Light Heavyweight: 2012, Dec 24-30
#13 Super Middleweight Will Rosinsky moved up to 175 last week, struggling to scratch out a narrow 10-round unanimous decision in his hometown of New York against veteran journeyman and former fringe contender Otis Griffin. I can’t find a video of the fight, but the story is that Rosinsky seemed to be trying to snatch rounds with late flurries. I’m a little suspicious that I might not have scored it the same way if I’d had the chance, but in the absence of visual evidence I’ll have to go with the official result. Griffin isn’t currently good enough to earn Rosinsky a ranking at this weight, so no changes. For what it’s worth, Rosinsky says 175 is too big for him, and he’ll go back down to 168, or perhaps even 160.
Champ: Andre Ward (16-16-16) Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 Champ Chad Dawson (at SMW) Next Fight: 2/23/2012- vs. SMW #8 Kelly Pavlik (at SMW) A Ward injury has postponed his scheduled fight with Kelly Pavlik until February 23. 1) Chad Dawson (16-343-343)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- L(TKO10) vs. SMW Champ Andre Ward (at SMW)
Next Fight: 3/23/2013- vs. #3 Jean Pascal Jean Pascal tore a shoulder muscle and tendon, but somehow still expects to be good to go against Dawson on March 23. 2) Bernard Hopkins (16-342-342)
Last Fight: 4/28/2012- L(MD12) vs. #2 Chad Dawson
Next Fight: 3/9/2012- vs. #5 Tavoris Cloud Hopkins appeared likely to fight Nathan Cleverly, but instead opted for Tavoris Cloud. The fight will take place in Brooklyn. 3) Jean Pascal (16-184-184)
Last Fight: 12/14/2012- UD10 Alexei Kuziemski (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/23/2013- vs. #1 Chad Dawson See Dawson’s notes, above.
4) Gabriel Campillo (16-131-131)
Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L*(UD12) vs. #3 Tavoris Cloud (Robbery)
Next Fight: 1/19/2013- vs. Sergei Kovalev (UNR) Campillo will now officially fight hot prospect Sergei Kovalev on January 19, in Bethlehem, PA, on NBC Sports. 5) Tavoris Cloud (16-174-174)
Last Fight: 2/18/2012- UD12* vs. #4 Gabriel Campillo (Robbery)
Next Fight: 3/9/2013- vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Perhaps Cloud’s reasoning for pulling out of the Murat fight had something to do with his apparently better-than-expected chances of landing a much more lucrative Hopkins battle- a fight that now appears set for March. 6) Cornelius White (16-24-54) Last Fight: 7/14/2012- UD12 #10 Dmitri Sukhotski Next Fight: Unknown White is on a tear. Is he really top-5 good? I wouldn’t think so, but he proves me wrong every time I feel I might be overrating him. 7) Nathan Cleverly (16-151-151)
Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO8 Shawn Hawk (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/16/2013- vs. Robin Krasniqi (UNR) Cleverly will be fighting a long-rumored fight with fringe prospect Robin Krasniqi on March 16 in the UK. 8) Tony Bellew (24-63-63) Last Fight: 11/17/2012- UD12 Roberto Feliciano Bolonti (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bellew wants Chad Dawson, but Dawson is apparently otherwise occupied with Pascal. 9) Karo Murat (16-65-86) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO7 Sandro Siproshvili (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown No idea what’s next for Murat after Cloud left him at the proverbial altar. 10) Beibut Shumenov (16-127-131) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD12 Enrique Ornelas (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown 11) Isaac Chilemba (6-47) Last Fight: 9/29/2012- UD8 Rayco Saunders (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chilemba came in a bit heavy, but performed as expected, shutting out journeyman Rayco Saunders. 12) Vyacheslav Uzelkoff (6-47) Last Fight: 12/15/2012- TKO1 Giorgi Marosi (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Uzelkoff easily dispatched Marosi, in a fight so last-minute that I didn’t even know about it a week in advance. 13) Andrzej Fonfara (6-24) Last Fight: 11/16/2012- TKO7 Tommy Karpency (UNR) Next Fight: 3/22/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Fonfara is scheduled to be in action on March 22 in Chicago. No opponent yet. 14) Yusaf Mack (6-131)
Last Fight: 11/17/2012- L(KO3) vs. #1 SMW Carl Froch (at SMW)
Next Fight: Unknown It’s no shame to lose to Carl Froch, but Mack’s showing was bad enough that you’ve got to wonder if he’s finished. 15) Jürgen Brähmer (16-36) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- UD10 Vikapita Meroro (UNR) Next Fight: 2/2/2013- vs. Eduard Gutknecht (UNR) Braehmer has reportedly rescheduled his fight with Gutknecht for early February. We’ll see if he follows through this time- always a big “if” with him. 16) Lucian Bute (8-8) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 #16 Denis Grachev Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. SMW #1 Carl Froch (at SMW) Bute barely beat Grachev, and even more barely did so at light heavyweight, but I’ve still got to rate him. He’ll now fight a rematch with Froch in March or April. 17) Denis Grachev (8-35) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- L(UD12) vs. SMW #4 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Grachev put forth a valiant effort against a heavy favorite in Bute, even after presumably draining almost all the way to 168. As a result, his ranking remains mostly intact. 18) Dmitri Sukhotski (8-113) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO1 Vladimir Borovsky (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Mikkel Kessler (8-32) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO3 Brian Magee (UNR) (at SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Kessler dismantled Brian Magee, but that was at 168. I don’t know if Kessler plans to compete at light heavy again anytime soon. 20) Tony Averlant (8-39) Last Fight: 11/9/2012- UD6 Lubo Hantak (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown It looks like Averlant’s profile hasn’t benefited much from what should have been a victory over a fringe contender from back in March, as he’s back to fighting awful opponents in 6-rounders.
Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)
Champ: Andre Ward (16-16-16) Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 Champ Chad Dawson (at SMW) Next Fight: 2/23/2012- vs. SMW #8 Kelly Pavlik (at SMW) A Ward injury has postponed his scheduled fight with Kelly Pavlik until February 23. 1) Chad Dawson (16-343-343)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- L(TKO10) vs. SMW Champ Andre Ward (at SMW)
Next Fight: 3/23/2013- vs. #3 Jean Pascal Jean Pascal tore a shoulder muscle and tendon, but somehow still expects to be good to go against Dawson on March 23. 2) Bernard Hopkins (16-342-342)
Last Fight: 4/28/2012- L(MD12) vs. #2 Chad Dawson
Next Fight: 3/9/2012- vs. #5 Tavoris Cloud Hopkins appeared likely to fight Nathan Cleverly, but instead opted for Tavoris Cloud. The fight will take place in Brooklyn. 3) Jean Pascal (16-184-184)
Last Fight: 12/14/2012- UD10 Alexei Kuziemski (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/23/2013- vs. #1 Chad Dawson See Dawson’s notes, above.
4) Gabriel Campillo (16-131-131)
Last Fight: 2/18/2012- L*(UD12) vs. #3 Tavoris Cloud (Robbery)
Next Fight: 1/19/2013- vs. Sergei Kovalev (UNR) Campillo will now officially fight hot prospect Sergei Kovalev on January 19, in Bethlehem, PA, on NBC Sports. 5) Tavoris Cloud (16-174-174)
Last Fight: 2/18/2012- UD12* vs. #4 Gabriel Campillo (Robbery)
Next Fight: 3/9/2013- vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Perhaps Cloud’s reasoning for pulling out of the Murat fight had something to do with his apparently better-than-expected chances of landing a much more lucrative Hopkins battle- a fight that now appears set for March. 6) Cornelius White (16-24-54) Last Fight: 7/14/2012- UD12 #10 Dmitri Sukhotski Next Fight: Unknown White is on a tear. Is he really top-5 good? I wouldn’t think so, but he proves me wrong every time I feel I might be overrating him. 7) Nathan Cleverly (16-151-151)
Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO8 Shawn Hawk (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/16/2013- vs. Robin Krasniqi (UNR) Cleverly will be fighting a long-rumored fight with fringe prospect Robin Krasniqi on March 16 in the UK. 8) Tony Bellew (24-63-63) Last Fight: 11/17/2012- UD12 Roberto Feliciano Bolonti (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bellew wants Chad Dawson, but Dawson is apparently otherwise occupied with Pascal. 9) Karo Murat (16-65-86) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- TKO7 Sandro Siproshvili (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown No idea what’s next for Murat after Cloud left him at the proverbial altar. 10) Beibut Shumenov (16-127-131) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD12 Enrique Ornelas (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown 11) Isaac Chilemba (6-47) Last Fight: 9/29/2012- UD8 Rayco Saunders (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chilemba came in a bit heavy, but performed as expected, shutting out journeyman Rayco Saunders. 12) Vyacheslav Uzelkoff (6-47) Last Fight: 12/15/2012- TKO1 Giorgi Marosi (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Uzelkoff easily dispatched Marosi, in a fight so last-minute that I didn’t even know about it a week in advance. 13) Andrzej Fonfara (6-24) Last Fight: 11/16/2012- TKO7 Tommy Karpency (UNR) Next Fight: 3/22/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Fonfara is scheduled to be in action on March 22 in Chicago. No opponent yet. 14) Yusaf Mack (6-131)
Last Fight: 11/17/2012- L(KO3) vs. #1 SMW Carl Froch (at SMW)
Next Fight: Unknown It’s no shame to lose to Carl Froch, but Mack’s showing was bad enough that you’ve got to wonder if he’s finished. 15) Jürgen Brähmer (16-36) Last Fight: 4/21/2012- UD10 Vikapita Meroro (UNR) Next Fight: 2/2/2013- vs. Eduard Gutknecht (UNR) Braehmer has reportedly rescheduled his fight with Gutknecht for early February. We’ll see if he follows through this time- always a big “if” with him. 16) Lucian Bute (8-8) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 #16 Denis Grachev Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. SMW #1 Carl Froch (at SMW) Bute barely beat Grachev, and even more barely did so at light heavyweight, but I’ve still got to rate him. He’ll now fight a rematch with Froch in March or April. 17) Denis Grachev (8-35) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- L(UD12) vs. SMW #4 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Grachev put forth a valiant effort against a heavy favorite in Bute, even after presumably draining almost all the way to 168. As a result, his ranking remains mostly intact. 18) Dmitri Sukhotski (8-113) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO1 Vladimir Borovsky (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Mikkel Kessler (8-32) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO3 Brian Magee (UNR) (at SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Kessler dismantled Brian Magee, but that was at 168. I don’t know if Kessler plans to compete at light heavy again anytime soon. 20) Tony Averlant (8-39) Last Fight: 11/9/2012- UD6 Lubo Hantak (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown It looks like Averlant’s profile hasn’t benefited much from what should have been a victory over a fringe contender from back in March, as he’s back to fighting awful opponents in 6-rounders.
The Week Ahead: No fights of note at 175 this week.
Dan's Weekly Boxer Rankings and Blog 
February 18, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Hey Dan this Otis. I won the fight with Rosinsky ; look for the evidence when Broadway boxing airs it. I hurt him in every round. FYI I’ve never been a fringe contender I have been in the top 15 for 6yrs. Also been the victim of many robberies 6 to be exact: rosinsky,agnew,Hawk,mack,lacy,mince…..
February 18, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Hi Otis! Thanks for reading and commenting. I think you’re the first person I’ve written about on here to do so! I’ll see if I can find a video and watch the Rosinsky fight. I want to say I saw it pop up on a site I get a lot of my non-US TV fights from recently. I had you in my rankings until the Murat fight. I’ll try to watch all the fights you mentioned if possible, and if I agree that you won all of them it’ll certainly get you back in the mix here. I don’t accept the official results blindly when I can help it. I will say that I did see the Hawk fight. To be perfectly candid and fair, I did think Hawk had an argument because I saw several very close rounds and scored the majority of them for you, but I did score it in your favor 96-93. That being said, even if it could legitimately have gone either way, the judging was shameful. Two of the judges had it 97-92 Hawk, which to me means they gave him every benefit of the doubt and then blatantly blew at least one round that you clearly won. Even the judge that scored it in your favor had a weird card- at 98-94 he must have either scored 3 rounds even or else scored 2 even and didn’t give you credit for the knockdown. That would be a reasonable card by European standards, but no judge should ever score 3 rounds even in a 10 round fight here in America. If you’re interested in reading my report on that fight, here it is: https://danboxing.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/light-heavyweight-2011-oct-24-30/
Interestingly, Rosinsky also suffered a borderline robbery that same weekend.
I use “fringe contender” as shorthand for a fighter that’s top 25 but not top 10, give or take. No shame in that- or at least none intended. I keep a close eye on the fighter’s I’d rank in the top 20-25 based on overall accomplishment (specifically wins, draws, and robbery losses against top 50 opposition) in the last 5 years, and in most cases trust boxrec to tell me who else is in the top 50, etc., unless I have a good reason to disagree with their rankings (such as the effects of a known robbery). To be honest, I can’t currently agree that you’re in the top 15, but I’ll check out the fights you mentioned to the extent possible and maybe that will change my mind. I try to check out every important fight as they happen, but sometimes a lack of accessible video makes that difficult, and I certainly haven’t gone back and watched all of the ones that I missed prior to the time I started my 175 rankings in June 2010. But I’m all about getting it right, so I will do what I can to examine those fights for foul play. Thank you for caring enough to bring them to my attention. I’ll let you know once I’ve seen the videos, or if I’m having trouble finding one in case you can help me find them. If you don’t mind, please keep in touch regarding your upcoming fights and results.
February 23, 2013 at 3:54 pm
Hey Otis, I wanted to let you know that I’ve now seen the Lacy and Rosinsky fights. Well…mostly. I found the Lacy fight on YouTube, but it was missing about a round and a half for some reason. Worst case scenario, you deserved a draw. If you won the missing round, you won the fight on my card. I can’t agree with you on Rosinsky, though. You’ve got an argument I think, because there were some rounds I gave to Rosinsky in which you landed the single best punches, but I had it 96-94 for him. The difference for me overall was effective aggressiveness and ring generalship. More often than not, he owned the center of the ring and had your back to the ropes while he dictated the pace. Close fight, but I can’t say that I thought you won. I’m still going to see about checking out Agnew and Mack.