Light Heavyweight: 2014, May 5-11
Undefeated Cuban Yunieski Gonzalez took 107 seconds (which sounds longer than 1:47) to stop his low-level journeyman opponent, Jaison Palomeque, on Thursday in the Miami suburb of Hialeah. The fight was on the non-televised portion of the ESPN card.
Champ: Andre Ward (87-87-87) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 #15 Edwin Rodriguez (as SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward lost an arbitration with his promoter, but it sounds like the rift between the two is far from solved. 1) Adonis Stevenson (48-48-48) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO6 #6 Tony Bellew Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. #6 Andrzej Fonfara In something of a coup, Stevenson-Fonfara will be carried by Showtime. This not only further diminishes HBO’s stable of top fighters, but also puts in serious doubt the plausibility of what appeared to be an upcoming megafight with Kovalev. 2) Bernard Hopkins (87-413-413) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- W (SD12*) vs. Beibut Shumenov (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Hopkins has been ordered to fight his mandatory, which is the winner of Anatoliy Dudchenko and Nadjib Mohammedi- not exactly big money names- but he has been given leave for a unification fight (presumably with Stevenson) before that. 3) Jean Pascal (16-16-16) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD12 #16 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Pascal is pencilled in for a September fight, and perhaps one more before the end of the year. Prospective opponents, in order, are Sean Monaghan and Lucian Bute. He wants Stevenson after that, assuming he comes through cleanly. 4) Sergey Kovalev (16-68-68) Last Fight: 3/29/2014- KO7 #15 Cedric Agnew Next Fight: Unknown Kovalev had some choice words for Stevenson after the Haitian defected to Showtime and, apparently, scuttled their much-hyped matchup for later this year. No news yet on what Kovalev’s next move will be after the development. 5) Chad Dawson (16-414-414) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L(TKO1) vs. SMW #6 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown Dawson has signed a deal with manager Al Haymon, which certainly brightens his career prospects. 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 (16-38-95) Last Fight: 12/6/2013- KO2 Samuel Miller (UNR) Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson See Stevenson’s notes, above. 7) Tony Bellew (16-134-134) Last Fight: 3/15/2014- KO12 Valery Brudov (UNR) (at CW) Next Fight: Unknown Bellew is campaigning at cruiserweight now, but he’ll keep his ranking here until he schedules a fight there for after November 30, or until after November 30 itself. BJ Flores wants to fight him, but it sounds like he’ll fight Cleverly before the year is out. 8) Gabriel Campillo (16-202-202)
Last Fight: 8/16/2013- L (KO9) vs. #14 Andrzej Fonfara
Next Fight: 5/9/2014- vs. Ricky Pow (UNR) Campillo has replaced one low-level tune-up opponent with another, as Ibrahim Lopez is out and Ricky Pow is in for Campillo’s May 9 Madrid date. 9) Tavoris Cloud (16-245-245) 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 (16-222-222) Last Fight: 8/17/2013- L (TKO4) vs. #3 Sergey Kovalev
Next Fight: 5/17/2014- vs. Sean Corbin (UNR) Cleverly’s cruiserweight debut is once again on the schedule. This time for May 17 in Cardiff, and his opponent- on a little over 2 weeks’ notice- is journeyman Sean Corbin. 11) Isaac Chilemba (16-118) Last Fight: 3/15/2014- UD10 Denis Grachev (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chilemba looked very very sharp in dominating a game Denis Grachev, and might soon be in line for a shot at Adonis Stevenson. 12) Jürgen Brähmer (16-107) Last Fight: 4/5/2014- RTD5 Enzo Maccarinelli (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Braehmer might give Maccarinelli a rematch in June. I like it. 13) Karo Murat (15-28) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Next Fight: Unknown Murat wants Braehmer, his former stablemate, but is now without a promoter, which probably means Sauerland isn’t falling all over themselves to make that fight. 14) Thomas Williams, Jr. (15-15) Last Fight: 4/24/2014- TKO3 Enrique Ornelas (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Williams just added another faded name to his resume…this one perhaps a bit too faded. 15) Cedric Agnew (16-56) Last Fight: 3/29/2014- L (KO7) vs. #4 Sergey Kovalev Next Fight: Unknown After taking a risk against Kovalev and coming up short, I can only assume that his prospects for a regional title bout against Dudchenko and a IBF eliminator against Sukhotsky might both be out the window at least for the moment. 16) Edwin Rodriguez (16-43) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Andre Ward Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez was scheduled to fight Marcus Johnson on May 24, but Johnson quickly withdrew. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (28-45) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO5 Bartlomiej Grafka (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Cornelius White (15-125) 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 (15-67) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD10 Andy Gardiner (UNR) Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. Alexander Johnson (UNR) Alvarez has switched from an undefeated prospect to a defeated- but more experienced- one in Alexander Johnson, and in doing so has gotten his fight televised in the US. 20) Lucian Bute (15-79) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- L (UD12) vs. Jean Pascal (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bute wants his contractually-guaranteed rematch with Pascal, a fight that appears tentatively planned for late in the year. He recently parted ways with his long-time trainer, and says he’s in no hurry to get back in the ring.
Saturday, on the Abraham-Sjekloca undercard in Berlin, Eddy Gutknecht took his very non-threatening (on paper, at least) opponent too lightly, and got beat up a little bit in a draw that probably ends his career as a serious player in this or any division. Argentina’s Pablo Sosa had no legitimate business in the ring with Gutknecht or any top 50 fighter. It’s not just that he was inexperienced, at just 8 career fights coming in, but he had only won 3 of those 8, as well. That sounds slightly worse than it is, since he adds 2 draws, but it’s still a .500 record. In retrospect, he’s been abused by his management somewhat, in that all three of his losses came against guys that are still in the undefeated prospect category today. But still. He has two draws to Adasat Rodriguez, who is nothing special, and has never beaten anybody particularly good.
As for the fight itself, it seemed to me that it swung entirely on the relative effort of the two fighters. Gutknecht did not look like a guy that had trained particularly hard, as he was only able to fight in spurts. That’s not the type of fighter he is, typically. When Gutknecht tried to box off the back foot (his typical style), he was unable to keep Sosa off him, nor to match the Argentine’s aggressive effectiveness. When Gutknecht made a stand or chose to come forward, Sosa tended to go into a shell and could do little if anything. I had it a draw just like judge Joerg Milke, and I thought Ingo Barrabas’s 77-75 card for Sosa was okay. Gerhard Sigl, of whom I’m seldom a fan, showed typical local bias in scoring it 77-75 Gutknecht. There’s just no way Gutknecht actually won more than his share of rounds.
Gutknecht, for all intents and purposes, fades to obscurity, while Sosa remains even lower in the rankings due to his unimpressive past. No changes.
Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)
Champ: Andre Ward (87-87-87) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 #15 Edwin Rodriguez (as SMW) Next Fight: Unknown Ward lost an arbitration with his promoter, but it sounds like the rift between the two is far from solved. 1) Adonis Stevenson (48-48-48) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO6 #6 Tony Bellew Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. #6 Andrzej Fonfara In something of a coup, Stevenson-Fonfara will be carried by Showtime. This not only further diminishes HBO’s stable of top fighters, but also puts in serious doubt the plausibility of what appeared to be an upcoming megafight with Kovalev. 2) Bernard Hopkins (87-413-413) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- W (SD12*) vs. Beibut Shumenov (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown Hopkins has been ordered to fight his mandatory, which is the winner of Anatoliy Dudchenko and Nadjib Mohammedi- not exactly big money names- but he has been given leave for a unification fight (presumably with Stevenson) before that. 3) Jean Pascal (16-16-16) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD12 #16 Lucian Bute Next Fight: Unknown Pascal is pencilled in for a September fight, and perhaps one more before the end of the year. Prospective opponents, in order, are Sean Monaghan and Lucian Bute. He wants Stevenson after that, assuming he comes through cleanly. 4) Sergey Kovalev (16-68-68) Last Fight: 3/29/2014- KO7 #15 Cedric Agnew Next Fight: Unknown Kovalev had some choice words for Stevenson after the Haitian defected to Showtime and, apparently, scuttled their much-hyped matchup for later this year. No news yet on what Kovalev’s next move will be after the development. 5) Chad Dawson (16-414-414) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L(TKO1) vs. SMW #6 Adonis Stevenson Next Fight: Unknown Dawson has signed a deal with manager Al Haymon, which certainly brightens his career prospects. 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 (16-38-95) Last Fight: 12/6/2013- KO2 Samuel Miller (UNR) Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. #1 Adonis Stevenson See Stevenson’s notes, above. 7) Tony Bellew (16-134-134) Last Fight: 3/15/2014- KO12 Valery Brudov (UNR) (at CW) Next Fight: Unknown Bellew is campaigning at cruiserweight now, but he’ll keep his ranking here until he schedules a fight there for after November 30, or until after November 30 itself. BJ Flores wants to fight him, but it sounds like he’ll fight Cleverly before the year is out. 8) Gabriel Campillo (16-202-202)
Last Fight: 8/16/2013- L (KO9) vs. #14 Andrzej Fonfara
Next Fight: 5/9/2014- vs. Ricky Pow (UNR) Campillo has replaced one low-level tune-up opponent with another, as Ibrahim Lopez is out and Ricky Pow is in for Campillo’s May 9 Madrid date. 9) Tavoris Cloud (16-245-245) 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 (16-222-222) Last Fight: 8/17/2013- L (TKO4) vs. #3 Sergey Kovalev
Next Fight: 5/17/2014- vs. Sean Corbin (UNR) Cleverly’s cruiserweight debut is once again on the schedule. This time for May 17 in Cardiff, and his opponent- on a little over 2 weeks’ notice- is journeyman Sean Corbin. 11) Isaac Chilemba (16-118) Last Fight: 3/15/2014- UD10 Denis Grachev (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chilemba looked very very sharp in dominating a game Denis Grachev, and might soon be in line for a shot at Adonis Stevenson. 12) Jürgen Brähmer (16-107) Last Fight: 4/5/2014- RTD5 Enzo Maccarinelli (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Braehmer might give Maccarinelli a rematch in June. I like it. 13) Karo Murat (15-28) Last Fight: 10/26/2013- L (UD12) vs. #2 Bernard Hopkins Next Fight: Unknown Murat wants Braehmer, his former stablemate, but is now without a promoter, which probably means Sauerland isn’t falling all over themselves to make that fight. 14) Thomas Williams, Jr. (15-15) Last Fight: 4/24/2014- TKO3 Enrique Ornelas (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Williams just added another faded name to his resume…this one perhaps a bit too faded. 15) Cedric Agnew (16-56) Last Fight: 3/29/2014- L (KO7) vs. #4 Sergey Kovalev Next Fight: Unknown After taking a risk against Kovalev and coming up short, I can only assume that his prospects for a regional title bout against Dudchenko and a IBF eliminator against Sukhotsky might both be out the window at least for the moment. 16) Edwin Rodriguez (16-43) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Andre Ward Next Fight: Unknown Rodriguez was scheduled to fight Marcus Johnson on May 24, but Johnson quickly withdrew. 17) Hadillah Mohoumadi (28-45) Last Fight: 11/30/2013- TKO5 Bartlomiej Grafka (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 18) Cornelius White (15-125) 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 (15-67) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- UD10 Andy Gardiner (UNR) Next Fight: 5/24/2014- vs. Alexander Johnson (UNR) Alvarez has switched from an undefeated prospect to a defeated- but more experienced- one in Alexander Johnson, and in doing so has gotten his fight televised in the US. 20) Lucian Bute (15-79) Last Fight: 1/18/2014- L (UD12) vs. Jean Pascal (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bute wants his contractually-guaranteed rematch with Pascal, a fight that appears tentatively planned for late in the year. He recently parted ways with his long-time trainer, and says he’s in no hurry to get back in the ring.
The Week Ahead: Friday #8 Gabriel Campillo vs. Ricky Pow; Las Palmas, Spain; TV Unknown This fight is just to stay busy and build confidence for Campillo, who frankly disappointed in his last fight. Pow is a Brit living in Spain, and is nothing special, having been stopped twice- once by an unproven prospect, and once by a fairly poor journeyman.
Dan's Weekly Boxer Rankings and Blog 
Leave a Reply