HBO is hosting an impressive card this Saturday, August 22nd, which should have fight fans glued to their screens.  Three fights are scheduled to be shown and all three have historic potential:
 
Stylish DANIEL JACOBS  17-0 (15 KOs) takes on ISHE SMITH  21-3 (9 KOs) as we see another case of a fast rising amateur star in Jacobs, pitted against a "presumably" past his prime Smith.  This should be interesting.
 
Next is streaking and hard hitting South African MALCOLM KLASSEN 24-4 (15 KOs) who will be defending his IBF Super Featherweight Title against ROBERT "Ghost" GUERRERO 24-1 (17 KOs).  Klassen will be fighting for the first time outside of his native South Africa.  His trainer is NICK DURANDT who just rode to victory in the corner of Isaac Hlatshwayo last week against Delvin Rodriguez.  Durandt says he has the recipe for southpaws like Guerrero as he has never lost to one as a cornerman.
 
The main event on Saturdays ticket matches JUAN "Baby Bull" DIAZ 34-2 (17 KOs) who was 33-0 until losing 2 of his last 3 fights against PAUL "Magic Man" MALIGNAGGI  26-2 (5 KOs).  Diaz was in an epic battle last February versus Mayweather challenger JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ, before getting put on queer street with a shot to his temple in the 9th round.  Malignaggi hasn't faired well in the past versus aggressive sluggers (Hatton, Cotto) like Juan Diaz but we'll just have to tune in to see how it all unfolds.
 
~Ricky Ray Taylor
www.BoxerDRILLZ.com  

For Fight Recaps between January and May 2009, click here...  Fight Recaps Part I (January-May 2009)