Super Middleweight: 2013, Nov 4-10
Colombia’s Alexander Brand got a very predictable knockout win late in round 3 in his home country on Friday over Dominican journeyman Wilmer Mejia, whose record stands at 18-6 despite having only fought 5 halfway decent fighters in his career. No changes this week.
Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. #12 Edwin Rodriguez Ward has finally secured an opponent for his November 16 return: two-division fringe contender Edwin Rodriguez. 1) Carl Froch (76-386-386)
Last Fight: 5/25/2013- UD12 #3 Mikkel Kessler
Next Fight: 11/23/2013- vs. #7 George Groves Froch-Groves is set for November 23 in Manchester. 2) Robert Stieglitz (33-219-219) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD12 Isaac Ekpo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Stieglitz and Abraham’s recent wins over mediocre competition sets them up for a likely trilogy battle in early 2014. 3) Mikkel Kessler (47-465-465) Last Fight: 5/25/2013- L (UD12) vs. #1 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Froch is interested in a trilogy on neutral ground, perhaps even more so than a Ward rematch. But it’s not even clear that Kessler will fight again, after saying pre-fight he might retire. 4) Arthur Abraham (25-211-211)
Last Fight: 10/26/2013- UD12 Giovanni De Carolis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Abraham-Stieglitz III is probably next. 5) Brandon Gonzales (19-19-19) Last Fight: 6/29/2013- D* vs. #5 Thomas Oosthuizen Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Jonathan Nelson (UNR) Gonzales will fight undefeated but untested prospect Jonathan Nelson on the Ward-Rodriguez undercard. 6) Thomas Oosthuizen (6-127-175)
Last Fight: 6/29/2013- D* vs. Brandon Gonzales (UNR)
Next Fight: 11/9/2013- vs. #13 Ezequiel Maderna Oosthuizen has a significant- albeit risky- opportunity to redeem himself against credible Argentine fringe contender Ezequiel Maderna in South Africa on November 9. 7) George Groves (6-47-69) Last Fight: 5/25/2013- TKO5 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/23/2013- vs. #1 Carl Froch Groves and Froch will face off on November 23 in Manchester. 8) Sakio Bika (6-38-344) Last Fight: 6/22/2013- MD12 Marco Antonio Periban (UNR) Next Fight: 12/7/2013- vs. Anthony Dirrell (UNR) Bika will be fighting Anthony Dirrell on the Malignaggi-Judah undercard on December 7. 9) James DeGale (6-22-108) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- RTD4 Stjepan Bozic (UNR) Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Dyah Davis (UNR) DeGale will return to action in Bluewater, Kent on November 16. He’ll be up against a good measuring stick in Dyah Davis. 10) Christopher Rebrasse (6-6-22)
Last Fight: 6/8/2013- Robbery Draw (W) vs. #10 Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye Next Fight: Unknown Rebrasse’s unnecessary rematch with Ndiaye appears to have been cancelled. 11) Maxim Vlasov (6-52) Last Fight: 7/12/2013- UD8 Mark Suarez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/4/2013- vs. Artem Redko (UNR) Vlasov will fight a rematch of his 2006 6-rounder against journeyman Artem Redko in Krasnodar, Russia this week. 12) Edwin Rodriguez (6-42) Last Fight: 7/13/2013- TKO1 #16 LHW Denis Grachev (at LHW) Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Champ Andre Ward Rodriguez will get a shot at reigning two-division Champion Andre Ward in mid-November, after a drama-filled negotiation. 13) Ezequiel Maderna (6-45) Last Fight: 9/6/2013- UD10 Arnaldo Alcides Benitez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/9/2013- vs. #6 Thomas Oosthuizen Maderna will get a big opportunity in South Africa against Oosthuizen, who showed a great deal of vulnerability in his last fight. That being said, from what I’ve seen of Maderna, his style is night and day different from Brandon Gonzales. 14) Andy Lee (6-25) Last Fight: 5/15/2013- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lee now says he’s in talks to fight Macklin in March. 15) Ryoto Murata (6-11) Last Fight: 8/25/2013- TKO2 #14 MW Akio Shibata Next Fight: 12/6/2013- vs. Dave Peterson (UNR) Murata is back in action on December 6 in Tokyo against unproven Minnesota prospect Dave Peterson. He also recently signed with Top Rank, which gives hardcore US fans hope that we might see him eventually. 16) Caleb Truax (6-20) Last Fight: 9/21/2013- TKO4 Ceresso Fort (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Truax has made good on his move back down to 160, knocking out a halfway decent prospect in Ceresso Fort. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (6-36) Last Fight: 10/17/2013- TKO1 Raimonds Sniedze (UNR) (at LHW) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Glen Johnson (6-27) Last Fight: 4/19/2013- TKO2 Junior Ramos (UNR) (at CW) Next Fight: Unknown Johnson needs to schedule a fight at 168 before mid-December to keep his ranking. 19) Badou Jack (6-16) Last Fight: 9/12/2013- Draw (MD12) vs. Marco Antonio Periban (UNR) Next Fight: 12/6/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Jack will be back in action against an opponent to be announced on a December 6 ShoBox telecast. 20) Don Mouton (6-6) Last Fight: 5/13/2013- L* (UD8) vs. #10 Anthony Dirrell Next Fight: Unknown
Dan’s Top 20 Champ: Andre Ward (99-233-233) Last Fight: 9/8/2012- TKO10 LHW Champ Chad Dawson
Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. #12 Edwin Rodriguez Ward has finally secured an opponent for his November 16 return: two-division fringe contender Edwin Rodriguez. 1) Carl Froch (76-386-386)
Last Fight: 5/25/2013- UD12 #3 Mikkel Kessler
Next Fight: 11/23/2013- vs. #7 George Groves Froch-Groves is set for November 23 in Manchester. 2) Robert Stieglitz (33-219-219) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD12 Isaac Ekpo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Stieglitz and Abraham’s recent wins over mediocre competition sets them up for a likely trilogy battle in early 2014. 3) Mikkel Kessler (47-465-465) Last Fight: 5/25/2013- L (UD12) vs. #1 Carl Froch
Next Fight: Unknown Froch is interested in a trilogy on neutral ground, perhaps even more so than a Ward rematch. But it’s not even clear that Kessler will fight again, after saying pre-fight he might retire. 4) Arthur Abraham (25-211-211)
Last Fight: 10/26/2013- UD12 Giovanni De Carolis (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Abraham-Stieglitz III is probably next. 5) Brandon Gonzales (19-19-19) Last Fight: 6/29/2013- D* vs. #5 Thomas Oosthuizen Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Jonathan Nelson (UNR) Gonzales will fight undefeated but untested prospect Jonathan Nelson on the Ward-Rodriguez undercard. 6) Thomas Oosthuizen (6-127-175)
Last Fight: 6/29/2013- D* vs. Brandon Gonzales (UNR)
Next Fight: 11/9/2013- vs. #13 Ezequiel Maderna Oosthuizen has a significant- albeit risky- opportunity to redeem himself against credible Argentine fringe contender Ezequiel Maderna in South Africa on November 9. 7) George Groves (6-47-69) Last Fight: 5/25/2013- TKO5 Noe Gonzalez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/23/2013- vs. #1 Carl Froch Groves and Froch will face off on November 23 in Manchester. 8) Sakio Bika (6-38-344) Last Fight: 6/22/2013- MD12 Marco Antonio Periban (UNR) Next Fight: 12/7/2013- vs. Anthony Dirrell (UNR) Bika will be fighting Anthony Dirrell on the Malignaggi-Judah undercard on December 7. 9) James DeGale (6-22-108) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- RTD4 Stjepan Bozic (UNR) Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Dyah Davis (UNR) DeGale will return to action in Bluewater, Kent on November 16. He’ll be up against a good measuring stick in Dyah Davis. 10) Christopher Rebrasse (6-6-22)
Last Fight: 6/8/2013- Robbery Draw (W) vs. #10 Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye Next Fight: Unknown Rebrasse’s unnecessary rematch with Ndiaye appears to have been cancelled. 11) Maxim Vlasov (6-52) Last Fight: 7/12/2013- UD8 Mark Suarez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/4/2013- vs. Artem Redko (UNR) Vlasov will fight a rematch of his 2006 6-rounder against journeyman Artem Redko in Krasnodar, Russia this week. 12) Edwin Rodriguez (6-42) Last Fight: 7/13/2013- TKO1 #16 LHW Denis Grachev (at LHW) Next Fight: 11/16/2013- vs. Champ Andre Ward Rodriguez will get a shot at reigning two-division Champion Andre Ward in mid-November, after a drama-filled negotiation. 13) Ezequiel Maderna (6-45) Last Fight: 9/6/2013- UD10 Arnaldo Alcides Benitez (UNR) Next Fight: 11/9/2013- vs. #6 Thomas Oosthuizen Maderna will get a big opportunity in South Africa against Oosthuizen, who showed a great deal of vulnerability in his last fight. That being said, from what I’ve seen of Maderna, his style is night and day different from Brandon Gonzales. 14) Andy Lee (6-25) Last Fight: 5/15/2013- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lee now says he’s in talks to fight Macklin in March. 15) Ryoto Murata (6-11) Last Fight: 8/25/2013- TKO2 #14 MW Akio Shibata Next Fight: 12/6/2013- vs. Dave Peterson (UNR) Murata is back in action on December 6 in Tokyo against unproven Minnesota prospect Dave Peterson. He also recently signed with Top Rank, which gives hardcore US fans hope that we might see him eventually. 16) Caleb Truax (6-20) Last Fight: 9/21/2013- TKO4 Ceresso Fort (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Truax has made good on his move back down to 160, knocking out a halfway decent prospect in Ceresso Fort. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (6-36) Last Fight: 10/17/2013- TKO1 Raimonds Sniedze (UNR) (at LHW) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Glen Johnson (6-27) Last Fight: 4/19/2013- TKO2 Junior Ramos (UNR) (at CW) Next Fight: Unknown Johnson needs to schedule a fight at 168 before mid-December to keep his ranking. 19) Badou Jack (6-16) Last Fight: 9/12/2013- Draw (MD12) vs. Marco Antonio Periban (UNR) Next Fight: 12/6/2013- vs. Unknown Opponent Jack will be back in action against an opponent to be announced on a December 6 ShoBox telecast. 20) Don Mouton (6-6) Last Fight: 5/13/2013- L* (UD8) vs. #10 Anthony Dirrell Next Fight: Unknown
The Week Ahead: #11 Maxim Vlasov starts the week off on Monday with a rematch against Ukrainian journeyman Artem Redko in Krasnodar, Russia. The two men traded knockdowns in the last frame of their 6-rounder in 2006 (a fight Vlasov went on to win by decision). That’s probably all the intrigue there is to be had here, as Redko happens to be coming off back-to-back draws against low-level journeymen.
Saturday features a much better-matched battle at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, South Africa, as #6 Thomas Oosthuizen looks to redeem himself from a poor showing against Brandon Gonzales by taking on #13 Ezequiel Maderna of Argentina. Home field advantage aside, it looks to me like anybody’s fight to win.
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