Usyk vs Briedis, Matthysse vs Kiram, more: Boxing fight times and TV schedule for January 26-27

Friday, January 26

TyC Sports (ARG), 10:00 pm ET, Gustavo Daniel Lemos vs Ruben Dario Lopez.

Saturday, January 27

ITV Box Office (UK), 3:30 pm ET, Oleksandr Usyk vs Mairis Briedis. A really terrific matchup in the World Boxing Super Series semifinal, and it’s an absolute utter shame that a real U.S. TV deal has not been worked out for these tournaments. Usyk is currently seen as the top cruiserweight in the world, but Briedis is no pushover, and has home field advantage in Latvia. This will unify the WBO and WBC titles. BLH will try to have live coverage.

TyC Sports (ARG), 10:00 pm ET, Martin Fidel Rios vs Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna.

HBO, 10:30 pm ET, Lucas Matthysse vs Tewa Kiram, Jorge Linares vs Mercito Gesta. HBO’s first card of 2018 is, at least on paper, a potential double showcase for Matthysse and Linares, but nothing is really known about Kiram at this level, and you never know until you know for sure. Gesta is a former “next Pacquiao,” in that way that Steve Forbert was the “next Dylan” at one time. Like Forbert, Gesta is a quality operator whose failure to live up to ridiculous expectations doesn’t mean he sucks or anything. BLH will have live coverage.

Azteca (MEX), 11:30 pm ET, Edivaldo Ortega vs Drian Francisco.