Light Heavyweight: 2013, Apr 8-14
Last week’s #12 Karo Murat last made 175 on October 1, 2011. He has fought just once since then, which bought him an extra six months based on my rules, since he missed the weight by less than 2 pounds. He’s been waiting around for a shot at Tavoris Cloud (or Bernard Hopkins for the past month or so), which has been repeatedly frustrated by Don King. But there’s just no excuse- save for injury- for a fighter to be out of the ring for stretches like these. Accordingly, he is removed this week, allowing everyone ranked #13 and below last week to advance. Doudou Ngumbu assumes the #20 position on the strength of his recent win over 14th-ranked Vyacheslav Uzelkoff.
Champ: Andre Ward (31-31-31) Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 Champ Chad Dawson (at SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward’s attention seems fixed a division or two (or three) to the south, as the recent names associated with him have been Chavez, Mayweather, and Golovkin. 1) Chad Dawson (31-358-358)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- L(TKO10) vs. SMW Champ Andre Ward (at SMW)
Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. SMW #7 Adonis Stevenson Dawson will fight Adonis Stevenson (who moves up from 168) on June 8 in Montreal. 2) Bernard Hopkins (31-357-357)
Last Fight: 3/9/2012- UD12 #6 Tavoris Cloud
Next Fight: Unknown There is now serious talk of Hopkins fighting Cleverly in London this July. 3) Jean Pascal (31-199-199)
Last Fight: 12/14/2012- UD10 Alexei Kuziemski (UNR)
Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #15 Lucian Bute Pascal bailed on Dawson for a less internationally compelling fight with Lucian Bute on the same date.
4) Sergey Kovalev (12-12-12) Last Fight: 1/19/2013- TKO3 #4 Gabriel Campillo Next Fight: Unknown 5) Gabriel Campillo (12-146-146)
Last Fight: 1/19/2013- L(TKO3) vs. Sergey Kovalev (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown It remains to be seen whether we’ve seen Campillo rapidly decline, have a bad night, or just run into a world-beater. But he’s still going to be highly ranked because he recently beat the guy ranked right below him. 6) Tavoris Cloud (12-189-189)
Last Fight: 3/9/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins
Next Fight: Unknown Cloud’s manager expects him back in action by the end of the year. Normally that wouldn’t be saying much, but that would be against type for Cloud. 7) Isaac Chilemba (2-2-62) Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #9 Tony Bellew (should be win) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #10 Tony Bellew That didn’t take long! Chilemba will rematch Bellew on the Froch-Kessler undercard in London, less than two months removed from getting borderline robbed the first time around. 8) Cornelius White (2-39-69) Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Otis Griffin (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown White snuck in an under-the-radar 8-rounder against Otis Griffin. It was a pound over the limit, but will buy him some more time to stay active at 175, at least. 9) Nathan Cleverly (2-166-166)
Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO8 Shawn Hawk (UNR)
Next Fight: 4/20/2013- vs. Robin Krasniqi (UNR) Cleverly probably has a Hopkins fight waiting for him just a few months after the Krasniqi fight, assuming he wins. 10) Tony Bellew (2-78-78) Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #13 Isaac Chilemba (should be loss) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #7 Isaac Chilemba See Chilemba’s notes, above. 11) Jürgen Brähmer (2-51) Last Fight: 2/2/2013- UD12 Eduard Gutknecht (UNR) Next Fight: 4/27/2013- vs. Tony Averlant (UNR) Braehmer defends his European title in Hamburg on April 27 against journeyman Tony Averlant. Averlant so far only steps up when he fights for the European belt, having previously been robbed against then-beltholder Eddy Gutknecht, only to get beat by a journeyman himself. 12) Beibut Shumenov (1-146) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD12 Enrique Ornelas (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown 13) Andrzej Fonfara (1-39) Last Fight: 11/16/2012- TKO7 Tommy Karpency (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Fonfara aggravated a previous injury to his right hand and had to withdraw from his ESPN2 fight with Nicholson Poulard. He will hope that it heals on its own in a month, but if not he will need surgery that would keep him out for an additional 3-6 months. 14) Yusaf Mack (1-146)
Last Fight: 11/17/2012- L(KO3) vs. #1 SMW Carl Froch (at SMW)
Next Fight: 4/12/2013- vs. Cedric Agnew (UNR) After I rather thought he should retire after his showing against Carl Froch, Mack is instead back in the ring on April 12 against undefeated prospect Cedric Agnew. 15) Lucian Bute (1-23) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 #16 Denis Grachev Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #3 Jean Pascal Bute will look to prove what I have long believed- that the 168 pound division is much better man-for-man than 175, by fighting his larger peer in Montreal on May 25. 16) Denis Grachev (1-50) Last Fight: 3/30/2013– W* (SD10) vs. Zsolt Erdei (UNR) (should be draw) Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. SMW #16 Edwin Rodriguez Grachev will be fighting Edwin Rodriguez at a catchweight of 171.5 in Monte Carlo for a million dollar prize. 17) Dmitri Sukhotski (1-128) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO1 Vladimir Borovsky (UNR) Next Fight: 6/4/2013- vs. Mikhail Krinitsin Sukhotski will fight in Barnaul, Russia on June 4 against low-level Kazakh journeyman Mikhail Krinitsin. 18) Eleider Alvarez (1-11)
Last Fight: 3/22/2013- TKO3 Nicholson Poulard (UNR) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Alvarez continues to stay busy, as he already has another fight scheduled for the Bute-Pascal undercard on May 25. No opponent yet, though. 19) Yunieski Gonzalez (1-4) Last Fight: 3/15/2013- KO8 Rowland Bryant (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Gonzalez took a huge step up in competition and made good, knocking out strong fringe contender Bryant. 20) Doudou Ngumbu (1-1) Last Fight: 3/16/2013- UD12 #14 Vyacheslav Uzelkoff Next Fight: Unknown
Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)
Champ: Andre Ward (31-31-31) Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 Champ Chad Dawson (at SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward’s attention seems fixed a division or two (or three) to the south, as the recent names associated with him have been Chavez, Mayweather, and Golovkin. 1) Chad Dawson (31-358-358)
Last Fight: 9/8/2012- L(TKO10) vs. SMW Champ Andre Ward (at SMW)
Next Fight: 6/8/2013- vs. SMW #7 Adonis Stevenson Dawson will fight Adonis Stevenson (who moves up from 168) on June 8 in Montreal. 2) Bernard Hopkins (31-357-357)
Last Fight: 3/9/2012- UD12 #6 Tavoris Cloud
Next Fight: Unknown There is now serious talk of Hopkins fighting Cleverly in London this July. 3) Jean Pascal (31-199-199)
Last Fight: 12/14/2012- UD10 Alexei Kuziemski (UNR)
Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #15 Lucian Bute Pascal bailed on Dawson for a less internationally compelling fight with Lucian Bute on the same date.
4) Sergey Kovalev (12-12-12) Last Fight: 1/19/2013- TKO3 #4 Gabriel Campillo Next Fight: Unknown 5) Gabriel Campillo (12-146-146)
Last Fight: 1/19/2013- L(TKO3) vs. Sergey Kovalev (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown It remains to be seen whether we’ve seen Campillo rapidly decline, have a bad night, or just run into a world-beater. But he’s still going to be highly ranked because he recently beat the guy ranked right below him. 6) Tavoris Cloud (12-189-189)
Last Fight: 3/9/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins
Next Fight: Unknown Cloud’s manager expects him back in action by the end of the year. Normally that wouldn’t be saying much, but that would be against type for Cloud. 7) Isaac Chilemba (2-2-62) Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #9 Tony Bellew (should be win) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #10 Tony Bellew That didn’t take long! Chilemba will rematch Bellew on the Froch-Kessler undercard in London, less than two months removed from getting borderline robbed the first time around. 8) Cornelius White (2-39-69) Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Otis Griffin (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown White snuck in an under-the-radar 8-rounder against Otis Griffin. It was a pound over the limit, but will buy him some more time to stay active at 175, at least. 9) Nathan Cleverly (2-166-166)
Last Fight: 11/10/2012- TKO8 Shawn Hawk (UNR)
Next Fight: 4/20/2013- vs. Robin Krasniqi (UNR) Cleverly probably has a Hopkins fight waiting for him just a few months after the Krasniqi fight, assuming he wins. 10) Tony Bellew (2-78-78) Last Fight: 3/30/2013- Draw* (SD12) vs. #13 Isaac Chilemba (should be loss) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #7 Isaac Chilemba See Chilemba’s notes, above. 11) Jürgen Brähmer (2-51) Last Fight: 2/2/2013- UD12 Eduard Gutknecht (UNR) Next Fight: 4/27/2013- vs. Tony Averlant (UNR) Braehmer defends his European title in Hamburg on April 27 against journeyman Tony Averlant. Averlant so far only steps up when he fights for the European belt, having previously been robbed against then-beltholder Eddy Gutknecht, only to get beat by a journeyman himself. 12) Beibut Shumenov (1-146) Last Fight: 6/2/2012- UD12 Enrique Ornelas (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown 13) Andrzej Fonfara (1-39) Last Fight: 11/16/2012- TKO7 Tommy Karpency (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Fonfara aggravated a previous injury to his right hand and had to withdraw from his ESPN2 fight with Nicholson Poulard. He will hope that it heals on its own in a month, but if not he will need surgery that would keep him out for an additional 3-6 months. 14) Yusaf Mack (1-146)
Last Fight: 11/17/2012- L(KO3) vs. #1 SMW Carl Froch (at SMW)
Next Fight: 4/12/2013- vs. Cedric Agnew (UNR) After I rather thought he should retire after his showing against Carl Froch, Mack is instead back in the ring on April 12 against undefeated prospect Cedric Agnew. 15) Lucian Bute (1-23) Last Fight: 11/3/2012- UD12 #16 Denis Grachev Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. #3 Jean Pascal Bute will look to prove what I have long believed- that the 168 pound division is much better man-for-man than 175, by fighting his larger peer in Montreal on May 25. 16) Denis Grachev (1-50) Last Fight: 3/30/2013– W* (SD10) vs. Zsolt Erdei (UNR) (should be draw) Next Fight: 7/13/2013- vs. SMW #16 Edwin Rodriguez Grachev will be fighting Edwin Rodriguez at a catchweight of 171.5 in Monte Carlo for a million dollar prize. 17) Dmitri Sukhotski (1-128) Last Fight: 12/8/2012- TKO1 Vladimir Borovsky (UNR) Next Fight: 6/4/2013- vs. Mikhail Krinitsin Sukhotski will fight in Barnaul, Russia on June 4 against low-level Kazakh journeyman Mikhail Krinitsin. 18) Eleider Alvarez (1-11)
Last Fight: 3/22/2013- TKO3 Nicholson Poulard (UNR) Next Fight: 5/25/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Alvarez continues to stay busy, as he already has another fight scheduled for the Bute-Pascal undercard on May 25. No opponent yet, though. 19) Yunieski Gonzalez (1-4) Last Fight: 3/15/2013- KO8 Rowland Bryant (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Gonzalez took a huge step up in competition and made good, knocking out strong fringe contender Bryant. 20) Doudou Ngumbu (1-1) Last Fight: 3/16/2013- UD12 #14 Vyacheslav Uzelkoff Next Fight: Unknown
The Week Ahead: There are two fights worth mentioning on Friday this week.
At a casino in New Buffalo, Michigan, we get a crossroads fight between undefeated Chicago prospect Cedric Agnew and the apparently shot #14 Yusaf Mack of Philly, who looked so bad against Carl Froch in his last fight that I personally thought he ought to retire. And that’s even accounting for that fact that he had to cut some extra weight for the fight, and for the fact that Froch is really really good.
In Vegas, and presumably a couple hours or so later, a once-great college rivalry is reignited between two undefeated prospects. Marcus Oliveira, a member of the Menominee tribe, lives on an Indian reservation near Lawrence, Kansas. I therefore make an assumption that he is a Jayhawk fan to one extent or another (though he played basketball for a nearby tribal college). He is undefeated, and rose to roughly top 25 status with a knockout of gatekeeper Otis Griffin in the early summer of 2009. But then he laid off for a year and has fought just 5 times against extremely weak opposition in the nearly 4 years since. His inactivity and competition has been so bad that boxrec no longer even ranks him in the top 50 despite the Griffin win. Almost needless to say, he’s a Don King fighter. Oliveira’s opponent is Ryan Coyne, who at last check was trying and failing to separate himself from King. Coyne played safety for the Mizzou Tigers, and comes in with an undefeated record, though he’s marginally less proven than Oliveira. You might remember him for scheduled fights with Nathan Cleverly and Guillermo Jones, both of which fell through. Technically speaking, I wouldn’t normally have mentioned this fight because it lacks a top 50 fighter according to boxrec, but given Oliveira’s past success and continued undefeated record, that seemed like quite a technicality indeed.
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