.
Johnny Garton is on a run of four stoppages in a row as he looks to defend the Title for the first time, but in general he has not been known as a big puncher. His all action style has earned him the tag of 'The Pexican' and he has been operating at a higher level than Jenkins in the last couple of years.
Chris Jenkins came up short twice when fighting for the Light Welterweight British Title and his cuts could be a real problem. The tough fighter has yet to be stopped in his career, but it has been a while since he has gone into the deep waters of a Twelve Rounder and I think Garton may hit hard enough to just wear him down and get him out of there late.
It could be a fun opening to the night for the television cameras and the most likely outcome is the cards coming into play to determine the winner. However 'The Pexican' has been on a strong run of stoppages and may do just enough to force someone to get involved down the stretch and that has to be worth a small interest.
Daniel Dubois vs Razvan Cojanu
It sounds like Frank Warren is going to be putting his two young Heavyweights in the ring with one another at the back end of 2019 if both Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman keep winning. That is a fight that many want to see to determine which of those Boxers are more likely to go on and perhaps win a World Title, but neither can afford a slip up if they are going to get it on.
Nathan Gorman has already faced and beaten Razvan Cojanu at the back end of 2018 when he filled in for Daniel Dubois who had an illness and had to pull out of the fight.
Now Dubois gets his chance to get into the ring with an opponent who took Joseph Parker to points when coming up short in a World Title bid a little under two years ago. Razvan Cojanu has spoken about being too experienced for Dubois, but it will be interesting to see if the young British Boxer can match Luis Ortiz and actually stopped the rugged Romanian where Parker and Gorman failed.
Last time out Dubois failed to get Kevin Johnson out of there, but the veteran continues to be an excellent spoiler and a good learning curve for young fighters. This is a Ten Rounder compared with the Twelve Rounds both Parker and Gorman had to put into the bank against Cojanu, but my feeling is that this is going to end one of two ways.
Either I think Dubois will land something early and make a real statement in the Division or I have a feeling Cojanu will be experienced enough to reach the final bell but not really threaten to win the fight. The two losses Cojanu has by stoppage both came in the Second Round so there is a chance Dubois catches him early, but I think the veteran will be difficult to stop if he gets through the first Four Rounds.
At that point I expect Cojanu to look for the credit for going the distance with another of the young British Heavyweights without really looking like winning the fight. A small interest in a Dubois win on the cards at a big looking price is the feeling here.
Liam Williams vs Joe Mullender
Some will be surprised that Joe Mullender has been given the chance to fight for the British Middleweight Title on Friday because there really isn't a lot on his record to suggest he should be in this position.
Unfortunately Boxing has long been about levels and I think the current British Champion Liam Williams is someone who is looking upwards and the potential to get a World Title shot rather than defending at the British level.
The dominant win over previously unbeaten Mark Heffron to take the vacant Title shows Williams is capable of seeing off competitors at this level and I expect that to be the case again.
Joe Mullender may show some toughness though having never been stopped and I think he will push forward early on while Williams boxes his way through the Rounds. As we continue and Williams begins to feel more and more comfortable I would then expect the Welshman to begin sitting down on his shots and he can start dishing out some serious punishment to a one paced Mullender who may lose some belief, but won't stop coming forward.
It may be up to the referee or the corner to pull out their man once it begins to get one sided around the start of the Championship Rounds and I will back Williams to get yet another opponent out of there before the final bell. Backing him to find the stoppage in the second half of the fight is my selection.
Anthony Yarde v Travis Reeves
There is clearly a talented and strong Boxer in Anthony Yarde although some have been frustrated by the handbrake progress he has been making in the professional ranks.
Things are going to step up for Yarde in 2019 and there is a feeling that he will finally get in with one of the elite Light Heavyweights, most notably Sergey Kovalev.
It will be a dream that turns to dust if Anthony Yarde is upset by American Travis Reeves who at 38 years old doesn't really have the resume to think he can knock over the bandwagon. He will likely come and give it a go, but Yarde is expected to get going quickly and try and impress the ESPN+ viewers in the United States who will be able to stream this card.
Only a couple of the Boxers Yarde has faced have managed to get through the opening halves of the fight and I think Reeves is going to struggle to do that. Anthony Yarde should be too fresh, too athletic and simply hit too hard and I can see him wiping out Reeves inside the first Five Rounds.
MY PICKS: Johnny Garton to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Daniel Dubois to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Liam Williams to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Anthony Yarde to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)
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