RONALD HEARNS vs HARRY JOE YORGEY

Two unbeaten fighters meet on Saturday when Ronald Hearns faces Harry Joe Yorgey in what should be an entertaining 12-round bout in the junior middleweight division, with TV coverage on Showtime.

The fight, for the IBF North American title, is featured on a special edition of the ShoBox series. In the other TV bout, listed as a 10-rounder, unbeaten 168-pounder Andre Dirrell meets the sturdy but perhaps outclassed Derrick Findley.

Hearns has been brought along nicely, and the wide-shouldered son of the legendary Hit Man Thomas Hearns has won 21 fights in a row, which includes a spot on a PPV televised undercard. His last fight was on ShoBox, an easy stoppage win over an ordinary opponent in Montreal.

Yorgey is a lower-profile fighter but the 31-year-old from Bridgeport, PA, has beaten every opponent he has faced (although held to a draw by journeyman Martinus Clay he defeated Clay fairly comfortably on points in a rematch).

I know that Yorgey believes in himself, and he has been seeking a big fight for some time. He was impressive in a Friday Night Fights appearance last August when he soundly outpointed Jason Le Houllier, who was unbeaten going into the fight, in a 12-rounder. Although one judge scored the bout a draw, Yorgey was a clear winner and I made the note that he seemed to have taken his boxing to another level. He used the jab beautifully, landed a nice variety of punches and opened up impressively in the last round to finish the fight on a high note.

Le Houllier, though, was right in front of Yorgey all night and although game and tough he was very hittable. A fast, sharp boxer has a great chance to look good against someone with Le Houllier’s style and limitations, and Yorgey made the most of his opportunity.

On Saturday, both Hearns and Yorgey are taking a step up. This is the most difficult fight that either of them has faced. I think, though, that Yorgey is making the bigger step up in class.

Hearns is being groomed for big things. Tall and long-reaching, he has good boxing ability and hand speed, but even though he is 30 years old he is still essentially at the prospect stage. He has been matched carefully, and Saturday’s fight is the first in which there is a real chance that he could lose because Yorgey is a smart boxer who will be coming to win.

I expect a competitive fight, but I think that one has to go with Hearns here. He is the taller fighter, quite athletic and obviously the superior puncher (Yorgey has just one stoppage win in his last eight fights). I think that the sort of fighter who will give Hearns the most trouble is one who will put him under pressure and who hits hard enough to hurt him significantly, and I don’t believe that Yorgey s that type of fighter.