Fox Sports 1 Quick Picks

Luis Ortiz vs. Lateef Kayode: When Floyd Mayweather steps into the squared circle it is almost like a boxing holiday.  Along with that holiday usually comes the present of a mid-week boxing card.  That will be the case this Thursday when Fox Sports 1 puts on a card with a lot of top prospects in action in stay busy fights and one that is headline by two title fights.  The main event of that card will be a heavyweight fight between Luis Ortiz (21-0, 18 KO) and Lateef Kayode (20-0, 16 KO) for a vacant WBA interim title.  Besides both fighters bringing their undefeated records into the ring they will also be bringing an explosive amount of punching power.  Ortiz is a southpaw from Cuba whose last six fights have ended with a knockout.  He will use his jab very often but he doesn't put much behind it and really uses it more as a setup for his straight left hand which he likes to sit down on.  While Ortiz will sometimes throw a short right hook don't expect to see much else.  His offensive game consists mostly of the good old one-two combination and he relies on his one punch knockout power to win fights.  He still hasn't really been tested defensively but he has never tasted the canvass and won't look to do so against Kayode.  Kayode hails from Nigeria and is much lighter and quicker than his counterpart Ortiz.  He has a nice quick jab which is really his only punch that he throws straight.  Kayode's left hook is powerful but wild and his overhand right can end a fight but also comes in very wide.  Also like Ortiz, Kayode has never been dropped as a professional.  Neither one of these fighters goes to the body very often it at all so this should be a bout where both men will be headhunting and looking for a big knockout.  It should be a very close fight and could come down to who is busier in the later rounds.  It may also come down to the fact that Kayode has a slightly more varied offensive attack which is why he will win this fight by the way of split decision.


Jesus Cuellar vs. Juan Manuel Lopez: The other title fight on Thurday's card will be  in the featherweight division.  That bout is between Jesus Cuellar (24-1, 18 KO) and Juan Manuel Lopez (34-4, 31 KO) and Cuellar's WBA interim belt will be on the line.  Like most Argentine fighter Cuellar is a tough power puncher.  He is a southpaw with fast hands but he also tends to get very wild.  That wildness tends to get him caught with flush punches but besides his knockout loss to Oscar Escandon he has show a good chin.  Cuellar's offensive style is best described as awkward and unrelenting.  Cuellar has a very fast jab and a heavy right hook but he also throws a punch that is a combination of the two which makes his right hand very dangerous.  The problem for his opponents is that his left hand is just as powerful and when he throws it straight it can be deadly.  Cuellar is a fan friendly fighter due to his high punch output and while he has faced some quality opponents none of them have the name recognition that Lopez does so a win would look good on his resume even if Lopez is damaged goods.  Not to long ago Lopez was considered one of the top fighters in the sport and seemed to be destined for stardom.  Unfortunately for him he then ran into Orlando Salido who he fought twice and got knocked out by twice.  Then came a knockout loss to Mikey Garcia and everyone viewed Lopez as damaged goods because it seemed he could no longer take a punch.  However in 2014 Lopez seemed to salvage his career when he got up off the canvas against Daniel Ponce De Leon in the 2nd round to drop Ponce De Leon twice in the same round and win the fight.  However in July of this year Lopez stepped in against Francisco Vargas and was dropped in the 3rd round before retiring on his stool in between the 3rd and 4th round.  After that most people expected Lopez to retire but instead he will get back into the ring just two months after that defeat.  Like Cuellar, Lopez is also a southpaw who seems to throw any gameplan or defense out the window when the action heats up.  Lopez has a decent jab and a strong left hand but his money punch is his deadly right hook.  At this point in his career all Lopez can hope to do is land the right hook and end the fight early because it is clear that he can no longer take a punch.  This could be the most action packed fight of the weekend for however long it lasts.  Both fighters will be going toe to toe and Lopez does have a chance to win if he can land the right hook early, however if Cuellar takes that punch and keeps coming Lopez will be in serious trouble.  When this fight starts stayed glued to your seat because it won't last long as Cuellar will get the win via 3rd round stoppage.