Welterweight: 2014, Feb 24- Mar 2
I’m a little furious that I have so little I can report on this fight. Ray Robinson won what appears to have been a clear decision over undefeated Russian Aslanbek Kozaev- by scores of 118-110 (x2) and 117-111 in Dover, Delaware on Friday. That’s all I can really tell you about this fight between two top 50 fighters in boxing’s best division because it was inexplicably not carried on any TV station, nor even on Youtube.
Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W* (MD12) vs. #2 JMW Saul Alvarez (at JMW) Next Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. #4 Marcos Maidana Thankfully, it will be the worthy Maidana rather than the likely washed-up Khan that fights Floyd on May 3. 1) Timothy Bradley (20-20-90) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- W (SD12) vs. #1 Juan Manuel Marquez Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #3 Manny Pacquiao Bradley-Pacquiao II is on, and it’s made all the more intriguing by Bradley’s win over Pac’s nemesis. 2) Juan Manuel Marquez (20-120-120) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown It appears Marquez is close to a deal to fight Alvarado on May 17. 3) Manny Pacquiao (20-273-273)
Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD12 #5? JWW Brandon Rios Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #1 Timothy Bradley See Bradley’s notes, above. 4) Marcos Maidana (12-38-38)
Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 LW Champ Adrien Broner Next Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Maidana will get a shot at the true title on May 3. 5) Keith Thurman (11-11-51) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO9 #6 Jesus Soto-Karass Next Fight: Unknown Golden Boy’s CEO wants to match Thurman with Collazo. Thurman, for his part, is dreaming of a Mayweather fight. 6) Shawn Porter (11-12-12) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #5 Devon Alexander Next Fight: Unknown For the longest time, it looked like Porter would be fighting his mandatory, Kell Brook, but a Thurman or Marquez fight has also been discussed, while Malignaggi has also indicated interest. 7) Robert Guerrero (12-66-83) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown Guerrero is seeking to separate from Golden Boy, and 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. Meanwhile, his dad has suggested that Mayweather should give him a rematch- even less likely. 8) Kell Brook (12-148-148)
Last Fight:10/26/2013- TKO4 Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR) Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent Brook will be back on March 15 in what looks like a stay-busy fight. After that, he’ll almost certainly fight the winner of Porter’s next fight, as he will be the mandatory. That being said, he’s aggressively seeking a fight with Amir Khan, too. 9) Devon Alexander (12-105-105) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alexander would like to fight three times in 2014. 10) Randall Bailey (14-14-14) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bailey said recently in an interview that he’d like to fight Thurman. 11) Josesito Lopez (14-88) Last Fight: 12/13/2013- W (TD8) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lopez appears set to return in mid-to-late March, according to a Boxingscene report. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (11-57) 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 (11-66) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- L (TKO12) vs. #11 Jesus Soto Karass Next Fight: Unknown Berto is now recovered from surgery and is training for a summer return. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (12-12) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi says he wants Porter, and Porter seems open to it. 15) Chris van Heerden (12-89) Last Fight: 2/6/2014- RTD4 Cosme Rivera (UNR) Next Fight:Unknown Van Heerden finally got a fight in, albeit a stay-busy one. 16) Luis Carlos Abregu (12-44) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Abregu says his rehab from hand surgery is progressing well, and he is expecting to return in Salta, Argentina in a March tune-up. 17) Luis Collazo (4-4) Last Fight: 1/30/2014- KO2 Victor Ortiz (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Golden Boy’s CEO wants to match him with Keith Thurman. 18) Jan Zaveck (4-220)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Ruslan Provodnikov (4-50) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov’s promoter is not high on a potential Rios fight, since he doesn’t think Rios can make 140. 20) Pablo Cesar Cano (4-24) Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD10*) vs. Ashley Theophane (UNR) Next Fight: 3/1/2014- vs. Fernando Angulo (UNR) Cano’s opponent for Saturday has been somewhat downgraded from fringe contender Silverio Ortiz to quality journeyman Fernando Angulo.
Even with the good win, Robinson is still more or less in the gatekeeper category, with the competition in this division proving very stiff indeed. Kozaev is now decidedly on the fringes of the top 50. No changes this week.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20) Champ: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (200-232-232)
Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W* (MD12) vs. #2 JMW Saul Alvarez (at JMW) Next Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. #4 Marcos Maidana Thankfully, it will be the worthy Maidana rather than the likely washed-up Khan that fights Floyd on May 3. 1) Timothy Bradley (20-20-90) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- W (SD12) vs. #1 Juan Manuel Marquez Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #3 Manny Pacquiao Bradley-Pacquiao II is on, and it’s made all the more intriguing by Bradley’s win over Pac’s nemesis. 2) Juan Manuel Marquez (20-120-120) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown It appears Marquez is close to a deal to fight Alvarado on May 17. 3) Manny Pacquiao (20-273-273)
Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD12 #5? JWW Brandon Rios Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #1 Timothy Bradley See Bradley’s notes, above. 4) Marcos Maidana (12-38-38)
Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 LW Champ Adrien Broner Next Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Maidana will get a shot at the true title on May 3. 5) Keith Thurman (11-11-51) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO9 #6 Jesus Soto-Karass Next Fight: Unknown Golden Boy’s CEO wants to match Thurman with Collazo. Thurman, for his part, is dreaming of a Mayweather fight. 6) Shawn Porter (11-12-12) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #5 Devon Alexander Next Fight: Unknown For the longest time, it looked like Porter would be fighting his mandatory, Kell Brook, but a Thurman or Marquez fight has also been discussed, while Malignaggi has also indicated interest. 7) Robert Guerrero (12-66-83) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown Guerrero is seeking to separate from Golden Boy, and 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. Meanwhile, his dad has suggested that Mayweather should give him a rematch- even less likely. 8) Kell Brook (12-148-148)
Last Fight:10/26/2013- TKO4 Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR) Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent Brook will be back on March 15 in what looks like a stay-busy fight. After that, he’ll almost certainly fight the winner of Porter’s next fight, as he will be the mandatory. That being said, he’s aggressively seeking a fight with Amir Khan, too. 9) Devon Alexander (12-105-105) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alexander would like to fight three times in 2014. 10) Randall Bailey (14-14-14) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bailey said recently in an interview that he’d like to fight Thurman. 11) Josesito Lopez (14-88) Last Fight: 12/13/2013- W (TD8) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lopez appears set to return in mid-to-late March, according to a Boxingscene report. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (11-57) 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 (11-66) Last Fight: 7/27/2013- L (TKO12) vs. #11 Jesus Soto Karass Next Fight: Unknown Berto is now recovered from surgery and is training for a summer return. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (12-12) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi says he wants Porter, and Porter seems open to it. 15) Chris van Heerden (12-89) Last Fight: 2/6/2014- RTD4 Cosme Rivera (UNR) Next Fight:Unknown Van Heerden finally got a fight in, albeit a stay-busy one. 16) Luis Carlos Abregu (12-44) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Abregu says his rehab from hand surgery is progressing well, and he is expecting to return in Salta, Argentina in a March tune-up. 17) Luis Collazo (4-4) Last Fight: 1/30/2014- KO2 Victor Ortiz (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Golden Boy’s CEO wants to match him with Keith Thurman. 18) Jan Zaveck (4-220)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Ruslan Provodnikov (4-50) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov’s promoter is not high on a potential Rios fight, since he doesn’t think Rios can make 140. 20) Pablo Cesar Cano (4-24) Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD10*) vs. Ashley Theophane (UNR) Next Fight: 3/1/2014- vs. Fernando Angulo (UNR) Cano’s opponent for Saturday has been somewhat downgraded from fringe contender Silverio Ortiz to quality journeyman Fernando Angulo.
The Week Ahead: Saturday #20 Pablo Cesar Cano vs. Fernando Angulo; Naucalpan, Mexico; Fox Deportes (US) Cano of Mexico is a proven fringe contender and a huge favorite, especially at home. Colombia’s Angulo is a solid journeyman with 9 losses, but I must say that he did acquit himself quite well in the only fight I’ve actually seen him in against Leo Zappavigna. Angulo is a late replacement for the more threatening Silverio Ortiz.
Jose Zepeda vs. Johnnie Edwards; San Antonio, Texas; Off TV Zepeda, from California, is an undefeated fringe contending prospect at 140, and is merely staying busy with Edwards, who is a journeyman from the Carolinas. Edwards would be a big underdog under the best of circumstances, but is even more so due to the fact that he hasn’t won in 5 years, hasn’t fought in well over a year, and has fought only once since 2009. This is on the Chavez-Vera undercard, but will not make the TV broadcast.
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