Hart vs Nicholson coming to ESPN on April 28

April 28 will be another busy Saturday night for fighting, with bouts screening on ESPN, and also up the dial aisle on HBO.

25-year-old Demond Nicholson (18-2-1, 17 KO) will seek to arrest the attempted re-ascent up the 168 ladder by Jesse Hart, and they’ll do a face off at Liacouras Center in Philly, with Top Rank doing promotional honors.

The Maryand native Nicholson — he lives and is trained by Andre Henderson in Laurel — sounded above average pumped for this opportunity on Tuesday night.

“This fight is the one I’ve been waiting for this past year,” said the hitter promoted by Lou DiBella. “I expect world title be knocking on the door afterwards, so it’s time for me to really focus in. Concentrate only on Jesse Hart only, it will be televised on ESPN.”

OK, how does he aim to win, why will he get the W?

“Yes, I will win for sure. I have to win by KO,” he stated. “That is a must because we will be in his backyard, I don’t want to go to the score cards and it be a controversy!”

Very sage bottom lining there; the boxer is putting on the table what SHOULD be the line of thinking, actually, in many if not most of these sorts of matches. You have to assume the local guy will get the judge love so you enter the arena a point or two down…

“Great fight,” enthused DiBella. “Great chance for Nicholson, my guy. Shows me Hart is a Philly fighter; soon after his L, fighting a tough, hungry guy that can punch. Will be good TV and easy to see one or both going down in the fight. Demond is pumped.”

Daniel Jacobs will main event on HBO, against Maciej Sulecki, for those wanting to set the DVR now.

The 23-1 Hart, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, got saddled with an L in his fall fight with Gilberto Ramirez (UD12) and re-bounded with a W (TKO1) over Thomas Awimbono last month. Props to Hart for taking on a live threat, as he could probably just play a waiting game and get a title crack.

Readers, who do you like, Hart or Nicholson, in this 168 showdown?