Super Middleweight: 2012, Jul 9-15
Kelly Pavlik got back into the rankings mix this weekend, winning a pedestrian but still clear decision over perhaps slightly overrated but very game #12 Will Rosinsky in California. In conjunction with his 2008 164 pound catchweight decision win over Jermain Taylor, and his arguable win over now-discredited former prospect Alfonso Lopez notwithstanding, Pavlik settles firmly into the top 10 at #7. Given his solid effort and Pavlik’s residual status as former Middleweight champion, Rosinsky avoids sliding down the list too far, perching at #14 after flip-flopping with currently-injured Anthony Dirrell. Due to Pavlik’s debut, last weeks #s 7-11 and 14-20 each slip one spot, including Andy Lee, who exits the top 10 after 11 weeks in, and George Groves, who is forced out of the top 20 after clinging to a ranking for 29 weeks in a row.
Next Fight: 9/8/2012- vs. LHW Champ Chad Dawson Ward and Dawson are now set to make history in September. As far as I know, this may be the first time in history a reigning champion has challenged for a championship at a lower weight. Since Dawson and Ward will be fighting at or below both the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight limits, both Championships will be on the line as far as I’m concerned.
1) Carl Froch (7-317-317)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: Unknown Bute is exercising his rematch clause, but not until probably March. In the interim, Froch will fight in November, and wants Kessler.
2) Mikkel Kessler (7-396-396) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Both Pavlik and Froch are jonesing for a fight with the Viking Warrior. 3) Lucian Bute (7-326-326)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Bute will exercise his rematch clause to fight Froch in March, and is a possible opponent for Kelly Pavlik in the fall.
4) Robert Stieglitz (30-150-150) Last Fight: 5/5/2012- UD12 Nader Hamdan (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #6 Arthur Abraham Stieglitz vs. Abraham is official- August 25 in Berlin. 5) Thomas Oosthuizen (30-58-106)
Last Fight: 4/27/2012- UD10 Marcus Johnson (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/2/2012- vs. Rowland Bryant (UNR) Oosthuizen will be fighting in New York against Rowland Bryant, the athletic fighter that put a beating on Librado Andrade in a big upset earlier this year. 6) Arthur Abraham (30-142-142)
Last Fight: 3/31/2012- UD12 Piotr Wilczewski (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #4 Robert Stieglitz See Stieglitz’s notes, above. 7) Kelly Pavlik (1-1-1) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- UD10 #12 Will Rosinsky Next Fight: Unknown Pavlik will likely return in October, possibly against Bute or Kessler. 8) Adonis Stevenson (1-31-31) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 8/11/2012- vs. Don George (UNR) After no fewer than 7 contenders turned him down, Stevenson has finally found an August dance partner in fringe prospect/gatekeeper Don George. 9) Peter Quillin (1-63-63) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD10 Winky Wright (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Quillin appears likely to fight on September 8, perhaps against Marco Antonio Rubio. If this fight is announced, Quillin will be removed since he has not fought over the 160 limit since last July. 10) Sakio Bika (1-30-275)
Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika became the 6th known fighter to turn down a shot at Adonis Stevenson.
11) Andy Lee (1-70) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Karoly Balzsay (1-12) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay had a 7/7 date tentatively set to fight Brian Magee, but he reportedly was still in relaxation mode after his last fight, and hadn’t resumed serious training. The fight appears to be off for the moment. 13) Anthony Dirrell (4-32) Last Fight: 12/2/2011- TKO4 Renan St. Juste (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Dirrell had been all set for a somewhat goofy vacant title opportunity against the underwhelming Nikola Sjekloca, but Dirrell crashed his motorcycle, breaking an arm and leg. He’s expected to be out of action until approximately November at the earliest. 14) Will Rosinsky (1-4) Last Fight: 6/14/2012- UD8 #17 Aaron Pryor, Jr. Next Fight: 7/7/2012- vs. Kelly Pavlik (UNR) Rosinsky and Pavlik are both jumping into the ring after only a few weeks’ break when they do battle on HBO on July 7. 15) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (1-35) Last Fight: 5/26/2012- RTD9 Jose Maria Guerrero (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown There is word of negotiations for a potential fight with James DeGale. 16) Glen Johnson (1-88) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- L(UD12) vs. #3 Lucian Bute Next Fight: 7/13/2012- vs. Andrzej Fonfara (UNR) (at LHW) Johnson will now be in a clear gatekeeper role for the first time since he knocked out Yusaf Mack in 2009 when he takes on Polish steroid user/prospect Andrzej Fonfara on Friday Night Fights on July 13- apparently at Light Heavyweight. 17) Dimitri Sartison (1-106)
Last Fight: 4/21/2012- L(TKO12) vs. Karoly Balzsay (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Sartison unfortunately underwent another knee surgery following his loss to Balzsay, and will be out until at least October. It’s looking more and more likely that he’ll never be the same fighter. 18) Bryan Vera (1-75) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- UD8 Taronze Washington (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: 8/11/2012- vs. Sergio Mora (UNR) (at MW) Vera will give Sergio Mora a rematch of their competitive bout from early 2011. Both of these guys are all over the map with their performances, so this could go either way. The fight will be at 160. 19) Jesus Gonzales (1-53) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 20) James DeGale (1-39) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO4 Cristian Sanavia (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown May be up for a very good test against Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye next.
English undefeated prospect Rocky Fielding needed just over 2 minutes to stop Hungarian journeyman Ferenc Hafner in Sheffield, while the all-Tanzania fight between gatekeeper Francis Cheka and journeyman Japhet Kaseba was cancelled at the last minute.
Dan’s Top 20 Champ: Andre Ward (30-164-164) Last Fight: 12/17/2011- UD12 #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: 9/8/2012- vs. LHW Champ Chad Dawson Ward and Dawson are now set to make history in September. As far as I know, this may be the first time in history a reigning champion has challenged for a championship at a lower weight. Since Dawson and Ward will be fighting at or below both the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight limits, both Championships will be on the line as far as I’m concerned.
1) Carl Froch (7-317-317)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: Unknown Bute is exercising his rematch clause, but not until probably March. In the interim, Froch will fight in November, and wants Kessler.
2) Mikkel Kessler (7-396-396) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Both Pavlik and Froch are jonesing for a fight with the Viking Warrior. 3) Lucian Bute (7-326-326)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Bute will exercise his rematch clause to fight Froch in March, and is a possible opponent for Kelly Pavlik in the fall.
4) Robert Stieglitz (30-150-150) Last Fight: 5/5/2012- UD12 Nader Hamdan (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #6 Arthur Abraham Stieglitz vs. Abraham is official- August 25 in Berlin. 5) Thomas Oosthuizen (30-58-106)
Last Fight: 4/27/2012- UD10 Marcus Johnson (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/2/2012- vs. Rowland Bryant (UNR) Oosthuizen will be fighting in New York against Rowland Bryant, the athletic fighter that put a beating on Librado Andrade in a big upset earlier this year. 6) Arthur Abraham (30-142-142)
Last Fight: 3/31/2012- UD12 Piotr Wilczewski (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #4 Robert Stieglitz See Stieglitz’s notes, above. 7) Kelly Pavlik (1-1-1) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- UD10 #12 Will Rosinsky Next Fight: Unknown Pavlik will likely return in October, possibly against Bute or Kessler. 8) Adonis Stevenson (1-31-31) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 8/11/2012- vs. Don George (UNR) After no fewer than 7 contenders turned him down, Stevenson has finally found an August dance partner in fringe prospect/gatekeeper Don George. 9) Peter Quillin (1-63-63) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD10 Winky Wright (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Quillin appears likely to fight on September 8, perhaps against Marco Antonio Rubio. If this fight is announced, Quillin will be removed since he has not fought over the 160 limit since last July. 10) Sakio Bika (1-30-275)
Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika became the 6th known fighter to turn down a shot at Adonis Stevenson.
11) Andy Lee (1-70) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Karoly Balzsay (1-12) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay had a 7/7 date tentatively set to fight Brian Magee, but he reportedly was still in relaxation mode after his last fight, and hadn’t resumed serious training. The fight appears to be off for the moment. 13) Anthony Dirrell (4-32) Last Fight: 12/2/2011- TKO4 Renan St. Juste (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Dirrell had been all set for a somewhat goofy vacant title opportunity against the underwhelming Nikola Sjekloca, but Dirrell crashed his motorcycle, breaking an arm and leg. He’s expected to be out of action until approximately November at the earliest. 14) Will Rosinsky (1-4) Last Fight: 6/14/2012- UD8 #17 Aaron Pryor, Jr. Next Fight: 7/7/2012- vs. Kelly Pavlik (UNR) Rosinsky and Pavlik are both jumping into the ring after only a few weeks’ break when they do battle on HBO on July 7. 15) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (1-35) Last Fight: 5/26/2012- RTD9 Jose Maria Guerrero (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown There is word of negotiations for a potential fight with James DeGale. 16) Glen Johnson (1-88) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- L(UD12) vs. #3 Lucian Bute Next Fight: 7/13/2012- vs. Andrzej Fonfara (UNR) (at LHW) Johnson will now be in a clear gatekeeper role for the first time since he knocked out Yusaf Mack in 2009 when he takes on Polish steroid user/prospect Andrzej Fonfara on Friday Night Fights on July 13- apparently at Light Heavyweight. 17) Dimitri Sartison (1-106)
Last Fight: 4/21/2012- L(TKO12) vs. Karoly Balzsay (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Sartison unfortunately underwent another knee surgery following his loss to Balzsay, and will be out until at least October. It’s looking more and more likely that he’ll never be the same fighter. 18) Bryan Vera (1-75) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- UD8 Taronze Washington (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: 8/11/2012- vs. Sergio Mora (UNR) (at MW) Vera will give Sergio Mora a rematch of their competitive bout from early 2011. Both of these guys are all over the map with their performances, so this could go either way. The fight will be at 160. 19) Jesus Gonzales (1-53) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 20) James DeGale (1-39) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO4 Cristian Sanavia (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown May be up for a very good test against Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye next.
The Week Ahead: Undefeated Mexican prospect Marco Antonio Periban fights Cuban journeyman Lester Gonzalez in Texas on Saturday. #16 Glen Johnson is also in action, but at 175.
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