Junior Middleweight: 2011-2012, Dec 26- Jan 1
Michael Medina pulled off a reasonably significant upset in Oklahoma City on Thursday, winning a clear decision over apparently fast-slipping gatekeeper Grady Brewer, who has now had two awful performances in a row after destroying top prospect Fernando Guerrero in June. Medina had failed at his three previous attempts at beating top-50 opposition, dropping a decision in 2008 to a young Vanes Martirosyan, losing a split decision to John Duddy at middleweight in 2010, and getting stopped earlier this year by Saul Roman, also at middleweight. This performance instantly turns him from a journeyman to a top 25 fringe contender, give or take. He would have earned a ranking if Brewer had not already shown his age against Demetrius Andrade. No changes.
2) Cornelius Bundrage (28-73-73) Last Fight: 6/25/2011- UD12 #11 Sechew Powell Next Fight: Unknown K9 is interested in Kirkland, Cotto, and Sergio Martinez. 3) James Kirkland (8-8-8) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- TKO6 #4 Alfredo Angulo Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. #6 Carlos Molina Kirkland will be fighting Carlos Molina on HBO in late January. 4) Miguel Cotto (4-82-82) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- RTD10 #20 Antonio Margarito Next Fight: Unknown Cotto’s options for his next fight include Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr, Sergio Martinez, Mayweather, and Canelo, but we know he won’t get Sergio until at least the summer. 5) Erislandy Lara (4-25-47) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- L*(MD12) vs. #6 Paul Williams Next Fight: 2/11/2012- vs. Ronald Hearns (UNR) After challenging a bunch of bigger names, Lara will take a tune-up on February 11 against journeyman Ronald Hearns. 6) Carlos Molina (25-25-40) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- UD10 #7 Kermit Cintron Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. #3 James Kirkland Another big opportunity for Molina, as he gets Kirkland in late January. 7) Alfredo Angulo (8-118-118) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- L (TKO6) vs. James Kirkland (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Angulo had no shortage of guts, but appeared a bit physically overmatched against a beastly incarnation of Kirkland. 8) Ryan Rhodes (4-114-114) Last Fight: 11/26/2011- W (PTS8) vs. Sergei Khomitski (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Rhodes wants a shot at Bundrage. 9) Austin Trout (4-4-47) Last Fight: 11/11/2011- TKO6 Frank LoPorto (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Trout wants Cotto, Rodriguez, and Kirkland, and also has apparently mutual interest in fighting Lara.
10) Sechew Powell (4-4-93) Last Fight: 6/25/2011- L(UD12) vs. #3 Cornelius Bundrage Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. Cory Spinks (UNR) Powell will fight Cory Spinks in Springfield, Missouri on January 28. 11) Gabriel Rosado (4-47) Last Fight: 9/9/2011- UD10 Keenan Collins (UNR) Next Fight: 1/21/2012- vs. Jesus Soto Karass (UNR) Rosado has scheduled a TV fight against welterweight fringe contender Jesus Soto Karass in Philadelphia for mid-January. 12) Delvin Rodriguez (4-24) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- UD10* #9 Pawel Wolak Next Fight: Unknown There appears to be a decent shot that Rodriguez will be fighting Trout next. 13) Paul Williams (3-47) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- W*(MD12) vs. #17 Erislandy Lara (Robbery) Next Fight: Unknown Williams will likely fight Ishida in January. 14) Brian Rose (3-4) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- W (SD12) vs. #8 Prince Arron Next Fight: Unknown Don’t let the SD fool you. Rose easily beat Arron. But his prior loss to Max Maxwell keeps him from obtaining too lofty a ranking. 15) Vanes Martirosyan (3-30) Last Fight: 10/29/2011- UD10 Richard Gutierrez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Martirosyan could have made a major career move by fighting Angulo, but instead opted to tread water against Gutierrez. 16) Yuri Foreman (3-117) Last Fight: 3/12/2011- L (RTD6) vs. Pawel Wolak (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Foreman’s career currently hangs in the balance, and he reportedly is not sure whether or not to continue fighting. 17) Lukas Konecny (3-20) Last Fight: 5/27/2011- UD12 Hussein Bayram (UNR) Next Fight: 2/?/2012- vs. Zaurbek Baysangurov (UNR) Konecny has agreed to fight Baysangurov in February. The fight will either be in Moscow, Grozny, or Kiev. 18) Deandre Latimore (3-19) Last Fight: 4/16/2011- UD8 Dennis Sharpe (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Antonio Margarito (3-7) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- L (RTD10) vs. #5 Miguel Cotto Next Fight: Unknown Margarito wants a trilogy fight with Cotto in Mexico City. Fat chance. He reportedly has no plans to retire. 20) Prince Arron (3-3) Last Fight: L (SD12) vs. Brian Rose (UNR) Next Fight: 2/24/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Arron is back in action on February 24 in an 8-rounder.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20) Champ: None 1) Saul Alvarez (28-43-58) Last Fight: 11/26/2011- TKO5 Kermit Cintron (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Canelo is reportedly considering Kirkland and Shane Mosley for a possible April 21 date.
2) Cornelius Bundrage (28-73-73) Last Fight: 6/25/2011- UD12 #11 Sechew Powell Next Fight: Unknown K9 is interested in Kirkland, Cotto, and Sergio Martinez. 3) James Kirkland (8-8-8) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- TKO6 #4 Alfredo Angulo Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. #6 Carlos Molina Kirkland will be fighting Carlos Molina on HBO in late January. 4) Miguel Cotto (4-82-82) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- RTD10 #20 Antonio Margarito Next Fight: Unknown Cotto’s options for his next fight include Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr, Sergio Martinez, Mayweather, and Canelo, but we know he won’t get Sergio until at least the summer. 5) Erislandy Lara (4-25-47) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- L*(MD12) vs. #6 Paul Williams Next Fight: 2/11/2012- vs. Ronald Hearns (UNR) After challenging a bunch of bigger names, Lara will take a tune-up on February 11 against journeyman Ronald Hearns. 6) Carlos Molina (25-25-40) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- UD10 #7 Kermit Cintron Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. #3 James Kirkland Another big opportunity for Molina, as he gets Kirkland in late January. 7) Alfredo Angulo (8-118-118) Last Fight: 11/5/2011- L (TKO6) vs. James Kirkland (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Angulo had no shortage of guts, but appeared a bit physically overmatched against a beastly incarnation of Kirkland. 8) Ryan Rhodes (4-114-114) Last Fight: 11/26/2011- W (PTS8) vs. Sergei Khomitski (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Rhodes wants a shot at Bundrage. 9) Austin Trout (4-4-47) Last Fight: 11/11/2011- TKO6 Frank LoPorto (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Trout wants Cotto, Rodriguez, and Kirkland, and also has apparently mutual interest in fighting Lara.
10) Sechew Powell (4-4-93) Last Fight: 6/25/2011- L(UD12) vs. #3 Cornelius Bundrage Next Fight: 1/28/2012- vs. Cory Spinks (UNR) Powell will fight Cory Spinks in Springfield, Missouri on January 28. 11) Gabriel Rosado (4-47) Last Fight: 9/9/2011- UD10 Keenan Collins (UNR) Next Fight: 1/21/2012- vs. Jesus Soto Karass (UNR) Rosado has scheduled a TV fight against welterweight fringe contender Jesus Soto Karass in Philadelphia for mid-January. 12) Delvin Rodriguez (4-24) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- UD10* #9 Pawel Wolak Next Fight: Unknown There appears to be a decent shot that Rodriguez will be fighting Trout next. 13) Paul Williams (3-47) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- W*(MD12) vs. #17 Erislandy Lara (Robbery) Next Fight: Unknown Williams will likely fight Ishida in January. 14) Brian Rose (3-4) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- W (SD12) vs. #8 Prince Arron Next Fight: Unknown Don’t let the SD fool you. Rose easily beat Arron. But his prior loss to Max Maxwell keeps him from obtaining too lofty a ranking. 15) Vanes Martirosyan (3-30) Last Fight: 10/29/2011- UD10 Richard Gutierrez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Martirosyan could have made a major career move by fighting Angulo, but instead opted to tread water against Gutierrez. 16) Yuri Foreman (3-117) Last Fight: 3/12/2011- L (RTD6) vs. Pawel Wolak (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Foreman’s career currently hangs in the balance, and he reportedly is not sure whether or not to continue fighting. 17) Lukas Konecny (3-20) Last Fight: 5/27/2011- UD12 Hussein Bayram (UNR) Next Fight: 2/?/2012- vs. Zaurbek Baysangurov (UNR) Konecny has agreed to fight Baysangurov in February. The fight will either be in Moscow, Grozny, or Kiev. 18) Deandre Latimore (3-19) Last Fight: 4/16/2011- UD8 Dennis Sharpe (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Antonio Margarito (3-7) Last Fight: 12/3/2011- L (RTD10) vs. #5 Miguel Cotto Next Fight: Unknown Margarito wants a trilogy fight with Cotto in Mexico City. Fat chance. He reportedly has no plans to retire. 20) Prince Arron (3-3) Last Fight: L (SD12) vs. Brian Rose (UNR) Next Fight: 2/24/2012- vs. Unknown Opponent Arron is back in action on February 24 in an 8-rounder.
The Week Ahead: No action in the division this week, but Happy New Year anyway!
Dan's Weekly Boxer Rankings and Blog 
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