Welterweight: 2013, Dec 23-29
Undefeated British prospect Frankie Gavin put on a boxing clinic for at least the first 8 rounds against Welsh journeyman Bradley Pryce, who fought on roughly even terms with top 10 light middleweight contender Sergey Rabchenko just over a month ago. Pryce barely laid a glove on Gavin until the 8th, due to the Birmingham prospect’s nearly incomparable reflexes and handspeed. It should be noted that he showed absolutely no visible power, but I might go so far as to rank him among the most expert pure boxers in the sport, based on how he looked.
Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W* (MD12) vs. #2 JMW Saul Alvarez (at JMW) Next Fight: Unknown Floyd will likely be back on both May 3 and September 13. Amir Khan has long been rumored as the May 3 opponent, but reports suggest Maidana may have supplanted him in that regard. 1) Timothy Bradley (11-11-81) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- W (SD12) vs. #1 Juan Manuel Marquez Next Fight: Unknown Bradley-Pacquiao II is very likely for April 12, though rumors also have Marquez and Pacquiao renewing their rivalry. 2) Juan Manuel Marquez (11-111-111) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown After retirement was mentioned a couple different times, Marquez now says he intends to fight twice in 2014. He wants a tune-up in Mexico City, followed by a rematch with Bradley. There are also rumors of a 5th fight with Pacquiao. 3) Manny Pacquiao (11-264-264)
Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD12 #5? JWW Brandon Rios Next Fight: Unknown See Bradley and Marquez’s notes, above. 4) Marcos Maidana (3-29-29)
Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 LW Champ Adrien Broner Next Fight: Unknown After his 12-round beatdown of overhyped Broner, Maidana has set himself up for a big opportunity. Malignaggi indicated interest in the winner, for starters, and Shawn Porter also seems interested. Even better- Mayweather now says Maidana is in the mix for his May PPV. 5) Keith Thurman (2-2-42) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO9 #6 Jesus Soto-Karass Next Fight: Unknown After beating Soto-Karass, Thurman issued what amounts to a challenge to the entire division. 6) Shawn Porter (2-3-3) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #5 Devon Alexander Next Fight: Unknown All indications are that Porter will fight his mandatory, Kell Brook, next, though he has also indicated interest in Maidana. 7) Robert Guerrero (3-57-74) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown Guerrero wants Pacquiao next. I see his style as potentially problematic for Pacquiao, which probably renders the match-up unlikely at this time, when combined with his lack of a recent win. 8) Kell Brook (3-139-139)
Last Fight:10/26/2013- TKO4 Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown See Porter’s notes, above. 9) Devon Alexander (3-96-96) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 10) Randall Bailey (5-5-5) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 11) Josesito Lopez (5-79) Last Fight: 12/13/2013- W (TD8) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Hopefully his great struggles against Arnaoutis aren’t the result of wear and tear taking their toll on Lopez and his career. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (2-48) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- L (TKO9) vs. #13 Keith Thurman Next Fight: Unknown His results are now decidedly mixed, but I suspect Soto Karass will continue to get decent TV fights, since his fights are almost always entertaining, and always a test for his opponent. 13) Andre Berto (2-57) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- L (TKO12) vs. #11 Jesus Soto Karass Next Fight: Unknown Berto’s shoulder surgery will keep him out until sometime in 2014. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (3-3) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi expects a big money fight in the wake of his handy victory over Judah. He is interested in Maidana. 15) Chris van Heerden (3-80) Last Fight: 3/2/2013- UD12 Matthew Hatton (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Amidst conflicting reports variously suggesting he would fight in February in the US or in South Africa, the truth has emerged. He’s starting a 3-year contract with a US promoter, and supposedly has a fight planned for early in the new year. 16) Luis Carlos Abregu (3-35)
Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown At last check, Abregu was recovering from hand surgery, and the WBC is looking to match him with Antonin Decarie when he returns. 17) Jan Zaveck (3-211)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown As expected, Zaveck had little trouble with French journeyman Allais. 18) Ruslan Provodnikov (3-41) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov proved against Alvarado that the Bradley fight was no fluke. He’s a big-time fighter now. Mostly it’s all rumor at this point, but there has been speculation of his fighting Rios or Marquez. He said he would refuse a fight with Pacquiao, a friend with whom he shares a trainer. 19) Pablo Cesar Cano (3-15) Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD10*) vs. Ashley Theophane (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Cano said after the 143-pound catchweight win against Theophane that he intends to seek title contention at 140 now. I must say I’m surprised by the move, considering he failed to make weight for one of his biggest fights at 147 against Malignaggi. 20) Leonard Bundu (2-2) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bundu retains his European title and undefeated record with the impressive effort over Purdy.
That all being said, Pryce is still a mid-range journeyman at best, and so the fight had no potential to improve Gavin’s standings ranking-wise. No changes.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20) Champ: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (191-223-223)
Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W* (MD12) vs. #2 JMW Saul Alvarez (at JMW) Next Fight: Unknown Floyd will likely be back on both May 3 and September 13. Amir Khan has long been rumored as the May 3 opponent, but reports suggest Maidana may have supplanted him in that regard. 1) Timothy Bradley (11-11-81) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- W (SD12) vs. #1 Juan Manuel Marquez Next Fight: Unknown Bradley-Pacquiao II is very likely for April 12, though rumors also have Marquez and Pacquiao renewing their rivalry. 2) Juan Manuel Marquez (11-111-111) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown After retirement was mentioned a couple different times, Marquez now says he intends to fight twice in 2014. He wants a tune-up in Mexico City, followed by a rematch with Bradley. There are also rumors of a 5th fight with Pacquiao. 3) Manny Pacquiao (11-264-264)
Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD12 #5? JWW Brandon Rios Next Fight: Unknown See Bradley and Marquez’s notes, above. 4) Marcos Maidana (3-29-29)
Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 LW Champ Adrien Broner Next Fight: Unknown After his 12-round beatdown of overhyped Broner, Maidana has set himself up for a big opportunity. Malignaggi indicated interest in the winner, for starters, and Shawn Porter also seems interested. Even better- Mayweather now says Maidana is in the mix for his May PPV. 5) Keith Thurman (2-2-42) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO9 #6 Jesus Soto-Karass Next Fight: Unknown After beating Soto-Karass, Thurman issued what amounts to a challenge to the entire division. 6) Shawn Porter (2-3-3) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #5 Devon Alexander Next Fight: Unknown All indications are that Porter will fight his mandatory, Kell Brook, next, though he has also indicated interest in Maidana. 7) Robert Guerrero (3-57-74) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown Guerrero wants Pacquiao next. I see his style as potentially problematic for Pacquiao, which probably renders the match-up unlikely at this time, when combined with his lack of a recent win. 8) Kell Brook (3-139-139)
Last Fight:10/26/2013- TKO4 Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown See Porter’s notes, above. 9) Devon Alexander (3-96-96) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 10) Randall Bailey (5-5-5) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 11) Josesito Lopez (5-79) Last Fight: 12/13/2013- W (TD8) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Hopefully his great struggles against Arnaoutis aren’t the result of wear and tear taking their toll on Lopez and his career. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (2-48) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- L (TKO9) vs. #13 Keith Thurman Next Fight: Unknown His results are now decidedly mixed, but I suspect Soto Karass will continue to get decent TV fights, since his fights are almost always entertaining, and always a test for his opponent. 13) Andre Berto (2-57) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- L (TKO12) vs. #11 Jesus Soto Karass Next Fight: Unknown Berto’s shoulder surgery will keep him out until sometime in 2014. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (3-3) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi expects a big money fight in the wake of his handy victory over Judah. He is interested in Maidana. 15) Chris van Heerden (3-80) Last Fight: 3/2/2013- UD12 Matthew Hatton (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Amidst conflicting reports variously suggesting he would fight in February in the US or in South Africa, the truth has emerged. He’s starting a 3-year contract with a US promoter, and supposedly has a fight planned for early in the new year. 16) Luis Carlos Abregu (3-35)
Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown At last check, Abregu was recovering from hand surgery, and the WBC is looking to match him with Antonin Decarie when he returns. 17) Jan Zaveck (3-211)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown As expected, Zaveck had little trouble with French journeyman Allais. 18) Ruslan Provodnikov (3-41) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov proved against Alvarado that the Bradley fight was no fluke. He’s a big-time fighter now. Mostly it’s all rumor at this point, but there has been speculation of his fighting Rios or Marquez. He said he would refuse a fight with Pacquiao, a friend with whom he shares a trainer. 19) Pablo Cesar Cano (3-15) Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD10*) vs. Ashley Theophane (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Cano said after the 143-pound catchweight win against Theophane that he intends to seek title contention at 140 now. I must say I’m surprised by the move, considering he failed to make weight for one of his biggest fights at 147 against Malignaggi. 20) Leonard Bundu (2-2) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bundu retains his European title and undefeated record with the impressive effort over Purdy.
The Week Ahead: Saturday Cesar Barrionuevo vs. Ramon de la Cruz; Merlo, Argentina; Tyc Sports (Argentina) Barrionuevo is a two-loss Argentine fringe prospect, with both of his losses coming to undefeated fighters early in his career. He enters on a 21-fight winning streak dating back to 2010. De la Cruz is a mid-level Argentine journeyman. I’m not sure if the fight was more controversial than it appeared from the unanimous 118-110 scorecards, but this is a rematch of a previous fight between the two from October. For Barrionuevo, it was his last fight, while de la Cruz won a low-level contest in between.
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This entry was posted on March 24, 2014 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Rankings, Welterweight with tags Cesar Barrionuevo, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Frankie Gavin, Juan Manuel Marquez, Keith Thurman, Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana, Timothy Bradley. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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