Promoter Frank Warren began the year battling Covid-19 and his luck hasn't improved a great deal when it comes to his first show of 2021.
We should have been talking about Carl Frampton bidding to become a three-weight world champion against Jamel Herring, but the Belfast man had to withdraw with a hand injury, and then the new headline contest of Anthony Cacace versus Lyon Woodstock fell at the final hurdle when the latter tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. The show still goes ahead on BT Sport but, with mainly prospects and relatively unknown quantities getting their turn in the spotlight, it could be a minefield for punting.
Thankfully, there are some big names in action on DAZN's two live shows and they don't come much bigger than Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, who is expected to make light work of Avni Yildrim in front of a decent crowd at the home of the Miami Dolphins in the early hours of Sunday morning.
While it might not go down as well with my wife, I am looking forward to the novelty of live big-fight action as an accompaniment to breakfast as Joseph Parker and Junior Fa do battle for local bragging rights in New Zealand on Saturday morning (around 7am Saturday UK time).
This is probably the biggest bout ever to happen on the island and is really big news down under, but it came so close to not happening when Auckland was forced into a snap lockdown after a Covid-19 outbreak. Those restrictions were lifted on Monday and this highly-anticipated contest is good to go, much to delight of the Kiwi fans.
These two shared a ring on four occasions as amateurs and the score is level at two wins apiece, but it is Parker who has raced ahead as a professional and is a top price of 1/9 to claim this decider.
Parker captured the WBO heavyweight title with a win over Andy Ruiz Jr in 2017 (form which worked out very well) and successfully defended it before heading to the UK for three big fights. The first saw him outpoint Hughie Fury before a huge unification match with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff, where he took the Watford man the distance for the first time but fell well short on the cards. His up-and-downer with Dillian Whyte just four months later in July 2018 was much closer and more exciting, but it ended in another points defeat for Parker. Three routine stoppage wins have followed and he is now aiming to prove he deserves another title shot.
For Fa, it is case of attempting prove he belongs on the world stage as he has fought nobody of real note in racking up 19 straight wins in the paid ranks, and this is the acid test. While ultimately picking up a wide decision, Fa was given plenty to think about by Devin Vargas (21-5) when last seen in November 2019, and he was dropped and unimpressive when going the distance with veteran Dominick Guinn five months earlier. A 7/2 chance as he steps up markedly in class, will Fa sink or swim?
A skilful amateur with a big frame, the underdog will be looking to keep this long and use his height and reach to box on the outside. However, as Vargas and Guinn showed, it isn't too tricky to find a way past those long levers and the quicker Parker should be able to do the same to land his shots. There are also questions marks over Fa's stamina and any issues with his engine may not have been helped by minor surgery ahead of their original date of December 12, forcing him to have a break from training before resuming last month.
This all points to the younger and busier Parker wearing his man down, with the 2/1 available about him winning in ROUNDS 7-12 rating much better value than the 8/11 for the more experienced man gaining a stoppage at any time. The favourite is a good all-rounder with a sound jab and respectable power, and his advantages in most departments should be enough for him to prevail.
Posted at 1130 GMT on 26/02/21
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