Oscar Valdez vs. Miguel Marriaga: Fans who love big punchers will get two of them in the main event of Saturday's Top Rank pay-per-view card. Those fighters are the undefeated Oscar Valdez (21-0, 19 KO) who is one of the sports rising stars at just 26 years old, and Miguel Marriaga (25-1, 21 KO). The two are scheduled to go 12 rounds and Valdez's WBO featherweight title will be on the line. This will be Valdez's second defense of that title and he is currently riding a five fight knockout streak. Valdez fights out of the orthodox stance and has a tremendous amount of power. The young power puncher has a stiff jab that precedes a heavy right hand but his best punch is probably his electric left hook. Not only does Valdez have power in both hands but he works the body well and never gets too aggressive. Valdez has really impressed fans with his recent performances and so far there hasn't been a test he didn't pass with flying colors. There could be a lot of big fights in Valdez's future if he keeps winning and he will look to start 2017 in style with an impressive win over Marriaga. Marriaga hopes to spoil Valdez's perfect record and the veteran will do so out of the orthodox stance. Marriaga also has a ton of power and his only career loss came against the talented Nicholas Walters. However, outside of that fight with Walters, Marriaga hasn't exactly faced many notable opponents. The Colombian fighter has a measuring stick jab that helps him gauge the distance for his power punches. Those power punches come in the form of a dangerous overhand right and a solid left hook. On the inside he also looks to sneak in uppercuts so Valdez needs to be aware of that when the two are doing battle in the pocket. Marriaga certainly has the power to ruin Valdez's perfect record but Valdez hits even harder so if Marriaga looks to trade power punches his night could be over early. Valdez will need to be careful in this fight and because of that he won't score the knockout. However, he will continue to look good on his way to a clear unanimous decision victory.
Gilberto Ramirez vs. Max Bursak: Top Rank's entire pay-per-view card is filled with rising stars or fighters with potential to become stars. If Oscar Valdez is the main attraction in the main event than Gilberto Ramirez (34-0, 24 KO) is the main attraction in the co-feature. Ramirez is set to take on Max Bursak (33-4-1, 15 KO) in a bout scheduled to go 12 rounds for Ramirez's WBO super middleweight title. After only fighting once in 2016 Ramirez will look to have a big year in 2017 and that all starts with Bursak. Ramirez is a southpaw with good power but he isn't a one punch knockout artist. He likes to work behind a long jab that he follows nicely with a disciplined straight left hand. Along with those tools Ramirez also has a nice right hook and he attacks the body well. One reason Ramirez has had so much success is because he has the size to control the action from the outside and he has enough power to put in good work from the pocket. This should be a difficult fight for Bursak, especially since he is older and smaller than Ramirez, having spent the bulk of his career in the middleweight division. Also though because he already has three losses to second tier fighter like Martin Murray, Jarrod Fletcher, and Hassan N'Dam. Bursak is an orthodox fighter who likes to work from the pocket. On the inside he likes to throw accurate uppercuts and he also has a very heavy right hand he loves to dig to the body. The left hook of Bursak is also a very good punch and one he likes to bang downstairs. However, he doesn't always jab his way in and he often stands very squared up to his opponent. In this fight look for Bursak to try to make it a phone booth fight while Ramirez attempts to keep Bursak at the end of his jab and straight left hand. Bursak will definitely find success when he does get inside and will do a good job of killing Ramirez's body. Those moments for Bursak won't come often enough though as Ramirez will control this fight with his length and he will get the unanimous decision win.
Jessie Magdaleno vs. Adeilson Dos Santos: The third title fight on Saturday's Top Rank card will pit the undefeated Jessie Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KO) against Adeilson Dos Santos (18-2, 14 KO). The two are scheduled to go 12 rounds from the junior featherweight division with Magdaleno's WBO title on the line. This will be Magdaleno's first fight of 2017 and his last win was the best of his career, clearly beating former Fighter of the Year, Nonito Donaire. This will be Magdaleno's first title defense and it will be Dos Santos' first shot at a major title. Magdaleno is a southpaw who hails from Las Vegas, Nevada and he has pretty nice pop on his punches. Typically he works behind a busy measuring stick jab and he moves well in the ring. Behind the jab is what might be Magdaleno's best punch, his straight left hand. He also has a quick right hand and he always seems to do a nice job of throwing enough but also moving enough to avoid serious danger. Dos Santos is an orthodox fighter with good power. However, his resume isn't filled with any real notable names outside of Kid Galahad. Also, Dos Santos hails from, and has mostly fought in his native Brazil, a country more known for producing fighters skilled in Brazilian jiu-jtsu than boxing. Dos Santos doesn't jab that much and he doesn't move very well in the ring but he does have a strong right hand and a solid left hook. However, against a skilled fighter like Magdaleno, Dos Santos would probably need a knockout for the win. That knockout won't come for Dos Santos in this fight as Magdaleno gets the very wide unanimous decision win.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Edgar Brito: Perhaps the most exciting edition to Saturday's card will be the professional debut of Shakur Stevenson (0-0, 0 KO). Stevenson made a name for himself when he won a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics and now he looks to embark on what could be a very good professional career. Stevenson will be taking on Edgar Brito (3-2-1, 2 KO) and the fight is scheduled to go six rounds from the featherweight division. Stevenson is a southpaw with a nice idea of what he wants to do in the ring. As an amateur he had a tendency to slap with his right hook but that is something many amateur fighters do and then correct as professionals. He did show a good jab and behind in a nice straight left hand and on the inside he does a very nice job of landing uppercuts. With Top Rank banking on Stevenson becoming a star they certainly won't throw him to the wolves anytime soon so don't expect Brito to be a serious threat. Brito is an orthodox fighter who flicks a jab out without really intending for it to land. Instead he relies on a nice left hook and wide right hand to do damage and win him fights. Also, Brito tends to stand right in front of his opponent which will be good for Stevenson. Of all the fights on the card this one will probably be the least competitive. Stevenson may show some nerves and over excitement at times but eventually he will settle down and cruise to a unanimous decision victory.
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