Junior Middleweight: 2013, Jul 29- Aug 4

#15 Yuri Foreman did exactly what he was supposed to do on Wednesday in New York, winning every round on every card against mid-range journeyman Jamaal Davis.  He’s obviously still not thinking about fighting a contender again anytime soon, but Davis is a bit of a step up from the guys Foreman had been fighting since beginning his comeback.  It wouldn’t shock me to see him fight a top 50 guy in a fight or two.

 

Thurman-Chaves was a welterweight fight despite Thurman being ranked here as well, so I’ll talk about it at 147 only.

 

No changes this week.

 

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)
Champ: None
1) Carlos Molina (26-108-123)
Last Fight: 2/1/2013- UD12 #11 Cory Spinks
Next Fight: 9/14/2013- vs. #5 Ishe Smith
September 14 looks like junior middleweight D-Day.  #1 vs. #5 (as of this writing), and it’s probably not even the most important fight in the division on that card.  
2) Saul Alvarez (26-126-141)
Last Fight: 4/20/2013- W* (UD12) vs. #3 Austin Trout
Next Fight: 9/14/2013- vs. WW Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Floyd-Canelo on September 14 appeared to be made way back in February, but then appeared to be a distant memory for months.  Now it’s back on, for the exact same date.  The only difference is that Floyd got dropped for inactivity because the fight wasn’t signed when his 1-year anniversary at 154 came around.  There will be a 152-pound catchweight.
3) Austin Trout (23-61-130)
Last Fight: 4/20/2013- L* (UD12) vs. #2 Saul Alvarez
Next Fight: Unknown
Trout wants a rematch of his very dubious loss to Alvarez.  He certainly deserves it.  He’ll have to wait until 2014 at the earliest, though, as Canelo is fighting Mayweather.  Rumors of Lara-Trout on the Mayweather-Canelo undercard appear to be false according to Leonard Ellerbe.
4) Erislandy Lara (23-108-130)
Last Fight: 6/8/2013- TKO10 #8 Alfredo Angulo
Next Fight: Unknown
See Trout’s notes, above.
5) Ishe Smith (23-23-23)
Last Fight: 2/23/2013- W (MD12) vs. #3 Cornelius Bundrage
Next Fight: 9/14/2013- vs. #1 Carlos Molina
See Molina’s notes, above.
6) Miguel Cotto (13-165-165)
Last Fight: 12/1/2012- L (UD12) vs. #8 Austin Trout
Next Fight: 10/5/2013- vs. #11 Delvin Rodriguez
After a proposed fight with Bundrage was scrapped by the networks, and a brief flirtation with Carlos Molina, Cotto will now be fighting Delvin Rodriguez on HBO on October 5.
7) Cornelius Bundrage (13-156-156)
Last Fight: 2/23/2013- L (MD12) vs. Ishe Smith (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
8) Alfredo Angulo (13-201-201)
Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Erislandy Lara
Next Fight: Unknown
Angulo has shared the good news that there are no broken bones in his face after the devastating Lara combination that forced him to submit.  On one hand, it demystifies Angulo’s warrior image, but it does give him a better outlook for his career going forward, as well.
9) Gabriel Rosado (13-19-130)
Last Fight: 5/4/2013- NC vs. J’Leon Love (UNR) (at MW)
Next Fight: Unknown
With his already-questionable loss to Love overturned due to a positive drug test, Rosado now wants Cotto, Lara, or Trout.  Love wants a rematch after his suspension is over.  While Cotto is otherwise occupied, the last three seem to be realistic possibilities.  
10) Sergey Rabchenko (13-13-59)
Last Fight: 7/16/2013- TKO3 Gari Abajian (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
After two other mandatories failed to answer the bell for a shot at Rabchenko’s European title, Cedric Vitu is now the guy, with purse bids scheduled for August 20.  This will give the Belorussian an opportunity to answer some questions, as he barely squeaked by Vitu in 2012.
11) Delvin Rodriguez (13-107)
Last Fight: 5/24/2013- TKO8 Freddy Hernandez (UNR)
Next Fight: 10/5/2013- vs. #6 Miguel Cotto
See Cotto’s notes, above.
12) Lukas Konecny (13-103)
Last Fight: 7/13/2013- UD12 Moez Fhima (UNR) (at MW)
Next Fight: Unknown
Konecny took care of business against Fhima at 160.  We’ll have to see whether he stays at that weight or not.  My guess would be yes, since he’s fighting for minor titles up there at this point.
13) Keith Thurman (13-36)
Last Fight: 7/27/2013- KO10 Diego Chaves (UNR) (at WW)
Next Fight: Unknown
Thurman is doing work at 147, but will have to move back up by November 24 to keep his ranking at this weight.
14) Vanes Martirosyan (13-113)
Last Fight: 6/15/2013- TKO2 Ryan Davis (UNR) (at MW)
Next Fight: 9/7/2013- vs. #17 MW Demetrius Andrade
Originally discussed for the November Pacquiao-Rios card, Andrade-Vanes has been bumped up to the HBO-televised undercard of Chavez-Vera, even though it will probably be the better fight and match-up of the two.
15) Yuri Foreman (13-27)
Last Fight: 7/24/2013- UD8 Jamaal Davis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
Foreman is very slowly stepping up his level of opposition as his comeback gradually picks up steam.
16) Willie Nelson (9-22)
Last Fight: 6/29/2013- UD10 Luciano Cuello (UNR)
Next Fight: 9/28/2013- vs. Dante Moore (UNR)
When it comes to Nelson’s September 28 opponent, a Cleveland hometown and one-loss record is about all they have in common.  Moore has lost to and drawn with absolute scrubs, and shouldn’t be much of a challenge for Nelson despite a decent-looking 8-1 record.
17) Brian Rose (9-19)
Last Fight: 6/29/2013- W (PTS10) vs. Alexey Ribchev (UNR) (at MW)
Next Fight: Unknown
Rose reportedly overcame a back injury to defeat Ribchev.
18) Jermell Charlo (8-8)
Last Fight: 6/8/2013- UD12 Demetrius Hopkins (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
Charlo didn’t exactly build his fan base with the Hopkins snoozer, but he satisfied the “win today, look good tomorrow” equation, and earned a ranking for his trouble.
19) Guido Pitto (8-14)
Last Fight: 4/27/2013- W* (SD12) vs. Jack Culcay (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
It took an “upset” over highly-touted prospect Culcay for Pitto to get the recognition he earned but was denied against Veron.
20) Kell Brook (3-3)
Last Fight: 7/13/2013- TKO8 Carson Jones (UNR)
Next Fight: 10/26/2013- vs. Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR) (at WW?)
Brook gets Senchenko in late October in Sheffield.  Since it’s a non-title fight, there’s always the chance it could creep up over 147 and thus affect his ranking here.

 

The Week Ahead:  A quiet week at 154.
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