JASON LITZAU vs VERQUAN KIMBROIUGH

In an interesting supporting bout on Saturday’s “Hook City” PPV show, Jason “American Boy” Litzau moves up to the lightweight division to meet Verquan Kimbrough for the vacant NABF title in a scheduled 10-rounder (although I have seen it listed for 12 rounds, the promoter's bout sheet says 10 rounds).

This will be only Litzau’s second bout since he was overpowered in eight rounds by Robert Guerrero 18 months ago, in an IBF featherweight title bout. He is not a natural lightweight and he took the bout on relatively short notice, but his camp sees the fight as good exposure and a chance to put Litzau on the path towards another world title opportunity.

“Jason’s future is as a 130-pounder and he could still make featherweight for a big enough fight,” Litzau’s manager, Bob Van Syckle, said in a telephone conversation on Thursday. “We only had three and a half weeks’ notice for this fight, but Jason was training for another fight so he’ll be ready.

“That wasn’t the real Litzau against Guerrero. His nerves got the better of him. It was his biggest fight and he just couldn’t get going. We will just have to put it down to experience. I think he’s back to where he was now, and we feel good about this fight although we know Kimbrough’s a slick guy and we’ve been brought in as the opponent [Kimbrough is promoted by Roy Jones Jr.’s Square Ring outfit]. I’d be happy if Jason used his boxing skills and didn’t always go for the knockout, but he loves to put on a show and he becomes so focused on landing big punches that he forgets about defence.”

Forgetting about defence saw Litzau get into trouble against John Nolasco, when he was floored, and again when he was knocked out by Jose Hernandez in a fight he was winning. Kimbrough is not known to be a very hard hitter (just seven opponents stopped in 24 fights) but he has been boxing as a lightweight for three years and has even boxed at junior welter, so purely based on size difference he can hurt Litzau if he catches him cleanly. Litzau has big height and reach advantages, of course, but he loves to get stuck in and let the big punches fly, and if he’s true to form on Saturday either man could end up on the canvas.

I believe that Litzau is a better fighter than he looked against Guerrero, and although his inactivity is a concern I think that he has the speed and the talent to win this fight. That said, I regard this is an “anything can happen” type of fight — I must admit I have gone back and forth on this one all week.

Some might see this as a fight of no great significance and not worthy of a PPV show, but I would disagree. This is what the trade calls a “fun” fight and it should provide excitement. For me, this sort of match is of far greater interest than seeing a blue chip prospect beating up and/or blowing out a hopelessly overmatched opponent.

True, Litzau and Kimbrough are some way removed from top world class, but each man has aspirations of glory and each will do his utmost to win. Each has been stopped, each has shown flaws, but this is exactly what makes a fight such as this so interesting, because no one can be sure of the outcome. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the fight ends inside the scheduled 10 rounds — either way.