Heavyweight: 2014, Jan 13-19
Call it ring rust if you will, but former top 10 cruiserweight contender Lateef Kayode looked pretty terrible for the first 3 rounds of his scheduled 6 with journeyman Jonte Willis on Friday Night Fights. Willis, for my money, nicked the first two rounds before clearly carrying the 3rd. Kayode came back strong, perhaps shaking off the rust a bit, and easily won 4 and 5. By the 6th, Willis had long since gassed out, and was trying to hold on for a potential draw, practically speaking. Kayode closed the show in that round, though, stopping Willis when the journeyman turned his back while taking punches.
Last Fight: 10/5/2013- UD12 #3 Alexander Povetkin
Next Fight: 4/26/2014- vs. #13 Alex Leapai
Klitschko-Leapai appears to be finalized for April 26 in Germany. He said recently that he wants to capture his brother’s old alphabet title, which would unify all the major titles for the first time since Lewis in 1999. He would have to wait for someone else to pick it up first, as the silly alphabets don’t let current titlists fight for vacant titles. 1) Alexander Povetkin (8-325-325) Last Fight: 10/5/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko
Next Fight: Unknown
Povetkin is calling for a rematch. He would probably need to become the WBA mandatory by winning an eliminator (possibly against Luis Ortiz) in order to get that shot. His promotional ties expired on December 31, and he says he’ll announce his next move in early 2014. 2) Steve Cunningham (8-56-56) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD8 Manuel Quezada (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Cunningham had little trouble dominating a fading former gatekeeper in Quezada. 3) Tomasz Adamek (8-195-195) Last Fight: 8/3/2013- UD10 Dominick Guinn (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. #18 Vyacheslav Glazkov
The rescheduled fight with Glazkov is now official for March 15. 4) Kubrat Pulev (8-89-166) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO5 Joey Abell (UNR)
Next Fight: 4/5/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent
Pulev is back on the Braehmer card on April 5 in Rostock, Germany, but no opponent just yet. 5) Dereck Chisora (8-111-174) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO3 Ondrej Pala (UNR)
Next Fight: 2/15/2014- vs. Andriy Rudenko (UNR)
Chisora returns on February 15 against unbeaten but untested Ukrainian Andriy Rudenko. He is hoping for a Fury rematch, likely in his next fight. 6) Odlanier Solis (8-43-190) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- TKO7 Yakup Saglam (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/22/2014- vs. #9 Tony Thompson
Solis was first set to fight Kevin Johnson. But he backed out because the IBF wanted him to fight Takam. But now word from Tony Thompson is that Solis will fight Thompson, instead, on March 22. 7) Bermane Stiverne (8-30-46) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD12 #15 Chris Arreola Next Fight: Unknown Despite speculation in the UK of a possible match-up between Fury and Chisora for the WBC title, that organization has officially ordered Stiverne-Arreola, with purse bids due on January 17. Stiverne’s legal situation with Don King seems to be the only possible stumbling block at this point. 8) Chris Arreola (8-19-19) Last Fight: 9/7/2013- TKO1 #12 Seth Mitchell Next Fight: Unknown See Stiverne’s notes, above. 9) Tony Thompson (8-9-190) Last Fight: 8/24/2013- L (UD12) vs. #8 Kubrat Pulev
Next Fight: 3/22/2014- vs. #6 Odlanier Solis
Thompson says he’s fighting Odlanier Solis on March 22. 10) Erkan Teper (8-8-20) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- KO1 Martin Rogan (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Teper might have scored the heavyweight knockout of the year, and probably retired Martin Rogan in the process. 11) Mike Perez (8-11) Last Fight: 11/2/2013- UD10 Magomed Abdusalamov (UNR) Next Fight: 1/18/2014- vs. Carlos Takam (UNR) With Solis-Takam falling through, Takam will now be offered up to Perez, instead, on the Pascal-Bute undercard on January 18 in Montreal. 12) Deontay Wilder (8-38) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- TKO4 Nicolai Firtha (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Wilder had hoped to supersede either Stiverne or Arreola for a shot at the WBC belt, but with that fight now officially ordered, he can only hope that Stiverne can’t work the fight out due to legal problems, or that he can fight the winner. 13) Alex Leapai (8-8) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD10 #20 Denis Boytsov Next Fight: 4/26/2014- vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko It looks like Leapai-Klitschko is done for April 26 in Germany. 14) Robert Helenius (9-190) Last Fight: 3/23/2013- W*(UD10) vs. Michael Sprott (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
We finally have a bit of clarification on the Helenius-Sauerland situation. Helenius says that when he signed a promotional contract with Sauerland in 2007, he had no representation and couldn’t even read it in German. He is currently trying to get a Finnish court to allow him to fight in Finland, as he says Sauerland is blocking him from fighting now despite the fact that his health will now allow it. 15) Andy Ruiz (8-8) Last Fight: 11/24/2013- RTD3 Tor Hamer (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Ruiz has called out Tyson Fury, whose team says he’s out until at least March. 16) Seth Mitchell (9-32) Last Fight: 9/7/2013- L (TKO1) vs. Chris Arreola (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Mitchell’s chin is so fragile that he might want to consider calling it a career. Golden Boy’s CEO says he’s advised Mitchell to do just that, though he reports that Mitchell seems to have no such intention. 17) Alexander Dimitrenko (8-157) Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Ivica Perkovic (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
Dimitrenko is rumored at least to be fighting Sam Sexton in the first round of the WBC World Cup, but that tournament appears to be in limbo for the time being, at least. 18) Vyacheslav Glazkov (8-56) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD10 Garrett Wilson (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. #3 Tomasz Adamek Glazkov-Adamek is back on, for March 15, after the first attempt was cancelled due to an Adamek illness. 19) Malik Scott (8-47) Last Fight: 7/20/2013- L (KO6*) vs. #8 Dereck Chisora Next Fight: Unknown Scott is getting serious buzz for a fight with Wilder. 20) Johnathon Banks (8-61) Last Fight: 6/22/2013- L (UD12) vs. #20 Seth Mitchell Next Fight: Unknown Banks is penciled-in for the second round of the WBC World Cup, against the winner of Sam Sexton and Alexander Dimitrenko, but as noted above, that whole tournament is delayed and in doubt.
Kayode has yet to score a rankable win at Heavyweight, so no changes this week.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20) Champ: Wladimir Klitschko (238-451-451)
Last Fight: 10/5/2013- UD12 #3 Alexander Povetkin
Next Fight: 4/26/2014- vs. #13 Alex Leapai
Klitschko-Leapai appears to be finalized for April 26 in Germany. He said recently that he wants to capture his brother’s old alphabet title, which would unify all the major titles for the first time since Lewis in 1999. He would have to wait for someone else to pick it up first, as the silly alphabets don’t let current titlists fight for vacant titles. 1) Alexander Povetkin (8-325-325) Last Fight: 10/5/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko
Next Fight: Unknown
Povetkin is calling for a rematch. He would probably need to become the WBA mandatory by winning an eliminator (possibly against Luis Ortiz) in order to get that shot. His promotional ties expired on December 31, and he says he’ll announce his next move in early 2014. 2) Steve Cunningham (8-56-56) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD8 Manuel Quezada (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Cunningham had little trouble dominating a fading former gatekeeper in Quezada. 3) Tomasz Adamek (8-195-195) Last Fight: 8/3/2013- UD10 Dominick Guinn (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. #18 Vyacheslav Glazkov
The rescheduled fight with Glazkov is now official for March 15. 4) Kubrat Pulev (8-89-166) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO5 Joey Abell (UNR)
Next Fight: 4/5/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent
Pulev is back on the Braehmer card on April 5 in Rostock, Germany, but no opponent just yet. 5) Dereck Chisora (8-111-174) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO3 Ondrej Pala (UNR)
Next Fight: 2/15/2014- vs. Andriy Rudenko (UNR)
Chisora returns on February 15 against unbeaten but untested Ukrainian Andriy Rudenko. He is hoping for a Fury rematch, likely in his next fight. 6) Odlanier Solis (8-43-190) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- TKO7 Yakup Saglam (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/22/2014- vs. #9 Tony Thompson
Solis was first set to fight Kevin Johnson. But he backed out because the IBF wanted him to fight Takam. But now word from Tony Thompson is that Solis will fight Thompson, instead, on March 22. 7) Bermane Stiverne (8-30-46) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD12 #15 Chris Arreola Next Fight: Unknown Despite speculation in the UK of a possible match-up between Fury and Chisora for the WBC title, that organization has officially ordered Stiverne-Arreola, with purse bids due on January 17. Stiverne’s legal situation with Don King seems to be the only possible stumbling block at this point. 8) Chris Arreola (8-19-19) Last Fight: 9/7/2013- TKO1 #12 Seth Mitchell Next Fight: Unknown See Stiverne’s notes, above. 9) Tony Thompson (8-9-190) Last Fight: 8/24/2013- L (UD12) vs. #8 Kubrat Pulev
Next Fight: 3/22/2014- vs. #6 Odlanier Solis
Thompson says he’s fighting Odlanier Solis on March 22. 10) Erkan Teper (8-8-20) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- KO1 Martin Rogan (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Teper might have scored the heavyweight knockout of the year, and probably retired Martin Rogan in the process. 11) Mike Perez (8-11) Last Fight: 11/2/2013- UD10 Magomed Abdusalamov (UNR) Next Fight: 1/18/2014- vs. Carlos Takam (UNR) With Solis-Takam falling through, Takam will now be offered up to Perez, instead, on the Pascal-Bute undercard on January 18 in Montreal. 12) Deontay Wilder (8-38) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- TKO4 Nicolai Firtha (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Wilder had hoped to supersede either Stiverne or Arreola for a shot at the WBC belt, but with that fight now officially ordered, he can only hope that Stiverne can’t work the fight out due to legal problems, or that he can fight the winner. 13) Alex Leapai (8-8) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD10 #20 Denis Boytsov Next Fight: 4/26/2014- vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko It looks like Leapai-Klitschko is done for April 26 in Germany. 14) Robert Helenius (9-190) Last Fight: 3/23/2013- W*(UD10) vs. Michael Sprott (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
We finally have a bit of clarification on the Helenius-Sauerland situation. Helenius says that when he signed a promotional contract with Sauerland in 2007, he had no representation and couldn’t even read it in German. He is currently trying to get a Finnish court to allow him to fight in Finland, as he says Sauerland is blocking him from fighting now despite the fact that his health will now allow it. 15) Andy Ruiz (8-8) Last Fight: 11/24/2013- RTD3 Tor Hamer (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Ruiz has called out Tyson Fury, whose team says he’s out until at least March. 16) Seth Mitchell (9-32) Last Fight: 9/7/2013- L (TKO1) vs. Chris Arreola (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Mitchell’s chin is so fragile that he might want to consider calling it a career. Golden Boy’s CEO says he’s advised Mitchell to do just that, though he reports that Mitchell seems to have no such intention. 17) Alexander Dimitrenko (8-157) Last Fight: 3/9/2013- UD8 Ivica Perkovic (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
Dimitrenko is rumored at least to be fighting Sam Sexton in the first round of the WBC World Cup, but that tournament appears to be in limbo for the time being, at least. 18) Vyacheslav Glazkov (8-56) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD10 Garrett Wilson (UNR)
Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. #3 Tomasz Adamek Glazkov-Adamek is back on, for March 15, after the first attempt was cancelled due to an Adamek illness. 19) Malik Scott (8-47) Last Fight: 7/20/2013- L (KO6*) vs. #8 Dereck Chisora Next Fight: Unknown Scott is getting serious buzz for a fight with Wilder. 20) Johnathon Banks (8-61) Last Fight: 6/22/2013- L (UD12) vs. #20 Seth Mitchell Next Fight: Unknown Banks is penciled-in for the second round of the WBC World Cup, against the winner of Sam Sexton and Alexander Dimitrenko, but as noted above, that whole tournament is delayed and in doubt.
THE WEEK AHEAD: Saturday #11 Mike Perez vs. Carlos Takam; Montreal, Quebec; HBO (US)Perez’s rather tragic beating of undefeated Abdusalamov has propelled him to the status of top prospect. He takes on one-loss Cameroonian prospect Carlos Takam. Takam is currently proven at the gatekeeper level, having beaten up Michael Grant last year. Unfortunately his one loss- albeit well over 4 years ago- was not against anybody particularly special.
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