Welterweight: 2014, Mar 3-9
Saturday featured a major upset in Naucalpan, Mexico. #20 Pablo Cesar Cano looked just fine early, walking down Colombian journeyman Fernando Angulo and exerting his greater physical size to control distance and keep his opponent with his back to the ropes. Cano very clearly swept the first three rounds before he let Angulo get in some nice shots to win round 4 just as clearly. Cano bounced back in round 5, but that turned out to be his last stand. With his face starting to bust up, Cano began to noticeably fade. His work- always more blunt than fast- began to slow and look significantly looser. Angulo began to come forward, and cut through Cano’s defense like butter with quick, concise shots. By the end of the 8th, the cards were all even (at least according to myself and Daniel Ponce de Leon, who was scoring the fight for Fox Deportes). Early in the 9th, a particularly sharp Angulo right hand opened a wide and deep cut between Cano’s eyebrows, and the fight was quickly stopped on the advice of the ringside doctor. It looked for all the world like Angulo was about to take the lead by winning the instant round, and most likely the final round as well, and so the typically disappointing cuts stoppage need not trouble us in this case. This was a fully legit upset win for Angulo- the biggest of his career.
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 (21-21-91) 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 (21-121-121) 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 (21-274-274)
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 (13-39-39)
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 (12-12-52) 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. He may at least get on the Mayweather undercard, with a blockbuster welterweight showdown with Lucas Matthysse being discussed. 6) Shawn Porter (12-13-13) 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, and that fight currently appears to be in the works for April 19. 7) Robert Guerrero (13-67-84) 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. Khan may be in play, though, too. 8) Kell Brook (13-149-149)
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 (13-106-106) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alexander’s trainer has named Berto and Judah as guys that would make sense for the St. Louisan’s next fight. 10) Randall Bailey (15-15-15) 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 (15-89) 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 (12-58) 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 (12-67) 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. Alexander wants him. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (13-13) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi says he wants Porter, and that fight is reportedly in the works for April 19. 15) Chris van Heerden (13-90) 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 (13-45) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: 4/4/2014- vs. Jean Carlos Prada (UNR) Abregu is set to return on April 4 in his hometown of Salta, Argentina against unbeaten but totally untested Venezuelan Jean Carlos Prada. 17) Luis Collazo (5-5) 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 (5-221)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Ruslan Provodnikov (5-51) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov is looking to defend his title at 140 on June 14, possibly against Antonio Demarco. If he sets that fight (or any other at 140), he’ll be removed here, as he hasn’t fought at 147 since his March 16 fight with Tim Bradley. In any case, he’ll be removed on March 17 unless he scheduled a welterweight fight. 20) Leonard Bundu (1-1) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. Gianluca Branco (UNR) Bundu will reportedly fight his European mandatory Gianluca Branco of Italy on April 12.
In other action on the non-televised Chavez-Vera undercard in San Antonio, Jose Zepeda (an undefeated fringe contender at 140) made fairly short work of low-level journeyman Johnnie Edwards, stopping Edwards in the latter half of the 2nd.
Cano is naturally bounced from his #20 position, but Angulo’s past record of 4 losses at lightweight and junior welter hold him back from entering, himself. Claiming the vacancy is Leonard Bundu, who was forced out on February 3.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20) Champ: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (201-233-233)
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 (21-21-91) 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 (21-121-121) 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 (21-274-274)
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 (13-39-39)
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 (12-12-52) 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. He may at least get on the Mayweather undercard, with a blockbuster welterweight showdown with Lucas Matthysse being discussed. 6) Shawn Porter (12-13-13) 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, and that fight currently appears to be in the works for April 19. 7) Robert Guerrero (13-67-84) 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. Khan may be in play, though, too. 8) Kell Brook (13-149-149)
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 (13-106-106) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Alexander’s trainer has named Berto and Judah as guys that would make sense for the St. Louisan’s next fight. 10) Randall Bailey (15-15-15) 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 (15-89) 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 (12-58) 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 (12-67) 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. Alexander wants him. 14) Paulie Malignaggi (13-13) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi says he wants Porter, and that fight is reportedly in the works for April 19. 15) Chris van Heerden (13-90) 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 (13-45) Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR) Next Fight: 4/4/2014- vs. Jean Carlos Prada (UNR) Abregu is set to return on April 4 in his hometown of Salta, Argentina against unbeaten but totally untested Venezuelan Jean Carlos Prada. 17) Luis Collazo (5-5) 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 (5-221)
Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 19) Ruslan Provodnikov (5-51) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW) Next Fight: Unknown Provodnikov is looking to defend his title at 140 on June 14, possibly against Antonio Demarco. If he sets that fight (or any other at 140), he’ll be removed here, as he hasn’t fought at 147 since his March 16 fight with Tim Bradley. In any case, he’ll be removed on March 17 unless he scheduled a welterweight fight. 20) Leonard Bundu (1-1) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. Gianluca Branco (UNR) Bundu will reportedly fight his European mandatory Gianluca Branco of Italy on April 12.
The Week Ahead: Friday Rustam Nugaev vs. Marvin Quintero; Pala, California; ESPN2 (US) Nugaev, of Russia, is a fringe contender at 140, who will be fighting at a contract weight about midway between 140 and 147. Mexico’s Quintero hasn’t fought since October 2012, and that fight was at lightweight. That being said, he was robbed of a lightweight title against Miguel Vazquez in that fight, so he’s no joke.
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