Middleweight: 2012, May 14-20

Thursday in the Budapest, #2 Grzegorz Proksa was fed a comically easy opponent in 1-1 Hungarian novice Rudolf Varga, stopping him in round 3 of a scheduled 4 just a few pounds over the middleweight limit.

In much more consequential action, sensational #16 Gennady Golovkin dispatched Japanese gatekeeper Makoto Fuchigami just as quickly when the two met in the Ukraine.

Golovkin, with his most impressive victory to date, advances from #16 to #14, forcing Avtandil Khurtsidze and Max Bursak down a spot each.

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

Champ: Sergio Martinez (109-109-109)

Last Fight: 3/17/2012- RTD11 #3 Matthew Macklin

Next Fight: 9/15/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent

Sergio has signed a contract to fight the Chavez-Lee winner, with 9/15 being the tentative date. Recent news indicates that the contract is non-binding, but would lead to Chavez being stripped of his alphabet title if he dishonors it. It also provides that if Lee wins, that fight would be in Argentina.

1) Daniel Geale (47-152-152)

Last Fight: 3/7/2012- UD12 #11 Osumanu Adama

Next Fight: 8/25/2012- vs. #7 Dmitry Pirog

It’s evidently an open question whether the WBO will sanction Geale-Pirog. Sturm is Geale’s backup plan if that falls through.

2) Grzegorz Proksa (33-57-57)

Last Fight: 5/10/2012- TKO3 Rudolf Varga (UNR)

Next Fight: 7/7/2012- vs. Kerry Hope (UNR)

After his silly exhibition in Budapest, it’s back to business as he rematches journeyman Kerry Hope in July.

3) Felix Sturm (5-452-452)

Last Fight: 4/13/2012- RTD9 Sebastian Zbik (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

See Geale’s notes above.

4) Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (5-50-68)

Last Fight: 2/4/2012- UD12 #10 Marco Antonio Rubio

Next Fight: 6/16/2012- vs. SMW #11 Andy Lee

See Martinez’ notes, above.

5) Matthew Macklin (5-47-138)

Last Fight: 3/17/2012- L(RTD11) vs. Champ Sergio Martinez

Next Fight: Unknown

Macklin deserves a break after a taxing effort against Martinez.

6) Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (15-81-81)

Last Fight: 5/4/2012- UD12 #15 Max Bursak

Next Fight: Unknown

The WBO has ordered a fight between N’Dam and Pirog.

7) Dmitry Pirog (2-94-94)

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

Next Fight: Unknown

See N’Dam’s notes, above.

8) Martin Murray (2-24-24)

Last Fight: 12/2/2011- Draw(SD12) vs. #3 Felix Sturm

Next Fight: 6/16/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent

Murray is scheduled for a June 16 return in Manchester. He was originally scheduled to fight on that very date against Chavez before visa issues scuttled that one.

9) Anthony Mundine (11-15-68)

Last Fight: 10/19/2011- UD12 Rigoberto Alvarez (UNR) (at JMW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Mundine wants Chavez foremost, but would settle for Trout or Geale.

10) Sam Soliman (11-11-13)

Last Fight: 2/19/2012- UD12 #15 Garth Wood

Next Fight: Unknown

11) Marco Antonio Rubio (10-68)

Last Fight: 2/4/2012- L(UD12) vs. #7 Julio Cesar Chavez

Next Fight: 6/9/2012- vs. Jorge Cota (UNR)

Rubio is set to fight undefeated prospect Jorge Cota in Mexico on June 9.

12) Osumanu Adama (10-60)

Last Fight: 3/7/2012- L(UD12) vs. #1 Daniel Geale

Next Fight: Unknown

Adama came up short against Geale, but has nothing to be ashamed of. He frequently took the #1 contender out of his game plan and looked entirely in his league at that lofty level.

13) Paul Williams (11-13)

Last Fight: 2/18/2012- UD12 #17 Nobuhiro Ishida (as JMW)

Next Fight: Unknown

Williams is likely to fight on Showtime on June 30, with Joachim Alcine reportedly interested.

14) Gennady Golovkin (1-48)

Last Fight: 5/12/2012- TKO3 Makoto Fuchigami (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

The explosive Golovkin is climbing the rankings slowly but surely, destroying all that stands in his way.

15) Avtandil Khurtsidze (1-68)

Last Fight: 12/18/2011- W(MD12) vs. Ossie Duran (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

The WBC has ordered Khurtsidze to defend his new goofy color-coded belt against gatekeeper Domenico Spada.

16) Max Bursak (1-68)

Last Fight: 5/4/2012- L (UD12) vs. #6 Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam

Next Fight: Unknown

17) Demetrius Andrade (11-39)

Last Fight: 5/5/2012- KO1 Rudy Cisneros (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Andrade showed chilling power in destroying easy mark Cisneros.

18) Darren Barker (11-31)

Last Fight: 10/1/2011- L(KO11) vs. Champ Sergio Martinez

Next Fight: Unknown

Barker bowed out of opportunities to fight Murray and Pirog, and now we have a possible reason as he has apparently been injured for a while, needs surgery, and is done until the fall.

19) Billi Godoy (11-30)

Last Fight: 4/13/2012- UD10 Carlos Baldomir (UNR)

Next Fight: Unknown

Godoy needs a lot of improvement if he’s going to fight his relative peers in the rankings. He had more than a little trouble with crude and old Carlos Baldomir.

20) Nobuhiro Ishida (11-11)

Last Fight: 5/1/2012- L(UD12) vs. #8 Dmitry Pirog

Next Fight: Unknown

Barely challenged Pirog at all, but has enough mileage left on the Kirkland upset to remain at #20 for the moment.

The Week Ahead: No significant action in the division this week.

This entry was posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:56 am and is filed under Middleweight, Rankings with tags Daniel Geale, Felix Sturm, Gennady Golovkin, Grzegorz Proksa, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Makoto Fuchigami, Matthew Macklin, Sergio Martinez. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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