Super Middleweight: 2012, Oct 1-7
In the main event of HBO’s broadcast on Saturday night, #20 Edwin Rodriguez cut through undefeated but untested Jason Escalera like butter for the most part. The fight was very close to being stopped in the first round, but Escalera was able to survive and hang around in the fight- seldom with any success- until the 8th round, when Steve Smoger mercifully stopped the fight. Escalera was not in the same league.
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 LHW Champ Chad Dawson
Next Fight: Unknown Ward has floated Andre Dirrell and Kelly Pavlik as possible opponents. 1) Carl Froch (19-329-329)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: 11/17/2012- vs. LHW #11 Yusaf Mack After the negotiations initially appeared to have failed, Froch eventually secured a fight with Yusaf Mack, afterall.
2) Arthur Abraham (6-154-154)
Last Fight: 8/25/2012- UD12 #4 Robert Stieglitz
Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Abraham is a hot commodity in the division again. He is already scheduled for a return on December 15, with Mikkel Kessler reportedly interested, and with the winner of Geale also being a possibility. 3) Mikkel Kessler (6-408-408) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: 12/8/2012- vs. Brian Magee (UNR) Kessler fights fringe contender Brian Magee in Herning, Denmark on December 8. 4) Lucian Bute (6-338-338)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: 11/3/2012- vs. LHW #15 Denis Grachev (at LHW) Bute will exercise his rematch clause to fight Froch in March, but will be fighting an interim fight in November against otherwise mediocre but hard-hitting light heavyweight Denis Grachev.
5) Robert Stieglitz (6-162-162) Last Fight: 8/25/2012- L(UD12) vs. #6 Arthur Abraham
Next Fight: Unknown Stieglitz was somewhat busted up in the tough Abraham fight, and so I expect him to take a few months off at least. 6) Thomas Oosthuizen (6-70-118)
Last Fight: 8/2/2012- UD12 Rowland Bryant (UNR)
Next Fight: 11/10/2012- vs. Fulgencio Zuniga (UNR) Oosthuizen will fight Colombia’s Fulgencio Zuniga in South Africa on November 10. 7) Kelly Pavlik (13-13-13) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- UD10 #12 Will Rosinsky Next Fight: Unknown Pavlik at this point appears to be Ward’s most likely next opponent. 8) Adonis Stevenson (13-43-43) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 10/12/2012- vs. Don George (UNR) Stevenson’s ill-fated fight with Don George has been rescheduled for October 12, in Montreal. 9) Sakio Bika (10-42-287) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika has been talking about a willingness to fight Froch, or even to move up and fight Danny Green as high as cruiserweight.
10) Karoly Balzsay (10-10-24) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay pulled out of a scheduled alphabet title defense with fringe contender Brian Magee with a back injury. 11) Andy Lee (13-82) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Anthony Dirrell (10-44) 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. 13) Will Rosinsky (10-16) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- L(UD10) vs. Kelly Pavlik (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 14) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (10-47) Last Fight: 5/26/2012- RTD9 Jose Maria Guerrero (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 15) Dimitri Sartison (10-118)
Last Fight: 4/21/2012- L(TKO12) vs. Karoly Balzsay (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Sartison has been medically cleared following his third knee surgery, and is looking to return in December. 16) Bryan Vera (10-87) Last Fight: 8/11/2012- W(MD12) vs. Sergio Mora (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Vera hasn’t been over 160 since he fought Andy Lee a year ago, and will be removed from the 168 rankings next week if he doesn’t schedule a fight in this division before next week’s update. 17) Jesus Gonzales (10-65) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 18) James DeGale (10-51) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO4 Cristian Sanavia (UNR) Next Fight: 10/13/2012- vs. Hadillah Mohoumadi (UNR) DeGale will have his first fight under promotion of Mick Hennessey when he takes on 2-loss French fringe prospect Hadillah Mohoumadi in England on October 13. 19) George Groves (10-12) Last Fight: 7/28/2012- TKO6 Francisco Sierra (UNR) Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Groves will be back in the ring on December 15, with opponent TBA. 20) Edwin Rodriguez (10-10) Last Fight: 9/29/2012- TKO8 Jason Escalera (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez is now fighting with Andre Ward………for a chance to fight Kelly Pavlik next. Just keeping you on your toes.
Top-50 fighter Francis Cheka fought journeyman Karama Nyilawila in a battle in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania between two guys that were either born in or live in that city. Cheka proved to be at a higher level as expected, chopping down Nyilawila in 6 for a TKO victory.
The fight between Venezuelan fringe contender Gusmyr Perdomo and Brazilian journeyman Luzimar Gonzaga that had been scheduled for Caracas on Saturday has been postponed until October 13.
No changes to the rankings.
Dan’s Top 20 Champ: Andre Ward (42-176-176)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 LHW Champ Chad Dawson
Next Fight: Unknown Ward has floated Andre Dirrell and Kelly Pavlik as possible opponents. 1) Carl Froch (19-329-329)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- TKO5 #1 Lucian Bute
Next Fight: 11/17/2012- vs. LHW #11 Yusaf Mack After the negotiations initially appeared to have failed, Froch eventually secured a fight with Yusaf Mack, afterall.
2) Arthur Abraham (6-154-154)
Last Fight: 8/25/2012- UD12 #4 Robert Stieglitz
Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Abraham is a hot commodity in the division again. He is already scheduled for a return on December 15, with Mikkel Kessler reportedly interested, and with the winner of Geale also being a possibility. 3) Mikkel Kessler (6-408-408) Last Fight: 5/19/2012- KO5 Allan Green (UNR)
Next Fight: 12/8/2012- vs. Brian Magee (UNR) Kessler fights fringe contender Brian Magee in Herning, Denmark on December 8. 4) Lucian Bute (6-338-338)
Last Fight: 5/26/2012- L(TKO5) vs. #2 Carl Froch
Next Fight: 11/3/2012- vs. LHW #15 Denis Grachev (at LHW) Bute will exercise his rematch clause to fight Froch in March, but will be fighting an interim fight in November against otherwise mediocre but hard-hitting light heavyweight Denis Grachev.
5) Robert Stieglitz (6-162-162) Last Fight: 8/25/2012- L(UD12) vs. #6 Arthur Abraham
Next Fight: Unknown Stieglitz was somewhat busted up in the tough Abraham fight, and so I expect him to take a few months off at least. 6) Thomas Oosthuizen (6-70-118)
Last Fight: 8/2/2012- UD12 Rowland Bryant (UNR)
Next Fight: 11/10/2012- vs. Fulgencio Zuniga (UNR) Oosthuizen will fight Colombia’s Fulgencio Zuniga in South Africa on November 10. 7) Kelly Pavlik (13-13-13) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- UD10 #12 Will Rosinsky Next Fight: Unknown Pavlik at this point appears to be Ward’s most likely next opponent. 8) Adonis Stevenson (13-43-43) Last Fight: 4/20/2012- TKO2 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 10/12/2012- vs. Don George (UNR) Stevenson’s ill-fated fight with Don George has been rescheduled for October 12, in Montreal. 9) Sakio Bika (10-42-287) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO10 Dyah Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Bika has been talking about a willingness to fight Froch, or even to move up and fight Danny Green as high as cruiserweight.
10) Karoly Balzsay (10-10-24) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO12 #8 Dimitri Sartison Next Fight: Unknown Balzsay pulled out of a scheduled alphabet title defense with fringe contender Brian Magee with a back injury. 11) Andy Lee (13-82) Last Fight: 6/16/2012- L(TKO7) vs. MW#? Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Anthony Dirrell (10-44) 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. 13) Will Rosinsky (10-16) Last Fight: 7/7/2012- L(UD10) vs. Kelly Pavlik (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 14) Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye (10-47) Last Fight: 5/26/2012- RTD9 Jose Maria Guerrero (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 15) Dimitri Sartison (10-118)
Last Fight: 4/21/2012- L(TKO12) vs. Karoly Balzsay (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Sartison has been medically cleared following his third knee surgery, and is looking to return in December. 16) Bryan Vera (10-87) Last Fight: 8/11/2012- W(MD12) vs. Sergio Mora (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Vera hasn’t been over 160 since he fought Andy Lee a year ago, and will be removed from the 168 rankings next week if he doesn’t schedule a fight in this division before next week’s update. 17) Jesus Gonzales (10-65) Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L(KO1) vs. #9 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown 18) James DeGale (10-51) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- TKO4 Cristian Sanavia (UNR) Next Fight: 10/13/2012- vs. Hadillah Mohoumadi (UNR) DeGale will have his first fight under promotion of Mick Hennessey when he takes on 2-loss French fringe prospect Hadillah Mohoumadi in England on October 13. 19) George Groves (10-12) Last Fight: 7/28/2012- TKO6 Francisco Sierra (UNR) Next Fight: 12/15/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Groves will be back in the ring on December 15, with opponent TBA. 20) Edwin Rodriguez (10-10) Last Fight: 9/29/2012- TKO8 Jason Escalera (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez is now fighting with Andre Ward………for a chance to fight Kelly Pavlik next. Just keeping you on your toes.
The Week Ahead: Two-loss prospect Serge Yannick of Australia by way of Cameroon fights top-level Australian journeyman Nader Hamdan in the town of Ardeer on Friday. The fight is being billed as being for the Australian title. That’s fairly legitimate. That is, if you consider Yannick Australian rather than Cameroonian (I don’t personally know his citizenship status or primary allegiance), and if you either still consider Sakio Bika Cameroonian, or remove him from the equation either for not fighting other Australians or for currently residing in the US.
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