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Two world titles on television this weekend

DUCK : Steve Cunningham, left, throws a punch a Sebastiaan Rothmann during their cruiserweight clash at the Carnival City Casino in Brakpan, Gauteng. Photo: Gallo Images
DUCK : Steve Cunningham, left, throws a punch a Sebastiaan Rothmann during their cruiserweight clash at the Carnival City Casino in Brakpan, Gauteng. Photo: Gallo Images

BIG-time boxing returns to SuperSport this weekend with two separate world championship tournaments on offer.

The first, in Germany on Saturday night, will be a rematch between Yoan Pablo Hernandez and Steve Cunningham for the IBF cruiserweight title. The action will be broadcast from 8pm on SuperSport 2.

This will be followed on Sunday morning by the clash for the WBC middleweight title between Julio Cesar Chavez jnr and Marco Antonio Rubio. The broadcast starts at 4am on SuperSport 7.

Hernandez and Cunningham faced off last year, but the fight was controversially stopped in the sixth round due to Hernandez sustaining a cut due to a headbutt. He was awarded a technical decision win. Both fighters had their moments, with Hernandez putting the American on the canvas in the opening round.

Cunningham is well-known to South Africans - he squeaked a decision over Sebastian Rothmann in Johannesburg eight years ago - and has been in in big fights against the like of Tomasz Adamek and Marco Huck. Given that he is fighting in Hernandez's backyard, though, the IBF champion is likely to start favourite.

In Texas Chavez jnr will make his second title defence against Rubio. Chavez has had a charmed ride since turning to the pro ranks nine years ago Rubio is a veteran of 58 fights, but looks tailormade for the Mexican star. Rubio doesn't shape terribly well against smooth hitters.

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