CHESSNOID

There is both a boxing and UFC event this weekend.  Too bad neither one is free. I am looking more forward to the boxing match between Juan Manuel Marquez vs  Floyd Mayweather Jr.  I know PBf is the favorite, but I think there will be an upset.  I caught a few of the 24/7 coverage of these 2 boxers on HBO and was very impressed with Marquez and his training.  I also think Marquez’s experience with his two  tough fights with Manny Pacquiao will benefit him this time around.

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) –

Juan Manuel Marquez weighed in four pounds lighter than American Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the Mexican was greeted by deafening cheers from passionate fans on the eve of Saturday’s non-title welterweight fight.

Five-times world champion Marquez, 50-4-1 (37 knockouts), tipped the scales at 142 pounds (64kgs) in front of a boisterous crowd of around 1,500 at the MGM Grand Hotel’s Garden Arena.

Mayweather, 39-0 (25 KOs) and a heavy favorite to win at his natural weight, registered a surprising 146 pounds (66 kgs) after being booed by the largely Hispanic supporters.

On the MMA side we have the UFC 103 with some great fighters. MMA Weekly:

Main Card Bouts:
-Vitor Belfort (196)*** vs. Rich Franklin (195)†
-Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (226) vs. Junior dos Santos (236)
-Martin Kampmann (169.5) vs. Paul Daley (170)
-Josh Koscheck (170) vs. Frank Trigg (170.25)
-Tyson Griffin (155.5) vs. Hermes Franca (159)**

Preliminary Bouts:
-Efrain Escudero (156)* vs. Cole Miller (155)
-Drew McFedries (185.25) vs. Tomasz Drwal (185)
-Jim Miller (154.5) vs. Steve Lopez (154.5)
-Rafaello Oliveira (155.25) vs. Nik Lentz (155)
-Brian Foster (170.75) vs. Rick Story (170)
-Jason Brilz (205.25) vs. Eliot Marshall (204.75)
-Vladimir Matyushenko (205) vs. Igor Pokrajac (203)
-Robert Emerson (155.5) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (155.5)

I have a couple of picks but I am usually wrong.  I think Belfort will knock out Franklin, CroCop will get an upset and knock out with his infamous leg kick against Dos Santos , and Frank Trigg will either submit or TKO Koscheck.  Those are my picks and I wouldn’t bet on any of them.