5 things this week in boxing: Sweethearts and southpaws on Valentine's Day weekend

Love is in the air this Valentine’s weekend, but instead of trading roses and chocolates we’re hoping for some luscious in-ring left hooks and handsome uppercuts.

Elton John may have covered “Love Song” in 1970, but just three years later the septuagenarian told us that “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting,” and over at Uncrowned we couldn’t agree more.

So let’s take a closer look at some of the five biggest things to look out for this weekend in the wonderfully weird world of boxing.

1. Zuffa Boxing 03 as Ajagba and Martin search for heavyweight momentum

Zuffa Boxing returns on Sunday with its catchily-named “03” show.

No unnecessary frills around the edge of this one with a manufactured tagline — think of the missed opportunities: “Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Zuffa Crown” or “Let’s Get Ready To … Pretend We Know What’s Going On With The Zuffa League.” Just two apex predator heavyweights ready to throw it down inside Las Vegas’ Meta Apex.

Efe Ajagba is the big favorite coming into this bout, looking to shake off a recent underwhelming draw to Martin Bakole and extend his unbeaten run to seven fights.

If the Nigerian is to do so, he’ll have to inflict the fifth defeat on the record of everyone’s favorite boxing “Prince,” Charles Martin — best known for his brief IBF heavyweight title reign in 2016 until Eddie Hearn broke Matchroom Boxing’s bank to drag him to London.

Martin’s limitations have been exposed time and time again, but hey, it’s the heavyweight division and it’s not just an old adage that “anything can happen.”

2. Dzambekov gets his Paramount+ push!

Forgive my ignorance, but I am assuming that most of you would struggle to name a handful of famous Austrian athletes.

Soccer’s David Alaba? Tennis’ Dominic Thiem? Formula 1’s Niki Lauda? And I suspect more than a thousand downhill skiers…

Well, you can add Umar Dzambekov’s name to that list, as the Chechen-born Austrian — who fights out of Los Angeles — co-features on Zuffa Boxing 03 this Sunday against Ahmed Elbiali.

Dzambekov, 28, is unbeaten as a pro, and luckily for him fights as a light heavyweight — one of eight weight classes Zuffa Boxing is reportedly willing to recognize. The southpaw has passed every test thrown his way with flying colors and now steps in against a wily veteran in Elbiali who has struggled for activity, fighting just four times since 2019.

A big win for Dzambekov could see him christened as Zuffa’s man to lead the charge at 175 pounds.

3. Huck continues his comeback after four-year hiatus

I refused to jump aboard the 2016 throwback Instagram fad that seemed to kick off a few weeks back, but if Marco Huck was to indulge, then you would have seen the German with a shiny IBO cruiserweight title around his waist.

That followed a six-year stretch for Huck as the WBO world cruiserweight champion between 2009-15, the joint-longest reign ever for the division, underlining the now 41-year-old’s place in boxing’s rich annals.

Yeah, Marco Huck has been around for a while.

(picture alliance via Getty Images)

But, like so many, Huck has found turning his back on the sport impossible, and so he continues his return this weekend fighting in Halle, Germany for the 51st time in his pro career.

Huck retired in 2020 only to return in 2024, and now is back, again, fighting Vaclav Pejsar (26-22, 21 KOs) for reasons that only “Kapt’n” will know.

4. Nishida jumps up to 122 pounds to meet Brian Mercado

You’ve guessed it: It’s another case of “Smash glass for emergency Japanese card” this weekend, as Ryosuke Nishida returns up a weight class following his summer loss to Junto Nakatani.

Nishida, now 10-1, takes on the experienced and dangerous Bryan Mercado, who hasn’t lost a fight for — checks notes — 11 years!

Nishida is a former bantamweight world champion and a talented, crafty southpaw who’s jumping up with expectations of gaining world honors once again. He’ll be leaning on the fear of the unknown on Sunday in Osaka, Japan, as Mercado fights outside of his native Mexico for the first time in his 33-bout career.

5. Labinot Xhoxhaj is more than just a good Scrabble score

Before you ask: 43 points. And that’s without using a double word or triple word score!

Now to the important part: Labinot Xhoxhaj defends his EBU European heavyweight title — AND unbeaten record — this weekend against Pezhman Seifkhani (42 points, pathetic!) in Lahr, Germany.

This Dream Boxing! promotion arrives live on DAZN on Saturday night, as the EBU heavyweight strap is tossed back into the limelight, of sorts, after a few years of hibernation.

Names including Tyson Fury, Kubrat Pulev, Joe Joyce, Agit Kabayel, Robert Helenius, Derek Chisora and Audley Harrison have all held this title since the turn of 2010, so keep your eyes on the future of the victor this weekend as they plan their push toward the ever-spinning heavyweight merry-go-round.

Challenger Seifkhani is 35 years old, from Sweden, owns just one loss on his record, and will fight in his eighth different country since turning over in 2015.

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