Matt Godfrey / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Joseph R. Holzer previews Saturday's cruiserweight battle between Marco Huck and Matt Godfrey.

Matt Godfrey isn't a global road warrior. In fact, last time he ventured outside the U.S., he received the only blemish on his record by unanimous decision against Rudolf Kraj in Germany. It was also Godfrey's first bout with "Iceman" John Scully as his official trainer.

"I wouldn't say we got robbed," Scully said of the excursion. "I would say that if we did a couple things a bit differently -- and especially I would say that if they were to have a rematch now -- that Matt Godfrey would beat him."

The confidence shared by fighter and trainer has been a catalyst in Godfrey's next leg of his journey to cruiserweight supremacy. On Saturday, Godfrey (20-1, 10 KOs) returns to Germany, this time against WBO titleholder Marco Huck.

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Tonight on HBO: Devon Alexander vs Andriy Kotelnik & Tavoris Cloud vs Glen Johnson

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Michael Nelson preview tonight's HBO Boxing After Dark main-event between junior-welterweights Devon Alexander and Andriy Kotelnik.  Check out Michael's preview of the show's opening bout... Storm Brewing in St. Louis: Tavoris Could vs Glen Johnson Preview

Devon Alexander was the favorite going into his March clash with Juan Urango, but nobody had beaten Urango in impressive fashion. Ricky Hatton punched and grabbed his way to victory against Urango after a body shot knocked the wind out of the British superstar. Andre Berto took note of Hatton's strategy and did the same last year.

So Alexander wasn't just battling Urango that night, he was battling the perception that the way to beat the Colombian slugger was to use spoiling tactics and stink the place out, crowd be damned. Once Alexander used smart (not excessive) movement, a heady strategy, and ambitious combinations to knock Urango out, he separated himself as more dynamic than Urango's previous opponents and became a fan favorite.

He'll try to do the same tonight against 140 pound stalwart Andriy Kotelnik.

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Glen Johnson / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Michael Nelson previews this weekend's light-heavyweight showdown between Tavoris Cloud and Glen Johnson.

Hardcore boxing fans know the feeling. The buzz from a fight that wasn't layered with hype and HBO specials, but still has the hair on your arms standing straight as you await the opening bell. Anticipation souring through your veins because you're about to witness styles that compliment each other flawlessly.

Enter Tavoris Cloud and Glen Johnson. Barring an early round knockout, disqualification, or injury, this bout has little choice but to be good, and has potential to be breathtaking.

The equation is simple: no backward steps, plus no clinching, plus an abundance of testicular fortitude, equals all action. Mix in Cloud's explosive combinations with The Road Warrior's legendary durability and it's easy to see how it might be a fight of the year candidate.

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Juan Manuel Marquez / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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By Lee Payton

World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez knocked out Juan Diaz in the 9th round of a back and forth war last year. Since then the champ has been beaten like never before. The challenger hasn't been able to find his groove either. Still, these two made for such fierce combat the first time around, it looks like a match made in fistic heaven stylistically. We know they're going to tear into each other again, but I find this match-up especially compelling and difficult to call because of what has changed.

I wish there were more rematches in boxing. Apart from giving the fighters more opportunity to prove themselves, return bouts demonstrate just how important timing is in this sport. I'm often stunned at how many fans assume the winner of the first one would come out on top every time. Things are a little different now than when they first hooked up, and while I'm expecting another thriller, I wouldn't be surprised if the younger man came out on top this time around.

It's difficult to get past the fact that Diaz not only lost to Paulie Malignaggi at least once, he was even wobbled in the rematch by a guy who doesn't hurt anyone. Marquez put him away rather violently with his accurate combination power punching. It would make perfect sense if the first meeting left fractures in his ability to take the kind of punishment that he was dealt the first time.

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Daniel Jacobs / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Joseph R. Holzer previews Saturday night's HBO PPV undercard.

The televised undercards of Saturday night's lightweight championship rematch will be fought with heavy hands as well as heavy hearts.

After a series of injuries that amounted to Jorge Linares stepping between the ropes just four times since 2007, the Tokyo-based Venezuelan will face hard-hitting Rocky Juarez in a lightweight bout.

Linares (28-1, 18 KOs), once a red-hot prospect and now a legitimate title contender, is seeking his second-consecutive victory since his lone defeat, a shocking first-round knockout at the hands of Juan Carlos Salgado in October. A victory could put the 24-year-old in place to vie for the 135-pound strap on the line in the main event between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz.

Juarez, on the other hand, is boxing's equivalent of the bridesmaid. The soft-spoken Houston native (28-6-1, 20 KOs) is a perennial title-challenger who is 0-4-1 in major championship bouts. He is seemingly at the plateau of his career if not in decline but remains a dangerous opponent with his thunderous right hand.

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Ivan Calderon / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Corey Erdman takes an early look at the recently confirmed Ivan Calderon-Giovanni Segura 108lb clash.

For those holding a microscope over the sport of boxing, go ahead and keep it there. Squint one eye and look closely, all the way down to the light flyweight division, where you'll find that one of the best fights that can possibly be made in the sport is on its way.

As originally reported by BoxingScene.com, undefeated WBO 108-lb champion Ivan Calderon (34-0-1, 6 KO) will meet his contemporary, WBA titlist Giovanni Segura (24-1-1, 20 KO) in a unification bout on August 28 in Puerto Rico. It wasn't long ago that this bout seemed like an impossibility. Before his landslide victory over Jesus Iribe on the June 12 edition of Top Rank Live, Calderon indicated to me that negotiations for a Segura bout could not get past the issue of location. Not to mention, the date now reserved for Segura was originally slated to be a mandatory title defense against Filipino Johnriel Casamero (14-0-0, 8 KO).

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Andre Dirrell / Photo © Justin McKie

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Michael Nelson completes his look at the Super-Six final group stage match-ups with a quick break-down of Andre Ward vs Andre Dirrell.

I'm sure this will be an ugly fight. I'm sure Ward will try to bully Dirrell the way he bullied Green, and I'm sure Dirrell will look like a fish out of water at times.

But I'm not sure it will be without drama.

The Matrix is the only opponent Ward has seen professionally that can match his hand speed. He's the most comfortable in the tournament with throwing uppercuts, which makes ducking down and rushing him to get inside risky. And he can be dangerous when his back touches the ropes - something that happened right before he knocked out Hanshaw, staggered Froch, and knocked down Abraham.

In other words, this ain't Green. With a size, reach, and power advantage, Dirrell is more physically gifted than Ward. At any moment he can counter with a blow that concusses or cuts, so Ward will have to be more varied in his attack than he was with Allan.

Ward is the more versatile, natural fighter. He looks as if he was born to box, while Dirrell has the appearance of an athlete with boxing gloves on. That may be the difference in the fight; everything else nearly equal, the safe bet is to go with the guy who feels most at home inside the squared circle.

Nevertheless, while Froch vs. Abraham will likely be the most exciting bout in stage three, this fight between two amateur buddies has the potential to surprise the most fans. I expect Ward to face the stiffest test of his career.

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Carl Froch / Photo © Justin McKie

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Michael Nelson continues his look at the final group stage match-ups with a quick break-down of Carl Froch vs Arthur Abraham.

Neither of these fighters come roaring out the gates, but Abraham is historically the slower starter. That doesn't bode well for King Arthur - if he loses the first half of the fight, he'll be in a deficit against someone who finishes as strong as he does. Jermain Taylor, and to an extent Andre Dirrell, was compromised by fatigue against Abe in a way Froch won't be.

Can a leopard change its spots after tasting defeat? It's possible, but guys with a turtle shell defense usually don't become whirlwinds overnight. They're programmed to think defense first. To give himself a solid chance though, Abraham will have to at least do damage in the early going, even if he's dropping rounds in the process.

Of course, Arthur has several highlight reel knockouts in his resume, and Froch was hurt by Taylor and Dirrell. To his credit, Carl recovered quickly in both instances. So what happens when Abe catches him with his head up and hands down will be compelling.

Catching The Cobra may be more difficult than previously thought though. While Pascal and Taylor landed several flush punches, Kessler had trouble connecting with damaging blows. It'll be especially critical for Abraham to start off with some urgency if Froch fights with the same defensive focus he had against the Dane.

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