Light Heavyweight: 2014, Feb 3-9
Undefeated Australian prospect Blake Caparello made his American debut on Friday’s ESPN2-televised card from West Orange, New Jersey. Caparello more or less cruised to victory. His opponent- Kosovo native and journeyman Elvir Muriqi- barely did anything at all for four rounds. He did start to find his range a little bit and have his moments from there, to the point that I did give him 3 rounds, but he didn’t win any of them clearly.
Champ: Andre Ward (74-74-74) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 #15 Edwin Rodriguez (as SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward says his manager is working on his next fight despite his lawsuit against promoter Dan Goossen. He had indicated interest in Golovkin, but the Kazakh’s own trainer recently said his fighter is not ready for that fight. 1) Adonis Stevenson (35-35-35) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO6 #6 Tony Bellew Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. #6 Andrzej Fonfara According to Ringtv.com, Stevenson-Fonfara will most likely land on May 24. After that, it looks like the Kovalev fight will happen in late 2014. 2) Bernard Hopkins (74-400-400) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- UD12 Karo Murat (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. Beibut Shumenov (UNR) Golden Boy has reportedly closed the deal on Hopkins-Shumenov, with March or April expected. 3) Jean Pascal (3-3-3) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD12 #16 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Pascal appears to be fully back from his 2 years in the desert, figuratively speaking, having dominated an apparently shopworn Bute. 4) Sergey Kovalev (3-55-55) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO2 Ismayl Sillakh (UNR) Next Fight: 3/29/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent Kovalev is likely to fight Stevenson in late 2014, and has a March 29 fight coming up in Atlantic City- perhaps with Cedric Agnew. 5) Chad Dawson (3-401-401) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L(TKO1) vs. SMW #6 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown Dawson is now a promotional free agent, and is looking to sign with a top promoter to start rebuilding after a rough year. He says he is interested in a Stevenson rematch. Prospects for another occasionally-discussed rematch- with Jean Pascal- increased recently with word that Pascal’s trainer offered Dawson a contract. 6) Andrzej Fonfara (3-25-82) Last Fight: 12/6/2013- KO2 Samuel Miller (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson May 24 looks likely for Fonfara-Stevenson. 7) Tony Bellew (3-121-121) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- L (TKO6) vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: 3/15/2013- vs. Valery Brudov (UNR) (at CW) Bellew plans a move to cruiserweight, and his first fight there is scheduled for March 15 in Liverpool, against Valery Brudov. 8) Gabriel Campillo (3-189-189)
Last Fight: 8/16/2013- L (KO9) vs. #14 Andrzej Fonfara
Next Fight: Unknown Campillo might be on his way to deserved obscurity after being robbed of deserved prominence for so much of his career. He still has plenty of boxing skill, but his will might be fading just a bit. For anyone who is wondering he says he plans to make another push for a title, rather than retiring. 9) Tavoris Cloud (3-232-232)
Last Fight: 9/28/2013- L (TKO7) vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson
Next Fight: Unknown Cloud should probably get himself back in the win column at some point. 10) Nathan Cleverly (3-209-209) Last Fight: 8/17/2013- L (TKO4) vs. #3 Sergey Kovalev
Next Fight: Unknown Cleverly’s cruiserweight debut is once again delayed by what’s being called a minor injury. His promoter says he intends to schedule him another fight very soon. 11) Isaac Chilemba (3-105) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD8 Michael Gbenga (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Jürgen Brähmer (3-94) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 Marcus Oliveira (UNR) Next Fight: 4/5/2014- vs. Enzo Maccarinelli (UNR) Braehmer returns April 5 in Rostock, Germany against moderately resurgent Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli. 13) Karo Murat (2-15) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Next Fight: Unknown Murat is a free agent after his contract with Sauerland recently expired. 14) Thomas Williams, Jr. (2-2) Last Fight: 1/24/2014- TKO1 #13 Cornelius White Next Fight: Unknown Williams has been well-matched against vulnerable guys with good resumes. 15) Cedric Agnew (3-43) Last Fight: 4/12/2013- UD12 #14 Yusaf Mack Next Fight: Unknown Agnew was ordered to defend his regional title against fringe contender Anatoliy Dudchenko, and also appears to have the option of fighting Sukhotsky for a position as IBF mandatory. Even so, he’s now being mentioned as a possible March opponent for Sergey Kovalev. 16) Edwin Rodriguez (3-30) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Andre Ward Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez’s trainer Ronnie Shields opines that a fight against a top-15 level light heavyweight would be a good jumping-off point for his anticipated permanent move up. Before that happens, he’ll need to recover from minor elbow surgery he had in December. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (15-32) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO5 Bartlomiej Grafka (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Cornelius White (2-112) Last Fight: 1/24/2014- L (TKO1) vs. Thomas Williams, Jr. (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Never blessed with big-time promotional or managerial ties, White has risked becoming a permanent opponent with his last two losses. 19) Eleider Alvarez (2-54) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD10 Andy Gardiner (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alvarez may have been suffering from a letdown after Oosthuizen withdrew from what could have been the Colombian’s biggest fight ever, and almost let it effect him to the point of losing to an unheralded undefeated prospect in Gardiner. 20) Lucian Bute (2-66) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- L (UD12) vs. Jean Pascal (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bute looks rather shopworn after the brutal beating at the hands of Froch, the close pitched battle with Grachev, and the humiliation at the hands of Pascal.
Undefeated Danish prospect Erik Skoglund predictably had his way with low-level Spanish journeyman Adasat Rodriguez, dominating for 11 rounds before stopping Rodriguez early in the 12th.
No changes this week.
Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)
Champ: Andre Ward (74-74-74) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 #15 Edwin Rodriguez (as SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward says his manager is working on his next fight despite his lawsuit against promoter Dan Goossen. He had indicated interest in Golovkin, but the Kazakh’s own trainer recently said his fighter is not ready for that fight. 1) Adonis Stevenson (35-35-35) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO6 #6 Tony Bellew Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. #6 Andrzej Fonfara According to Ringtv.com, Stevenson-Fonfara will most likely land on May 24. After that, it looks like the Kovalev fight will happen in late 2014. 2) Bernard Hopkins (74-400-400) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- UD12 Karo Murat (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. Beibut Shumenov (UNR) Golden Boy has reportedly closed the deal on Hopkins-Shumenov, with March or April expected. 3) Jean Pascal (3-3-3) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD12 #16 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Pascal appears to be fully back from his 2 years in the desert, figuratively speaking, having dominated an apparently shopworn Bute. 4) Sergey Kovalev (3-55-55) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO2 Ismayl Sillakh (UNR) Next Fight: 3/29/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent Kovalev is likely to fight Stevenson in late 2014, and has a March 29 fight coming up in Atlantic City- perhaps with Cedric Agnew. 5) Chad Dawson (3-401-401) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L(TKO1) vs. SMW #6 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown Dawson is now a promotional free agent, and is looking to sign with a top promoter to start rebuilding after a rough year. He says he is interested in a Stevenson rematch. Prospects for another occasionally-discussed rematch- with Jean Pascal- increased recently with word that Pascal’s trainer offered Dawson a contract. 6) Andrzej Fonfara (3-25-82) Last Fight: 12/6/2013- KO2 Samuel Miller (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Date- vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson May 24 looks likely for Fonfara-Stevenson. 7) Tony Bellew (3-121-121) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- L (TKO6) vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: 3/15/2013- vs. Valery Brudov (UNR) (at CW) Bellew plans a move to cruiserweight, and his first fight there is scheduled for March 15 in Liverpool, against Valery Brudov. 8) Gabriel Campillo (3-189-189)
Last Fight: 8/16/2013- L (KO9) vs. #14 Andrzej Fonfara
Next Fight: Unknown Campillo might be on his way to deserved obscurity after being robbed of deserved prominence for so much of his career. He still has plenty of boxing skill, but his will might be fading just a bit. For anyone who is wondering he says he plans to make another push for a title, rather than retiring. 9) Tavoris Cloud (3-232-232)
Last Fight: 9/28/2013- L (TKO7) vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson
Next Fight: Unknown Cloud should probably get himself back in the win column at some point. 10) Nathan Cleverly (3-209-209) Last Fight: 8/17/2013- L (TKO4) vs. #3 Sergey Kovalev
Next Fight: Unknown Cleverly’s cruiserweight debut is once again delayed by what’s being called a minor injury. His promoter says he intends to schedule him another fight very soon. 11) Isaac Chilemba (3-105) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD8 Michael Gbenga (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 12) Jürgen Brähmer (3-94) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 Marcus Oliveira (UNR) Next Fight: 4/5/2014- vs. Enzo Maccarinelli (UNR) Braehmer returns April 5 in Rostock, Germany against moderately resurgent Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli. 13) Karo Murat (2-15) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Next Fight: Unknown Murat is a free agent after his contract with Sauerland recently expired. 14) Thomas Williams, Jr. (2-2) Last Fight: 1/24/2014- TKO1 #13 Cornelius White Next Fight: Unknown Williams has been well-matched against vulnerable guys with good resumes. 15) Cedric Agnew (3-43) Last Fight: 4/12/2013- UD12 #14 Yusaf Mack Next Fight: Unknown Agnew was ordered to defend his regional title against fringe contender Anatoliy Dudchenko, and also appears to have the option of fighting Sukhotsky for a position as IBF mandatory. Even so, he’s now being mentioned as a possible March opponent for Sergey Kovalev. 16) Edwin Rodriguez (3-30) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Andre Ward Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez’s trainer Ronnie Shields opines that a fight against a top-15 level light heavyweight would be a good jumping-off point for his anticipated permanent move up. Before that happens, he’ll need to recover from minor elbow surgery he had in December. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (15-32) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO5 Bartlomiej Grafka (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Cornelius White (2-112) Last Fight: 1/24/2014- L (TKO1) vs. Thomas Williams, Jr. (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Never blessed with big-time promotional or managerial ties, White has risked becoming a permanent opponent with his last two losses. 19) Eleider Alvarez (2-54) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD10 Andy Gardiner (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alvarez may have been suffering from a letdown after Oosthuizen withdrew from what could have been the Colombian’s biggest fight ever, and almost let it effect him to the point of losing to an unheralded undefeated prospect in Gardiner. 20) Lucian Bute (2-66) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- L (UD12) vs. Jean Pascal (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bute looks rather shopworn after the brutal beating at the hands of Froch, the close pitched battle with Grachev, and the humiliation at the hands of Pascal.
The Week Ahead: Light Heavyweight is no exception to the general rule of no fights, as the Olympics kick off this week.
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