American Paul Spadafora (48-0-1, 19) has one of the longest unbeaten runs in the sport of boxing. Despite his long unbeaten streak, that dates back to 1995, Spadafora has been one of the most frustrating fighters to follow. What should have been an excellent career in the 90's and early 00's became little more than a waste of time, despite a 4 year reign as the IBF Lightweight champion.
Unfortunately Spadafora, who is known to many as "the guy that beat Floyd Mayweather up in Sparring", has been a man who has combined his talented with some seriously bad choices and extra-curricular activities which has seen him serving time in prison and really wasting a number of his prime years.
Spadafora looks to get back to the top this weekend when he fights for the WBA interim Light Welterweight title. The unbeaten man, who goes by the moniker of "The Pittsburgh Kid" despite being 38 years old, will not be in a "gimme" fight however as he takes on Johan Perez (17-1-1, 12).
Although Perez, of Venezuela, is much less well known than the American he is himself a certified world level fighter having been a former holder of this very title. Unfortunately however Perez is best known to many as a man who lost to Pablo Cesar Cano last year, despite having put on a boxing clinic against Japan's Yoshihiro Kamegai earlier this year.
At his best Spadafora was a very good fighter. He never had the talent to be a "special" fighter but was good. That was however a good decade ago and he's now heading to 40 years old and is with out a notable victory in over a decade. He's not the fighter he was and he's unlikely to ever be another genuine name on the world stage.
Perez, although unsuccessful against Cano, is an excellent boxer and has great movement and intelligent skills. He's not a big puncher but he's a clever enough fighter to make the most of his strengths and is likely to do so here.
Sadly for Perez he is going to West Virginia for this contest and fighting in the same venue that Spadafora has fought his last 3 contests in. I personally think Perez will be the more impressive man in the ring though unfortunately Spadafora will some how manage to get the win with many fans wondering what they had just seen.
Prediction-Spadafora SD12 (VERY controversially)
Showing posts with label Light Welterweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light Welterweight. Show all posts
Friday, 29 November 2013
Friday, 18 October 2013
Mike Alvarado v Ruslan Provodnikov
Not every fight we see scheduled gets the pulses racing in anticipation of a war. I know I'm not looking forward to Andre Ward v Edwin Rodriguez for example, however one fight that screams "blood, guts and violence" is the upcoming WBO interim Light Welterweight contest between Mike Alvarado (34-1, 23) and Russian slugger Ruslan Provodnikov (22-2, 15), a fight that makes me remember just why I love this great sport of ours.
It's not often that we get true warriors matched together, but that's what we have here with two fighters who actually look like they were made for each other. Both are TV friendly, fan friendly and better yet they are sharing a ring together, what more can we want?
As the defending champion the pressure is on Alvarado who impressed many by avenging his sole defeat earlier this year. Having lost to Brandon Rios in a tear up last year Alvarado took on Rios for a second time and showed his ability to box as well as fight as he mixed things up and out pointed Rios in a barnstormer. He'll have to show his boxing ability again here, though it's a relief for the American that has it in his locker.
Although Alvarado is "only" 33 he's a fighter who has many more miles on the clock than a normal 33 year old. His history of out-manning opponents will have taken it's toll on his long term health, his career and his ability to go to the well again. That's not to say he's only got 1 more good fight in him, but it is to say that his style is going to catch up with him sooner or later. It might be this bout, it might the next one, or it might be 10 fights away, but it will happen.
Whilst Alvarado has shown an ability to go to plan B we've never seen that from Provodnikov a man who has single game plan and one that is usually effective. To fight. You'll never get anything unpredictable from Provodnikov, there's no traps or clever countering, there's little in the way of imagination though what you get is a strong, tough, hard hitting Russian on a seek and destroy mission from round 1 to round 12.
Provodnikov can be made to look second rate by someone who boxes on the move, though he'll take advantage of any lapses in concentration and landing thudding shots with either hand. It takes not just a tough opponent to beat him, but one with either boundless energy or one the ability to discourage him, something we've yet to see.
If Alvarado employees his usual "fighting" style then this is a FOTY candidate with every round being a mini war. If, instead, Alvarado elects to box the American may find that he looks a level or two better than Provodnikov who could look 1-dimensional. Problem for Alvarado though if he does choose to box is that Provodbikov won't back off and only needs to land one punch to shake him, as hard as Alvarado tries to box there will always be that tense feeling that Provodnikov is only 1 shot away from turning the bout around.
I think Alvarado will manage to box for most of the fight, he'll certainly have a scare and may be dropped, though will show his smarts and just do enough to take a very tight decision in a memorable FOTY contender. I can certainly see Provodnikov hurting the American, but for some reason I think that Alvarado will see out the storm in a fight that sees fans and the media calling for an immediate rematch, just as much for the action as anything else.
Prediction-Alvarado SD12
It's not often that we get true warriors matched together, but that's what we have here with two fighters who actually look like they were made for each other. Both are TV friendly, fan friendly and better yet they are sharing a ring together, what more can we want?
As the defending champion the pressure is on Alvarado who impressed many by avenging his sole defeat earlier this year. Having lost to Brandon Rios in a tear up last year Alvarado took on Rios for a second time and showed his ability to box as well as fight as he mixed things up and out pointed Rios in a barnstormer. He'll have to show his boxing ability again here, though it's a relief for the American that has it in his locker.
Although Alvarado is "only" 33 he's a fighter who has many more miles on the clock than a normal 33 year old. His history of out-manning opponents will have taken it's toll on his long term health, his career and his ability to go to the well again. That's not to say he's only got 1 more good fight in him, but it is to say that his style is going to catch up with him sooner or later. It might be this bout, it might the next one, or it might be 10 fights away, but it will happen.
Whilst Alvarado has shown an ability to go to plan B we've never seen that from Provodnikov a man who has single game plan and one that is usually effective. To fight. You'll never get anything unpredictable from Provodnikov, there's no traps or clever countering, there's little in the way of imagination though what you get is a strong, tough, hard hitting Russian on a seek and destroy mission from round 1 to round 12.
Provodnikov can be made to look second rate by someone who boxes on the move, though he'll take advantage of any lapses in concentration and landing thudding shots with either hand. It takes not just a tough opponent to beat him, but one with either boundless energy or one the ability to discourage him, something we've yet to see.
If Alvarado employees his usual "fighting" style then this is a FOTY candidate with every round being a mini war. If, instead, Alvarado elects to box the American may find that he looks a level or two better than Provodnikov who could look 1-dimensional. Problem for Alvarado though if he does choose to box is that Provodbikov won't back off and only needs to land one punch to shake him, as hard as Alvarado tries to box there will always be that tense feeling that Provodnikov is only 1 shot away from turning the bout around.
I think Alvarado will manage to box for most of the fight, he'll certainly have a scare and may be dropped, though will show his smarts and just do enough to take a very tight decision in a memorable FOTY contender. I can certainly see Provodnikov hurting the American, but for some reason I think that Alvarado will see out the storm in a fight that sees fans and the media calling for an immediate rematch, just as much for the action as anything else.
Prediction-Alvarado SD12
Friday, 13 September 2013
Danny Garcia v Lucas Martin Matthysse
It's not often that the perceived "B" fight on a card looks more interesting than the "A" fight but this weekend's "B" side on "The One" card looks significantly better than the main fight as the unbeaten Danny Garcia (26-0, 16) defends his WBC and WBA world title against the destructive Lucas Martin Matthysse (34-2, 32).
Although Garcia enters the bout as an unbeaten double champion he also enters as the under-dog and in the eyes of many he is merely a lamb to the slaughter. Despite the general view of Garcia heading to the slaughter he's actually a fighter who appears to be getting very over-looked. He's proven to be tough, skilled, and despite being rather predictable, he has looked like he's got very solid basic skills. His left hook, especially as a counter, is a devastating punch, he's confident and is riding a high that many though his career would have.
Garcia of course isn't an under-dog for the first time in his career and he's repeatedly proven that th under-dog tag doesn't really offend him. In fact against Amir Khan, Garcia was so over-looked that many seemed to think Khan was going to ease past Garcia before becoming Floyd Mayweather's next opponent. One thing that Garcia actually seems to like is being the under-dog, it takes the pressure off his shoulders and allows him to fight his natural fight which is that of an intelligent counter puncher.
Sadly for Garcia he was made to look very predictable last time out. Sure he beat Zab Judah, though for the final 4 rounds he really struggled to look anything more than 1 paced and very easy to read. The lack of a plan B is likely to fall straight in to Matthysse's hands with the Argentinian only really needing to be aware of the champion's hook.
Matthysse is generally viewed as not only the favourite but also "the man" of the Light Welterweight division. His two losses have both been highly controversial with many viewing both losses as complete robberies and in fact if anything those losses seem to have made the hard hitting Argentinian even more determined to leave his opponents void of their senses.
The "new Matthysse" was seen in full flow last time out as he destroyed the generally tough Lamont Peterson. The destruction of Peterson may have been "expected" but it showed that Matthysse was no longer willing to just box world level opponents, instead he was willing to destroy them from the opening bell. Had he used the same mentality against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander it's fair to say he'd have stopped both.
Although not the most technically skilled or the the fastest Matthysse is an intelligent fighter. He may just be seen as a destructive puncher but he's also a clever fighter. He knows when to go downstairs and break opponents in the midsection, he knows how to bang upstairs and most worryingly of all every shot he throws is hurtful and spiteful.
Sadly whilst Garcia is tough it's unlikely that anyone at 140lbs is tough enough to see out the distance with Matthysse. If Garcia's left hook cannot shake Matthysse then this could well end up being a genuine beat down. Sadly for Garcia his toughness could end up being more of a curse than a blessing and Matthysse, whilst not likely to put him to sleep with a single shot, will beat the fight out of him.
We've seen Olusegun Ajose fighting once since Matthysse beat him, in Ajose's bout, a loss to Hank Lundy, he looked like a fighter who was pretty much done, I imagine Garcia could end up looking the same way following this one.
Prediction-Matthyse TKO8
Although Garcia enters the bout as an unbeaten double champion he also enters as the under-dog and in the eyes of many he is merely a lamb to the slaughter. Despite the general view of Garcia heading to the slaughter he's actually a fighter who appears to be getting very over-looked. He's proven to be tough, skilled, and despite being rather predictable, he has looked like he's got very solid basic skills. His left hook, especially as a counter, is a devastating punch, he's confident and is riding a high that many though his career would have.
Garcia of course isn't an under-dog for the first time in his career and he's repeatedly proven that th under-dog tag doesn't really offend him. In fact against Amir Khan, Garcia was so over-looked that many seemed to think Khan was going to ease past Garcia before becoming Floyd Mayweather's next opponent. One thing that Garcia actually seems to like is being the under-dog, it takes the pressure off his shoulders and allows him to fight his natural fight which is that of an intelligent counter puncher.
Sadly for Garcia he was made to look very predictable last time out. Sure he beat Zab Judah, though for the final 4 rounds he really struggled to look anything more than 1 paced and very easy to read. The lack of a plan B is likely to fall straight in to Matthysse's hands with the Argentinian only really needing to be aware of the champion's hook.
Matthysse is generally viewed as not only the favourite but also "the man" of the Light Welterweight division. His two losses have both been highly controversial with many viewing both losses as complete robberies and in fact if anything those losses seem to have made the hard hitting Argentinian even more determined to leave his opponents void of their senses.
The "new Matthysse" was seen in full flow last time out as he destroyed the generally tough Lamont Peterson. The destruction of Peterson may have been "expected" but it showed that Matthysse was no longer willing to just box world level opponents, instead he was willing to destroy them from the opening bell. Had he used the same mentality against Zab Judah and Devon Alexander it's fair to say he'd have stopped both.
Although not the most technically skilled or the the fastest Matthysse is an intelligent fighter. He may just be seen as a destructive puncher but he's also a clever fighter. He knows when to go downstairs and break opponents in the midsection, he knows how to bang upstairs and most worryingly of all every shot he throws is hurtful and spiteful.
Sadly whilst Garcia is tough it's unlikely that anyone at 140lbs is tough enough to see out the distance with Matthysse. If Garcia's left hook cannot shake Matthysse then this could well end up being a genuine beat down. Sadly for Garcia his toughness could end up being more of a curse than a blessing and Matthysse, whilst not likely to put him to sleep with a single shot, will beat the fight out of him.
We've seen Olusegun Ajose fighting once since Matthysse beat him, in Ajose's bout, a loss to Hank Lundy, he looked like a fighter who was pretty much done, I imagine Garcia could end up looking the same way following this one.
Prediction-Matthyse TKO8
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Khabib Allakhverdiev v Souleymane M'baye
Late last year Russian Khabib Allakhverdiev (18-0, 8) announced himself to the wider boxing public by inflicting the first loss on to the career of Dominican Joan Guzman. With that victory Allakhverdiev claimed the then vacant WBA Light Welterweight title, a belt that he defends for the first time this coming Saturday against Frenchman Souleymane M'baye (40-4-1, 22), himself a former holder of the title.
Aged 30 Allakhverdiev, dubbed "The Hawk", is in his pomp. He is a physically strong fighter who appears to be at his best coming forward and forcing the action, though he can fight well on the backfoot as well when needed. Although his record doesn't show it, he hits with stinging force, and whilst no single shot is necessarily concussive the accumulation of accurate clean shots does tend to take it's toll.
The worry when fighting Allakhverdiev is that he's got an impressive overall package. As mentioned he's not concussive but he's aggressive, he's not lightning quick, but yet he's still fast, he's not elusive, but he is defensively sound. There's very little that really stands out as a true weakness, he just does a lot very well.
Although the 140lbs Light Welterweight division is one of the strongest in the sport Allakhverdiev is possibly the most over-looked fighter there. Sure I wouldn't favour him over Matthysse (but then again who would you favour over Matthysse at 140?) or Garcia but he's certainly in the top 10 in the division.
Sadly boxing politics seems to be against actually letting us find out just how good Allakhverdiev really as the smart people at the WBA have somehow come to the conclusion that M'baye is the top contender. This is the same M'baye who is 38, with just a sole win (from 2 bouts) in the last 3 years, the same M'baye who had numerous controversial decisions in his favour in prime (including a decision over and a draw with Andriy Kotelnik and decisions over Barrie Jones and Colin Lynes) and the guy who no-showed in the ring against Gavin Rees.
At his best M'baye was stopping Ameth Diaz, out pointing Khalid Rahilou and stopping Raul Horacio Balbi. At his worst he was boring our pants off, unfortunately that came more often than not.
To be bluntly honest, how M'baye is even ranked is mystery. In his prime he was decent, certainly a divisional top 10 fighter but very much a paper champion (as his reign as the WBA Light Welterweight champion in 2006-2007 and WBA interim champion in 2010-2011 showed) and his reigns were weak to say the very least.
Although I hate the WBA for having M'baye in another title fight I think the sordid side of me needs to thank them here because as far as I can see Allakhverdiev going to beat him in to a very painful retirement and finally rid us of "The Sensation".
Prediction-Allakhverdiev TKO7
Aged 30 Allakhverdiev, dubbed "The Hawk", is in his pomp. He is a physically strong fighter who appears to be at his best coming forward and forcing the action, though he can fight well on the backfoot as well when needed. Although his record doesn't show it, he hits with stinging force, and whilst no single shot is necessarily concussive the accumulation of accurate clean shots does tend to take it's toll.
The worry when fighting Allakhverdiev is that he's got an impressive overall package. As mentioned he's not concussive but he's aggressive, he's not lightning quick, but yet he's still fast, he's not elusive, but he is defensively sound. There's very little that really stands out as a true weakness, he just does a lot very well.
Although the 140lbs Light Welterweight division is one of the strongest in the sport Allakhverdiev is possibly the most over-looked fighter there. Sure I wouldn't favour him over Matthysse (but then again who would you favour over Matthysse at 140?) or Garcia but he's certainly in the top 10 in the division.
Sadly boxing politics seems to be against actually letting us find out just how good Allakhverdiev really as the smart people at the WBA have somehow come to the conclusion that M'baye is the top contender. This is the same M'baye who is 38, with just a sole win (from 2 bouts) in the last 3 years, the same M'baye who had numerous controversial decisions in his favour in prime (including a decision over and a draw with Andriy Kotelnik and decisions over Barrie Jones and Colin Lynes) and the guy who no-showed in the ring against Gavin Rees.
At his best M'baye was stopping Ameth Diaz, out pointing Khalid Rahilou and stopping Raul Horacio Balbi. At his worst he was boring our pants off, unfortunately that came more often than not.
To be bluntly honest, how M'baye is even ranked is mystery. In his prime he was decent, certainly a divisional top 10 fighter but very much a paper champion (as his reign as the WBA Light Welterweight champion in 2006-2007 and WBA interim champion in 2010-2011 showed) and his reigns were weak to say the very least.
Although I hate the WBA for having M'baye in another title fight I think the sordid side of me needs to thank them here because as far as I can see Allakhverdiev going to beat him in to a very painful retirement and finally rid us of "The Sensation".
Prediction-Allakhverdiev TKO7
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Joan Guzman v Vicente Mosquera
Some world title bouts just confuse me. Last weeks bout between Juan Carlos Reveco and Ulises Lara was one such fight and another one is this as the ever expanding Joan Guzman (33-1-1, 20) faces the very under-rated Vicente Mosquera (32-2-1, 17) in a WBA "interim" Light Welterweight title bout.
What makes this bout so confusing, and also shows up what is a big problem with professional boxing, is that the WBA "interim" Light Welterweight title is on the line. The full version of the title is held by Khabib Allakhverdiev, who defeated Guzman last November and will be defending the title in about 2 weeks time. So why the WBA feels the need to slash their creditability so hard here is a mystery.
Anyway lets forget politics and just look at the fight, because it really could be a very interesting one.
Aged 37 this really is Guzman's last chance. Despite all the talent he had (and he was highly talented) he has really "under-achieved", as stupid as that sounds for a fighter who has claimed world titles at Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight.
Had he been fully committed to the sport there is no doubt in my mind Guzman could have claimed world titles at Featherweight, Lightweight and picked up a paper strap at Light Welterweight. Had he done that he'd have been a 5-weight "world champion" and cemented a memorable legacy as the greatest Dominican fighter of all time.
Instead however Guzman has piled on the pounds and thrown away his legacy. He failed to really make a mark on the Featherweight division (despite beating Terdsak Kokietgym in a world title eliminator), he ate himself out of the Lightweight division (coming in a disgraceful 9lbs over the limit for his rematch with Ali Funeka) and by the time he moved up to Light Welterweight he was alread in his mid 30's (and he later missed weight again and tested positive for a banned substance).
Having scored victories over Agapito Sanchez, Fernando Beltran, Terdsak Kokietgym, Jorge Rodrigo Barrios (albeit controversially), Humberto Soto and Ali Funeka (also controversially, due to weight issues) you cannot argue that Guzman has a solid record. But you can say that his career has been highly frustrating and immensely disappointing.
At his best Guzman was a talented boxer. He possessed lighting quick hands, incredible ring intelligence, hurtful power and god blessed talent. Sadly those traits went to his head and he could often become complacent both in and out of the ring. It's this complacency which has really over-shadowed his career.
Up against Guzman is the 33 year old Panamanian Vicente Mosquera who himself has had a very credible career though often remained under the radar of the average boxing fan (bar 2 notable bouts).
Mosquera, like Guzman, made his name in the lower weight divisions. The first title he ever competed for was the Panamanian Super Bantamweight title, a bout he twice fought for but never actually held. Instead Mosquera skip Featherweight (coincidentally this was similar to Guzman) and really make his name at Super Featherweight.
As a Super Featherweight Mosquera would claim 2 regional titles before later claiming the WBA world title thanks to a thrilling victory over Thai hard man Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai (or, as he was known at the time Yodsanan 3K Battery). The bout over Yodsanan should have put Mosquera on the boxing map though unfortunately it didn't and Mosquera wouldn't defend his title for 13 months.
Mosquera's title reign came to an end after just 1 defense as he was stopped by the hard hitting Edwin Valero just months later. Despite losing to Valero, Mosquera had actually put up a very credible effort, dropping Valero in the 3rd round before being stopped in the 10th by the Venezuelan.
Following the loss to Valero, Mosquera actually took over 4 years away from the ring though has since run up 8 straight victories between Light Middleweight and Light Welterweight, where he looks to be settling. This bout with Guzman however will be a major step up from the opponents he has been fighting so far.
This bout isn't so much about who is the better fighter but who has the most left in the tank. Prime for prime I'd have gone with Guzman no questions asked, though at 37 and coming in on the back of the Allakhverdiev loss, he may well be done. The fact that bout was stopped due to a knee injury could well take away his mobility further and leave a really good chance for Mosquera. On the reverse Mosquera hasn't looked great since his comeback.
One thing is for sure and that's that neither man should ever dream of calling himself a genuine Light Welterweight champion. The likes of Lucas Matthysse and Danny Garcia would really finish off either mans career.
Prediction-Guzman SD12 (VERY controversially)
What makes this bout so confusing, and also shows up what is a big problem with professional boxing, is that the WBA "interim" Light Welterweight title is on the line. The full version of the title is held by Khabib Allakhverdiev, who defeated Guzman last November and will be defending the title in about 2 weeks time. So why the WBA feels the need to slash their creditability so hard here is a mystery.
Anyway lets forget politics and just look at the fight, because it really could be a very interesting one.
Aged 37 this really is Guzman's last chance. Despite all the talent he had (and he was highly talented) he has really "under-achieved", as stupid as that sounds for a fighter who has claimed world titles at Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight.
Had he been fully committed to the sport there is no doubt in my mind Guzman could have claimed world titles at Featherweight, Lightweight and picked up a paper strap at Light Welterweight. Had he done that he'd have been a 5-weight "world champion" and cemented a memorable legacy as the greatest Dominican fighter of all time.
Instead however Guzman has piled on the pounds and thrown away his legacy. He failed to really make a mark on the Featherweight division (despite beating Terdsak Kokietgym in a world title eliminator), he ate himself out of the Lightweight division (coming in a disgraceful 9lbs over the limit for his rematch with Ali Funeka) and by the time he moved up to Light Welterweight he was alread in his mid 30's (and he later missed weight again and tested positive for a banned substance).
Having scored victories over Agapito Sanchez, Fernando Beltran, Terdsak Kokietgym, Jorge Rodrigo Barrios (albeit controversially), Humberto Soto and Ali Funeka (also controversially, due to weight issues) you cannot argue that Guzman has a solid record. But you can say that his career has been highly frustrating and immensely disappointing.
At his best Guzman was a talented boxer. He possessed lighting quick hands, incredible ring intelligence, hurtful power and god blessed talent. Sadly those traits went to his head and he could often become complacent both in and out of the ring. It's this complacency which has really over-shadowed his career.
Up against Guzman is the 33 year old Panamanian Vicente Mosquera who himself has had a very credible career though often remained under the radar of the average boxing fan (bar 2 notable bouts).
Mosquera, like Guzman, made his name in the lower weight divisions. The first title he ever competed for was the Panamanian Super Bantamweight title, a bout he twice fought for but never actually held. Instead Mosquera skip Featherweight (coincidentally this was similar to Guzman) and really make his name at Super Featherweight.
As a Super Featherweight Mosquera would claim 2 regional titles before later claiming the WBA world title thanks to a thrilling victory over Thai hard man Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai (or, as he was known at the time Yodsanan 3K Battery). The bout over Yodsanan should have put Mosquera on the boxing map though unfortunately it didn't and Mosquera wouldn't defend his title for 13 months.
Mosquera's title reign came to an end after just 1 defense as he was stopped by the hard hitting Edwin Valero just months later. Despite losing to Valero, Mosquera had actually put up a very credible effort, dropping Valero in the 3rd round before being stopped in the 10th by the Venezuelan.
Following the loss to Valero, Mosquera actually took over 4 years away from the ring though has since run up 8 straight victories between Light Middleweight and Light Welterweight, where he looks to be settling. This bout with Guzman however will be a major step up from the opponents he has been fighting so far.
This bout isn't so much about who is the better fighter but who has the most left in the tank. Prime for prime I'd have gone with Guzman no questions asked, though at 37 and coming in on the back of the Allakhverdiev loss, he may well be done. The fact that bout was stopped due to a knee injury could well take away his mobility further and leave a really good chance for Mosquera. On the reverse Mosquera hasn't looked great since his comeback.
One thing is for sure and that's that neither man should ever dream of calling himself a genuine Light Welterweight champion. The likes of Lucas Matthysse and Danny Garcia would really finish off either mans career.
Prediction-Guzman SD12 (VERY controversially)
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
Thursday, 28 March 2013
Brandon Rios v Mike Alvarado II
Last year boxing fans got a real treat when the Americans Brandon Rios (31-0-1, 23) and Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23) waged a thoroughly enjoyable war on each other in a none title bout. This coming weekend the two step in to the ring together again with the interim WBO Light Welterweight title on the line in what promises a lot considering their first fight.
Last time out Alvarado started very well before eventually being dragged more and more in to a war that eventually saw him getting stopped in the 7th round by a determined Rios who was forced to take hard shots himself. Although last time out the bout played chief support to Nonito Donaire's bout with Toshiaki Nishioka this time the bout is the main event and after their first meeting the reason si obvious-these two are fun to watch.
Of the two men Brandon Rios goes in to this bout as the notable favourite (3/10) and this is partly due to his victory last time out and also partly due to his reputation. Rios has, over the past 3 years, been on a real tear beating the likes of Jorge Luis Theron, Anthony Peterson, Miguel Acosta, Urbano Antillon, John Murray, Richar Abril (though this one was hugely controversial) and of course Alvarado. He has looked unstoppable with only Abril seeing the final bell (in a bout that Rios was very lucky to win) and has shown power, aggression, work rate and sheer toughness. In fact it's fair to say that Rios has shown nothing less than a sheer bloody mindedness to win come hell or high water.
The unbeaten Rios may not be the most skilled or the most technical in the ring but he's one of the toughest and has one of the biggest hearts. He doesn't seem to know when he's lost, he doesn't seem to know how to take a backwards step and probably most impressively, he knows how to cut the ring off and get his offensive work in (even if he does take a shot or two in return).
Like Rios, Alvarado has proven himself to be a genuine warrior. Sure he was stopped last time out against Rios though had already proven his balls in an enthralling war with Breidis Prescott (who fights on the undercard) which he won by stopping Prescott in the tenth despite being very marked up. Also like Rios, Alvarado isn't the smartest of boxers, though he is probably more technically sound than Rios he's also no Willie Pep.
Alvarado is a warrior through and through he's tough and this time around (more so than last time) he's got a point to prove. He started well against Rios last time and seemed to look the much better boxer, though was unfortunately dragged into a fight, hurt then stopped. If (and it's a big if) Alvarado can stick to his boxing and tag Rios whilst moving laterally (like he did in several rounds last time out) he could manage to find himself taking a decision. Sadly for Alvarado boxing against Rios can be harder than it seems and for those who saw Rios v Acosta they may know just how good Rios is at cutting off the corners (which admittedly Acosta seemed to like fighting out of).
Although Alvarado for me personally is over-priced (18/5) I do favour Rios on account of the fact we know he can hurt Alvarado. Although it's obvious that Rios' career at the top isn't going to be a long one (he simply takes too many shots for that) I don't think he'll suddenly get old here. Alvarado will stick to his boxer more this time, though I think eventually he gets either dropped (perhaps choosing to take a knee) an loses by close decision or stopped standing as Rios proves to be an offensive machine.
Prediction-Rios by TKO11
Last time out Alvarado started very well before eventually being dragged more and more in to a war that eventually saw him getting stopped in the 7th round by a determined Rios who was forced to take hard shots himself. Although last time out the bout played chief support to Nonito Donaire's bout with Toshiaki Nishioka this time the bout is the main event and after their first meeting the reason si obvious-these two are fun to watch.
Of the two men Brandon Rios goes in to this bout as the notable favourite (3/10) and this is partly due to his victory last time out and also partly due to his reputation. Rios has, over the past 3 years, been on a real tear beating the likes of Jorge Luis Theron, Anthony Peterson, Miguel Acosta, Urbano Antillon, John Murray, Richar Abril (though this one was hugely controversial) and of course Alvarado. He has looked unstoppable with only Abril seeing the final bell (in a bout that Rios was very lucky to win) and has shown power, aggression, work rate and sheer toughness. In fact it's fair to say that Rios has shown nothing less than a sheer bloody mindedness to win come hell or high water.
The unbeaten Rios may not be the most skilled or the most technical in the ring but he's one of the toughest and has one of the biggest hearts. He doesn't seem to know when he's lost, he doesn't seem to know how to take a backwards step and probably most impressively, he knows how to cut the ring off and get his offensive work in (even if he does take a shot or two in return).
Like Rios, Alvarado has proven himself to be a genuine warrior. Sure he was stopped last time out against Rios though had already proven his balls in an enthralling war with Breidis Prescott (who fights on the undercard) which he won by stopping Prescott in the tenth despite being very marked up. Also like Rios, Alvarado isn't the smartest of boxers, though he is probably more technically sound than Rios he's also no Willie Pep.
Alvarado is a warrior through and through he's tough and this time around (more so than last time) he's got a point to prove. He started well against Rios last time and seemed to look the much better boxer, though was unfortunately dragged into a fight, hurt then stopped. If (and it's a big if) Alvarado can stick to his boxing and tag Rios whilst moving laterally (like he did in several rounds last time out) he could manage to find himself taking a decision. Sadly for Alvarado boxing against Rios can be harder than it seems and for those who saw Rios v Acosta they may know just how good Rios is at cutting off the corners (which admittedly Acosta seemed to like fighting out of).
Although Alvarado for me personally is over-priced (18/5) I do favour Rios on account of the fact we know he can hurt Alvarado. Although it's obvious that Rios' career at the top isn't going to be a long one (he simply takes too many shots for that) I don't think he'll suddenly get old here. Alvarado will stick to his boxer more this time, though I think eventually he gets either dropped (perhaps choosing to take a knee) an loses by close decision or stopped standing as Rios proves to be an offensive machine.
Prediction-Rios by TKO11
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Lamont Peterson v Kendall Holt
This coming Friday the controversial Lamont Peterson (30-1-1, 15) will make the first defense of his IBF Light Welterweight title as he faces former WBO champion Kendall Holt (28-15, 16). This will be the champion's first bout since testing positive for performance enhancing drugs almost a year ago in the build up to his rematch with Amir Khan (which was later called off due to the positive test and subsequent ban from the sport). For the challenger it'll be a chance to re-establish himself as a top Light Welterweight after losses to Timothy Bradley, Kaizer Mabuza and Danny Grcia in recent years.
The champion starts as a clear betting favourite (priced around 2/7) despite his long layoff. He is a durable, hard working fighter who although not a massive puncher has a hurtful pop on his shots which keeps fighters honest, especially when he goes to the body. It's really the grit and determination that stands out the most about Peterson who, despite being knocked down numerous times, has refused to go away and instead forced his way back into bouts that he's been hurting in.
Peterson has been fighting in and around the world level since 2009 when he suffered the solitary defeat on his record to Timothy Bradley. Since then he has scored a draw with Victor Ortiz, a win over Victor Manuel Cayo and of course the controversial decision victory over Amir Khan. Overall it's not actually a bad record for the 29 year old who was tipped for the top from a young age.
Although nothing really stands out too much about Peterson he has an excellent motor, knows how to use his strengths, he's tough and he won't back down from a fight, especially not in Washington D.C, the same City that he was born in and defeated Khan in.
Aged 31 the challenger is the older man going into this bout, though also seen as the man with more top level experience having fought the likes of David Diaz, Isaac Hlatshwayo, Ricardo Torres (twice), Demetrius Hopkins, Timothy Bradley, Kaizer Mabuza and Danny Garcia. As well as the world level experience Holt is also seen as having a clear power edge despite his record not showing it though likewise he's also the less durable of the two men having been stopped 3 times in his 5 defeats.
Holt, known as "Rated R" has a laser guided right hand with real explosiveness on it. His KO's over the likes of Julio Diaz were nothing short of eye catching and whilst he can't always connect at the top level he does hurt fighters when he connects clean, twice scoring knockdowns against Timothy Bradley. Sadly he also often leaves himself open and whilst some of his losses are explainable (no harm losing to Bradley or Garcia) his opening round TKO loss to Thomas Davis back in 2004 really was a shock and showed he's not got granite in his chin.
If it comes to a shoot out Holt can certainly hurt Peterson, however Peterson could also hurt Holt. I'd not be shocked to see Peterson on the canvas at some point, however Holt can at times give rounds away and I think that could come back to haunt him here. Holt is unfortunate in that when he's a counter puncher he can be too passive (which effectively cost him again Bradley) but when he's aggressive he can often leave himself too open. I have a feeling we'll see the offensive Holt and we'll see him warn down late on by a determined Peterson who will look to make a statement in the final rounds.
Prediction-Peterson TKO10 (interestingly Peterson by stoppage is priced at 3/1)
The champion starts as a clear betting favourite (priced around 2/7) despite his long layoff. He is a durable, hard working fighter who although not a massive puncher has a hurtful pop on his shots which keeps fighters honest, especially when he goes to the body. It's really the grit and determination that stands out the most about Peterson who, despite being knocked down numerous times, has refused to go away and instead forced his way back into bouts that he's been hurting in.
Peterson has been fighting in and around the world level since 2009 when he suffered the solitary defeat on his record to Timothy Bradley. Since then he has scored a draw with Victor Ortiz, a win over Victor Manuel Cayo and of course the controversial decision victory over Amir Khan. Overall it's not actually a bad record for the 29 year old who was tipped for the top from a young age.
Although nothing really stands out too much about Peterson he has an excellent motor, knows how to use his strengths, he's tough and he won't back down from a fight, especially not in Washington D.C, the same City that he was born in and defeated Khan in.
Aged 31 the challenger is the older man going into this bout, though also seen as the man with more top level experience having fought the likes of David Diaz, Isaac Hlatshwayo, Ricardo Torres (twice), Demetrius Hopkins, Timothy Bradley, Kaizer Mabuza and Danny Garcia. As well as the world level experience Holt is also seen as having a clear power edge despite his record not showing it though likewise he's also the less durable of the two men having been stopped 3 times in his 5 defeats.
Holt, known as "Rated R" has a laser guided right hand with real explosiveness on it. His KO's over the likes of Julio Diaz were nothing short of eye catching and whilst he can't always connect at the top level he does hurt fighters when he connects clean, twice scoring knockdowns against Timothy Bradley. Sadly he also often leaves himself open and whilst some of his losses are explainable (no harm losing to Bradley or Garcia) his opening round TKO loss to Thomas Davis back in 2004 really was a shock and showed he's not got granite in his chin.
If it comes to a shoot out Holt can certainly hurt Peterson, however Peterson could also hurt Holt. I'd not be shocked to see Peterson on the canvas at some point, however Holt can at times give rounds away and I think that could come back to haunt him here. Holt is unfortunate in that when he's a counter puncher he can be too passive (which effectively cost him again Bradley) but when he's aggressive he can often leave himself too open. I have a feeling we'll see the offensive Holt and we'll see him warn down late on by a determined Peterson who will look to make a statement in the final rounds.
Prediction-Peterson TKO10 (interestingly Peterson by stoppage is priced at 3/1)
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Lucas Martin Matthysse v Mike Dallas Jr
This weekend sees WBC interim Light Welterweight champion Lucas Martin Matthysse (32-2-0-1, 30) make the the first defense of his title as he faces American challenger Mike Dallas Jr (19-2-1, 8) who is rightfully seen as a big underdog.
As the under-dog it's only fair to look at the challenger first as in all honesty, he will need a miracle, though same may say he actually got one to even get this fight after Henry Lundy was originally scheduled to face Matthysse.
Dallas Jr is a pretty decent boxer and comes from a solid amateur background that almost saw him qualifying for the 2008 Olympics (losing to Danny Garcia in the trials). He moves well, he has solid technique and impressive hand speed though sadly he lacks the power to keep anyone around world level honest and will need to use his skills as opposed to anything else if he intends to go as far as his potential would have suggested a few years ago.
Sadly for Dallas Jr he's been "exposed" and suffered 2 losses in 2011, losing his unbeaten record via 7th round TKO to Josesito Lopez and then losing a decision to the unheralded Mauricio Herrera. Since then however Dallas Jr has bounced back with 2 wins over decent competition and rebuilt his once shattered confidence.
Dallas at his best is a very talented boxer, who uses his skills wonderfully to stay out of trouble whilst landing his own clean, crisp shots. At his worst however he can be dragged in to a brawl where his lack of power really puts him at a disadvantage, and against Matthysse the worst thing you can do is brawl with him and show you're a man.
Whilst Dallas Jr is a bit of a pure boxer, Argentinian Matthysse is a true animal in the ring with a combination of aggressive pressure and a nasty hurtful punch that has made him one of the most feared men in world boxing. He's relentless, teak tough and attempts to destroy his opponent bit by bit, as he did last time out against Ajose Olusegun, who bravely took a beating for 10 rounds.
Despite having 2 losses on his record many view Matthysse as an unbeaten fighter with both of his losses being very controversial split decisions to the promoters fighters in their home towns. Though in all honesty I think those losses have made Matthysse a meaner fighter more determined to end the show early rather than risk a decision.
With Matthysse's mean streak and the fact Dallas likes to get involved in a brawl when he shouldn't I can't see this ending any other way than Dallas getting stopped, probably in the middle rounds as Matthysse's power and tenacity breaks down the challenger.
Prediction-Matthysse TKO6
As the under-dog it's only fair to look at the challenger first as in all honesty, he will need a miracle, though same may say he actually got one to even get this fight after Henry Lundy was originally scheduled to face Matthysse.
Dallas Jr is a pretty decent boxer and comes from a solid amateur background that almost saw him qualifying for the 2008 Olympics (losing to Danny Garcia in the trials). He moves well, he has solid technique and impressive hand speed though sadly he lacks the power to keep anyone around world level honest and will need to use his skills as opposed to anything else if he intends to go as far as his potential would have suggested a few years ago.
Sadly for Dallas Jr he's been "exposed" and suffered 2 losses in 2011, losing his unbeaten record via 7th round TKO to Josesito Lopez and then losing a decision to the unheralded Mauricio Herrera. Since then however Dallas Jr has bounced back with 2 wins over decent competition and rebuilt his once shattered confidence.
Dallas at his best is a very talented boxer, who uses his skills wonderfully to stay out of trouble whilst landing his own clean, crisp shots. At his worst however he can be dragged in to a brawl where his lack of power really puts him at a disadvantage, and against Matthysse the worst thing you can do is brawl with him and show you're a man.
Whilst Dallas Jr is a bit of a pure boxer, Argentinian Matthysse is a true animal in the ring with a combination of aggressive pressure and a nasty hurtful punch that has made him one of the most feared men in world boxing. He's relentless, teak tough and attempts to destroy his opponent bit by bit, as he did last time out against Ajose Olusegun, who bravely took a beating for 10 rounds.
Despite having 2 losses on his record many view Matthysse as an unbeaten fighter with both of his losses being very controversial split decisions to the promoters fighters in their home towns. Though in all honesty I think those losses have made Matthysse a meaner fighter more determined to end the show early rather than risk a decision.
With Matthysse's mean streak and the fact Dallas likes to get involved in a brawl when he shouldn't I can't see this ending any other way than Dallas getting stopped, probably in the middle rounds as Matthysse's power and tenacity breaks down the challenger.
Prediction-Matthysse TKO6
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Joan Guzman v Khabib Allakhverdiev
The vacant WBA Light Welterweight title is up for grabs this coming Friday as unbeaten's collide with Domican Joan Guzman (33-0-1-1, 20) facing Russian Khabib Allakhverdiev (17-0, 8) in a very interesting match up.
Going in to this match up it's fair to suggest that Guzman is the favourite. He's a much more proven fighter and has shown real quality as he's claimed world titles at both Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight, and was also close to claiming a world title at Lightweight. However the fact this bout is at Light Welterweight and Guzman is getting on does perhaps level the playing field somewhat.
At some 36 years old Guzman isn't a spring chicken any more. In his prime he was lightening quick fighter with hands, feet and his brain, he could make very good fighters look very silly as he did to Humberto Soto and Terdsak Kokietgym. Despite his ability however Guzman's problems lay with his attitude and he was lazy both in and out of the ring. Out of the ring this laziness showed as he missed numerous weigh-ins in fact shockingly he came in over 9lbs above the Lightweight limit in an IBF Lightweight title bout. however in the ring laziness has seen him almost losing several times.
I terms of natural skill Guzman is genuinely special. He had all the skill a fighter could wish for, he had the ability to unleash combinations that looked not only fluid but effortless and he could could box equally as well on the front foot and the back foot. It was little wonder that only a few years ago many were putting Guzman in their pound-for-pound lists. Though as mentioned his laziness has almost cost him with Ali Funeka and Jorge Rodrigo Barrios both coming close to taking Guzman's unbeaten record.
Also at Light Welterweight it needs to be said that Guzman's punch resistance may not be great and his power is very unlikely to be as hurtful as his record perhaps shows (he currently has a 57% KO rate as it is, so it's not hard to assume that some Light Welters would literally walk through him).
Whilst Guzman is well known by boxing fans, Russian Khabib Allakhverdiev is much more obscure despite having split his career between his native Russia and the USA (where he has surprisingly fought 8 times). The fact he has fought half his career in the US may well serve him well here.
Having been a professional since 2007 Allakhverdiev has swiftly but quietly risen up the rankings with both Ring (#6) and Boxrec (#8) ranking him highly. These rankings have been helped by a number of notable victories including a technical decision victory over Nate Campbell and stoppages over Ignacio Mendoza and Kaizer Mabuza, with the Mabuza victory being hugely impressive.
In terms of his style Allakhverdiev doesn't have the typical straight up Russian style that you may expect. He's got notable signs of his US based early career with a lot of movement, and some vicious body work, though appears to be a fighter who whilst skilled can be made to miss and a good skilled fighter would likely be able to make him pay for his defensive issues. However he hits a lot harder than his record shows and when he turns it on he is very fun to watch. In fact it's genuinely shocking that his KO rate is less than 50% with his power and aggression.
In terms of the actual bout, this really is an issue of just how much does Guzman have left in the tank? If Guzman is half the fighter he once was, he really could do a number on Allakhverdiev's jaw with sharp accurate counters, however if the former Super Bantamweight gets caught by Allakhverdiev's straight left hand he could well be in a world of pain, and with Guzman's age and slowing reactions that is a real possibility.
I'm guessing that Guzman just has enough to take this, but I do expect him to be in real problems at times as Allakhverdiev simply imposes himself for sections of the bout.
Prediction-Guzman Decision.
Going in to this match up it's fair to suggest that Guzman is the favourite. He's a much more proven fighter and has shown real quality as he's claimed world titles at both Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight, and was also close to claiming a world title at Lightweight. However the fact this bout is at Light Welterweight and Guzman is getting on does perhaps level the playing field somewhat.
At some 36 years old Guzman isn't a spring chicken any more. In his prime he was lightening quick fighter with hands, feet and his brain, he could make very good fighters look very silly as he did to Humberto Soto and Terdsak Kokietgym. Despite his ability however Guzman's problems lay with his attitude and he was lazy both in and out of the ring. Out of the ring this laziness showed as he missed numerous weigh-ins in fact shockingly he came in over 9lbs above the Lightweight limit in an IBF Lightweight title bout. however in the ring laziness has seen him almost losing several times.
I terms of natural skill Guzman is genuinely special. He had all the skill a fighter could wish for, he had the ability to unleash combinations that looked not only fluid but effortless and he could could box equally as well on the front foot and the back foot. It was little wonder that only a few years ago many were putting Guzman in their pound-for-pound lists. Though as mentioned his laziness has almost cost him with Ali Funeka and Jorge Rodrigo Barrios both coming close to taking Guzman's unbeaten record.
Also at Light Welterweight it needs to be said that Guzman's punch resistance may not be great and his power is very unlikely to be as hurtful as his record perhaps shows (he currently has a 57% KO rate as it is, so it's not hard to assume that some Light Welters would literally walk through him).
Whilst Guzman is well known by boxing fans, Russian Khabib Allakhverdiev is much more obscure despite having split his career between his native Russia and the USA (where he has surprisingly fought 8 times). The fact he has fought half his career in the US may well serve him well here.
Having been a professional since 2007 Allakhverdiev has swiftly but quietly risen up the rankings with both Ring (#6) and Boxrec (#8) ranking him highly. These rankings have been helped by a number of notable victories including a technical decision victory over Nate Campbell and stoppages over Ignacio Mendoza and Kaizer Mabuza, with the Mabuza victory being hugely impressive.
In terms of his style Allakhverdiev doesn't have the typical straight up Russian style that you may expect. He's got notable signs of his US based early career with a lot of movement, and some vicious body work, though appears to be a fighter who whilst skilled can be made to miss and a good skilled fighter would likely be able to make him pay for his defensive issues. However he hits a lot harder than his record shows and when he turns it on he is very fun to watch. In fact it's genuinely shocking that his KO rate is less than 50% with his power and aggression.
In terms of the actual bout, this really is an issue of just how much does Guzman have left in the tank? If Guzman is half the fighter he once was, he really could do a number on Allakhverdiev's jaw with sharp accurate counters, however if the former Super Bantamweight gets caught by Allakhverdiev's straight left hand he could well be in a world of pain, and with Guzman's age and slowing reactions that is a real possibility.
I'm guessing that Guzman just has enough to take this, but I do expect him to be in real problems at times as Allakhverdiev simply imposes himself for sections of the bout.
Prediction-Guzman Decision.
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Danny Garcia v Erik Morales II
Earlier this year Danny Garcia (24-0, 15) announced himself on to the world stage by defeating the then WBC Light Welterweight champion Erik Morales (52-8, 36). Since then Garcia has also added the WBA "Super" Light Welterweight title to his collection of belts by stopping Englishman Amir Khan. Garcia will make the first defense of his unified titles this coming weekend as he goes head-to-head with Morales for a second time in 7 months.
At just 24 years old Garcia seems to be one of the forgotten men of world boxing. His victory over Khan has been dismissed by many as a fluke, his quiet and likable personality sees him over-looked and if it were not for his rather brash and loud father it may well be difficult to remember just who Danny Garcia is. Despite this however he's proven over the last 12 months that he's a credible fighter who deserves to be amongst the top fighters at 140lbs.
Since debuting back in 2007 Garcia's rise has been a swift one and has already seen him scoring notable victories over the likes of Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt and of course Khan and Morales. Despite this however Garcia has had his detractors, most notably in 2010 after struggling to defeat Englishman Ashley Theophane.
In terms of his style Garcia does nothing excellently. He's not fast, he's not a big puncher and he doesn't have a huge work rate, however he is very well schooled and he hits hard enough to hurt fighters, as he showed against Khan. He has good timing and a solid defence but again nothing really stands out as amazing about him.
Whilst Garcia stands out in no way at all, the challenger, Mexican legend Erik Morales is, well, legendary. He has had a truly tremendous career and is a nailed on Hall of Famer. Since debuting way back in 1993 Morales has faced a genuine who's who of top fighters and holds a number of notable high profile victories over the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera, Daniel Zaragoza, Paulie Ayala and Jesus Chavez. In total Morales has not only fought some of the best fighters in the world but he has also claimed world titles in 4 separate weight divisions, starting as low as Super Bantamweight and going as high as Light Welterweight.
At 36 years old Morales' career is certainly on it's last legs however his love of a good tear up seems to be as strong as it ever has been and it's his war mongering that has helped to make him such a huge fan favourite over the years. Sadly however his tenacity for a blood and guts battle has taken it's toll on his body and he now marks up and bruises very easily and whilst he's certainly not a chinny fighter he is a fighter who has taken a huge accumulation of damage over the years. It seems this damage has taken it's toll on his punch resistance and last time out against Garcia, Morales looked almost ready to be stopped.
At his best Morales was a phenom. He could, if he wanted to, box with the best of them, he could go to war, he could bang, in fact in all honesty Morales at his very best was one of the top fighters in recent years and he was always willing to fight the top fighters. However the current version of Morales is a much lesser fighter than he once was, however he still has the ability to shine in spurts, he's no longer able to keep up the intensity of brilliance for 12 rounds.
After watching the final few rounds of their first bout, I can't help but think this will be a very painful night for Morales who I think will be stopped late here. Had Garcia not spent 5 or 6 rounds over-respecting Morales in their first bout Morales would have been stopped. He was almost gone in rounds 11 and 12 and this time I think Garcia will look to make a point and retire Morales.
Prediction-Garcia TKO9
At just 24 years old Garcia seems to be one of the forgotten men of world boxing. His victory over Khan has been dismissed by many as a fluke, his quiet and likable personality sees him over-looked and if it were not for his rather brash and loud father it may well be difficult to remember just who Danny Garcia is. Despite this however he's proven over the last 12 months that he's a credible fighter who deserves to be amongst the top fighters at 140lbs.
Since debuting back in 2007 Garcia's rise has been a swift one and has already seen him scoring notable victories over the likes of Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt and of course Khan and Morales. Despite this however Garcia has had his detractors, most notably in 2010 after struggling to defeat Englishman Ashley Theophane.
In terms of his style Garcia does nothing excellently. He's not fast, he's not a big puncher and he doesn't have a huge work rate, however he is very well schooled and he hits hard enough to hurt fighters, as he showed against Khan. He has good timing and a solid defence but again nothing really stands out as amazing about him.
Whilst Garcia stands out in no way at all, the challenger, Mexican legend Erik Morales is, well, legendary. He has had a truly tremendous career and is a nailed on Hall of Famer. Since debuting way back in 1993 Morales has faced a genuine who's who of top fighters and holds a number of notable high profile victories over the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera, Daniel Zaragoza, Paulie Ayala and Jesus Chavez. In total Morales has not only fought some of the best fighters in the world but he has also claimed world titles in 4 separate weight divisions, starting as low as Super Bantamweight and going as high as Light Welterweight.
At 36 years old Morales' career is certainly on it's last legs however his love of a good tear up seems to be as strong as it ever has been and it's his war mongering that has helped to make him such a huge fan favourite over the years. Sadly however his tenacity for a blood and guts battle has taken it's toll on his body and he now marks up and bruises very easily and whilst he's certainly not a chinny fighter he is a fighter who has taken a huge accumulation of damage over the years. It seems this damage has taken it's toll on his punch resistance and last time out against Garcia, Morales looked almost ready to be stopped.
At his best Morales was a phenom. He could, if he wanted to, box with the best of them, he could go to war, he could bang, in fact in all honesty Morales at his very best was one of the top fighters in recent years and he was always willing to fight the top fighters. However the current version of Morales is a much lesser fighter than he once was, however he still has the ability to shine in spurts, he's no longer able to keep up the intensity of brilliance for 12 rounds.
After watching the final few rounds of their first bout, I can't help but think this will be a very painful night for Morales who I think will be stopped late here. Had Garcia not spent 5 or 6 rounds over-respecting Morales in their first bout Morales would have been stopped. He was almost gone in rounds 11 and 12 and this time I think Garcia will look to make a point and retire Morales.
Prediction-Garcia TKO9
Friday, 7 September 2012
Lucas Martin Matthysse v Ajose Olusegun
Like everyone else who follows boxing I hate "interim" titles. Whilst I agree in principle with them, they have become incredible misused, especially in recent times where every division appears to have an "interim" by the WBA or the WBO as the organisations look to cash in on an extra stream of revenue. This weekend however we have an "interim" title bout that is hard to argue with, in fact it's slightly shocking that neither man is a world champion already.
In one corner we have the exciting and highly rated Argentinian Lucas Martin Matthysse (31-2-0-1, 29) and in the other we have the unbeaten Nigerian born British citizen Ajose Olusegun (30-0, 14). Both men probably should already have had multiple opportunities at titles though, for one reason or another neither man has been crowned a "world champion" so far.
Firstly lets look at the Argentinian. The 29 year old from Buenos Aires is the younger of the two fighters but also the smaller, more powerful man, in fact one a pound-for-pound ranking Matthysse would ranking up amongst the best for his power. Unlike countryman Marcos Maidana, Matthysse isn't wild and reckless, instead he's a well schooled pressure fighter who uses some very under-rated defensive skills to get inside an opponent and hammer them with hard, thudding shots to both the head and body. Whilst the head shots are capable of shaking anyone at 140lbs the body shots are his trademark and the the blows that break fighters when they land.
Matthysse has been around for a while and was a well established amateur at the turn of the millennium having competed in a number of major international events. After missing out on the 2004 Olympics however Matthysse decided it was time to leave a trail of destruction in the professional ranks.
As a professional Matthysse's power and aggression spoke volumes and none of his first 23 fights went beyond 4 rounds as he ran up a record of 22-0-0-1 (21), his only none T/KO win during that streak was a 3rd round DQ victory over Bernardino Gonzalez. It wasn't until the tough Carlos Adan Jerez that Matthysse would find an opponent who could stand up to his power, however Matthysse scored a clear points win over Jerez (who incidentally had been stopped by Lucas' older brother Walter Dario Matthysse several years earlier).
Having created a bit of buzz back home in Argentina, Matthysse would get his first chance to make a name for himself in the USA as he traveled to face former multi-weight world champion Zab Judah. The bout, aired on HBO saw Matthysse suffering his first professional loss as he was on the receiving end of a highly controversial split decision which many felt should have gone the Argentinians way. Despite the loss to Judah many watching had suddenly become Matthysse fans and fallen in love with the exciting Argentinian who they wanted to see more of. Those fans got their wishes just 7 months later as Matthysse fought former world champion Devon Alexander (who faces Randall Bailey in an IBF Welterweight title bout on the same telecast). History would repeat it's self for Matthysse as, like in the Judah bout, he lost by a controversial split decision in a bout he seemed to clearly win.
It would have been understandable for Matthysse to say screw American after being denied twice by controversial scoring, but he returned to the US earlier this year and defeated former multi-weight champion Humberto Soto by TKO between rounds 5 and 6. It was the win over Soto that saw him earning this bout for the "interim" WBC Light Welterweight title.
As previously mentioned Matthysse is a skilled pressure fighter with very under-rated defense and whilst he does get caught, most shots he gets hit with are glancing shots or taken well. It's his offense however that should be the worrying factor for Olusegun. Not only is Matthysse a hard hitter but he's accurate and can penetrate an opponents guard with alarming regularity. Even if he doesn't land clean his shots hurt and he can put on the pressure late as he showed against Judah. As well as his style he may mentally want this more as well, having twice felt robbed in America he'll likely seek the stoppage victory.
Whilst Nigerian Ajose Olusegun goes into this bout as the less well known fighter he will go into it with a lot of belief that his time has finally come having had a long and drawn out process to finally get his world title opportunity.
Despite being born in Lagos, Nigeria (and competing at the Olympics) it was in Britain that Olusegun earned his professional boxing stripes. He debuted back in 2001 and with in 18 months he had claimed his first professional title, the lightly regarded World Boxing Foundation Intercontinental Light Welterweight title. By the end of 2005 he added both the Nigerian and the African Boxing Union titles at Light Welterweight as he took fights in both Nigerian and Israel.
The first notable victory for Olusegun came in late 2004 as he stopped Welshman Bradley Pryce. Pryce, the nearly man of British boxing, had fought for the British title 19 months earlier and would later go on to claim the Commonwealth title at Light Middleweight. Olusegun would build on the victory over Pryce by knocking out the then promising Ali Nuumbembe in eye catching fashion. It seemed at this point as if Olusegun would be fast tracked to major international titles.
It took a year following Olusegun's victory over Nuumbembe for Olusegun to claim his next title, the Commonwealth Light Welterweight title as he dominated Gary Reid over 12 rounds. This should have been the platform of Olusegun's world title challenge but sadly, due to poor management Olusegun was stuck making defenses of the Commonwealth title and taking several stay busy fights as he patiently waited for an opportunity. After defending the Commonwealth title 4 times (defeating Nigel Wright twice, Scott Haywood and Colin Lynes) and claiming the British title it seemed almost inevitable that Olusegun would chase a world title fight having gotten sick of waiting in line.
In September 2011 Olusegun finally got his chance to make a mark on the world rankings as he made his US debut and faced Frenchman Ali Chebah in a WBC Eliminator. The winner was supposed to fight to winner of the Erik Morales v Pablo Cesar Cano bout, however, despite dominating Chebah the WBC failed to enforce the bout instead allowing the #2 ranked WBC fighter Danny Garcia to face Morales instead.
Olusegun is a hugely talented Southpaw. He may not pack the power of Matthysse but he has blinding hand speed, a huge variety of punches (many of which are thrown from bizarre angles), brilliant reactions, great footwork and beautiful combinations. Olusegun may have, at times shown a lack of interest in the ring (and often toyed with opponents out of boredom) but when he has his mind on the job he can look sensational both going forward and backwards.
What we have here is two very deserving fighters (a real rarity for an "interim" title bout) though two fighters with very, very different styles. Olusegun is the much faster, taller fighter who whilst not really tested at world level has looked sensational against British fights and his performance against Chebah proved that he was at least fringe world level. Matthysse, the smaller fighter (by around 3" in height and 2" in reach) will know that he will need to get inside Olusegun, he will probably also know that he will need to slow Olusegun with body shots if he is going to win this. It's also interesting to note that whilst Matthysse is tested at the higher level both of his losses have come to quick southpaws, something that Olusegun has in common with both Judah and Alexander.
To win this bout Matthysse will need to slow down Olusegun and body shots will be the key. The Argentinian will struggle to get over the notable size disadvantage but he will have to find a way, likely using his under-rated skills to cut off the ring and unleashing shots to the live when up close. He shouldn't be expecting Olusegun to trade with him (like Soto did) but if he can make things close he will have success. This won't be an easy fight for the Argentinian but it is one he will feel he can win, in fact he almost certainly feels he can beat anyone at 140lbs.
Olusegun's keys to victory will be based around his size, movement and speed. If he can keep Matthysse at range by boxing and moving he should be able to pick up the win. Olusegun however will need to keep his wits about him, he can't try to get cheeky or look for a fight with Matthyse as he would likely come off second best. As long as he can keep up a good work rate for the 12 rounds, keeping Matthyse from unloading up close he stands a solid chance. Olusegun cannot look at this bout as his chance to leave 3 years of anger in the ring but instead he need to think of it as his chance to vindicate himself after feeling like he's been avoided for he past few years.
My take on this fight is that Olusegun, with his speed and range will start the bout fast, he will likely reel off the first 3 or 4 rounds and bag them with his movement, work rate and hand speed. However Matthysse is excellent at cutting the ring off and expect him to catch Olusegun at least a couple of times to the body. In the middle rounds the body work will begin to build up from Matthyse and down the stretch the Argentinian will manage to just grind down the Nigerian in the last few rounds.
Matthyse is the favourite and is priced around 4/9 however I have this much closer to a 50-50 bout that could genuinely go either way and whilst I do favour the Argentinian I wouldn't be surprised if he did lose.
This bout has genuine potential to be really exciting (if Matthysse gets his way) or dull (if Olusegun manages to control the whole 12 rounds with his movement and reach) or some where between the two so is certainly worth tuning in for.
Prediction: Matthysse TKO 11
In one corner we have the exciting and highly rated Argentinian Lucas Martin Matthysse (31-2-0-1, 29) and in the other we have the unbeaten Nigerian born British citizen Ajose Olusegun (30-0, 14). Both men probably should already have had multiple opportunities at titles though, for one reason or another neither man has been crowned a "world champion" so far.
Firstly lets look at the Argentinian. The 29 year old from Buenos Aires is the younger of the two fighters but also the smaller, more powerful man, in fact one a pound-for-pound ranking Matthysse would ranking up amongst the best for his power. Unlike countryman Marcos Maidana, Matthysse isn't wild and reckless, instead he's a well schooled pressure fighter who uses some very under-rated defensive skills to get inside an opponent and hammer them with hard, thudding shots to both the head and body. Whilst the head shots are capable of shaking anyone at 140lbs the body shots are his trademark and the the blows that break fighters when they land.
Matthysse has been around for a while and was a well established amateur at the turn of the millennium having competed in a number of major international events. After missing out on the 2004 Olympics however Matthysse decided it was time to leave a trail of destruction in the professional ranks.
As a professional Matthysse's power and aggression spoke volumes and none of his first 23 fights went beyond 4 rounds as he ran up a record of 22-0-0-1 (21), his only none T/KO win during that streak was a 3rd round DQ victory over Bernardino Gonzalez. It wasn't until the tough Carlos Adan Jerez that Matthysse would find an opponent who could stand up to his power, however Matthysse scored a clear points win over Jerez (who incidentally had been stopped by Lucas' older brother Walter Dario Matthysse several years earlier).
Having created a bit of buzz back home in Argentina, Matthysse would get his first chance to make a name for himself in the USA as he traveled to face former multi-weight world champion Zab Judah. The bout, aired on HBO saw Matthysse suffering his first professional loss as he was on the receiving end of a highly controversial split decision which many felt should have gone the Argentinians way. Despite the loss to Judah many watching had suddenly become Matthysse fans and fallen in love with the exciting Argentinian who they wanted to see more of. Those fans got their wishes just 7 months later as Matthysse fought former world champion Devon Alexander (who faces Randall Bailey in an IBF Welterweight title bout on the same telecast). History would repeat it's self for Matthysse as, like in the Judah bout, he lost by a controversial split decision in a bout he seemed to clearly win.
It would have been understandable for Matthysse to say screw American after being denied twice by controversial scoring, but he returned to the US earlier this year and defeated former multi-weight champion Humberto Soto by TKO between rounds 5 and 6. It was the win over Soto that saw him earning this bout for the "interim" WBC Light Welterweight title.
As previously mentioned Matthysse is a skilled pressure fighter with very under-rated defense and whilst he does get caught, most shots he gets hit with are glancing shots or taken well. It's his offense however that should be the worrying factor for Olusegun. Not only is Matthysse a hard hitter but he's accurate and can penetrate an opponents guard with alarming regularity. Even if he doesn't land clean his shots hurt and he can put on the pressure late as he showed against Judah. As well as his style he may mentally want this more as well, having twice felt robbed in America he'll likely seek the stoppage victory.
Whilst Nigerian Ajose Olusegun goes into this bout as the less well known fighter he will go into it with a lot of belief that his time has finally come having had a long and drawn out process to finally get his world title opportunity.
Despite being born in Lagos, Nigeria (and competing at the Olympics) it was in Britain that Olusegun earned his professional boxing stripes. He debuted back in 2001 and with in 18 months he had claimed his first professional title, the lightly regarded World Boxing Foundation Intercontinental Light Welterweight title. By the end of 2005 he added both the Nigerian and the African Boxing Union titles at Light Welterweight as he took fights in both Nigerian and Israel.
The first notable victory for Olusegun came in late 2004 as he stopped Welshman Bradley Pryce. Pryce, the nearly man of British boxing, had fought for the British title 19 months earlier and would later go on to claim the Commonwealth title at Light Middleweight. Olusegun would build on the victory over Pryce by knocking out the then promising Ali Nuumbembe in eye catching fashion. It seemed at this point as if Olusegun would be fast tracked to major international titles.
It took a year following Olusegun's victory over Nuumbembe for Olusegun to claim his next title, the Commonwealth Light Welterweight title as he dominated Gary Reid over 12 rounds. This should have been the platform of Olusegun's world title challenge but sadly, due to poor management Olusegun was stuck making defenses of the Commonwealth title and taking several stay busy fights as he patiently waited for an opportunity. After defending the Commonwealth title 4 times (defeating Nigel Wright twice, Scott Haywood and Colin Lynes) and claiming the British title it seemed almost inevitable that Olusegun would chase a world title fight having gotten sick of waiting in line.
In September 2011 Olusegun finally got his chance to make a mark on the world rankings as he made his US debut and faced Frenchman Ali Chebah in a WBC Eliminator. The winner was supposed to fight to winner of the Erik Morales v Pablo Cesar Cano bout, however, despite dominating Chebah the WBC failed to enforce the bout instead allowing the #2 ranked WBC fighter Danny Garcia to face Morales instead.
Olusegun is a hugely talented Southpaw. He may not pack the power of Matthysse but he has blinding hand speed, a huge variety of punches (many of which are thrown from bizarre angles), brilliant reactions, great footwork and beautiful combinations. Olusegun may have, at times shown a lack of interest in the ring (and often toyed with opponents out of boredom) but when he has his mind on the job he can look sensational both going forward and backwards.
What we have here is two very deserving fighters (a real rarity for an "interim" title bout) though two fighters with very, very different styles. Olusegun is the much faster, taller fighter who whilst not really tested at world level has looked sensational against British fights and his performance against Chebah proved that he was at least fringe world level. Matthysse, the smaller fighter (by around 3" in height and 2" in reach) will know that he will need to get inside Olusegun, he will probably also know that he will need to slow Olusegun with body shots if he is going to win this. It's also interesting to note that whilst Matthysse is tested at the higher level both of his losses have come to quick southpaws, something that Olusegun has in common with both Judah and Alexander.
To win this bout Matthysse will need to slow down Olusegun and body shots will be the key. The Argentinian will struggle to get over the notable size disadvantage but he will have to find a way, likely using his under-rated skills to cut off the ring and unleashing shots to the live when up close. He shouldn't be expecting Olusegun to trade with him (like Soto did) but if he can make things close he will have success. This won't be an easy fight for the Argentinian but it is one he will feel he can win, in fact he almost certainly feels he can beat anyone at 140lbs.
Olusegun's keys to victory will be based around his size, movement and speed. If he can keep Matthysse at range by boxing and moving he should be able to pick up the win. Olusegun however will need to keep his wits about him, he can't try to get cheeky or look for a fight with Matthyse as he would likely come off second best. As long as he can keep up a good work rate for the 12 rounds, keeping Matthyse from unloading up close he stands a solid chance. Olusegun cannot look at this bout as his chance to leave 3 years of anger in the ring but instead he need to think of it as his chance to vindicate himself after feeling like he's been avoided for he past few years.
My take on this fight is that Olusegun, with his speed and range will start the bout fast, he will likely reel off the first 3 or 4 rounds and bag them with his movement, work rate and hand speed. However Matthysse is excellent at cutting the ring off and expect him to catch Olusegun at least a couple of times to the body. In the middle rounds the body work will begin to build up from Matthyse and down the stretch the Argentinian will manage to just grind down the Nigerian in the last few rounds.
Matthyse is the favourite and is priced around 4/9 however I have this much closer to a 50-50 bout that could genuinely go either way and whilst I do favour the Argentinian I wouldn't be surprised if he did lose.
This bout has genuine potential to be really exciting (if Matthysse gets his way) or dull (if Olusegun manages to control the whole 12 rounds with his movement and reach) or some where between the two so is certainly worth tuning in for.
Prediction: Matthysse TKO 11
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