In what promises to be an exciting contest hard hitting WBO Middleweight champion Peter Quillin (28-0, 20) takes on the once beaten Fernando Guerrero (25-1, 19) in what will be Quillin's first defense of the title since winning it last October against Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam.
This bout, on paper at least, looks like it's a pretty even match up between an unbeaten fighter and a fighter with just a solitary loss on his record (and even that was almost 2 years ago) though at least for me it's not actually as even as it looks. In fact I can only see one winner, Quillin.
Whilst Guerrero, as mentioned has only suffered a single loss in 26 bouts dating back to 2007 the Dominican Republic born, US based fighter doesn't have anything that really makes me feel he can beat Quillin. From watching him he's a decent fighter don't get me wrong, he has solid power, nice speed and nice skills but the bigger thing with him has been the hype he has received.
After having had an impressive amateur career with around 140 bouts a lot was expected for Guerrero who started his professional career with a fantastic series of KO early on. After scoring 9 straight T/KO victories including some very eye catching ones the hype machine really started to grow on Guerrero though it wasn't until October 2009 that he actually faced a test of note. In his first test Guerrero seriously struggled with limited veteran Ossie Duran who pushed him all the way.
After struggling with Duran, Guerrero's handlers seemed to slow down his climb giving him 2 easy bouts before he was against tested by current IBF Light Middleweight champion Ishe Smith. Smith, like Duran showed that Guerrero wasn't anything special and although Guerrero won he was again pushed close and dropped by the sneaky Smith.
It appeared to only be a matter of time before Guerrero would suffer a defeat and it came just a few fights later as veteran Grady Brewer managed to stop him on a televised bout. This should have ended the hype for Guerrero but instead it was excused as Guerrero making Light Middleweight for the first time, which whilst possibly valid was a decision he had made.
Since the loss Guerrero has scored 4 victories over C level opponents with 3 of those by T/KO as he's tried to resurrect his career. Sadly the level of those wins suggest that his management are taking a real leap of faith here.
Going in to this bout Quillin is not only the champion (albeit it a bit of a paper one) but also an unbeaten fighter fighting in his home of Brooklyn with a large support.
Whilst I'm not a fan of how Quillin got his title, beating Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam who had been given a belt that belonged to Dmitry Pirog, Quillin is a genuine top 10 fighter in one of the toughest divisions in the sport. His unbeaten run dating back to 2005 has seen him scoring several notable wins since 2008 when he announced himself as a top contender with lights out power and under-rated boxing ability.
With wins over Antwun Echols, Dionisio Miranda, Fernando Zuniga, Jesse Brinkley, Craig McEwan and Ronald "Winky" Wright on his way up it's fair to say that even in none title bouts Quillin has 6 better Middleweight wins than Guerrero (who's best win, over Smith came against a natural Light Middleweight) and that's with out mentioning the win over N'Dam N'Jikam.
With thunderous power in his shots, a patient style and an ability to either box from a distance with single shots, close the gap or open up in a burst. With Guerrero having been down against Duran, Smith and Brewer I really cannot see anyway in which he can stand up to the power of Quillin who may not have finished off N'Dam N'jikam last time out but he did drop him 6 times.
Guerrero might be a pretty decent fighter but his record is poor, his skills are over-rated and his chin is a major question mark, a question mark you don't want when facing a puncher like Quillin.
Prediction-Quillin by KO7
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Danny Garcia v Zab Judah
In a promising Light Welterweight bout this coming weekend we will see WBA "Super" and WBC champion Danny Garcia (25-0, 16) take on former multi-time world champion Zab Judah (42-7-0-2, 29) in what could be Judah's last big fight.
Judah, a bonafide veteran of the sport with more than 50 bouts spread over almost almost 17 years was one viewed as being amongst the premier pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. Sadly for Judah however issues with his temperament often over-shadowed his skill and the swift and talented southpaw suffered a fall from graces of huge proportions.
At his best Judah is a very sharp puncher with a powerful left, excellent movement and the athletic ability to make many fighters look stupid. Although at 35 years old he is certainly slowing but he's still a fast fighter and with his years of experience he's a dangerous fighter for those just below genuine world class. The master class against Vernon Paris and even his victory over Kaizer Mabuza as well as the controversial win over Lucas Martin Matthysse showed that Judah can still defeat notable opponents.
Although a gifted fighter Judah has never been able to show the mentality of a fighter and when the going gets tough he can be made to mentally fold. This was shown originally in his infamous post-fight antics against Kostya Tszyu, in which Judah threw a chair across the ring and almost had a fight with Jay Nady. His mental issues were also shown against Carlos Manuel Baldomir with Judah not training properly for the bout and they have been shown time and time again since.
As a quick starter Judah is very dangerous in the first 4 rounds, after then however he slows and starts to mentally crumble. If he can't get Garcia out early doors then we will likely see the same old Judah break mentally as per usual. Though if Judah is on his A-game there is every chance of an upset.
Whilst Danny Garcia is much maligned in the boxing presses he has started to genuinely impress some. His record on paper doesn't make him look like much of a puncher but stoppages over both Amir Khan and Erik Morales in his past 2 bouts were both evidence of the fact he has some genuine pop. The truth to Garcia's "power" lies in the fact that he's a very clean hitter who lands crisp counters often on fighters coming forward, so his shots have a double effect.
Garcia isn't a fast fighter, he's not a particularly busy fighter but technically he's a very solid one who defends well, sets his feet well and has a lovely hook that he detonates with fantastic effect. Although, watching him, he appears to be easy to out box due to his slow foot speed and low work rate though he has proven to be a fighter who warms to the task and may start slowly but will end faster on a tiring opponent.
Talented and mild mannered, Garcia sees his father often stealing the pre-fight limelight due to his loud mouth. This may reflect badly on Danny though it also seems to take the pressure off his shoulders whilst also irritating his opponent. This has proven to be an effective strategy for the fighter and his trainer and with a hot head like Judah it may well work again here with Judah visibly annoyed by what has been said by Garcia's father has said in the past.
With Judah's temperament and Garcia's cool as ice persona I can't help but feel that a good start by Judah will be thrown away as Garcia refuses to go away. As Judah begins to slow I imagine Garcia will start to have real success and score a late stoppage. Hopefully this bout will see the winner taking on the winner of the up coming bout between Lamont Peterson and Lucas Matthysse in a bout to decide the division's true #1 fighter.
Prediction-Garcia TKO9
Judah, a bonafide veteran of the sport with more than 50 bouts spread over almost almost 17 years was one viewed as being amongst the premier pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. Sadly for Judah however issues with his temperament often over-shadowed his skill and the swift and talented southpaw suffered a fall from graces of huge proportions.
At his best Judah is a very sharp puncher with a powerful left, excellent movement and the athletic ability to make many fighters look stupid. Although at 35 years old he is certainly slowing but he's still a fast fighter and with his years of experience he's a dangerous fighter for those just below genuine world class. The master class against Vernon Paris and even his victory over Kaizer Mabuza as well as the controversial win over Lucas Martin Matthysse showed that Judah can still defeat notable opponents.
Although a gifted fighter Judah has never been able to show the mentality of a fighter and when the going gets tough he can be made to mentally fold. This was shown originally in his infamous post-fight antics against Kostya Tszyu, in which Judah threw a chair across the ring and almost had a fight with Jay Nady. His mental issues were also shown against Carlos Manuel Baldomir with Judah not training properly for the bout and they have been shown time and time again since.
As a quick starter Judah is very dangerous in the first 4 rounds, after then however he slows and starts to mentally crumble. If he can't get Garcia out early doors then we will likely see the same old Judah break mentally as per usual. Though if Judah is on his A-game there is every chance of an upset.
Whilst Danny Garcia is much maligned in the boxing presses he has started to genuinely impress some. His record on paper doesn't make him look like much of a puncher but stoppages over both Amir Khan and Erik Morales in his past 2 bouts were both evidence of the fact he has some genuine pop. The truth to Garcia's "power" lies in the fact that he's a very clean hitter who lands crisp counters often on fighters coming forward, so his shots have a double effect.
Garcia isn't a fast fighter, he's not a particularly busy fighter but technically he's a very solid one who defends well, sets his feet well and has a lovely hook that he detonates with fantastic effect. Although, watching him, he appears to be easy to out box due to his slow foot speed and low work rate though he has proven to be a fighter who warms to the task and may start slowly but will end faster on a tiring opponent.
Talented and mild mannered, Garcia sees his father often stealing the pre-fight limelight due to his loud mouth. This may reflect badly on Danny though it also seems to take the pressure off his shoulders whilst also irritating his opponent. This has proven to be an effective strategy for the fighter and his trainer and with a hot head like Judah it may well work again here with Judah visibly annoyed by what has been said by Garcia's father has said in the past.
With Judah's temperament and Garcia's cool as ice persona I can't help but feel that a good start by Judah will be thrown away as Garcia refuses to go away. As Judah begins to slow I imagine Garcia will start to have real success and score a late stoppage. Hopefully this bout will see the winner taking on the winner of the up coming bout between Lamont Peterson and Lucas Matthysse in a bout to decide the division's true #1 fighter.
Prediction-Garcia TKO9
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Sergio Gabriel Martinez v Martin Murray
WBC Middleweight champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez (50-2-2, 28) has been out of the ring since suffering various injuries in his bout with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last September. He returns to the ring this week as he goes back to Argentina for his first fight there in over a decade, his opponent, the unbeaten Brit Martin Murray (25-0-1, 11) will be looking to score his biggest victory and arguably the biggest upset of the year.
At 38 years old Martinez is certainly a fighter coming to the end of his career. Sure he completely out boxed and outsped Chavez last time out but after suffering a nasty injury to his knee there is every chance he'll have slowed. In all honesty if Martinez loses his wheels he'll be a much more limited fighter than the one we are used to.
At his best Martinez is a skilled fighter who combines very quick reactions with a great engine, a fantastic jab and the ability either counter an opponent or beat them with work-rate from a distance, especially his straight shots.
Fighting from a Southpaw stance and with a 73" wingspan Martinez is an incredibly tricky fighter. Whilst his biggest fault might be that he isn't a huge puncher (despite a memorable KO over Paul Williams) he has more than respectable power and can hurt fighters, though admittedly it's rare that he hurts a guy with a single shot, instead of an accumulation of sharp punches. It's those accumulated shots that Martinez can break fighters down with mentally and physically, though if his opponents leaves themselves open he will counter with power.
Going in to this bout it's fair to say that Murray is a big under-dog and it's with good reason. Not only is the bout a big step up for the 30 year old from St Helens but it's also away from home (only his second bout outside of the UK). Despite being the under-dog however Murray will feel he has more than just half a chance. Not only is he unbeaten but he is also a fighter coming in to his peak years physically.
Although Murray has really been a British level fighter for much of his career he has already fought on the world stage notably drawing in Germany to Felix Sturm in a WBA title bout. The draw with Sturm announced Murray as a fighter to keep an eye on though in all honesty the result was hugely unexpected as Murray hadn't been fighting opponents that were even nearing fringe world level.
Since the draw with Sturm, Murray has scored 2 victories with the most recent of those coming in November when he stopped Jorge Navarro for the WBA "interim" Middleweight title.
Murray is over-all solid, he's not the type to over-whelms fighters or to take them out with a single head shot but his body work is very good, and although he has been stopping fighters with shots to the midsection I get the feeling that his shots there are more about placement than power. It's with the body shots that he arguably stand his best chance of beating Martinez though it's more through grinding Martinez down with them than taking him out with a single shot.
Although Murray can pull off the upset,I don't see it happening if truth be told. Martinez's might not be the fighter he was but I still see him being too good and too fast.
Prediction-Martinez TKO10
At 38 years old Martinez is certainly a fighter coming to the end of his career. Sure he completely out boxed and outsped Chavez last time out but after suffering a nasty injury to his knee there is every chance he'll have slowed. In all honesty if Martinez loses his wheels he'll be a much more limited fighter than the one we are used to.
At his best Martinez is a skilled fighter who combines very quick reactions with a great engine, a fantastic jab and the ability either counter an opponent or beat them with work-rate from a distance, especially his straight shots.
Fighting from a Southpaw stance and with a 73" wingspan Martinez is an incredibly tricky fighter. Whilst his biggest fault might be that he isn't a huge puncher (despite a memorable KO over Paul Williams) he has more than respectable power and can hurt fighters, though admittedly it's rare that he hurts a guy with a single shot, instead of an accumulation of sharp punches. It's those accumulated shots that Martinez can break fighters down with mentally and physically, though if his opponents leaves themselves open he will counter with power.
Going in to this bout it's fair to say that Murray is a big under-dog and it's with good reason. Not only is the bout a big step up for the 30 year old from St Helens but it's also away from home (only his second bout outside of the UK). Despite being the under-dog however Murray will feel he has more than just half a chance. Not only is he unbeaten but he is also a fighter coming in to his peak years physically.
Although Murray has really been a British level fighter for much of his career he has already fought on the world stage notably drawing in Germany to Felix Sturm in a WBA title bout. The draw with Sturm announced Murray as a fighter to keep an eye on though in all honesty the result was hugely unexpected as Murray hadn't been fighting opponents that were even nearing fringe world level.
Since the draw with Sturm, Murray has scored 2 victories with the most recent of those coming in November when he stopped Jorge Navarro for the WBA "interim" Middleweight title.
Murray is over-all solid, he's not the type to over-whelms fighters or to take them out with a single head shot but his body work is very good, and although he has been stopping fighters with shots to the midsection I get the feeling that his shots there are more about placement than power. It's with the body shots that he arguably stand his best chance of beating Martinez though it's more through grinding Martinez down with them than taking him out with a single shot.
Although Murray can pull off the upset,I don't see it happening if truth be told. Martinez's might not be the fighter he was but I still see him being too good and too fast.
Prediction-Martinez TKO10
Friday, 19 April 2013
Kompayak Porpramook v Jean Piero Perez
Our first title fight this week sees former WBC Light Flyweight champion Kompayak Porpramook (49-4, 34) attempting to add the WBA "interim" Flyweight title to his collection of belts as he takes on the unheralded Jean Piero Perez (20-5-1, 14) of Venezuela who himself has actually held the WBA "interim" Flyweight title.
This bout, being fought on Friday in Khon Kaen, Thailand will allow the winner a big chance to make their name in one of boxing's most entertaining, though over-looked divisions.
Going in to the bout it's fair to say that the 32 year Perez is the under-dog. No fighters ever enjoy going to Thailand to fight as the bouts held in the country are usually fought outdoors in the middle of the day with blistering heat and uncomfortable humidity, giving the away fighters a notable disadvantage.
Despite being the away fighter Perez is used to fighting on hostile territory having fought only once in Venezuela. In fact so far in his career date Perez has fought in Panama, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines and Costa Rica as well as his homeland. In fact it was only 7 months ago that he almost scored the biggest win of his career losing a majority decision to the highly touted Milan Melindo.
In a 9 year long career Perez has been stopped just twice with the most notable of those coming against talented Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco who connected with a sickening body shot whilst the other came in a shoot out with Rafael Concepcion. Those losses,and the defeat to Melindo, are of course the most notable men that Perez has faced, though he does hold victories over several fringe names such as Ronald Ramos, Jhon Alberto Molina and Jesus Jimenez.
Perez is a fighter with a record that indicates he has a solid punch on him though he hasn't stopped anyone in or around the world level before and his power, whilst likely respectable, isn't going to starch out people with a single shot. In fact his bout with Reveco seemed to suggest his power was vastly over-rated by his record.
Whilst Perez is highly unknown outside of his bouts with Reveco and Melindo it's fair to say that Porpramook is more well known. He was not only involved in 2011 FOTY contender with Adrian Hernandez for the WBC Light Flyweight but also fought a memorable (though less exciting) rematch with Hernandez as well as a bout Australian Hussein Hussein and a controversial victory over Jonathan Taconing.
Although the Thai is stepping up a weight for this title bout the 30 year old is a fighter who had probably been struggling to make the 108lb Light Flyweight division. He'd won the interim PABA Light Flyweight title way back in 2003 and seems to have finally allowed his powerful, yet short (5'0) body to fill out properly. This could prove to be an issue at the higher weight where fighters tend to hit harder and take a shot better, though it could well be an advantage for Porpramook who may feel more comfortable with out needing to drain down.
The stockily built fighter who has amassed a staggering 53 professional bouts since 2000 is a highly impressive 49-2 (34) in his homeland. This has seen Porpramook unbeaten at home since losing to Allan Ranada way back in 2002 an impressive run that has only been interrupted by losses in Mexico and Australia.
With a bucket load of heart and an aggressive mindset Porpramook is a fighter who is destined to be in fun to watch bouts as long as he and his opponents can last, as a result this promise to be an all action battle for at least a few rounds. Sadly I can't help but feel that the conditions will play a major part in the bout and favour the home man.
Prediction-Porpramook TKO8
This bout, being fought on Friday in Khon Kaen, Thailand will allow the winner a big chance to make their name in one of boxing's most entertaining, though over-looked divisions.
Going in to the bout it's fair to say that the 32 year Perez is the under-dog. No fighters ever enjoy going to Thailand to fight as the bouts held in the country are usually fought outdoors in the middle of the day with blistering heat and uncomfortable humidity, giving the away fighters a notable disadvantage.
Despite being the away fighter Perez is used to fighting on hostile territory having fought only once in Venezuela. In fact so far in his career date Perez has fought in Panama, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines and Costa Rica as well as his homeland. In fact it was only 7 months ago that he almost scored the biggest win of his career losing a majority decision to the highly touted Milan Melindo.
In a 9 year long career Perez has been stopped just twice with the most notable of those coming against talented Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco who connected with a sickening body shot whilst the other came in a shoot out with Rafael Concepcion. Those losses,and the defeat to Melindo, are of course the most notable men that Perez has faced, though he does hold victories over several fringe names such as Ronald Ramos, Jhon Alberto Molina and Jesus Jimenez.
Perez is a fighter with a record that indicates he has a solid punch on him though he hasn't stopped anyone in or around the world level before and his power, whilst likely respectable, isn't going to starch out people with a single shot. In fact his bout with Reveco seemed to suggest his power was vastly over-rated by his record.
Whilst Perez is highly unknown outside of his bouts with Reveco and Melindo it's fair to say that Porpramook is more well known. He was not only involved in 2011 FOTY contender with Adrian Hernandez for the WBC Light Flyweight but also fought a memorable (though less exciting) rematch with Hernandez as well as a bout Australian Hussein Hussein and a controversial victory over Jonathan Taconing.
Although the Thai is stepping up a weight for this title bout the 30 year old is a fighter who had probably been struggling to make the 108lb Light Flyweight division. He'd won the interim PABA Light Flyweight title way back in 2003 and seems to have finally allowed his powerful, yet short (5'0) body to fill out properly. This could prove to be an issue at the higher weight where fighters tend to hit harder and take a shot better, though it could well be an advantage for Porpramook who may feel more comfortable with out needing to drain down.
The stockily built fighter who has amassed a staggering 53 professional bouts since 2000 is a highly impressive 49-2 (34) in his homeland. This has seen Porpramook unbeaten at home since losing to Allan Ranada way back in 2002 an impressive run that has only been interrupted by losses in Mexico and Australia.
With a bucket load of heart and an aggressive mindset Porpramook is a fighter who is destined to be in fun to watch bouts as long as he and his opponents can last, as a result this promise to be an all action battle for at least a few rounds. Sadly I can't help but feel that the conditions will play a major part in the bout and favour the home man.
Prediction-Porpramook TKO8
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Austin Trout v Saul Alvarez
The biggest fight of this weekend, by a notable margin sees the much maligned Light Middleweight division thrust into the boxing spotlight as unbeaten fighters collide in a genuinely exciting unification bout. In one corner you have the often over-looked Austin "No Doubt" Trout (26-0, 14) who currently holds the WBA Light Middleweight title in the other corner you have the WBC champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (41-0-1, 30). On the line are both the WBC title and the WBA "super" title and of course bragging rights, the Ring title and the consensus #1 ranking at 154lbs. The stakes could hardly be bigger.
Of the two men the pressure is certainly more on flame haired Mexican Alvarez. The 22 year from Jalisco is seen by many as "the next superstar of boxing" with a huge female fan base, a unique look, a fun to watch style and a genuine charisma about him as well the Golden Boy hype machine which has pushed him in to the limelight in the US in the hope of making him a superstar.
So far in his 42 fight career things have been good for Alvarez who has only been troubled a handful of times a career that dates back to October 2010. In fact the closest Alvarez has come to losing was a split decision victory over Miguel Vazquez (yes, the current IBF Lightweight champion) and a draw to little known Jorge Juarez, though he was rocked in his first high profile US bout by Jose Miguel Cotto (in what was Canelo's 3rd US fight).
The stocky Mexican fighter is certainly a born fighter having been impressive since he was 15 and fighting obscure opponents in Mexico. Though many do doubt his actual creditability in the Light Middleweight division where some have ranked him #1. So far his wins in world title bouts have been against very limited opponents including the brave but outclassed Matthew Hatton, the much smaller Alfonso Gomez and Josesito Lopez, the old Shane Mosley and Ryan Rhodes and the mentally weak Kermit Cintron.
With the other fighters in the division, including Trout, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather, Javier Maciel, Erislandy Lara, Ishe Smith, James Kirkland and Alfredo Anguloit's fair to say that Alvarez's competition has been beyond poor since becoming a world champion.
Whilst "Canelo" has been fighting poor opponents he's been receiving the media acclaim of a fighter who is a pound-for-pound fighter. Whilst I don't mean to take away from his skills he doesn't look as rounded as the media have portrayed him. In fact defensively Alvarez has looked porous, offensively he's looked surprisingly quick though not as heavy handed as his record would indicate and whilst his shots are crisp he can be made to look lazy at times and his feet certainly aren't the swiftest.
As the under-dog it's fair to say there is less pressure on Trout who although unbeaten was pretty unknown by the wider boxing public just a few fights back, in fact until he beat Miguel Cotto (in what was considered a betting upset) it's fair to say that Trout was a completely overlooked fighter in the 154lb mix. This was despite notable wins in both Panama and Mexico over Nilson Julio Tapia, Rigoberto Alvarez ("Canelo's" brother) and David Lopez as well as a solid victory on Showtime against Delvin Rodriguez.
Like Alvarez, Trout is unbeaten since his debut in 2005 (a month before "Canelo") and although he's not had the hype and the promotional backing of Alvarez he's certainly proven his character fighting on the road on a regular basis. Be it in Panama, Mexico, Canada or Miguel Cotto's "adoptive home" of New York, Trout has had to prove his ability on the road and win decisions when he wasn't expected to.
In terms of his style, Trout has often been called a spoiler and whilst he can spoil fights, the southpaw isn't really that negative just very controlling in a fight. He's very highly skilled, he lacks explosive power but he certainly can hit hard enough to make fighters think twice, he has great movement and whilst not the most active at times he's a fighter who seems capable of putting his foot on the gas if and when needed. Like Canelo it's his hand speed more than anything that really stands out, though he certainly has a foot speed edge over Canelo and probably also a technical edge despite not having the power of the Mexican.
Going in to the bout Trout will know that he will need to clearly win the bout to get a decision. The Golden Boy backing that Alvarez has had won't be written off easily though "The Golden Boy Curse" could of course strike again here as it did Jorge Linares (against Juan Carlos Salgado) and Victor Ortiz (against Marcos Maidana).
With all the variables and intangibles going into this bout it's hardnot to get excited about it. Of course the bout has the potential to be a bit of let down considering whats on the the line especially when we remember back to the last unification bout in the US between unbeaten champions (Timothy Bradley v Devon Alexander) however I'm personally expecting an electric atmosphere and a bout to remember.
Sadly as much as I'm looking forward to this I can't help but feel that the actual result will be less than the fighters deserve. The gut feeling is that Canelo wins a very controversial decision due to his popularity though part of me also sees Trout turning it on very late and making sure the judges can't screw him. If Trout can't stop Alvarez he may end up getting a draw when he deserves a victory.
Prediction- Draw.
Of the two men the pressure is certainly more on flame haired Mexican Alvarez. The 22 year from Jalisco is seen by many as "the next superstar of boxing" with a huge female fan base, a unique look, a fun to watch style and a genuine charisma about him as well the Golden Boy hype machine which has pushed him in to the limelight in the US in the hope of making him a superstar.
So far in his 42 fight career things have been good for Alvarez who has only been troubled a handful of times a career that dates back to October 2010. In fact the closest Alvarez has come to losing was a split decision victory over Miguel Vazquez (yes, the current IBF Lightweight champion) and a draw to little known Jorge Juarez, though he was rocked in his first high profile US bout by Jose Miguel Cotto (in what was Canelo's 3rd US fight).
The stocky Mexican fighter is certainly a born fighter having been impressive since he was 15 and fighting obscure opponents in Mexico. Though many do doubt his actual creditability in the Light Middleweight division where some have ranked him #1. So far his wins in world title bouts have been against very limited opponents including the brave but outclassed Matthew Hatton, the much smaller Alfonso Gomez and Josesito Lopez, the old Shane Mosley and Ryan Rhodes and the mentally weak Kermit Cintron.
With the other fighters in the division, including Trout, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather, Javier Maciel, Erislandy Lara, Ishe Smith, James Kirkland and Alfredo Anguloit's fair to say that Alvarez's competition has been beyond poor since becoming a world champion.
Whilst "Canelo" has been fighting poor opponents he's been receiving the media acclaim of a fighter who is a pound-for-pound fighter. Whilst I don't mean to take away from his skills he doesn't look as rounded as the media have portrayed him. In fact defensively Alvarez has looked porous, offensively he's looked surprisingly quick though not as heavy handed as his record would indicate and whilst his shots are crisp he can be made to look lazy at times and his feet certainly aren't the swiftest.
As the under-dog it's fair to say there is less pressure on Trout who although unbeaten was pretty unknown by the wider boxing public just a few fights back, in fact until he beat Miguel Cotto (in what was considered a betting upset) it's fair to say that Trout was a completely overlooked fighter in the 154lb mix. This was despite notable wins in both Panama and Mexico over Nilson Julio Tapia, Rigoberto Alvarez ("Canelo's" brother) and David Lopez as well as a solid victory on Showtime against Delvin Rodriguez.
Like Alvarez, Trout is unbeaten since his debut in 2005 (a month before "Canelo") and although he's not had the hype and the promotional backing of Alvarez he's certainly proven his character fighting on the road on a regular basis. Be it in Panama, Mexico, Canada or Miguel Cotto's "adoptive home" of New York, Trout has had to prove his ability on the road and win decisions when he wasn't expected to.
In terms of his style, Trout has often been called a spoiler and whilst he can spoil fights, the southpaw isn't really that negative just very controlling in a fight. He's very highly skilled, he lacks explosive power but he certainly can hit hard enough to make fighters think twice, he has great movement and whilst not the most active at times he's a fighter who seems capable of putting his foot on the gas if and when needed. Like Canelo it's his hand speed more than anything that really stands out, though he certainly has a foot speed edge over Canelo and probably also a technical edge despite not having the power of the Mexican.
Going in to the bout Trout will know that he will need to clearly win the bout to get a decision. The Golden Boy backing that Alvarez has had won't be written off easily though "The Golden Boy Curse" could of course strike again here as it did Jorge Linares (against Juan Carlos Salgado) and Victor Ortiz (against Marcos Maidana).
With all the variables and intangibles going into this bout it's hardnot to get excited about it. Of course the bout has the potential to be a bit of let down considering whats on the the line especially when we remember back to the last unification bout in the US between unbeaten champions (Timothy Bradley v Devon Alexander) however I'm personally expecting an electric atmosphere and a bout to remember.
Sadly as much as I'm looking forward to this I can't help but feel that the actual result will be less than the fighters deserve. The gut feeling is that Canelo wins a very controversial decision due to his popularity though part of me also sees Trout turning it on very late and making sure the judges can't screw him. If Trout can't stop Alvarez he may end up getting a draw when he deserves a victory.
Prediction- Draw.
Nathan Cleverly v Robin Krasniqi
In the biggest fight on British soil this coming weekend unbeaten Welshman Nathan Cleverly (25-0, 12) defends his WBO Light Heavyweight title against mandatory contender Robin Krasniqi (39-2, 15). The bout, the headline fight at Wembley appears to be a good one on paper though with promoter Frank Warren attempting to prove he's still a big force in British boxing this may not have been the match up he'd have wanted Cleverly to be in, though it does look rather interesting, on paper at least.
With Krasniqi, a 26 year old German having almost 40 wins to his name it's fair to say he's not the worst fighter on the planet, though it's hard to really understand how the WBO have come to the idea that he's the #1 contender (then again with the WBO lets just say nothing shocks us any more). Despite his rather odd ranking he's certainly been on an excellent run since January 2006 winning 38 straight fights and claiming the very lightly regarded WBO European Light Heavyweight title (I guess that explains the ranking!).
Whilst Krasniqi's winning run has, at least in terms of raw numbers, been very impressive when you actually dig a little deeper you'll notice the type of guys he's been facing. Fighters like Alexander Sipos (a former European Middleweight title challenger) and Max Heyman who really aren't very good. In fact there is not a single opponent on Krasniqi's record that would be recognised as the type of fighter that would prepare someone for a world title fight.
Going in to this bout Krasniqi is not only on a winning run but also a 4 fight stoppage streak. Though it's these stoppages that probably tell us more about Krasniqi than most would imagine. In a number of his fights where he feels he can stop an opponent he becomes very right hand happy and throws wild, looking rights that look they were thrown from a whole different town. Against a low level opponent Krasniqi has been able to get away with this though when he's facing a talented fighter like Cleverly he's going to be countered and hit cleanly as he opens up (if he actually gets a chance).
Whilst Krasniqi is rather unknown the champion, Cleverly is really well known in boxing circles, at least in Britain. He first came on to the professional scene as part of the Calzaghe camp though has since become a bit of a local star in his own right after the retirement of "The Welsh Dragon". Despite moving from the Calzaghe camp to being trained by his own father Cleverly still shows traits of the Enzo Calzaghe school of boxing which includes having a fantastic engine, great work rate and fast hands.
Although Cleverly isn't known as much of a puncher he does actually have respectable power when he sits on his shots and his body shots are very much an under-rated part of his game. If an opponent refuses to respect his power he can hurt them with either a single shot or a long series of unanswered shots. Rather interestingly though is the fact that Cleverly does seem capable of taking a decent shot, admittedly we've never seen him in with a world class puncher but he's taken shots from respectable punchers with out ever looking hurt.
Cleverly does of course have his critics, mostly those who criticise his loyalty to Frank Warren (who keeps serving up pish poor defenses whilst promising bigger fights) and of course the poor match ups he;s involved in, though this cannot take away from the fact he is a very decent fighter in his own right. Sure he may have once been Joe Calzaghe's under-study but right now the 26 year old from Cefn Fforest is arguably the 4th best Light Heavyweight on the planet. I think he'll manage to show the huge gulf in class between himself and Krasniqi here with the German not belonging anywhere near the top 10.
Prediction-Cleverly TKO8
With Krasniqi, a 26 year old German having almost 40 wins to his name it's fair to say he's not the worst fighter on the planet, though it's hard to really understand how the WBO have come to the idea that he's the #1 contender (then again with the WBO lets just say nothing shocks us any more). Despite his rather odd ranking he's certainly been on an excellent run since January 2006 winning 38 straight fights and claiming the very lightly regarded WBO European Light Heavyweight title (I guess that explains the ranking!).
Whilst Krasniqi's winning run has, at least in terms of raw numbers, been very impressive when you actually dig a little deeper you'll notice the type of guys he's been facing. Fighters like Alexander Sipos (a former European Middleweight title challenger) and Max Heyman who really aren't very good. In fact there is not a single opponent on Krasniqi's record that would be recognised as the type of fighter that would prepare someone for a world title fight.
Going in to this bout Krasniqi is not only on a winning run but also a 4 fight stoppage streak. Though it's these stoppages that probably tell us more about Krasniqi than most would imagine. In a number of his fights where he feels he can stop an opponent he becomes very right hand happy and throws wild, looking rights that look they were thrown from a whole different town. Against a low level opponent Krasniqi has been able to get away with this though when he's facing a talented fighter like Cleverly he's going to be countered and hit cleanly as he opens up (if he actually gets a chance).
Whilst Krasniqi is rather unknown the champion, Cleverly is really well known in boxing circles, at least in Britain. He first came on to the professional scene as part of the Calzaghe camp though has since become a bit of a local star in his own right after the retirement of "The Welsh Dragon". Despite moving from the Calzaghe camp to being trained by his own father Cleverly still shows traits of the Enzo Calzaghe school of boxing which includes having a fantastic engine, great work rate and fast hands.
Although Cleverly isn't known as much of a puncher he does actually have respectable power when he sits on his shots and his body shots are very much an under-rated part of his game. If an opponent refuses to respect his power he can hurt them with either a single shot or a long series of unanswered shots. Rather interestingly though is the fact that Cleverly does seem capable of taking a decent shot, admittedly we've never seen him in with a world class puncher but he's taken shots from respectable punchers with out ever looking hurt.
Cleverly does of course have his critics, mostly those who criticise his loyalty to Frank Warren (who keeps serving up pish poor defenses whilst promising bigger fights) and of course the poor match ups he;s involved in, though this cannot take away from the fact he is a very decent fighter in his own right. Sure he may have once been Joe Calzaghe's under-study but right now the 26 year old from Cefn Fforest is arguably the 4th best Light Heavyweight on the planet. I think he'll manage to show the huge gulf in class between himself and Krasniqi here with the German not belonging anywhere near the top 10.
Prediction-Cleverly TKO8
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Victor Terrazas v Cristian Mijares
In what is arguably the most over-looked bout of the weekend, Mexican skillster Cristian Mijares (36-2-1, 21) faces the criminally under-rated Victor Terrazas (47-6-2, 22) in a bout for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight title. Sure we all know quite clearly right now that Guillermo Rigondeaux is the premier Bantamweight in the world thanks to his performance last week out boxing Nonito Donaire for the WBO and WBA "super" titles, but this is still a hugely promising bout between two Mexicans.
For Mijares, one of the most sound "boxers" Mexico has ever produced it's a chance to become a 3-time, 2 weight world champion after having had 2 title runs at Super Flyweight. It was of course at 115lbs that Mijares made his name as he first claimed the WBC "interim" belt, defeating Katsushige Kawashima in Japan (twice), before thoroughly out boxing the always fun to watch Jorge Arce in a thoroughly one sided domination.
Mijares's WBC title reign would see him defeating Jose Navarro, Alexander Munoz and Chatchai Sasakul. Although several of his fights were close on the cards it was a mystery as to how judges were scoring them close and really the judges in some cases should have been forced to explain their scorecards. Sadly however for Mijares his reign finally came to an end after 7 defenses of the WBC title and one of the WBA he had claimed from Munoz as Vic Darchinyan walked through him before scoring a stoppage in round 9 in eye catching fashion.
Following the loss to Darchinyan, Mijares would suffer back to back decision losses to Nehomar Cermeno in bouts for the WBA Bantamweight title as fans started to write off Mijares as a fighter who was done. Since those losses Cermeno back in 2009 however Mijares has totally rebuilt his career with 11 straight wins which saw him gaining the IBF Super Flyweight title (which he has since given up). This run of 11 wins has seen him defeating Francisco Arce, Juan Alberto Rosas and most notably Rafael Marquez.
As a pure boxer Mijares is a real joy. He can move and box with the best of them and unlike a typical Mexican he seems happier to avoid a battle of machismo than to get dragged in to one, though this is in part due to his less then average power which as seen his stoppage rate standing at a perfect 40%. Whilst this has seen him running up 401 professional rounds since his debut back in 1997 he hasn't taken 401 rounds of damage due to his defensive abilities which have, the Darchinyan fight aside, seen him remain on his feet at the final bell of every bout.
Although co-challenger Victor Terrazas is much less well known by the American boxing fans he's a figure who is pretty well known by the hardcore fans and even British fans oddly enough. The 30 year old, from Jalisco has been a professional since 2003 and although he lost bis debut (KO2 to Adrian Tellez) he has carved out an excellent career of his own.
Following his debut loss, Terrazas won 26 of his next 27 fights before fighting outside of Mexico for the first time in his career as he traveled to Britain to face Rendall Munroe in a WBC Bantamweight eliminator. Sadly for Terrazas the body of Munroe wore him down after a good start and in round 9 Terrazas was stopped following a terrific shot by Munroe (who went on to lose Nishioka in the eventual world title fight).
Since his loss to Munroe, Terrazas has been excellent adding 10 straight victories to his record including victories over Nehomar Cermeno (the man who twice beat Mijares) and Fernando Montiel as he's forced his way back into title contention.
Going in to this is genuinely an intriguing bout. Terrazas, as he showed against Montiel, is a fantastic pressure fighter who can be in your grill and grind you down (he dropped Montiel in that one left him bloodied), but on the opposite side Mijares is a genuine master boxer. If we go on the Darchinyan fight then it's hard to see Mijares winning, though Terrazas isn't Darchinyan, he's not as dynamite fisted or as conventional as the Armenian.
I'm a huge fan of Mijares though I just think with the styles involved here, Terrazas eventually grinds him down, though of course I'd not be shocked by Mijares putting on a master class of boxing and claiming a decision over his fellow Mexican. A really, really good match up.
Prediction-Terrazas TKO10
For Mijares, one of the most sound "boxers" Mexico has ever produced it's a chance to become a 3-time, 2 weight world champion after having had 2 title runs at Super Flyweight. It was of course at 115lbs that Mijares made his name as he first claimed the WBC "interim" belt, defeating Katsushige Kawashima in Japan (twice), before thoroughly out boxing the always fun to watch Jorge Arce in a thoroughly one sided domination.
Mijares's WBC title reign would see him defeating Jose Navarro, Alexander Munoz and Chatchai Sasakul. Although several of his fights were close on the cards it was a mystery as to how judges were scoring them close and really the judges in some cases should have been forced to explain their scorecards. Sadly however for Mijares his reign finally came to an end after 7 defenses of the WBC title and one of the WBA he had claimed from Munoz as Vic Darchinyan walked through him before scoring a stoppage in round 9 in eye catching fashion.
Following the loss to Darchinyan, Mijares would suffer back to back decision losses to Nehomar Cermeno in bouts for the WBA Bantamweight title as fans started to write off Mijares as a fighter who was done. Since those losses Cermeno back in 2009 however Mijares has totally rebuilt his career with 11 straight wins which saw him gaining the IBF Super Flyweight title (which he has since given up). This run of 11 wins has seen him defeating Francisco Arce, Juan Alberto Rosas and most notably Rafael Marquez.
As a pure boxer Mijares is a real joy. He can move and box with the best of them and unlike a typical Mexican he seems happier to avoid a battle of machismo than to get dragged in to one, though this is in part due to his less then average power which as seen his stoppage rate standing at a perfect 40%. Whilst this has seen him running up 401 professional rounds since his debut back in 1997 he hasn't taken 401 rounds of damage due to his defensive abilities which have, the Darchinyan fight aside, seen him remain on his feet at the final bell of every bout.
Although co-challenger Victor Terrazas is much less well known by the American boxing fans he's a figure who is pretty well known by the hardcore fans and even British fans oddly enough. The 30 year old, from Jalisco has been a professional since 2003 and although he lost bis debut (KO2 to Adrian Tellez) he has carved out an excellent career of his own.
Following his debut loss, Terrazas won 26 of his next 27 fights before fighting outside of Mexico for the first time in his career as he traveled to Britain to face Rendall Munroe in a WBC Bantamweight eliminator. Sadly for Terrazas the body of Munroe wore him down after a good start and in round 9 Terrazas was stopped following a terrific shot by Munroe (who went on to lose Nishioka in the eventual world title fight).
Since his loss to Munroe, Terrazas has been excellent adding 10 straight victories to his record including victories over Nehomar Cermeno (the man who twice beat Mijares) and Fernando Montiel as he's forced his way back into title contention.
Going in to this is genuinely an intriguing bout. Terrazas, as he showed against Montiel, is a fantastic pressure fighter who can be in your grill and grind you down (he dropped Montiel in that one left him bloodied), but on the opposite side Mijares is a genuine master boxer. If we go on the Darchinyan fight then it's hard to see Mijares winning, though Terrazas isn't Darchinyan, he's not as dynamite fisted or as conventional as the Armenian.
I'm a huge fan of Mijares though I just think with the styles involved here, Terrazas eventually grinds him down, though of course I'd not be shocked by Mijares putting on a master class of boxing and claiming a decision over his fellow Mexican. A really, really good match up.
Prediction-Terrazas TKO10
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