Junior Middleweight: 2014, Jun 16-22
One-loss prospect Glen Tapia scored two knockdowns and ultimately a stoppage in less than half a round in Atlantic City on Saturday, earning an easy tune-up win over inactive lower-mid-level journeyman Keenan Collins of Brooklyn.
In a significantly more important fight, #14 Demetrius Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island brutally dominated overrated #20 Brian Rose of England. Andrade scored knockdowns in the first and third rounds, and earned a 10-8 in my book in the 6th, too, before stopping his man in the 7th. Andrade looked quite dynamic, showing both world-class boxing and plenty of power, as well. He might be one of the most well-rounded fighters in the entire division. As for Rose, I had only grudgingly ranked him as high as #20 at this point, because his poor performances against the likes of Maciel and Kris Carslaw had pretty clearly indicated that all of his serious success (most notably a win over Prince Arron, who hasn’t been heard of since, really) was most likely a mirage. He looked every bit the fraud against Andrade. I leave it to you to decide which guy it says more about. I think it is probably a strong reflection on the level of both guys, personally.
Andrade continues to rise, falling just short of the top 10 at #11. Angulo, Rabchenko, and Jermell Charlo each drop a spot to accommodate his promotion. Rose narrowly loses his spot to Kell Brook, who is also ranked in the top 10 at 147, and returns to the rankings at 154 for the first time since he was forced out on January 27.
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20) Champ: None 1) Saul Alvarez (15-172-187) Last Fight: 3/8/2014- TKO10 #10 Alfredo Angulo (at 155) Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #3 Erislandy Lara Canelo came knocking, and Lara answered the door. 2) Carlos Molina (15-154-169) Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W (SD12) vs. #5 Ishe Smith Next Fight: Unknown Molina and Bundrage haven’t reached a deal for their IBF-mandated fight is scheduled for purse bids on June 24. 3) Erislandy Lara (15-154-176) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #4 Austin Trout Next Fight: 7/12/2014- vs. #1 Saul Alvarez Lara traded an intended fight with Ishe Smith for a more lucrative and important showdown with Canelo. The fight might not determine a legitimate champion, but it should at least crown a preeminent top contender. 4) Miguel Cotto (2-211-211) Last Fight: 6/7/2014- RTD10 MW Champ Sergio Martinez (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Cotto is now the Middleweight Champion, so it remains to be seen if he’ll continue to fight at 154 at all. He’s reportedly interested in fighting Canelo, in a likely catchweight fight, if Canelo can get by Lara. 5) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (2-40-40) Last Fight: 5/3/2014- W* (MD12) vs. #4 WW Marcos Maidana (at WW) Next Fight: 9/13/2014- vs. Unknown Opponent Floyd will be fighting on September 13. A Maidana rematch remains a possibility. 6) Austin Trout (2-107-176) Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. #5 Erislandy Lara Next Fight: 7/19/2014- vs. Daniel Dawson (UNR) Trout will look to get back on track with a fairly easy Friday Night Fights main event against upper mid-level Australian journeyman Daniel Dawson, who was once a fringe contender, but not since 2007. 7) Ishe Smith (2-69-69) Last Fight: 5/2/2014- KO2 Ryan Davis (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown I know he was a relatively short-notice replacement, but Ryan Davis was a little too hapless even by that standard. 8) Joshua Clottey (2-10-10) Last Fight: 4/9/2014- UD12 #7 Anthony Mundine Next Fight: Unknown For those looking for a good way to revitalize a practically evaporated career, you couldn’t do much better than the example Clottey just provided. He wants to fight Mayweather, but I’d say he’s at least one top 5 win away from having a chance at that. 9) Anthony Mundine (10-29-29) Last Fight: 4/9/2014- L (UD12) vs. Joshua Clottey (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Mundine is reportedly in talks to bring the now much larger and also more retired Danny Green into a rematch. 10) Cornelius Bundrage (10-202-202) Last Fight: 1/24/2014- UD12 Joey Hernandez (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown See Molina’s notes, above. 11) Demetrius Andrade (1-32) Last Fight: 6/14/2014- TKO7 #20 Brian Rose Next Fight: Unknown After manhandling an overrated Brian Rose, Andrade says he’s ready for the big names. 12) Alfredo Angulo (1-247) Last Fight: 3/8/2014- L (TKO10) vs. #4 Saul Alvarez Next Fight: Unknown Angulo could probably use a fight with a gatekeeper or low level fringe contender just to get his career momentum going. 13) Sergey Rabchenko (1-105) Last Fight: 11/16/2013- UD12 Bradley Pryce (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Rabchenko’s fight in Rome was cancelled on 3 days’ notice due to Visa issues, and his would-be opponent, journeyman Emanuele Della Rosa, will be fighting undefeated prospect Isaac Real for what had been Rabchenko’s European title. 14) Jermell Charlo (1-54) Last Fight: 5/24/2014- UD12 Charlie Ota (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 15) Vanes Martirosyan (2-159) Last Fight: 3/21/2014- UD10 Mario Lozano (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Vanes was supposed to fight on the Stiverne-Arreola card from what I understood, but that fight quietly disappeared from the schedule at some unknown point in time. He’s been dropped by Top Rank and signed with Dan Goossen, as well. 16) Brian Castaño (2-2) Last Fight: 6/6/2014- TKO4 #15 Cesar Sastre Silva Next Fight: Unknown Castano looked like kind of a beast against Sastre Silva. Only time will tell if he really is a beast, was beating up on an overrated fringe contender, or some combination of those possibilities. 17) Gabriel Rosado (5-21) Last Fight: 1/25/2014- L (UD10) vs. #18 Jermell Charlo Next Fight: Unknown Rosado was offered to Ishe Smith as a May 2 replacement, but Smith turned him down. In turn, Rosado is being challenged by Hassan N’Dam. 18) Zaurbek Baysangurov (5-10) Last Fight: 4/12/2014- TKO12 #20 Guido Pitto Next Fight: Unknown Baysangurov looked the best I’ve seen him, by far, against Pitto. 19) Willie Nelson (5-68) Last Fight: 6/7/2014- TKO1 Darryl Cunningham (UNR) (at MW) Next Fight: Unknown Nelson just signed with manager Cameron Dunkin, but will need to get a potentially light middleweight fight scheduled by the end of June to maintain his ranking. 20) Kell Brook (1-1) Last Fight: 3/15/2014- TKO8 Alvaro Robles (UNR) Next Fight: 8/16/2014- vs. #6 WW Shawn Porter (at WW) Brook is really a welterweight (and a top 10 contender at that weight), but has thrown in enough significant wins near the 154 limit to make himself independently a fringe contender at this weight. He’ll get a shot at a welterweight belt on August 16 against Shawn Porter in New York.
The Week Ahead: Saturday #9 WW Devon Alexander vs. #12 WW Jesus Soto Karass; Carson, California; Showtime (US) This is technically scheduled to be a light middleweight fight, with Soto Karass having requested a catchweight of 149. I plan to discuss it in much more detail at 147, but it very well might affect the rankings at both weights.
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