Junior Middleweight: 2012, Dec 10-16

Saturday in Spodek, Poland, undefeated Polish prospect Damian Jonak got a comfortable 12-round decision win over Belgium-based Ghanaian gatekeeper Jackson Osei Bonsu, but came in as a small middleweight at 155, while Bonsu was under 154.  As a result, he still has yet to earn a significant win as a junior middleweight.  He may get some considering for this win in the future, but as of now he’s technically not eligible for consideration.  What a difference a pound makes.

 

Guido Pitto, an Argentine prospect that was robbed in his only loss, stopped less proven one-loss Lebanese prospect Reda Zam Zam in the 8th round in Herning, Denmark on the same night.  The scorecards were in position for a close split draw at the time of the stoppage, but considering Zam Zam is based in Denmark it wouldn’t surprise me if Pitto was winning every round in reality.

 

Roberto Garcia’s fight with Inocente Fiz failed to come off for the second consecutive time at the last minute.

 

No changes to the rankings.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)

Champ: None

1) Saul Alvarez (32-93-108)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- TKO5 WW#? Josesito Lopez

Next Fight: Unknown

Canelo says he’s open to fighting Austin Trout on the Cinco de Mayo weekend, but sadly Golden Boy is more interested in the guy Trout just beat.

2) Carlos Molina (32-75-90)

Last Fight: 8/17/2012- UD10 Damian Frias (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

3) Cornelius Bundrage (38-123-123)

Last Fight: 6/30/2012- TKO7 #11 Cory Spinks

Next Fight: Unknown

Bundrage has left Don King and signed with Golden Boy, and now says he wants Angulo and Kirkland.

4) Austin Trout (2-28-97)

Last Fight: 12/1/2012- UD12 #6 Miguel Cotto

Next Fight: Unknown

See Alvarez’s notes, above.

5) Erislandy Lara (2-75-97)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- D* (TD9) vs. #15 Vanes Martirosyan (should be win)

Next Fight: Unknown

The WBC will order a re-match of the robbery draw that Lara clearly won in his eliminator with Vanes.

6) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (2-32-32)

Last Fight: 5/5/2012- UD12* #4 Miguel Cotto

Next Fight: Unknown

Mayweather is in discussions to fight Robert Guerrero at welterweight sometime in the first half of 2013.

7) Miguel Cotto (2-132-132)

Last Fight: 12/1/2012- L (UD12) vs. #8 Austin Trout

Next Fight: Unknown

In the aftermath of his defeat, Cotto shrugged off talk of retirement, and may be heartened by news from Golden Boy that Canelo is still intersted in a fight with him.

8) James Kirkland (2-58-58)

Last Fight: 3/24/2012- W*(DQ10) vs. #6 Carlos Molina (Robbery)

Next Fight: Unknown

Kirkland is apparently having managerial problems.

9) Alfredo Angulo (28-168-168)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- KO1 Raul Casarez (UNR)

Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Jorge Silva (UNR)

Angulo will fight undersized but very tough prospect Jorge Silva on December 15.

10) Gabriel Rosado (29-29-97)

Last Fight: 9/21/2012- TKO10 Charles Whittaker (UNR)

Next Fight: 1/19/2013- vs. #3 MW Gennady Golovkin

Rosado is set to fight intimidating middleweight puncher Gennady Golovkin on January 19 in New York.

11) Cory Spinks (26-46)

Last Fight: 6/30/2012- L (TKO7) vs. #3 Cornelius Bundrage

Next Fight: Unknown

Spinks failed to revenge his ugly 2010 TKO loss to Bundrage, but managed to look a little better and capture a round or two this time.

12) Sergey Rabchenko (26-26)

Last Fight: 11/24/2012- W (SD12) vs. Cedric Vitu (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Rabchenko survived a scare against Vitu.

13) Delvin Rodriguez (29-74)

Last Fight: 6/2/2012- L (UD12) vs. #12 Austin Trout

Next Fight: Unknown

Rodriguez had an opportunity to fight Angulo, but passed for some reason.

14) Lukas Konecny (10-70)

Last Fight: 10/6/2012- L* (UD12) vs. Zaurbek Baysangurov (UNR) (Robbery)

Next Fight: Unknown

Konecny all but dominated Baysangurov, but walked away with one of the worst robbery losses I’ve ever seen.

15) Keith Thurman (3-3)

Last Fight: 11/24/2012- TKO4 #16 Carlos Quintana

Next Fight: Unknown

Who knows if he’ll fight at this weight again anytime soon, but it sure suited him.

16) Vanes Martirosyan (3-80)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- D* (TD9) vs. #6 Erislandy Lara (robbery- should be L)

Next Fight: Unknown

Martirosyan clearly lost to Lara, but will get a second opportunity thanks to the failure of 2 judges.

17) Sechew Powell (14-143)

Last Fight: 6/1/2012- L (TKO9) vs. #10 Gabriel Rosado

Next Fight: Unknown

18) Brian Rose (14-54)

Last Fight: 10/5/2012- KO3 Vivian Harris (UNR)

Next Fight: 12/14/2012- vs. Sam Webb (UNR)

Rose will fight journeyman and former British titlist Sam Webb on December 14.

19) Roberto Garcia (14-27)

Last Fight: 3/23/2012- UD10 Antwone Smith (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

20) Anthony Mundine (14-14)

Last Fight: 7/14/2012- TKO7 Bronco McKart (at MW)

Next Fight: 1/30/2013- vs. #1 MW Daniel Geale (at MW)

Mundine’s next fight will be against top Middleweight contender Daniel Geale on January 30, in Sydney.

 

The Week Ahead: #18 Brian Rose looks to make another defense of his British title against another relatively non-threatening opponent from a thin British scene in former British titlist Sam Webb.  Webb lost his title to Prince Arron, from whom Rose won it in dominant fashion.  That fight is Friday in Blackpool, England.

 

Unbeaten Ecuador-born German prospect Jack Culcay sees his toughest challenge to date when he mixes it up in Nuremberg with high-level French journeyman Jean Michel Hamilcaro on Saturday.

 

Later that night in L.A., #9 Alfredo Angulo continues his comeback against undersized but game Mexican action fighter Jorge Silva, who is really a welterweight, but at least showed some quality at that weight via a clear-cut draw with highly-regarded Japanese prospect Yoshihiro Kamegai in October.

Middleweight: 2013, May 13-19

One-loss Australian prospect Jarrod Fletcher stopped low-level Ghanaian journeyman Philip Kotey in 6, having dropped him in the 3rd and swept every round.  No changes to the rankings.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)

Champ: Sergio Martinez (161-161-161)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD12* #9 Martin Murray (Robbery- draw at best)

Next Fight: Unknown

In addition to rightfully doing no better than a draw while beating Murray by way of robbery, Martinez has apparently re-injured his hand and possibly his knee, and is expected to be out of action until 2014.  His mandatory for now is Marco Antonio Rubio, though it’s likely the WBC will pull an Andre Ward and take the full title from him before he returns.  He may take that as an opportunity to go for a much more lucrative Chavez rematch, instead.

1) Martin Murray (3-76-76)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- L* (UD12) vs. Champ Sergio Martinez (Robbery- D at worst)

Next Fight: Unknown

Murray absolutely deserves to be Champion, but there is an argument that Sergio deserved a draw, and thus he retains the Championship by the slimmest margin possible.  There’s absolutely no way Murray lost the fight.  I hope (but doubt) that he’ll get a rematch.  Chavez is also trying to get Murray to replace Vera as his August 3 opponent.

2) Daniel Geale (3-204-204)

Last Fight: 1/30/2013- UD12 #11 Anthony Mundine

Next Fight: Unknown

Geale hopes to announce his next fight this week.  Darren Barker and a stay-busy fight have both been floated.

3) Felix Sturm (3-504-504)

Last Fight: 2/1/2013- L* (UD12) vs. #12 Sam Soliman (on PEDs)

Next Fight: Unknown

The IBF has suspended Sam Soliman for 9 months, and will put Sturm in another eliminator for a shot at Geale.

4) Gennady Golovkin (3-37-100)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- KO3 #19 Nobuhiro Ishida

Next Fight: 6/29/2013- vs. #5 Matthew Macklin

Golovkin-Macklin appears to be on for June 29 on HBO, and that’s huge.

5) Matthew Macklin (3-99-190)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- TKO1 Joachim Alcine (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/29/2013- vs. #4 Gennady Golovkin

See Golovkin’s notes, above.

6) Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (3-102-120)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- L (UD12) vs. Champ Sergio Martinez

Next Fight: 8/3/2013- vs. #18 Bryan Vera

Chavez has apparently settled on Bryan Vera for his next outing, which has been delayed to August 3.  He’s also trying to replace Vera with Martin Murray.

7) Peter Quillin (3-30-51)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- TKO7 Fernando Guerrero (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Quillin looked pretty darned good and as powerful as ever against Guerrero, scoring 4 knockdowns and getting his man out of there.  He’s hoping to fight Geale next.

8) Dmitry Pirog (3-146-146)

Last Fight: 5/1/2012- UD12 #20 Nobuhiro Ishida

Next Fight: Unknown

After bleak reports of his back injury situation surfaced over recent weeks, finally we get a bit of hopeful news, as Pirog’s US promoter Art Pelullo says that Pirog is hoping to return in late August if all goes well.

9) Grzegorz Proksa (3-109-109)

Last Fight: 2/9/2013- UD6 Norbert Szekeres (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/28/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent

Proksa will bounce back from a hand injury and return on June 28 in the US.  No further details yet.

10) Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (11-11-133)

Last Fight: 10/20/2012- L (UD12) vs. #20 Peter Quillin

Next Fight: Unknown

11) Marco Antonio Rubio (9-120)

Last Fight: 3/23/2013- UD12 Marcus Upshaw (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

With Martinez (for whom he is the mandatory) sidelined until 2014, Rubio may get a shot at Sergio’s alphabet belt against someone else in the interim.  Alternatively, I think he is also in line for Quillin’s belt, as well.

12) Anthony Mundine (9-120)

Last Fight: 1/30/2013- L (UD12) vs. #1 Daniel Geale

Next Fight: Unknown

Mundine expects to fight again in late June or July, but doesn’t know against whom or in what division yet.  He has hinted he may be moving back down to 154, and has recently agitated for fights with Trout and Mayweather- both of whom have bigger/smaller fish to fry, I would think.

13) Osumanu Adama (9-112)

Last Fight: 3/16/2012- W(SD10) vs. Grady Brewer (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Adama came in heavy and nearly lost to 42 year-old Grady Brewer.  The fact that he missed weight by only a half pound gives him the opportunity to schedule a middleweight fight by September 7 to maintain a ranking, though.

14) Akio Shibata (2-2)

Last Fight: W (TD9) vs. #18 Makoto Fuchigami

Next Fight: Unknown

Shibata made good on his move up to 160, becoming the clear Japanese champion and the best middleweight in Asia.

15) Darren Barker (2-83)

Last Fight: 3/9/2013- RTD4 Simone Rotolo (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

After apparently losing out to Vera and maybe also to Murray for a shot at Chavez, Barker is now setting his sites on Daniel Geale.

16) Max Bursak (2-120)

Last Fight: 2/2/2013- TKO3 Julien Marie Sainte (UNR)

Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. Prince Arron (UNR)

Bursak will defend his European belt against fallen former British 154 Champion Prince Arron on July 13.  This will be on the very good Monaco card that night.

17) Demetrius Andrade (2-91)

Last Fight: 1/25/2013- UD10 Freddy Hernandez (UNR) (at JMW)

Next Fight: 7/6/2013- vs. Zaurbek Baysangurov (UNR) (at JMW)

Andrade will finally have a significant fight at the 154 pound limit, as he challenges for the ridiculous title of Russia’s Zaurbek Baysangurov in Kiev.

18) Bryan Vera (2-30)

Last Fight: 3/29/2013- TKO7* Donatas Bondorovas (UNR)

Next Fight: 8/3/2013- vs. #6 Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

Vera’s fight with Chavez has been delayed to August 3, and Chavez appears willing to jump ship for Martin Murray if the opportunity arises.

19) Nobuhiro Ishida (4-63)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- L (KO3) vs. #3 Gennady Golovkin

Next Fight: Unknown

Ishida said before the Golovkin fight that he’d retire if he lost.  But that could have just been posturing.  I won’t remove him as a retired fighter until I find some post-fight confirmation of his intentions.

20) Jose Miguel Torres (4-4)

Last Fight: 3/16/2013- TKO4 Javier Gonzalez (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Torres sneaks into the rankings based on a nearly 18 month old upset win over Patrick Majewski, but considering the awful opposition he has faced since, I’m not particularly happy about it.

 

The Week Ahead: Wednesday in New York, Andy Lee will see action against mid-level journeyman Darryl Cunningham.

 

The next night in Flemington, Australia, fringe contender Garth Wood looks to stay busy against low-level South African journeyman Virgil Kalakoda.

 

Finally, Friday in Moscow, 42 year-old gatekeeper Grady Brewer looks to do to undefeated but somewhat untested prospect Dmitry Chudinov what he did to Fernando Guerrero a couple years ago.  Brewer may still have some gas in the tank, but has been inconsistent- turning in fine performances against Adama and Guerrero, but laying eggs against Michael Medina and Demetrius Andrade.

Super Middleweight: 2013, May 13-19

No action or changes this week.

 

Dan’s Top 20

Champ: Andre Ward (74-208-208)

Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 LHW Champ Chad Dawson
Next Fight: Unknown

Ward is said to be planning a return for August.  He has expressed interest in fighting the Froch-Kessler or Bute-Pascal winner at some point.

1) Carl Froch (51-361-361)
Last Fight: 11/17/2012- KO3 LHW #11 Yusaf Mack
Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #3 Mikkel Kessler

The deal is done.  Froch will get a rematch with Kessler on May 25 in London.

2) Robert Stieglitz (8-194-194)

Last Fight: 3/23/2013- TKO3 #2 Arthur Abraham

Next Fight: Unknown

After being blitzed by an uncharacteristically aggressive Stieglitz, Abraham has demanded a trilogy bout, which Stieglitz seems disposed to grant.  Sauerland also seems to be on board.

3) Mikkel Kessler (22-440-440)

Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO3 Brian Magee (UNR)
Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #1 Carl Froch

See Froch’s notes, above.

4) Lucian Bute (38-370-370)

Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 LHW #16 Denis Grachev (at LHW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Bute hurt his hand in training and withdrew from his May 25 bout with Pascal, though it appears likely that fight will be rescheduled.

5) Arthur Abraham (8-186-186)
Last Fight: 3/23/2013- L (TKO3) vs. #5 Robert Stieglitz
Next Fight: Unknown

See Stieglitz’s notes above.

6) Thomas Oosthuizen (38-102-150)
Last Fight: 11/10/2012- UD12 Fulgencio Zuniga (UNR)
Next Fight: 6/29/2013- vs. Brandon Gonzales (UNR)

Oosthuizen will be fighting highly overrated and nominally “undefeated ” prospect Brandon Gonzales on the Golovkin-Macklin undercard.

7) Adonis Stevenson (31-75-75)

Last Fight: 3/22/2013- TKO6 Darnell Boone (UNR) (at LHW)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. LHW #1 Chad Dawson (at LHW)

After tending to unfinished business with the lowly Boone, Stevenson will now set sites on #1 light heavyweight Chad Dawson, who most outlets still consider the Champ.

8) George Groves (17-22-44)

Last Fight: 3/23/2013- TKO2 Baker Barakat (UNR) (at LHW)

Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. Noe Gonzalez (UNR)

Groves will fight Uruguayan gatekeeper Noe Gonzalez on the Froch-Kessler undercard.

9) Sakio Bika (11-13-319)

Last Fight: 2/16/2013- UD12 Nikola Sjekloca (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/22/2013- vs. Marco Antonio Periban (UNR)

Bika will fight undefeated Mexican Marco Antonio Periban in California on June 22 for the WBC belt that that organization just heisted from Andre Ward.

10) Will Rosinsky (2-2-48)

Last Fight: 12/19/2012- UD10 Otis Griffin (UNR) (at LHW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Rosinsky was all but set to fight Brandon Gonzales on Friday Night Fights, but Gonzales withdrew with a bad hamstring.  Sounds like Gonzales is moving on to a higher-reward opportunity with Oosthuizen.

11) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (2-79)

Last Fight: 3/23/2013- W (PTS6) vs. Jevgenijs Andrejevs (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. Christopher Rebrasse (UNR)

Ndiaye battles French gatekeeper Christopher Rebrasse on June 8 in Italy.

12) Dimitri Sartison (2-150)
Last Fight: 1/27/2013- UD6 Artem Solomko (UNR) (at LHW)
Next Fight: Unknown

Sartison’s fight in St. Petersburg, Russia this week appears to have been canceled.

13) James DeGale (2-83)

Last Fight: 12/8/2012- UD12 Fulgencio Zuniga (UNR)

Next Fight: 5/17/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent

DeGale will be fighting in Quebec on May 17.  No opponent yet.  He was supposed to fight Alexander Brand before that fight was postponed.  It doesn’t sound like Brand will be his opponent this time, though.

14) Maxim Vlasov (2-27)

Last Fight: 12/30/2012- RTD7 Geard Ajetovic (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

15) Edwin Rodriguez (2-17)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- W* (UD10) vs. #15 Ezequiel Maderna

Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. #16 LHW Denis Grachev (at LHW)

After getting the benefit of yet another questionable but not totally out-of-bounds decision against Maderna, Rodriguez remains in the mix, but kinda on the periphery of the division’s contenders.  He gets a chance at a million bucks against Grachev, who also arguably deserved to lose his first round fight.

16) Ezequiel Maderna (2-20)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- L* (UD10) vs. #17 Edwin Rodriguez

Next Fight: Unknown

Maderna, despite arguably deserving a win against Rodriguez, did himself few favors in dropping the decision, especially considering how ugly the fight was.  I don’t imagine he’ll be getting too many international suitors anytime soon since he seems difficult to look good against.

17) Dyah Davis (2-12)

Last Fight: 6/2/2012- L (TKO10) vs. #9 Sakio Bika

Next Fight: Unknown

Davis said on May 4 via Twitter that “a particular some(one)” called him on May 3 for a fight, and that based on “that performance” he’d better not call again.  That seems like a veiled reference to Anthony Dirrell to me.  He says he’s looking at a return date of July 19, which also fits reasonably well with Dirrell’s post-fight statement that he intends to fight at 168 in roughly two months.  If I’m reading the situation accurately, that would give both guys a good opportunity to prove they are for real after each has suffered significant setbacks in and/or out of the ring since their last significant success.

18) Don George (2-8)

Last Fight: 3/22/2013- Draw* (SD10) vs. David Lopez (should be win)

Next Fight: 6/21/2013- vs. Caleb Truax (UNR)

Another reasonably decent challenge for George, as he travvels to Caleb Truax’s hometown of Minneapolis for their fight.

19) Hadillah Mohoumadi (2-11)

Last Fight: 1/19/2013- UD10 Cedric Bellais (UNR)

Next Fight: 5/17/2013- vs. Giovanni De Carolis (UNR)

Mohoumadi gets a halfway decent outing on May 17 against borderline top 50 Italian Giovanni De Carolis, for the European Union title.

20) Glen Johnson (2-2)

Last Fight: 4/19/2013- TKO2 Junior Ramos (UNR) (at CW)

Next Fight: Unknown
Johnson should be retired, but instead finds himself clinging to a ranking in a very shallow division.

 

The Week Ahead: #13 James DeGale is still scheduled to fight in Gatineau, Quebec on Friday, but oddly still seems to be lacking an opponent. 

 

The same night in Rome, #19 Hadillah Mohoumadi takes on local fighter Giovanni De Carolis, a borderline top 50 fighter in his own right. 

Light Heavyweight: 2013, May 13-19

Gatekeeper Lionell Thompson came in a pound over the 175 pound limit, and perhaps used that pound to good effect against undefeated prospect Yathomas Riley, who was jailed for nearly 2 years on suspicion of an attempted murder that turned out to be an attempted suicide that he was trying to prevent.  Riley was evidently in no mood to waste time rebuilding after the layoff, as Thompson was his best opponent by a long shot.  Still, Riley managed to keep it to within a round on 2 of the 3 cards (although one of those was John McKaie and therefore hardly counts).

 

With the news this week that the Bute-Pascal fight is off, Pascal is removed from the rankings, even though it was Bute that withdrew.  This might seem unfair, considering the cancellation was none of Pascal’s doing.  But he was already hanging by a thread, having canceled on Chad Dawson previously, and having not fought at or under the light heavyweight limit in very nearly 2 years.  Everyone ranked #4 and below last week moves up a place, including Cedric Agnew, who makes his debut in the top 10.  Perhaps a bit shockingly, the vacant #20 spot is claimed by an apparently shot Glen Johnson.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)

Champ: Andre Ward (36-36-36)

Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 Champ Chad Dawson (at SMW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Ward is looking to return in August, and is reportedly thinking about fighting one of the winners of Kessler-Froch and Pascal-Bute, at least at some point.

1) Chad Dawson (36-363-363)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- L(TKO10) vs. SMW Champ Andre Ward (at SMW)
Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. SMW #7 Adonis Stevenson

Dawson will fight Adonis Stevenson (who moves up from 168) on June 8 in Montreal.

2) Bernard Hopkins (36-362-362)
Last Fight: 3/9/2012- UD12 #6 Tavoris Cloud
Next Fight: 7/27/2013- vs. Karo Murat (UNR)

All the buzz had been revolving around a Hopkins-Cleverly showdown, but with little or no warning, he signed to fight his mandatory, the slightly more proven but inactive Karo Murat, instead.

3) Sergey Kovalev (1-17-17)

Last Fight: 1/19/2013- TKO3 #4 Gabriel Campillo

Next Fight: 6/14/2013- vs. #8 Cornelius White

Kovalev is back in action against another pretty tough opponent on June 14.

4) Gabriel Campillo (1-151-151)
Last Fight: 1/19/2013- L(TKO3) vs. Sergey Kovalev (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/16/2013- vs. #13 Andrzej Fonfara

Campillo will fight Fonfara in an interesting crossroads fight at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

5) Tavoris Cloud (1-194-194)
Last Fight: 3/9/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins
Next Fight: Unknown

Cloud’s manager expects him back in action by the end of the year.  Normally that wouldn’t be saying much, but that would be against type for Cloud.

6) Nathan Cleverly (1-171-171)
Last Fight: 4/20/2013- UD12 Robin Krasniqi (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown

Cleverly is hoping to fight Shumenov and then Hopkins, though he also has a mandatory obligation with Juergen Braehmer to take care of at some point, theoretically.

7) Isaac Chilemba (1-7-67)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #9 Tony Bellew (should be win)

Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #9 Tony Bellew

That didn’t take long!  Chilemba will rematch Bellew on the Froch-Kessler undercard in London, less than two months removed from getting borderline robbed the first time around.

8) Cornelius White (1-44-74)

Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Otis Griffin (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/14/2013- vs. #3 Sergey Kovalev

Moment of truth time for White.  On June 14 we’ll find out if he’s more the guy that beat up Dmitri Sukhotski, or the guy that got sparked out in just seconds by Don George.  If he’s the latter, Kovalev should prove it pretty quickly.

9) Tony Bellew (1-83-83)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #13 Isaac Chilemba (should be loss)

Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #7 Isaac Chilemba

See Chilemba’s notes, above.

10) Cedric Agnew (1-1-5)

Last Fight: 4/12/2013- UD12 #14 Yusaf Mack

Next Fight: Unknown

Agnew may have caught a fading Yusaf Mack at the right time, but he’s clearly a climber, having now beaten both Mack and Otis Griffin.

11) Jürgen Brähmer (1-56)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- TKO2 Tony Averlant (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Braehmer made an easy first defense of his European belt against Averlant.  He is currently the mandatory for Cleverly’s alphabet strap, as well, though it sounds like the Welshman would prefer bigger fish- or at least fish with bigger belts.

12) Beibut Shumenov (1-151)

Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD12 Enrique Ornelas (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown

At one point, it appeared that Shumenov might step in to fight Pascal when Bute withdrew, but that appears to have gone nowhere, as the card was canceled.

13) Andrzej Fonfara (1-44)

Last Fight: 11/16/2012- TKO7 Tommy Karpency (UNR)

Next Fight: 8/16/2013- vs. #4 Gabriel Campillo

Fonfara will get a huge opportunity to launch himself into the top 5 when he takes on Gabriel Campillo in Chicago.

14) Lucian Bute (1-28)

Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 #16 Denis Grachev

Next Fight: Unknown

Bute aggravated a hand injury and is likely out until at least the fall.  This scuttled his anticipated fight with Pascal, and sent Pascal out of the rankings for inactivity as a consequence.

15) Denis Grachev (1-55)

Last Fight: 3/30/2013– W* (SD10) vs. Zsolt Erdei (UNR) (should be draw)

Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. SMW #15 Edwin Rodriguez

Grachev will be fighting Edwin Rodriguez at a catchweight of 171.5 in Monte Carlo for a million dollar prize.

16) Dmitri Sukhotski (1-133)

Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO1 Vladimir Borovsky (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/4/2013- vs. Mikhail Krinitsin

Sukhotski will fight in Barnaul, Russia on June 4 against low-level Kazakh journeyman Mikhail Krinitsin.

17) Eleider Alvarez (1-16)

Last Fight: 3/22/2013- TKO3 Nicholson Poulard (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. Allan Green (UNR)

Though Alvarez no longer has a fight listed on Boxrec, the word is that the undercard fights from Bute-Pascal have all been moved to the Dawson-Stevenson card on June 8.  I will assume that includes Alvarez-Green until I learn otherwise.

18) Yunieski Gonzalez (1-9)

Last Fight: 3/15/2013- KO8 Rowland Bryant (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Gonzalez took a huge step up in competition and made good, knocking out strong fringe contender Bryant. 

19) Doudou Ngumbu (1-6)

Last Fight: 3/16/2013- UD12 #14 Vyacheslav Uzelkoff

Next Fight: Unknown

20) Glen Johnson (1-1)

Last Fight: 4/19/2013- TKO2 Junior Ramos (UNR) (at CW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Strangely, even though Johnson looks completely spent, he is once again ranked (barely) at both 175 and 168.

 

The Week Ahead: Two notables will see action on back to back nights in France.

 

On Friday in Pont-Audemer, local gatekeeper Jonathan Profichet takes on mediocre one-loss fringe prospect Patrick Bois for the vacant French title.

 

Saturday in Marseilles, fringe contender Nadjib Mohammedi fights his 4th consecutive weak opponent in low-to-mid-level journeyman Shalva Jomardishvili of Georgia.

Cruiserweight: 2013: May 13-19

One-loss Colombian prospect Santander Silgado made short work of low-level Argentine journeyman and late replacement Rodolfo De Dominicis in Cartagena, stopping his man in just under a round.

 

No changes to the rankings.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)

Champ: None

1) Denis Lebedev (35-171-171)

Last Fight: 12/17/2012- KO4 Santander Silgado (UNR)

Next Fight: 5/17/2013- vs. Guillermo Jones (UNR)

Lebedev will be fighting inactive titlist Guillermo Jones near Moscow on May 17.

2) Yoan Pablo Hernandez (35-151-151)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- W*(UD12) vs. #20 Troy Ross

Next Fight: Unknown

Hernandez pulled out of his scheduled 2/2 fight with Eric Fields with a fractured hand.

3) Troy Ross (35-35-67)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- L*(UD12) vs. #1 Yoan Pablo Hernandez

Next Fight: Unknown

Quote from Ross’s Twitter: “If the right opportunity arises I will fight again.”  That sounds more like a semi-retired fighter than the guy that just outfought the division’s #1 contender.  Here’s hoping he starts hunting for good fights like a starving mountain man any second now.

4) Ola Afolabi (14-218-218)

Last Fight: 5/5/2012- Draw* (MD12) vs. #4 Marco Huck

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. #7 Marco Huck

Sauerland is now promoting the Huck-Afolabi trilogy match after Don King botched it, and has limited the damage to about a month’s delay, with the fight now set for June 8 in Berlin.

5) Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (14-412-412)

Last Fight: 9/22/2012- UD12 #13 Francisco Palacios

Next Fight: 6/22/2013- vs. Rakhim Chakhkiev (UNR)
Apparently an agreement has been reached for Wlodarczyk to fight undefeated and fringe-contending Russian Olympian Rakhim Chakhkiev in Moscow, June 22.  Wlodarczyk will reportedly have a rematch clause in the event he loses.

6) Firat Arslan (14-53-96)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Varol Vekiloglu (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Arslan easily handled his first opponent under the Sauerland banner, but disappointed a bit in that he failed to stop him.

7) Marco Huck (14-336-336)

Last Fight: 11/3/2012- W*(UD12) vs. #10 Firat Arslan (Robbery)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. #4 Ola Afolabi

See Afolabi’s notes, above.

8) Lateef Kayode (14-50-130)

Last Fight: 6/2/2012- Draw (SD12) vs. ‘Roided up #3 Antonio Tarver

Next Fight: Unknown

There are indications that Kayode may be fighting Eddie Chambers next, though it’s unclear whether it is being discussed for cruiser or heavy.

9) Danny Green (14-27-180)

Last Fight: 11/21/2012- UD12 Shane Cameron (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

As has been the case after every fight since he had very serious surgery a couple years ago, there is speculation that Green may retire following his win over Shane Cameron.  Green himself remains non-committal.

10) B.J. Flores (14-14-151)

Last Fight: 10/6/2012- TKO2 David McNemar (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. Nuri Seferi (UNR)

Don King’s embarrassing failure to make the Huck-Afolabi card happen has claimed Flores-Palacios as collateral damage.  Flores instead will be fighting a month later against Albanian gatekeeper Nuri Seferi, in Albania.

11) Giacobbe Fragomeni (14-235)

Last Fight: 12/15/2012- W*(SD12) vs. #13 Silvio Branco

Next Fight: Unknown

There is some speculation that Masternak might try to lure Fragomeni out of his mandatory shot at Wlodarczyk with a higher monetary offer that might put Masternak in the same position with a victory.

12) Silvio Branco (14-61)

Last Fight: 12/15/2012- L*(SD12) vs. #12 Giacobbe Fragomeni

Next Fight: Unknown

Branco can still hang with whippersnappers like 43 year-old countryman Fragomeni, but you’ve gotta think his active days are numbered at 46.

13) Alexander Alekseev (12-122)

Last Fight: 2/22/2013- UD12* Garrett Wilson (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Alekseev barely squeaked by after building an early lead against Wilson, but it’s still an improvement from his previous fight.

14) Mateusz Masternak (12-59)

Last Fight: 4/13/2013- TKO9 Sean Corbin (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Masternak’s scheduled meeting with Jeremy Ouanna gave way to an even less impressive match-up against Sean Corbin, a mediocre Guyana journeyman best known for beating a totally shot Wayne Braithwaite after being inactive for 2 years.

15) Francisco Palacios (12-111)

Last Fight: 9/22/2012- L(UD12) vs. #7 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk

Next Fight: Unknown

16) Thabiso Mchunu (14-27)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO5 #20 Danie Venter

Next Fight: Unknown

The promoter of Congolese prospect Ilunga Makabu has offered to fight Mchunu, but reportedly met with tepid interest from Mchunu’s camp.

17) Dmytro Kucher (14-46)

Last Fight: 3/21/2013- UD12 Julio Cesar Dos Santos (UNR)

Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. Ilunga Makabu (UNR)

A clash of good-looking prospects is on tap for July 13, as Kucher will meet Junior Makabu in Monaco.

18) Enad Licina (14-151)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO2 Koeksal Orduhan

Next Fight: Unknown

While there hasn’t been a lot of chirping about Licina’s next fight, he appears to have his hands full with Angry Birds Star Wars.  Seriously.  Look him up on Twitter.

19) Grigory Drozd (14-27)

Last Fight: 12/17/2012- UD12 Jean-Marc Monrose (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent

Drozd will apparently be fighting in an unpronounceable Russian town in early June, but no opponent has been named yet.  That’s assuming his recovery from hand surgery goes according to plan.  But an ominous sign has popped up, as it no longer appears on boxrec.

20) Pawel Glazewski (14-14)

Last Fight: 2/23/2013- UD10 Bartlomiej Grafka (UNR)

Next Fight: 6/29/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent

Glazewski returns in late June in Ostroda, Poland.  Probably more or less at light heavyweight.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD: Friday in Moscow, #1 contender Denis Lebedev faces probably the second best opponent of his career in inactive former top 10 contender Guillermo Jones.

 

The following night in London, a mediocre field of cruiserweights populate the ranks of the latest Prizefighter tournament.  There are no top 50 fighters in the field at the moment, but depending on the draw, there is likely to be one or more by the end of the first round, or second at the latest.  The favorites at this point are probably Tony Conquest, Danny McIntosh, and perhaps Neil Dawson.  In the 3-round format, Shane McPhilbin could also be dangerous.

Heavyweight: 2013, May 13-19

Alex Leapai fought as scheduled in Brisbane on Thursday, but his undefeated novice opponent John Napari was replaced by an even weaker challenge in 2-4 Joe Lloyd, who lasted just 78 seconds before succumbing to a knockout.

 

No changes this week.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)

Champ: Wladimir Klitschko (203-416-416)

Last Fight: 5/4/2013- TKO6 Francesco Pianeta

Next Fight: 8/31/2013- vs. #4 Alexander Povetkin

After an easy fight against Pianeta, Klitschko seems to have a big (but probably still easier than it might look on paper) defense against Povetkin.  He’ll get a big payday to travel to Moscow.  This is undoubtedly contingent on Povetkin beating Wawrzyk.

1) Vitali Klitschko (240-240-240)

Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO4 Manuel Charr (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

The WBC has officially ordered Vitali-Stiverne, and it sounds like it will happen.

2) Tyson Fury (4-95-95)

Last Fight: 4/20/2013- KO7 #3 Steve Cunningham

Next Fight: Unknown

Fury is now suddenly the most proven heavyweight not named Klitschko, and will likely get a chance to add to his resume against Kubrat Pulev next, as an eliminator for Wlad in the IBF.

3) David Haye (4-44-44)

Last Fight: 7/14/2012- TKO5 #6 Dereck Chisora

Next Fight: 6/29/2013- vs. Manuel Charr (UNR)

Haye had some good fighters willing to fight him- including Eddie Chambers and possibly Kubrat Pulev.  The disappointment I feel at learning that he will instead fight borderline fringe contender Manuel Charr can not be overstated.

4) Alexander Povetkin (44-290-290)

Last Fight: 9/29/2012- TKO2 Hasim Rahman (UNR)

Next Fight: 5/17/2013- vs. Andrzej Wawrzyk (UNR)

Povetkin is set to fight mediocre-looking undefeated Polish prospect Andrzej Wawrzyk in Moscow, on the Lebedev-Jones undercard.  After that, he will almost certainly have a fight with Wlad on tap for late August.

5) Steve Cunningham (4-21-21)

Last Fight: 4/20/2013- L (KO7) vs. #6 Tyson Fury

Next Fight: Unknown

Only time will tell where Cunningham goes form here.  His hopes for a title shot are dashed at least for awhile.  Perhaps a trilogy with Adamek would make sense at this point.

6) Tomasz Adamek (4-160-160)

Last Fight: 12/22/2012- W (SD12)* vs. CW #4 Steve Cunningham (Robbery)

Next Fight: Unknown

Word is that Adamek will likely be fighting still relatively unproven Newark prospect Joe Hanks on June 14 in that town that they both currently call home.

7) Eddie Chambers (21-48-48)

Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(UD12) vs. #3 Tomasz Adamek

Next Fight: Unknown

Chambers has hinted at negotiations with a fighter with an “animal name.”  Most likely he’s talking about Lateef Kayode.  That fight, if it gets made, could be at either heavyweight or cruiser.

8) Kubrat Pulev (21-54-131)

Last Fight: 9/29/2012- KO11 Alexander Ustinov (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

After negotiatings to fight David Haye failed, it now seems likely Pulev has got Tyson Fury next, for a likely shot at Wladimir Klitschko in early 2014.

9) Dereck Chisora (21-76-139)

Last Fight: 4/20/2013- TKO9 Hector Avila (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

It was announced by Chisora’s team that he’d be fighting Deontay Wilder on June 15, but that fight was apparently dead before it was born, with Wilder’s camp concerned about his ability to go to England for the fight due to a pending assault charge.  It’s likely that Chisora will still fight on June 15, though.

10) Odlanier Solis (8-8-155)

Last Fight: 3/22/2013- UD12 Leif Larsen (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Solis’ promoter wants to get him back in the ring within 3 months after the Larsen fight.

11) Johnathon Banks (8-26)

Last Fight: 11/17/2012- TKO2 #11 Seth Mitchell

Next Fight: 6/22/2013- vs. Seth Mitchell (UNR)

The Mitchell rematch- postponed due to a broken thumb by Banks- has been reset for the Malignaggi-Broner undercard on June 22.

12) Bermane Stiverne (3-11)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD12 #15 Chris Arreola

Next Fight: Unknown

Stiverne is hoping that Vitali doesn’t retire so that he can try and do the honors himself.  At this point he’d be a pretty credible opponent, too.

13) Tony Thompson (3-155)

Last Fight: 2/23/2013- TKO2 David Price (UNR)

Next Fight: 7/6/2013- vs. David Price (UNR)

After originally saying he’d only fight David Price in a rematch if Price came to the US, Thompson has instead agreed to fight in Price’s Liverpool backyard again.

14) Deontay Wilder (3-3)

Last Fight: 4/27/2013- TKO1 Audley Harrison (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

See Chisora’s notes, above.

15) Robert Helenius (3-155)

Last Fight: 3/23/2013- W*(UD10) vs. Michael Sprott (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Helenius’ team confirms another hand injury.  They say it will take 6 weeks to heal, despite rumors that it is more serious.

16) Alexander Dimitrenko (3-122)

Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Ivica Perkovic (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Dimitrenko’s future is in doubt after he struggled mightily to survive a heavy knockdown and outpoint typically inept journeyman Ivica Perkovic.

17) Vyacheslav Glazkov (11-21)

Last Fight: 2/23/2013- Draw* (SD10) vs. Malik Scott (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Glazkov got the benefit of the doubt in every close round from two of the judges against Scott.  It was just about as close to a robbery as you can get without me calling it that. 

18) Malik Scott (11-12)

Last Fight: 2/23/2013- Draw* (SD10) vs. #19 Vyacheslav Glazkov

Next Fight: Unknown

Scott is in Moscow at last check, sparring with Povetkin and Lebedev.

19) Denis Boytsov (3-204)

Last Fight: 2/15/2013- UD8 Samir Kurtagic (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Boytsov’s 2nd best win- over Robert Hawkins- is now over 5 years old, and he has slipped a few spots as a result.  He’s getting closer to obscurity with each passing month.

20) Franklin Lawrence (11-11)

Last Fight: 1/25/2013- Mark Brown (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Lawrence reportedly pulled out of a planned (and very good) crossroads fight with prospect Bryant Jennings.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD: Friday in New York, former Prizefighter Champion Tor Hamer looks to get back on track after quitting on his stool against Vyacheslav Glazkov in December.  He will be in with low-level journeyman Maurenzo Smith.

 

Saturday in Moscow, #4 Alexander Povetkin will stay busy against mediocre-looking undefeated prospect Andrzej Wawrzyk ahead of his anticipated Championship fight with Wlad, tentatively scheduled for August.

Junior Middleweight: 2012, Dec 3-9

Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York, Austin Trout made the transition from contender to star by soundly outboxing future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto.  In doing so, he looked both much bigger and also more skilled than Cotto, while keeping the Puerto Rican superstar on the outside too much to land anything big against him.  My card read 117-111 for Trout, which was the same as John Poturaj (probably my favorite judge) and Steve Weisfeld.  Adelaide Byrd had it even wider at 119-109.  No doubt of the winner, as I thought if you swung the close rounds all to one guy, it would have been anywhere between 115-113 Trout and 119-109 Trout.

 

On the non-TV undercard, borderline top-50 fighter Jorge Melendez of Puerto Rico dropped low-level journeyman James Winchester in rounds 2 and 3, before eventually stopping him on his feet early in the 4th.  Winchester was a late replacement for similarly no-hope Mexican journeyman Cesar Bazan.  The fight was contested at a 155-pound contract weight.

 

Trout cuts his ranking in half, parking at #4.  Cotto falls just one place to #7, since Kirkland’s Ishida and Molina performances still weigh him down a bit too much.  Lara, Mayweather, and Kirkland are also forced down a spot in the re-alignment.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)

Champ: None

1) Saul Alvarez (31-92-107)

Last Fight: 9/15/2012- TKO5 WW#? Josesito Lopez

Next Fight: Unknown

Canelo had been looking seriously at a fight with Canelo, and Golden Boy says the fight is still possible despite Cotto’s loss to Trout.

2) Carlos Molina (31-74-89)

Last Fight: 8/17/2012- UD10 Damian Frias (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

3) Cornelius Bundrage (37-122-122)

Last Fight: 6/30/2012- TKO7 #11 Cory Spinks

Next Fight: Unknown

Bundrage has left Don King and signed with Golden Boy, and now says he wants Angulo and Kirkland.

4) Austin Trout (1-27-96)

Last Fight: 12/1/2012- UD12 #6 Miguel Cotto

Next Fight: Unknown

Trout has placed himself amidst a very prestigious top 5 contenders with his win over Cotto.

5) Erislandy Lara (1-74-96)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- D* (TD9) vs. #15 Vanes Martirosyan (should be win)

Next Fight: Unknown

The WBC will order a re-match of the robbery draw that Lara clearly won in his eliminator with Vanes.

6) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (1-31-31)

Last Fight: 5/5/2012- UD12* #4 Miguel Cotto

Next Fight: Unknown

Mayweather is in discussions to fight Robert Guerrero at welterweight sometime in the first half of 2013.

7) Miguel Cotto (1-131-131)

Last Fight: 12/1/2012- L (UD12) vs. #8 Austin Trout

Next Fight: Unknown

In the aftermath of his defeat, Cotto shrugged off talk of retirement, and may be heartened by news from Golden Boy that Canelo is still intersted in a fight with him.

8) James Kirkland (1-57-57)

Last Fight: 3/24/2012- W*(DQ10) vs. #6 Carlos Molina (Robbery)

Next Fight: Unknown

Kirkland is apparently having managerial problems.

9) Alfredo Angulo (27-167-167)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- KO1 Raul Casarez (UNR)

Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Jorge Silva (UNR)

Angulo will fight undersized but very tough prospect Jorge Silva on December 15.

10) Gabriel Rosado (28-28-96)

Last Fight: 9/21/2012- TKO10 Charles Whittaker (UNR)

Next Fight: 1/19/2013- vs. #3 MW Gennady Golovkin

Rosado is set to fight intimidating middleweight puncher Gennady Golovkin on January 19 in New York.

11) Cory Spinks (25-45)

Last Fight: 6/30/2012- L (TKO7) vs. #3 Cornelius Bundrage

Next Fight: Unknown

Spinks failed to revenge his ugly 2010 TKO loss to Bundrage, but managed to look a little better and capture a round or two this time.

12) Sergey Rabchenko (25-25)

Last Fight: 11/24/2012- W (SD12) vs. Cedric Vitu (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Rabchenko survived a scare against Vitu.

13) Delvin Rodriguez (28-73)

Last Fight: 6/2/2012- L (UD12) vs. #12 Austin Trout

Next Fight: Unknown

Rodriguez had an opportunity to fight Angulo, but passed for some reason.

14) Lukas Konecny (9-69)

Last Fight: 10/6/2012- L* (UD12) vs. Zaurbek Baysangurov (UNR) (Robbery)

Next Fight: Unknown

Konecny all but dominated Baysangurov, but walked away with one of the worst robbery losses I’ve ever seen.

15) Keith Thurman (2-2)

Last Fight: 11/24/2012- TKO4 #16 Carlos Quintana

Next Fight: Unknown

Who knows if he’ll fight at this weight again anytime soon, but it sure suited him.

16) Vanes Martirosyan (2-79)

Last Fight: 11/10/2012- D* (TD9) vs. #6 Erislandy Lara (robbery- should be L)

Next Fight: Unknown

Martirosyan clearly lost to Lara, but will get a second opportunity thanks to the failure of 2 judges.

17) Sechew Powell (13-142)

Last Fight: 6/1/2012- L (TKO9) vs. #10 Gabriel Rosado

Next Fight: Unknown

18) Brian Rose (13-53)

Last Fight: 10/5/2012- KO3 Vivian Harris (UNR)

Next Fight: 12/14/2012- vs. Sam Webb (UNR)

Rose will fight journeyman and former British titlist Sam Webb on December 14.

19) Roberto Garcia (13-26)

Last Fight: 3/23/2012- UD10 Antwone Smith (UNR)

Next Fight: 12/8/2012- vs. Inocente Fiz (UNR)

Garcia’s fight with Fiz appears to be back on for this weekend, in Jamaica.

20) Anthony Mundine (13-13)

Last Fight: 7/14/2012- TKO7 Bronco McKart (at MW)

Next Fight: 1/30/2013- vs. #1 MW Daniel Geale (at MW)

Mundine’s next fight will be against top Middleweight contender Daniel Geale on January 30, in Sydney.

 

The Week Ahead: I’ve got three fights to mention, all on Saturday.

 

In Spodek, Poland, undefeated Polish prospect Damian Jonak takes on Ghanaian gatekeeper Jackson Osei Bonsu.

 

On the Kessler-Magee undercard in Herning, Denmark, should-be undefeated prospect Guido Pitto takes on less advanced one-loss Lebanese prospect Reda Zam Zam.

 

And in Kingston, Jamaica, the previously-postponed matchup between #19 Roberto Garcia and undefeated Cuban Inocente Fiz will hopefully get off the ground.