Under the Radar: Fights That Didn’t Make the Big Headlines – June 14th – 18th, 2014

6/14 – Humberto Soto (63-8-2, 35 KO’s) vs. Wilfrido Buevas (15-1, 9 KO’s) – Explanada Municipal, Tlalnepantla, México, Mexico
Soto, the former WBC lightweight champ, has lost just once in nearly six years: a fifth round stoppage to Lucas Matthysse in 2012. He’s won five straight since then and holds the WBC International Silver light welterweight and the World Boxing Federation welterweight titles. He defends the Silver title against Buelvas, the WBA Fedebol lightweight title holder who hasn’t fought the best opposition out there.

6/14 – Glen Tapia (20-1, 12 KO’s) vs. Keenan Collins (15-8-3, 10 KO’s) – Bally’s Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Tapia showed a lot of heart in his losing effort to James Kirkland last December. The Passaic light middleweight starts his climb back to contention with Keenen Collins, who has experience against notable opposition, though he hasn’t beaten any top tier fighters.

6/14 – Sean Monaghan (21-0, 14 KO’s) vs. Elvir Muriqi (40-6, 24 KO’s) – Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Monaghan’s been steadily increasing his level of opposition as he moves along. The WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight title holder faces one of his most experienced opponents in former world title challenger Muriqi, who went the distance with both Clinton Woods and Antonio Tarver.

6/17 – Koki Eto (14-3-1, 10 KO’s) vs. Ardin Diale (23-8-3, 10) – Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Former WBA flyweight champ Eto comes off a loss in November that cost him the title. He looks to pick up the vacant OPBF flyweight strap against former flyweight title challenger Diale, who holds the Philippines GAB flyweight belt.

6/18 – Howard Eastman (49-12, 38 KO’s) vs. Tsetsi Davis (11-3, 3 KO’s) – Chinese Benevolent Association auditorium, Kingston, Jamaica
Eastman was once a legit middleweight contender, but the 43 year old former European champion is running on fumes in recent years. He won his last three contests, but dropped six prior and hasn’t faced anyone of note six beating “Six Heads” Lewis back in 2008. Davis is a Jamaican local who’s fought all but one contest in his homeland.