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FRIDAY - at Chubut, Argentina - 12 rounds, flyweights: Omar Andres Narvaez (25-0, 16 KOs) vs. Carlos Tamara (17-3, 13 KOs).
FRIDAY - at Cicero, Illinois (Telefutura) - 12 rounds, flyweights: Hugo Cazares (25-4-1, 19 KOs) vs. Kermin Guardia (37-7, 21 KOs).
SATURDAY - at Jakarta, Indonesia - 12 rounds, WBA featherweight title: Chris John (40-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Roinet Caballero (22-7-1, 16 KOs).
SATURDAY - at Berlin (HBO) - 12 rounds, heavyweights: Alexander Povetkin (14-0, 11 KOs) vs. Eddie Chambers (30-0, 16 KOs); 12 rounds, middleweights: Sebastian Sylvester (27-2, 13 KOs) vs. Francois Bastient (33-5-1, 15 KOs).
The most interesting fight this week will be the Povetkin vs Chambers bout. This is the "finals" of a four man tournament. Povetkin TKOed an old and washed-up Chris Byrd, while Chambers won an uninspired decision of a young and washed-up Calvin Brock. The winner of this fight is supposed to get a shot at Klitschko.
The fight matches two capable young, medium-sized heavyweights. Povetkin is exciting for a heavyweight, because although he lacks a really big punch, he throws a lot of punches in every round. Chambers has even less power, and is a counter-puncher who attempts to enforce a slower pace. After each of his last two victories -- which were the two times he "stepped up" to fight opposition that had previously been considered potential contenders -- Chambers has attempted to excuse his performance, and promised a better showing the next time.
Chambers will have to fight on Saturday. Even if he does step it up, he is in for a difficult night. He has to be able to hurt this kid, and that means catching him moving in. Chambers does have outstanding hand speed, and his right cross could be key. But he has to commit to punching inside of Povetkin's combinations.
Neither man stands a serious chance against Klitschko, though. The fight shows the need to split the heavyweight division in two, with 230 or 235 separating the heavyweights from the super heavyweights.
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