ShoBox: The New Generation Quick Picks

Sammy Vasquez vs. Emmanuel Lartey: There will be a familiar face headlining this week's ShoBox: The New Generation card on Showtime, Sammy Vasquez (17-0, 13 KO) who will be taking on Emmanuel Lartey (16-2-1, 7 KO) in a 10 round welterweight bout.  Vasquez is a fan favorite in his native Pennsylvania and looking to make a name for himself on the national scene.  While he is still on the rise and has yet to face any elite opposition he has run through every fighter he has faced.  Vasquez is a powerful southpaw with a jab he likes to stick to the belly.  The jab of Vasquez isn't the punch his opponents worry about though, that would be his short right hook.  Vasquez also has a very nice left hand whether he throws it over the top or straight and his hand speed allows him to put his combinations together nicely.  Like Vasquez, Lartey is also a southpaw and he has a very good, long jab.  Lartey also has a strong right hook but his left hand is wide and doesn't do much damage.  Unfortunately because Lartey does get a little wild he also takes a lot of clean punches which could be very bad against a power puncher like Vasquez.  Lartey may give Vasquez a few tough rounds but eventually the heavy hitting Vasquez will get the job done with a 9th round stoppage.


Umberto Savigne vs. Craig Baker: The other 10 round fight on tonight's Showtime card will be a battle of fringe prospects who are both over 30 years old.  Those fighters are Umberto Savigne (12-1, 9 KO) and Craig Baker (15-0, 11 KO) and they are both looking to climb the ladder in the light heavyweight division.  Savigne is an orthodox fighter with an excellent jab.  The Cuban Savigne also has a very good straight right hand and it is thudding when he throws it over the top.  Savigne's left hook isn't anything to sleep on either but it is his jab and right hand that he finds success with.  Baker is also an orthodox fighter and uses his jab as a measuring stick punch.  While he does have pretty quick hands he doesn't let them go as often as he should, which hasn't mattered against lesser fighters who he usually knocks out.  Baker's left hooks i heavy as is his right hand but he tends to get very wild and doesn't stay safe defensively.  Also inactivity has been a problem for Baker who didn't fight at all in 2010 or 2013 and he hasn't faced many quality opponents.  While he did go 2-0 in 2014 one of his opponents was the 7-4 while the other was 8-42-3.  Baker certainly has a punchers chance but it will be Savigne who controls the fight and comes out victorious with a 6th round stoppage.