No action in the division this past week. One significant note, though- Juan Carlos Gomez had some major tearage in his shoulder when he was somewhat shockingly upset by Darnell Wilson. Promoter Universum fired Gomez trainer Leonid Kiselev for letting his charge go out for the fight, and rightly so. This awful decision may have cost Gomez his career, or whatever was left of it. But Gomez is not blameless. Ultimately Gomez is responsible for the condition in which he enters the ring if and when he chooses to do so, and thus I stand by my decision to drop him from the rankings based on the loss. This news also reinforces my determination that Wilson is nowhere near worthy of a ranking even after the win.
For Comparison, here are the Current Ring Magazine Heavyweight Rankings:Champ: Wladimir Klitschko1) Vitali Klitschko2) Alexander Povetkin3) Tomasz Adamek4) David Haye 5) Eddie Chambers6) Robert Helenius7) Alexander Dimitrenko8) Denis Boystov 9) Ruslan Chagaev10) Chris Arreola
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20) Champ: Wladimir Klitschko (119-332-332) Last Fight: 7/2/2011- UD12 #2 David Haye Next Fight: Unknown Wlad is apparently negotiating a fight with #15 Jean Marc Mormeck which would take place December 10. 1) Vitali Klitschko (156-156-156) Last Fight: 9/10/2011- TKO10 #6 Tomasz Adamek Next Fight: Unknown Dimitrenko and Haye both want to fight him, and there is even talk by business interests in Bern, Switzerland of bringing Valuev back to fight him there. 2) Alexander Povetkin (6-206-206)Last Fight: 8/27/2011- UD12 #6 Ruslan Chagaev Next Fight: Unknown Appears to be looking at Alexander Dimitrenko and the ancient Evander Holyfield for his next fight, which will likely take place in Zurich, Switzerland. In addition, he has made an offer to Mormeck.3) David Haye (6-133-133) Last Fight: 7/2/2011- L(UD12) vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko Next Fight: Unknown The word on the street has it that a Haye-Vitali fight is likely in the cards. 4) Eddie Chambers (6-131-131)Last Fight: 2/11/2011- UD12 Derric Rossy (UNR) Next Fight: 10/28/2011- vs. #9 Tony Thompson The Chambers-Thompson fight has now been moved up one day, and will now headline a ShoBox triple-header instead of a possibly non-televised place on the postponed Ward-Froch undercard. 5) Robert Helenius (6-27-71) Last Fight: 8/27/2011- TKO9 Sergei Liakhovich (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown After taking out Liakhovich, Helenius now wants a Klitschko.6) Tomasz Adamek (6-76-76) Last Fight: 9/10/2011- L (TKO10) vs. #1 Vitali Klitschko Next Fight: Unknown
Adamek plans to return next year and wants only the best fights.
7) Ruslan Chagaev (6-255-255)Last Fight: 8/27/2011- L (UD12) vs. #5 Alexander Povetkin Next Fight: Unknown Chagaev wants to fight again by the end of the year and get back on a title track. 8) Tyson Fury (11-11)Last Fight: 9/17/2011- TKO5 Nicolai Firtha (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown
After a shaky win over Firtha, Fury is already looking to get back in the ring. He may return on November 12 in Belfast.
9) Tony Thompson (11-71-71) Last Fight: 5/27/2011- TKO3 Maurice Harris (UNR) Next Fight: 10/29/2011- vs. #3 Eddie Chambers See Chambers’ comments, above. 10) Odlanier Solis (42-42-71) Last Fight: 3/19/2011- L (TKO1) vs. #1 Vitali KlitschkoNext Fight: Unknown As I suspected, the rumored 10/14 fight for Solis will not happen, as he is nowhere near ready after knee surgery. 11) Alexander Dimitrenko (2-38)Last Fight: 9/24/2011- UD12 Michael Sprott (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Almost did enough to lose to Sprott, though it’s obvious referee Massimo Barrovecchio and at least two of the judges had no intention of ever letting that happen under any circumstances. 12) Chris Arreola (2-133) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- UD10 Friday Ahunanya (UNR) Next Fight: 11/5/2011- vs. Alonzo Butler (UNR) Arreola will get back to action on November 5 in Mexico against journeyman Alonzo Butler. I personally think he needs to start fighting contenders again. Butler lost to Arreola’s last victim, Friday Ahunanya, in 2008. 13) Denis Boytsov (2-120) Last Fight: 9/24/2011- TKO6 Matthew Greer (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 14) Jean Marc Mormeck (2-71)Last Fight: 12/2/2010- SD12 #19 Timur IbragimovNext Fight: UnknownMay be in line to fight Wlad on December 10, and also has an offer on the table from Povetkin. 15) Bermane Stiverne (2-15)Last Fight: 6/25/2011- TKO10 #20 Ray AustinNext Fight: UnknownDespite a still-thin resume, Stiverne has somehow been maneuvered into the position of being Vitali Klitschko’s WBC mandatory challenger. 16) Samuel Peter (2-71) Last Fight: 4/2/2011- L(KO9) vs. #16 Robert Helenius Next Fight: Unknown We’ll have to see if and how Peter rebounds from his latest knockout loss- this one more brutal than the last. If the relatively young (30) Nigerian decides to forge on, he’ll have to overcome the reality of being treated as a stepping stone at least for tall up-and-comers.17) Franklin Lawrence (2-19)
Last Fight: 5/27/2011- RTD7 Jason Gavern (UNR)
Next Fight: 10/15/2011- vs. Raymond Ochieng (UNR)
Lawrence will fight weak journeyman Raymond Ochieng of Kenya in Grand Island, Nebraska on October 15, getting second billing to Kimbo Slice’s 2nd pro bout.18) Kubrat Pulev (2-47)Last Fight: 7/16/2011- UD8 Maxim Pediura (UNR) Next Fight: 10/22/2011- vs. Unknown Opponent After turning down Tyson Fury, Martin Rogan has withdrawn from a fight with Pulev, as well. Pulev will fight on October 22, but the opponent is now unknown.19) Dereck Chisora (2-55)Last Fight: 7/23/2011- L(UD12) vs. Tyson Fury (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chisora recently said that he expects a rematch with Fury. I’m not sure he’s earned it based on his effort in training and his performance in the ring.20) Timur Ibragimov (2-2)
Last Fight: 12/2/2010- L (SD12) vs. #18 Jean Marc Mormeck
Next Fight: Unknown
Ibragimov returns to the rankings for the first time since May despite not having fought or scheduled a fight since then.
THE WEEK AHEAD: The only thing I have to report to you this week is that cruiserweight prospect Brad Pitt of Australia will be fighting for the Victoria State Heavyweight Title on Sunday. This is pretty silly. Pitt has never once fought over the 200 pound cruiserweight limit, nor has his opponent, Hugo Sclarandi. Sclarandi, in fact, has fought as low as 148 pounds, and has spent the bulk of his career as middleweight and junior middleweight. Even down there, he was hit and miss, compiling a fairly spotty record while springing upsets in close decisions here and there. He has fought over 168 only 3 times. He is 0-1 as a light heavyweight and 1-1 as a cruiserweight. So if you’re looking for a quality heavyweight, evidently you should stay the hell out of the State of Victoria.
Three top-20 heavyweights saw action in separate bouts on one card in Hamburg, Germany this Saturday. All three figured to be gimme fights, but there was one surprise along the way. The highest ranked of the three, #11 Juan Carlos Gomez suffered a majority decision epic fail against the seemingly completely shot former cruiserweight contender Darnell Wilson over 10 rounds. Normally a guy with the kind of solid long-term resume that Gomez enjoys would be given the benefit of the doubt and remain clinging to a ranking after an upset loss, but the magnitude of this one is just too great. To leave Gomez in the rankings, you’d obviously have to rank Wilson even higher, and that’s just untenable under the circumstances. Wilson had been a loser of his previous six fights, and 7 of his last 8, including two losses to true no-future journeymen. To rank him, even after having beaten a legitimate #11 contender, would be simply preposterous, and thus Gomez’ staying ranked would be even more so.
The other two ranked fighters, Alexander Dimitrenko and Denis Boytsov, fared somewhat better. #14 Boytsov easily cruised to a 6th round stoppage over no-hoper Matthew Greer, while #12 Dimitrenko actually had his own struggles against Michael Sprott, a British former fringe contender that has settled in as somewhat of a “name” journeyman in the division. British fans especially are crying robbery with respect to the Sprott fight, and after seeing the fight I must agree at least that the officials involved would certainly have robbed Sprott before they’d have allowed him to win. I must also confess that I think Dimitrenko did enough to win 115-113 without any help. That being said, veteran Italian referee Massimo Barrovecchio was a disgrace at least in this assignment. Not a Russell Mora-level disgrace, but think maybe Joe Cortez’ average performance. He broke the two fighters practically every time they touched. Hands free all over the place, and Barrovecchio is still breaking everybody in sight. And then there were two ludicrous point deductions late in the fight against Sprott. Basically Massimo wasn’t quite sure if the ringside judges were fully on board with giving Sprott no chance to win (Roger Tilleman at 117-111 and especially Andre Pasquier at a disgusting 119-108 evidently were), so he snatched a point from Sprott for throwing a completely blocked punch a half second after the bell (with no prior offenses) at the end of the 10th, and then again in the 12th for continuing to punch while Dimitrenko was trying to grab him to hold on for dear life in the 12th, and causing the Ukrainian to flop to the canvas like a fish out of water for about the 10th time in the fight.
Gomez’ exit from the rankings makes room for Timur Ibragimov to return for the first time since May at #20.
For Comparison, here are the Current Ring Magazine Heavyweight Rankings:Champ: Wladimir Klitschko1) Vitali Klitschko2) Alexander Povetkin3) Tomasz Adamek4) David Haye 5) Eddie Chambers6) Robert Helenius7) Alexander Dimitrenko8) Denis Boystov 9) Ruslan Chagaev10) Chris Arreola
Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20) Champ: Wladimir Klitschko (118-331-331) Last Fight: 7/2/2011- UD12 #2 David Haye Next Fight: Unknown Wlad is apparently negotiating a fight with #15 Jean Marc Mormeck which would take place December 10. 1) Vitali Klitschko (155-155-155) Last Fight: 9/10/2011- TKO10 #6 Tomasz Adamek Next Fight: Unknown Dimitrenko and Haye both want to fight him, and there is even talk by business interests in Bern, Switzerland of bringing Valuev back to fight him there. 2) Alexander Povetkin (5-205-205)Last Fight: 8/27/2011- UD12 #6 Ruslan Chagaev Next Fight: Unknown Appears to be looking at Alexander Dimitrenko and the ancient Evander Holyfield for his next fight, which will likely take place in Zurich, Switzerland. In addition, he has made an offer to Mormeck.3) David Haye (5-132-132) Last Fight: 7/2/2011- L(UD12) vs. Champ Wladimir Klitschko Next Fight: Unknown The word on the street has it that a Haye-Vitali fight is likely in the cards. 4) Eddie Chambers (5-130-130)Last Fight: 2/11/2011- UD12 Derric Rossy (UNR) Next Fight: 10/28/2011- vs. #9 Tony Thompson The Chambers-Thompson fight has now been moved up one day, and will now headline a ShoBox triple-header instead of a possibly non-televised place on the postponed Ward-Froch undercard. 5) Robert Helenius (5-26-70) Last Fight: 8/27/2011- TKO9 Sergei Liakhovich (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown After taking out Liakhovich, Helenius now wants a Klitschko.6) Tomasz Adamek (5-75-75) Last Fight: 9/10/2011- L (TKO10) vs. #1 Vitali Klitschko Next Fight: Unknown
Adamek plans to return next year and wants only the best fights.
7) Ruslan Chagaev (5-254-254)Last Fight: 8/27/2011- L (UD12) vs. #5 Alexander Povetkin Next Fight: Unknown Chagaev wants to fight again by the end of the year and get back on a title track. 8) Tyson Fury (10-10)Last Fight: 9/17/2011- TKO5 Nicolai Firtha (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown
After a shaky win over Firtha, Fury is already looking to get back in the ring. He may return on November 12 in Belfast.
9) Tony Thompson (10-70-70) Last Fight: 5/27/2011- TKO3 Maurice Harris (UNR) Next Fight: 10/29/2011- vs. #3 Eddie Chambers See Chambers’ comments, above. 10) Odlanier Solis (41-41-70) Last Fight: 3/19/2011- L (TKO1) vs. #1 Vitali KlitschkoNext Fight: Unknown As I suspected, the rumored 10/14 fight for Solis will not happen, as he is nowhere near ready after knee surgery. 11) Alexander Dimitrenko (1-37)Last Fight: 9/24/2011- UD12 Michael Sprott (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Almost did enough to lose to Sprott, though it’s obvious referee Massimo Barrovecchio and at least two of the judges had no intention of ever letting that happen under any circumstances. 12) Chris Arreola (1-132) Last Fight: 7/9/2011- UD10 Friday Ahunanya (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Arreola is expected to be in action again in either October or November. 13) Denis Boytsov (1-119) Last Fight: 9/24/2011- TKO6 Matthew Greer (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown 14) Jean Marc Mormeck (1-70)Last Fight: 12/2/2010- SD12 #19 Timur IbragimovNext Fight: UnknownMay be in line to fight Wlad on December 10, and also has an offer on the table from Povetkin. 15) Bermane Stiverne (1-14)Last Fight: 6/25/2011- TKO10 #20 Ray AustinNext Fight: UnknownDespite a still-thin resume, Stiverne has somehow been maneuvered into the position of being Vitali Klitschko’s WBC mandatory challenger. 16) Samuel Peter (1-70) Last Fight: 4/2/2011- L(KO9) vs. #16 Robert Helenius Next Fight: Unknown We’ll have to see if and how Peter rebounds from his latest knockout loss- this one more brutal than the last. If the relatively young (30) Nigerian decides to forge on, he’ll have to overcome the reality of being treated as a stepping stone at least for tall up-and-comers.17) Franklin Lawrence (1-18)
Last Fight:5/27/2011- RTD7 Jason Gavern (UNR)
Next Fight: Unknown
Lawrence has signed with Gary Shaw and figures to get a decent fight or two as a result.
18) Kubrat Pulev (1-46)Last Fight: 7/16/2011- UD8 Maxim Pediura (UNR) Next Fight: 10/22/2011- vs. Unknown Opponent After turning down Tyson Fury, Martin Rogan has withdrawn from a fight with Pulev, as well. Pulev will fight on October 22, but the opponent is now unknown.19) Dereck Chisora (1-54)Last Fight: 7/23/2011- L(UD12) vs. Tyson Fury (UNR) Next Fight: Unknown Chisora recently said that he expects a rematch with Fury. I’m not sure he’s earned it based on his effort in training and his performance in the ring.20) Timur Ibragimov (1-1)
Last Fight: 12/2/2010- L (SD12) vs. #18 Jean Marc Mormeck
Next Fight: Unknown
Ibragimov returns to the rankings for the first time since May despite not having fought or scheduled a fight since then.
THE WEEK AHEAD: Nothing doing in the division this week.
