Super Middleweight: 2012, Jun 18-24
This past Thursday, in a battle of guys that arguably deserve to own wins over Edwin Rodriguez, Will Rosinsky emerged with an 8-round decision over #17 Aaron Pryor, Jr. in Rosinsky’s New York back yard.
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 (4-314-314)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: Unknown The two most likely fights for Froch at this point appear to be the contractually required rematch with Bute (if Bute wants it) or Kessler (if not). Could a third consecutive #1 vs. #2 matchup in this division be too much to ask for?
2) Mikkel Kessler (4-393-393) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Kessler could fight Carl Froch in mid-October. 3) Lucian Bute (4-323-323)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Bute appears uncertain as to whether he’ll exercise his right to a home-field rematch against Froch. It sounds like he’ll fight someone else first, even if so.
4) Robert Stieglitz (27-147-147) 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 (27-55-103)
Last Fight: 4/27/2012- UD10 Marcus Johnson (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/3/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent In the wake of Oosthuizen’s victory over Johnson, Adonis Stevenson has expressed interest in fighting him. 6) Arthur Abraham (27-139-139)
Last Fight: 3/31/2012- UD12 Piotr Wilczewski (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #4 Robert Stieglitz See Stieglitz’s notes, above. 7) Adonis Stevenson (18-28-28) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown DeGale, Oosthuizen, and Edwin Rodriguez have all turned down fights with Stevenson. Now Kelly Pavlik is the next in line, and we’re awaiting his answer. 8) Peter Quillin (9-60-60) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD10 Winky Wright (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown On July 23, it will have been a year since his last fight over the 160 pound limit. 9) Sakio Bika (9-27-272)
Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika proved against Dyah Davis that he hasn’t lost much during his long period of high-level inactivity.
10) Andy Lee (9-9-67) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Lee gets the fight he’s been waiting for, against the best opponent of his career in Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The fight will be in El Paso in mid-June. 11) Karoly Balzsay (9-9) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay has been ordered to defend against fringe contender Brian Magee before the end of July. Magee’s team won the purse bid, and the fight will likely take place in Belfast as a result. 12) Will Rosinsky (1-1) 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. 13) Anthony Dirrell (1-29) 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) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (1-32) 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. 15) Glen Johnson (1-85) 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. 16) Dimitri Sartison (1-103)
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. 17) Bryan Vera (1-72) 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. 18) Jesus Gonzales (27-50) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 19) James DeGale (27-36) 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. 20) George Groves (27-27) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- TKO2 Paul Smith (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Groves’ mandatory British title defense against Kenny Anderson was basically done for 6/30, but problems securing a venue has pushed it back until probably September.
Alejandro Berrio’s scheduled fight on Friday with Evert Bravo fell through. I don’t know why.
Rosinsky may be the last guy to make serious bones off the back of the rapidly sinking Pryor, but he does just that, rocketing from relative obscurity all the way to #12, cutting through a very soft second tier of contenders on his way. Pryor plummets way out of the top 20. I considered demoting Andy Lee for his TKO loss at Middleweight to JC Chavez, Jr., but the two performances Karoly Balzsay turned in prior to his win over Sartison simply make that kind of a move too hard for me to swallow.
Dan’s Top 20 Champ: Andre Ward (27-161-161) 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 (4-314-314)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: Unknown The two most likely fights for Froch at this point appear to be the contractually required rematch with Bute (if Bute wants it) or Kessler (if not). Could a third consecutive #1 vs. #2 matchup in this division be too much to ask for?
2) Mikkel Kessler (4-393-393) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Kessler could fight Carl Froch in mid-October. 3) Lucian Bute (4-323-323)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Bute appears uncertain as to whether he’ll exercise his right to a home-field rematch against Froch. It sounds like he’ll fight someone else first, even if so.
4) Robert Stieglitz (27-147-147) 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 (27-55-103)
Last Fight: 4/27/2012- UD10 Marcus Johnson (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/3/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent In the wake of Oosthuizen’s victory over Johnson, Adonis Stevenson has expressed interest in fighting him. 6) Arthur Abraham (27-139-139)
Last Fight: 3/31/2012- UD12 Piotr Wilczewski (UNR)
Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #4 Robert Stieglitz See Stieglitz’s notes, above. 7) Adonis Stevenson (18-28-28) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown DeGale, Oosthuizen, and Edwin Rodriguez have all turned down fights with Stevenson. Now Kelly Pavlik is the next in line, and we’re awaiting his answer. 8) Peter Quillin (9-60-60) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD10 Winky Wright (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown On July 23, it will have been a year since his last fight over the 160 pound limit. 9) Sakio Bika (9-27-272)
Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika proved against Dyah Davis that he hasn’t lost much during his long period of high-level inactivity.
10) Andy Lee (9-9-67) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Lee gets the fight he’s been waiting for, against the best opponent of his career in Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The fight will be in El Paso in mid-June. 11) Karoly Balzsay (9-9) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay has been ordered to defend against fringe contender Brian Magee before the end of July. Magee’s team won the purse bid, and the fight will likely take place in Belfast as a result. 12) Will Rosinsky (1-1) 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. 13) Anthony Dirrell (1-29) 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) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (1-32) 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. 15) Glen Johnson (1-85) 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. 16) Dimitri Sartison (1-103)
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. 17) Bryan Vera (1-72) 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. 18) Jesus Gonzales (27-50) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 19) James DeGale (27-36) 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. 20) George Groves (27-27) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- TKO2 Paul Smith (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Groves’ mandatory British title defense against Kenny Anderson was basically done for 6/30, but problems securing a venue has pushed it back until probably September.
The Week Ahead: Nothing to report this week.
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