2/16 – Daniel Geale (29-2, 15 KO’s) vs. Garth Wood (12-3-1, 8 KO’s) – New South Wales, Australia
Wood defends the WBA Pan African middleweight title against the former IBF middleweight champion; the vacant IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title is also up for grabs. After splitting a pair of bouts with fellow Aussie Anthony Mundine, Wood lost an IBF Pan Pacific title shot against Sam Soliman early in 2012. After taking a year off, he came back to win two bouts by stoppage where he had won the PABA light heavyweight title, then the WBA Pan African belt last May. Geale held the IBF title a shade over two years before Darren Barker took a close split decision in August taking the middleweight title with him. This is Geale’s first bout since that loss. His only other defeat was to Anthony Mundine in 2009.
2/21 – Glen Johnson (53-18-2, 36 KO’s) vs. Jaime Velasquez (11-5-2, 6 KO’s) – Rhode Island, USA
Since suffering four straight losses in 2011-2012, the “Road Warrior” took two victories in 2013. The former light heavyweight champ is now fighting as a cruiserweight and headines the card at the Twin River Event Center, facing Velasquez who had a pretty good thing going until he went 0-4-2 in his last six fights. One other thing: the 41 year old Velasquez hasn’t fought in over 14 years.
2/22 – Mariana Juarez (38-7-3, 16 KO’s) vs. Melissa McMorrow (9-3-3, 1 KO) – Puebla, Mexico
“La Barbie” makes the second defense of the WBC International super flyweight title. She’s 3-1 since losing her world flyweight belt to Ava Knight in 2012, winning her current title in a rematch with Riyo Togo after Togo stopped her in one round last April. Prior to the rematch, Togo was found to have doctored gloves, which of course raised questions regarding her upset stoppage of Juarez in their first meeting. McMorrow is the WBO flyweight champion and former WIBF flyweight title holder, and has won three straight including decisions over Susi Kentikian and Nadia Raoui.
2/22 – Siarhei Liakhovich (25-6, 16 KO’s) vs. Chad Davis (5-11, 1 KO) – Arizona, USA
After being led to the slaughter against Deontay Wilder in August, the former WBO heavyweight champ will try to bounce back from a three fight losing streak, spread out over the last three years, when he faces Davis, who went 1-1 in 2013 after being inactive the year prior.
2/22 – Joachim Alcine (34-7-1, 20 KO’s) vs. Jovan Ramirez (3-0) – Arizona, USA
The former light middleweight world champ has won one bout since taking a five fight slide over the last two years; he stopped the 4-7 Lawrence Hughes last month. With only three fights under his belt, it’s hard to tell what Ramirez brings to the table.
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