BoxRec

Despite the rampant proliferation of titles, not every boxer can be a champion. Nevertheless, fighters below that category often give far better value for the money than their more prestigious colleagues. Thursday's middleweight match between "King" Gabriel Rosado and Glen "Jersey Boy" Tapia at the Park Theater inside the Monte Carlo Las Vegas (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, 11 p.m. ET) should be one such bout. Win or lose, these two battle-tested veterans always give their all.

Gabriel Rosado vs. Glenn Tapia
Where: Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: Thursday
TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, 11 p.m. ET

Boxers like Rosado (23-11, 1ND, 13 KOs) and Tapia (23-4, 15 KOs) have to have short memories. They can't dwell on past defeats and disappointments. After a while, each bout becomes a new beginning, another chance -- maybe the last chance -- to fulfill their dreams. The money is important, of course, but there's more to it than that.

"I want to entertain. ... This is what I live for," Tapia said. "I love boxing. I love being in that ring more than anything. I want to show people that I'm more than just a prospect, and I'm here to stay."

Rosado put it this way: "I was just a big fan of boxing, and I kind of knew that if I could get into it, I could go somewhere with it. It was just a feeling that I had. ... I got into it strong. I put 100 percent in it."

Guy on 2-fight losing streak and guy on 3-fight losing streak look to get back into title contention by fighting each other. I dunno, it sounds like they're kind of a long ways out.

Whatever doctor sanctioned Tapia to take another beating should be jailed. The guy will end up with brain damage.

The winner of this fight probably still don't even get back into the Top 15, but it could potentially be a competitive matchup for what that's worth.

boxing_rocks wrote:Whatever doctor sanctioned Tapia to take another beating should be jailed. The guy will end up with brain damage.

He's only suffered 4 losses. There's a lot of guys out there that have suffered literally dozens more than that.

Rosado is no huge puncher or nothing. If Tapia has any shot of winning a somewhat meaningful fight again this is it. If he can't get it done here, then he might as well hang 'em up. Same goes for Rosado.

Rosado won via 6th Round TKO