A former champion and a number of up-and-coming competitors are all competing in Las Vegas.

While the undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo’s Showtime pay-per-view main event on Saturday will garner the majority of the attention this weekend, boxing fans are in for a treat with an unusually strong PPV undercard featuring a trio of exciting fights.

Unfortunately, undercards for boxing fights these days are rarely jam-packed with compelling contests. And, to be honest, the majority of Alvarez undercards have been particularly lacking in fights that had any significance or intrigue.

That won’t be the case on Saturday in Las Vegas when Alvarez defends his four world titles at 168 pounds in the first matchup of reigning male undisputed champions in the four-belt era of boxing. An intriguing crossroads match, a fight for an interim world title, and a promising young fighter facing a challenging foe are all on the undercard.

Let’s examine each fight on the undercard to see what to watch for.

Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Erickson Lubin — Junior middleweight

Despite being only 27 years old, Lubin appears to have been among the top 10 for a very long time. Lubin still has plenty of time to tie victories together and earn another chance to contend for one or more world championships. This is particularly true in the junior middleweight division, where Charlo’s promotion to face Alvarez may result in the vacanting of several titles very soon. We already know that Charlo will lose his championship as soon as the WBO champion is declared during pre-fight introductions, and interim champion Tim Tszyu will be promoted to world champion. There are still three belts that might be available shortly, and if Lubin can outwork Ramos, he will undoubtedly be considered.

Early in his career, Lubin shown a lot of promise, but it’s possible that he took his first significant step up too soon when he was destroyed by Charlo for the WBC title in the first round in 2017. He and his team got back together, dialled back the competition, and worked their way back up the rankings, earning a WBC trophy before losing to Sebastian Fundora in the ninth round by TKO in one of the best fights of 2022. Any concerns from the Charlo bout that Lubin has a weak chin should have been put to rest given the punishment he received while still retaliating.

Ramos is a fighter that resembles Lubin a lot and is making this transition at roughly the same age and level of experience as Lubin did when he faced Charlo. Ramos, who is 22 years old, is not required to take on a challenge like Lubin since he is still young, but he is skilled, and he and his team think they can make a huge statement in this fight after Ramos was forced to withdraw from a bout with Sergio Garcia because of an injury.

Ramos’ most recent performance, a one-sided thrashing of Joey Spencer on the undercard of Caleb Plant vs. David Benavidez, demonstrated just how good he can be. He performs many of the “little things” correctly and is big, strong, robust. But Ramos is a really good fighter, as Lubin has noted in the run-up to the fight. I thought he looked good when I watched his most recent battle. I’m not Joey Spencer, though. One of the best players in the division is me. I’m the best of the best, and I’m here to demonstrate that. Every time, I want the hardest challenge possible.

Yordenis Ugas vs. Mario Barrios — WBC interim welterweight title

Ugas is a former welterweight champion who defeated Manny Pacquiao in 2021 for the WBA title, effectively ending his career. Because he didn’t choose an easy path or receive any gifts, he is the kind of boxer that diehard boxing fans can support. Early professional setbacks occurred, but Ugas persisted in fighting and working hard to achieve opportunities. Ugas had an opportunity to challenge Shawn Porter for the WBC title in 2019 thanks to an eight-fight winning streak, but ultimately lost on a split decision despite many believing he had done enough to win. Instead of losing steam, Ugas stomped through four victories, capping them off with his victory over Pacquiao to earn the world title.

In his subsequent fight, which is also his most recent battle, Ugas was thoroughly outclassed by Errol Spence Jr., losing the championship and the chance to become unified. However, he now has a second opportunity on a large stage to demonstrate his toughness and establish himself in a division quite comparable to junior middleweight. Terence Crawford is the undisputed welterweight champion after putting on an all-time great performance against Spence, but it appears that he’s ready to leave the division. As a result, several belts are now available for grabs, and an interim champion would almost certainly be promoted to the status of a world champion.

Barrios is not a particularly good fighter, but he is a good one who has shown he can compete with some of the top athletes in the sport. Barrios engaged in combat with Gervonta “Tank” Davis in June 2021, but was ultimately defeated and suffered his first professional setback. Barrios earned respect for a strong performance on a huge platform despite losing. He moved up to the welterweight class and lost his next bout by decision to Keith Thurman.

Barrios may have merely reached its peak. Barrios is the kind of competitor you don’t hate to see named on any event, but there are many fighters who have made a decent life by being a step below exceptional. He is also only 28 years old, and if he defeats Ugas, he will be in the running to become world champion.

Elijah Garcia vs. Jose Resendiz — Middleweight

Garcia, who is only 20 years old and has a 15-0 record with 12 knockouts, is a serious prospect. He is highly regarded by Premier Boxing Champions, and for good cause. The middleweight category is in desperate need of some new players, and Garcia has thus far in his career proven himself. In order to raise Garcia’s profile, PBC has also made sure to include him on important cards, as they are doing once more today.

In 2021, Resendiz made a surprise error and lost to shady journeyman Marcos Hernandez. Resendiz has recovered well from these setbacks, which can often happen to good boxers. In his most recent contest, Resendiz pounded Jarrett Hurd for an unexpected victory that also demonstrated his potential to grow into a middleweight player.

This is simply excellent matchmaking amongst young fighters and is in no way unfair to Garcia. Any winner of this fight will get a chance to compete at 160 pounds.