Welterweight: 2014, May 12-18
In the week’s only half-serious welterweight action on Friday, fringe contender Ray Robinson beat up low-level journeyman George Sosa for the better part of 4 rounds, before referee Vic de Wysocki stepped in to stop it. No video of the fight is known to exist, so that’s all I can report.
Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 Marcos Maidana Next Fight: Unknown Mayweather certainly deserved a loss against Maidana in what was clearly his toughest night since the first Castillo fight. There’s already serious talk of a rematch. 1) Marcos Maidana (2-49-49) Last Fight:5/3/2014- L* (MD12) vs. Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown See Mayweather’s notes, above. 2) Manny Pacquiao (2-284-284) Last Fight: 4/12/2014- UD12 #1 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown Pacquiao is reportedly working on a 5-fight extension with the rotting corpse of Top Rank. 3) Juan Manuel Marquez (2-131-131) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: 5/17/2014- vs. #? JWW Mike Alvarado Marquez takes on Alvarado near L.A. on May 17. 4) Timothy Bradley (2-31-101) Last Fight: 4/12/2014- L (UD12) vs. #3 Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: Unknown Bradley’s best options for a next fight, practically-speaking, are limited to re-hashes of previous fights like Marquez and Provodnikov. 5) Keith Thurman (22-22-62) Last Fight: 4/26/2014- RTD3 Julio Diaz (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Thurman might get a Mayweather shot next, if there’s no Mayweather-Maidana II on the horizon. 6) Shawn Porter (22-23-23) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- KO4 #14 Paulie Malignaggi Next Fight: Unknown Thurman wants him and Golden Boy is making noise about him fighting Mayweather, but it’s hard to imagine Porter being able to put off his mandatory with Brook any longer. That fight is being worked on for July, it’s said. 7) Robert Guerrero (23-77-94) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: 6/21/2014- vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai (UNR) Guerrero scheduled the Kamegai fight just in time to avoid removal. It’s not exactly the sexiest possible matchup, though Kamegai does make good fights generally. 8) Kell Brook (23-159-159)
Last Fight:3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR) (at JMW) Next Fight: Unknown See Porter’s notes, above. 9) Devon Alexander (23-116-116) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #12 Jesus Soto Karass Boxingscene now reports that Alexander-Soto Karass is done, but not for June 21 as originally reported, but rather on the Canelo-Lara undercard on July 12. 10) Randall Bailey (25-25-25) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: 6/7/2014- vs. Freddy Lawson (UNR) Bailey wants Thurman, but it sounds like he’s settling for undefeated but fairly untested Ghanaian prospect Freddy Lawson in Minnesota. 11) Josesito Lopez (25-99) Last Fight: 4/24/2014- TKO5 Aron Martinez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lopez is back on the right track, looking at least decent against a likely better fighter than Arnaoutis, whom he almost lost to. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (22-68) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- L (TKO9) vs. #13 Keith Thurman Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #9 Devon Alexander See Alexander’s notes, above. 13) Andre Berto (22-77) 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 July return. 14) Amir Khan (2-2) Last Fight: 5/3/2014- UD12 #17 Luis Collazo Next Fight: Unknown Despite the fairly impressive win over Collazo, Khan has ruled himself out of a possible Mayweather shot in September, due to Ramadan. He posits Shawn Porter and Robert Guerrero as possible opponents. 15) Paulie Malignaggi (2-23) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- L (KO4) vs. #6 Shawn Porter Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi confirms he’s considering retirement. 16) Chris van Heerden (2-100) Last Fight: 4/16/2014- W (SD10) vs. Ray Narh (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Van Heerden’s split decision win over Ray Narh doesn’t look very worthy of a top 15 contender on paper, but I unfortunately am unable to find video, and thus can’t opine on what it might mean for his future. 17) Luis Carlos Abregu (2-55) Last Fight: 4/4/2014- TKO8 Jean Carlos Prada (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Abregu is interested in fighting Brandon Rios in the US. 18) Jan Zaveck (15-231) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown There are rumors that Zaveck may soon be positioned for a minor (IBO) title fight. 19) Leonard Bundu (9-11) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bundu’s fight with Gianluca Branco, scheduled for April 12, is now off due to a training injury to Branco. Bundu’s camp is now targeting May as his next appearance, and Frankie Gavin has been installed as his new mandatory. 20) Luis Collazo (2-15) Last Fight: 5/3/2014- L (UD12) vs. Amir Khan (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown It’s back to the drawing board for Collazo, whose career momentum was abruptly halted by a sharp Khan.
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. (211-243-243)
Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 Marcos Maidana Next Fight: Unknown Mayweather certainly deserved a loss against Maidana in what was clearly his toughest night since the first Castillo fight. There’s already serious talk of a rematch. 1) Marcos Maidana (2-49-49) Last Fight:5/3/2014- L* (MD12) vs. Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: Unknown See Mayweather’s notes, above. 2) Manny Pacquiao (2-284-284) Last Fight: 4/12/2014- UD12 #1 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: Unknown Pacquiao is reportedly working on a 5-fight extension with the rotting corpse of Top Rank. 3) Juan Manuel Marquez (2-131-131) Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy Bradley Next Fight: 5/17/2014- vs. #? JWW Mike Alvarado Marquez takes on Alvarado near L.A. on May 17. 4) Timothy Bradley (2-31-101) Last Fight: 4/12/2014- L (UD12) vs. #3 Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: Unknown Bradley’s best options for a next fight, practically-speaking, are limited to re-hashes of previous fights like Marquez and Provodnikov. 5) Keith Thurman (22-22-62) Last Fight: 4/26/2014- RTD3 Julio Diaz (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Thurman might get a Mayweather shot next, if there’s no Mayweather-Maidana II on the horizon. 6) Shawn Porter (22-23-23) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- KO4 #14 Paulie Malignaggi Next Fight: Unknown Thurman wants him and Golden Boy is making noise about him fighting Mayweather, but it’s hard to imagine Porter being able to put off his mandatory with Brook any longer. That fight is being worked on for July, it’s said. 7) Robert Guerrero (23-77-94) Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Next Fight: 6/21/2014- vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai (UNR) Guerrero scheduled the Kamegai fight just in time to avoid removal. It’s not exactly the sexiest possible matchup, though Kamegai does make good fights generally. 8) Kell Brook (23-159-159)
Last Fight:3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR) (at JMW) Next Fight: Unknown See Porter’s notes, above. 9) Devon Alexander (23-116-116) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR) Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #12 Jesus Soto Karass Boxingscene now reports that Alexander-Soto Karass is done, but not for June 21 as originally reported, but rather on the Canelo-Lara undercard on July 12. 10) Randall Bailey (25-25-25) Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR) Next Fight: 6/7/2014- vs. Freddy Lawson (UNR) Bailey wants Thurman, but it sounds like he’s settling for undefeated but fairly untested Ghanaian prospect Freddy Lawson in Minnesota. 11) Josesito Lopez (25-99) Last Fight: 4/24/2014- TKO5 Aron Martinez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Lopez is back on the right track, looking at least decent against a likely better fighter than Arnaoutis, whom he almost lost to. 12) Jesus Soto Karass (22-68) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- L (TKO9) vs. #13 Keith Thurman Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #9 Devon Alexander See Alexander’s notes, above. 13) Andre Berto (22-77) 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 July return. 14) Amir Khan (2-2) Last Fight: 5/3/2014- UD12 #17 Luis Collazo Next Fight: Unknown Despite the fairly impressive win over Collazo, Khan has ruled himself out of a possible Mayweather shot in September, due to Ramadan. He posits Shawn Porter and Robert Guerrero as possible opponents. 15) Paulie Malignaggi (2-23) Last Fight: 4/19/2014- L (KO4) vs. #6 Shawn Porter Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi confirms he’s considering retirement. 16) Chris van Heerden (2-100) Last Fight: 4/16/2014- W (SD10) vs. Ray Narh (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Van Heerden’s split decision win over Ray Narh doesn’t look very worthy of a top 15 contender on paper, but I unfortunately am unable to find video, and thus can’t opine on what it might mean for his future. 17) Luis Carlos Abregu (2-55) Last Fight: 4/4/2014- TKO8 Jean Carlos Prada (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Abregu is interested in fighting Brandon Rios in the US. 18) Jan Zaveck (15-231) Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown There are rumors that Zaveck may soon be positioned for a minor (IBO) title fight. 19) Leonard Bundu (9-11) Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Bundu’s fight with Gianluca Branco, scheduled for April 12, is now off due to a training injury to Branco. Bundu’s camp is now targeting May as his next appearance, and Frankie Gavin has been installed as his new mandatory. 20) Luis Collazo (2-15) Last Fight: 5/3/2014- L (UD12) vs. Amir Khan (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown It’s back to the drawing board for Collazo, whose career momentum was abruptly halted by a sharp Khan.
The Week Ahead: Friday Bethuel Ushona vs. Ebenezer Lantei Lamptey; Oshikoto, Namibia; TV Unknown Ushona- roughly a fringe contender since his big win over Kaizer Mabuza last year- is up against, it would appear, one of those Ghanaians with the fairly impressive but ultimately hollow records that you sometimes see getting cut through like wet paper against a really good international prospect. Lamptey is even less foreboding than some others, since he has already lost a couple times, once to local competition. Ushona should have a pretty easy night.
Saturday #3 Juan Manuel Marquez vs. #? JWW Mike Alvarado; Inglewood, California; HBO (US) What more can be said about Marquez? He’s dueled with the current Champ and lost, and dueled with fellow pound for pound claimant Pacquiao 4 times, winning between one and four of those meetings, depending whom you ask. Alvarado has both failed and succeeded on a slightly lower level- chiefly with his own rival, Brandon Rios. Still, he would figure to be the much younger and fresher guy, and so this one might be tough to pick.
Brad Solomon vs. Arman Ovsepyan; Inglewood, California; Off TV Solomon is a fine undefeated prospect who has so far done a criminally bad job of following up on his huge 2011 triumph over Demetrius Hopkins, having not fought another top 50 fighter since. This will be no exception, as Ovsepyan, an Armenian who lives in Russia, is a low-level journeyman and poses no threat, nor any reward.
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