Over the past few years the Cruiserweight division has become a show stealer. No longer is it merely the bastard division between Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight but it's now it's own, highly established and amazingly entertaining division which brings us more action pound-for-pound than almost any other division in the sport. In fact for me it's the second division in the sport right now behind the red hot Flyweight division.
One problem with the Cruiserweight division however is that over the past few years it has been European centric with very little action coming stateside. That changes a little this Friday as Poland's Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (48-2-1, 24) takes his WBC title over to Chicago to defend it against Italian veteran Giacobbe Fragomeni (31-3-2, 12). This, the third meeting between the two men, will see Fragomeni seeking to tie the scoreline between the two men which currently sees Wloadrczyk leading 1-0 with 1 fight scored a draw.
At 44 years old Fragomeni is a bit of a freak of a freak. He's been one of the top Cruiserweights on the plant from around 2006 and despite a loss to David Haye that year it was obvious that Fragomeni had the talent to one day be a world champion.
Fragomeni would later become a title holder. In 2008 he beat Rudolph Kraj by 8th round technical decision to claim the WBC title, a title he would successfully defend once, scoring a draw with Wlodarczyk in that defense. Unfortunately he reign was curtailed by Hungarian Zsolt Erdei one fight later before a Wlodarczyk rematch saw Fragomeni being stopped in 8 rounds.
Since the loss to Wlodarczyk in 2010 Fragomeni has gone 5-0-1, claiming the WBC silver title in the process with a split decision over fellow Italian veteran Silvio Branco. It's that silver title that has helped Fragomeni getting a third fight with Wlodarczyk.
A warrior at heart Fragomeni's inclusion in a bout tends to leave us with an exciting action. Not often much in terms of "sweet science" but plenty of action all the same.
Much like the challenger Wlodarczyk, a 32 year who has previously held the IBF title, is a warrior. He's slightly better technically than Fragomeni but is mainly a tough and gutsy fighter who excellent engine and sheer bloody mindedness.
One of the weaknesses of Wlodarczyk is that he is a slow starter and he can be put over. Problem with knocking him over however is that he has the uncanny ability to just get up and fight back. This is what saved him last time out when he was dropped and dominated early on by Rakhim Chakhkiev.
When he's got his engine going and everything clicks however Wlodarczyk is a monster to defeat. He's got a great work rate, fantastic punch selection, good combinations and really hurtful power. He's not going to knock world level fighters out with one shot too often but every shot looks hurtful, every shot is grinding and every shot does damage. When he lets them go they have the capability of breaking down almost anyone in the division.
It's the grinding effect of Wlodarczyk that I think will take it's effect here as he breaks down Fragomeni and stops him around round 7 or 8 with the Italian veteran looking his age for a round or two before the stoppage. Thankfully for the first 5 or 6 rounds we should get some genuinely enthralling action that will hopefully make the US audience want to see more of this generation of brilliant Cruiserweights.
Prediction-Wlodarczyk TKO8
Showing posts with label Rematch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rematch. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Friday, 7 June 2013
Marco Huck v Ola Afolabi III
Sometimes boxing rivalries tell their own story and in the case of this weekend's WBO Cruiserweight title bout between Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25) and Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9) we get another fantastic chapter in a brilliant rivalry.
The two men, who meet for the 3rd time first fought back in December 2009 with Huck taking a much debated unanimous decision. In 2012 they met for a second time with the bout declared a 12 round draw in what was a contender for both fight of the year and round of the year (round 12).
If the story continues in the way it's been going then this should be an absolutely barn burner due to the fact the previous two were. Though maybe the most telling fact going in to the bout is the that both men know what to expect from the other and both know they have the power to rock the other (even though neither man has been down in 24 rounds together).
The 28 year old Huck goes in to this bout as the favourite (8/15) though this doesn't really tell us everything we need to know about Huck.
The hard nosed and usually fun to watch Serbian born German is a fighter who has been involved in a number of hard, draining battled in his 38 fight career, especially in recent bouts. At the low level his power and aggression has seen him stopping opponents with relative ease. At genuine world level however Huck has been unable to quickly dispose of his opponents and as a result has been involved in tear up after tear up.
With a combined 72 rounds of action against Steve Cunningham, Ola Afolabi, Denis Lebedev, Alexander Povetkin and Firat Arslan, Huck is a fighter with a lot of miles on the clock. As well as the 72 rounds against those world class fighters Huck has been in 12 straight world title fights and has fought a staggering 10 bouts since the first Afolabi bout.
Aged just 28 Huck is showing the signs of his wars. His battle with Firat Arslan last time out made Huck look like only a shadow of the fighter he was 2 fights earlier. Sure he may just have been unable to get up for the fight though the fact he was out worked in almost every one of the 12 rounds was still a worry.
Whilst Huck is a crude, hard hitting, teak tough fighter Afolabi is much more skilled fighter who's much smoother, much more accurate and far more technically sound. He lacks the power of Huck though is certainly the better pure boxer and has also shown a level of toughness that matches that of Huck.
Afolabi at 33 years old is the older fighter in terms of "real years" but is by far the less "damaged" fighter in terms of ring years. Aside from the 2 wars with Huck, Afolabi hasn't been forced to go in to the trenches too much and is probably a very "young" 33 for a boxer. He certainly seems to have more in the tank than Huck despite twice failing to defeat him.
For me a lot depends on what Huck has left, though with his bout against Arslan it don't look like there was much at all left for Huck. A fighter can only go to the well so many times before the well runs dry and that's what I think will happen here.
Prediction-Afolabi UD12
The two men, who meet for the 3rd time first fought back in December 2009 with Huck taking a much debated unanimous decision. In 2012 they met for a second time with the bout declared a 12 round draw in what was a contender for both fight of the year and round of the year (round 12).
If the story continues in the way it's been going then this should be an absolutely barn burner due to the fact the previous two were. Though maybe the most telling fact going in to the bout is the that both men know what to expect from the other and both know they have the power to rock the other (even though neither man has been down in 24 rounds together).
The 28 year old Huck goes in to this bout as the favourite (8/15) though this doesn't really tell us everything we need to know about Huck.
The hard nosed and usually fun to watch Serbian born German is a fighter who has been involved in a number of hard, draining battled in his 38 fight career, especially in recent bouts. At the low level his power and aggression has seen him stopping opponents with relative ease. At genuine world level however Huck has been unable to quickly dispose of his opponents and as a result has been involved in tear up after tear up.
With a combined 72 rounds of action against Steve Cunningham, Ola Afolabi, Denis Lebedev, Alexander Povetkin and Firat Arslan, Huck is a fighter with a lot of miles on the clock. As well as the 72 rounds against those world class fighters Huck has been in 12 straight world title fights and has fought a staggering 10 bouts since the first Afolabi bout.
Aged just 28 Huck is showing the signs of his wars. His battle with Firat Arslan last time out made Huck look like only a shadow of the fighter he was 2 fights earlier. Sure he may just have been unable to get up for the fight though the fact he was out worked in almost every one of the 12 rounds was still a worry.
Whilst Huck is a crude, hard hitting, teak tough fighter Afolabi is much more skilled fighter who's much smoother, much more accurate and far more technically sound. He lacks the power of Huck though is certainly the better pure boxer and has also shown a level of toughness that matches that of Huck.
Afolabi at 33 years old is the older fighter in terms of "real years" but is by far the less "damaged" fighter in terms of ring years. Aside from the 2 wars with Huck, Afolabi hasn't been forced to go in to the trenches too much and is probably a very "young" 33 for a boxer. He certainly seems to have more in the tank than Huck despite twice failing to defeat him.
For me a lot depends on what Huck has left, though with his bout against Arslan it don't look like there was much at all left for Huck. A fighter can only go to the well so many times before the well runs dry and that's what I think will happen here.
Prediction-Afolabi UD12
Friday, 24 May 2013
Carl Froch v Mikkel Kessler II
In by far the biggest fight of the weekend Brit Carl Froch (30-2, 22) looks for revenge over Dane Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35) in an IBF/WBA Super Middleweight title unification bout. The bout, live on Sky Box Office in the UK and other various channels around the world is unarguably to define the #2 Super Middleweight on the planet and also a rare chance to see 2 top fighters pitted against each other.
When the men first fought, just over 3 years ago, it was part of the "Super 6" and Kessler claimed a very competitive decision decision in his homeland in what was a fight of the year contender. Since then a rematch always looked likely to occur despite the men becoming close friends and now we are just a few hours from that long awaited rematch, this time taking place in Britain, the homeland of Froch.
Since the men first fought their careers have seemingly gone in opposite directions. For Kessler things have been a struggle due to injuries and long lay offs. He's recaptured a world title (the WBA belt) though it's a title that most view as a paper belt manufactured for little more than a sanctioning fee and he hasn't looked as sharp, or as destructive as he had been before the Froch fight. For Froch he has moved from strength to strength and whilst he suffered a set back to Andre Ward he did go on to beat Arthur Abraham and Lucien Bute. both in impressive fashion.
At his best Kessler is a very solid all-rounder. He has very impressive straight shots, a lovely body attack and is durable, though he can be made to look slow and doesn't look the same fighter when forced on to the back foot. If you allow Kessler to fight behind his jab he's very hard to beat and if you let him connect with his booming straight right he can take fighters out with just a single shot.
When people talk about Kessler they never speak about any outstanding single attribute, just that he's very good at almost everything. He does have his flaws, notably his lack of handspeed and relatively weak inside game though on the whole he is a very solid fighter.
At his best (and at his most confident) Froch is a destructive fighter who will bring the fight to anyone, take one to land one and have the belief in his power and chin to stop anyone. He has an excellent work rate, under-rated "pure boxing" and although he can be dragged in to someone elses fight (as he was with Kessler first time around) he tends to dictate the action.
Froch does have numerous flaws, notably his low hands and again relatively slow hands speed though other than Andre Ward no one has really made him pay for those too much (though Jermain Taylor almost managed to do it).
Kessler has had a tremendous career and really helped put Denmark on the boxing map in recent years. He is a 3-time WBA champion and a 1-time WBC champion who has recorded wins over Dingaan Thobela, Julio Cesar Green, Manny Siaca, Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas, Markus Beyer, Librado Andrade and Brian Magee whilst suffering losses to Andre Ward and Joe Calzaghe, two of the divisions greatest.
Froch on the other hand has beaten the likes of Magee, Jean Pascal, Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Abraham, Glen Johnson and Bute whilst losing only to Kessler and Ward.
With both men now in their mid 30's this could well be the final big fight for one of them. Although Froch is technically the older man (at 35 years old to Kessler's 34 years) he is the younger man in terms of ring years with 16 fewer fights and 39 fewer rounds, this could well give him the slight edge in terms of what he has left.
For me, Froch has looked a much better fighter in his past 2 bouts whilst Kessler is showing signs of his long career, with that in mind I'm picking Froch, in fact I'm going one further and predicting that Froch will stop Kessler.
Prediction-Froch TKO 7
When the men first fought, just over 3 years ago, it was part of the "Super 6" and Kessler claimed a very competitive decision decision in his homeland in what was a fight of the year contender. Since then a rematch always looked likely to occur despite the men becoming close friends and now we are just a few hours from that long awaited rematch, this time taking place in Britain, the homeland of Froch.
Since the men first fought their careers have seemingly gone in opposite directions. For Kessler things have been a struggle due to injuries and long lay offs. He's recaptured a world title (the WBA belt) though it's a title that most view as a paper belt manufactured for little more than a sanctioning fee and he hasn't looked as sharp, or as destructive as he had been before the Froch fight. For Froch he has moved from strength to strength and whilst he suffered a set back to Andre Ward he did go on to beat Arthur Abraham and Lucien Bute. both in impressive fashion.
At his best Kessler is a very solid all-rounder. He has very impressive straight shots, a lovely body attack and is durable, though he can be made to look slow and doesn't look the same fighter when forced on to the back foot. If you allow Kessler to fight behind his jab he's very hard to beat and if you let him connect with his booming straight right he can take fighters out with just a single shot.
When people talk about Kessler they never speak about any outstanding single attribute, just that he's very good at almost everything. He does have his flaws, notably his lack of handspeed and relatively weak inside game though on the whole he is a very solid fighter.
At his best (and at his most confident) Froch is a destructive fighter who will bring the fight to anyone, take one to land one and have the belief in his power and chin to stop anyone. He has an excellent work rate, under-rated "pure boxing" and although he can be dragged in to someone elses fight (as he was with Kessler first time around) he tends to dictate the action.
Froch does have numerous flaws, notably his low hands and again relatively slow hands speed though other than Andre Ward no one has really made him pay for those too much (though Jermain Taylor almost managed to do it).
Kessler has had a tremendous career and really helped put Denmark on the boxing map in recent years. He is a 3-time WBA champion and a 1-time WBC champion who has recorded wins over Dingaan Thobela, Julio Cesar Green, Manny Siaca, Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas, Markus Beyer, Librado Andrade and Brian Magee whilst suffering losses to Andre Ward and Joe Calzaghe, two of the divisions greatest.
Froch on the other hand has beaten the likes of Magee, Jean Pascal, Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Abraham, Glen Johnson and Bute whilst losing only to Kessler and Ward.
With both men now in their mid 30's this could well be the final big fight for one of them. Although Froch is technically the older man (at 35 years old to Kessler's 34 years) he is the younger man in terms of ring years with 16 fewer fights and 39 fewer rounds, this could well give him the slight edge in terms of what he has left.
For me, Froch has looked a much better fighter in his past 2 bouts whilst Kessler is showing signs of his long career, with that in mind I'm picking Froch, in fact I'm going one further and predicting that Froch will stop Kessler.
Prediction-Froch TKO 7
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
Friday, 15 March 2013
Roberto Vasquez v John Mark Apolinario II
Panamanian Roberto Vasquez (32-5-1, 22) and Filipino John Mark Apolinaro (17-2-2, 4) meet for the second time in a little over 4 months after fighting to a draw in November 2012. Like in their first fight the men will be battling for the WBA "interim" Bantamweight title though unlike last time, they will be fighting in Vasquez's native Panama as opposed to the more neutral Argentina (where their first fight was).
Going in to their first bout I felt Vasquez would simply have too much experience and skill for the untested Apolinario who in all honesty had never fought at Vasquez's level before. In fact Apolinario's losses to Marvin Tampus and Jessie Albaracin were pretty damning results in my eyes, despite this however Apolinario put on the performance of his life and held Vasquez in a hard fought bout.
This time I think Vasquez will know what to expect from the young Filipino and, roared on by the Panamanian fans I think he'll raise his game. Whilst Apolinario fought his best fight last time I don't think Vazquez did and although Apolinaio is the naturally bigger man the experience edge and home advantage makes it hard not to favour Vasquez again this time around.
Going in to their first bout I felt Vasquez would simply have too much experience and skill for the untested Apolinario who in all honesty had never fought at Vasquez's level before. In fact Apolinario's losses to Marvin Tampus and Jessie Albaracin were pretty damning results in my eyes, despite this however Apolinario put on the performance of his life and held Vasquez in a hard fought bout.
This time I think Vasquez will know what to expect from the young Filipino and, roared on by the Panamanian fans I think he'll raise his game. Whilst Apolinario fought his best fight last time I don't think Vazquez did and although Apolinaio is the naturally bigger man the experience edge and home advantage makes it hard not to favour Vasquez again this time around.
Friday, 8 March 2013
Juan Carlos Salgado v Argenis Mendez II
In what will probably turn out to be the fight of the weekend IBF Super Featherweight champion Juan Carlos Salgado (26-1-1-1, 16) will attempt to defend his belt against the highly ranked Argenis Mendez (20-2, 10) in a rematch of their brilliant 2011 bout which saw Salgado claiming a controversial unanimous decision in his homeland of Mexico.
The 28 year old Salgado burst on to the scene back in 2009 when he scored an upset of the year contender blasting out Jorge Linares in just 168 seconds to claim the WBA Super Featherweight title. Whilst his reign didn't last long, losing hit title to Takashi Uchiyama in just his first defense, he had proven his ability was at least near world class and had actually put on a solid effort against Uchiyama.
Since the loss to Uchiyama, Salgado has claimed the IBF title and gone 5-0-0-1 actually claiming the title when he first beat Mendez. Although he hasn't looked great as a champion, scraping a decision over Martin Honorio and seeing his bout with Miguel Beltran Jr called off early after a clash of heads he has managed to keep a hold of his title significantly longer than his first reign.
Salgado is a solid enough fighter, he's a hurtful puncher, he's a hard worker and whilst he's not the most polished he has solid skills. There is nothing that's going to blow you away about him and he can fight down to his opponents level (as he did with Honorio) though at his best he's probably in the top 5 of a weak Super Featherweight division with out too many questions. He's not invincible but only Mendez and Uchiyama have managed to drop him so far and both of those came in the 12th round.
Whilst the Super Featherweight division is weak Mendez is deservedly ranked highly and boxrec's rating of #5 is around what I'd have him personally. He's a fighter who is very highly skilled and a fighter who has had to prove his ability against some of the other top Super Featherweights to get his chance in title fights.
Prior to the first Salgado fight Mendez had to travel to South Africa in an IBF eliminator, whilst there he widely out pointed former title holder Cassius Baloyi. Although he lost in Mexico the first time he faced Salgado he gave him a very tough fight, dropping Salgado before controversially being out pointed. Since then he has beaten Honorio (for a second time) in an IBF eliminator.
Born in the Dominican Republic though based in the US, the 26 year old Mendez, trained by Brit Lee Beard was a very good amateur and certainly has the superior skills of the two men. As long as he shows those skills he should get the decision this time, especially with the bout now being in the US rather than Mexico. It should also be a fantastic fight just like the first.
Prediction-Mendez by UD
The 28 year old Salgado burst on to the scene back in 2009 when he scored an upset of the year contender blasting out Jorge Linares in just 168 seconds to claim the WBA Super Featherweight title. Whilst his reign didn't last long, losing hit title to Takashi Uchiyama in just his first defense, he had proven his ability was at least near world class and had actually put on a solid effort against Uchiyama.
Since the loss to Uchiyama, Salgado has claimed the IBF title and gone 5-0-0-1 actually claiming the title when he first beat Mendez. Although he hasn't looked great as a champion, scraping a decision over Martin Honorio and seeing his bout with Miguel Beltran Jr called off early after a clash of heads he has managed to keep a hold of his title significantly longer than his first reign.
Salgado is a solid enough fighter, he's a hurtful puncher, he's a hard worker and whilst he's not the most polished he has solid skills. There is nothing that's going to blow you away about him and he can fight down to his opponents level (as he did with Honorio) though at his best he's probably in the top 5 of a weak Super Featherweight division with out too many questions. He's not invincible but only Mendez and Uchiyama have managed to drop him so far and both of those came in the 12th round.
Whilst the Super Featherweight division is weak Mendez is deservedly ranked highly and boxrec's rating of #5 is around what I'd have him personally. He's a fighter who is very highly skilled and a fighter who has had to prove his ability against some of the other top Super Featherweights to get his chance in title fights.
Prior to the first Salgado fight Mendez had to travel to South Africa in an IBF eliminator, whilst there he widely out pointed former title holder Cassius Baloyi. Although he lost in Mexico the first time he faced Salgado he gave him a very tough fight, dropping Salgado before controversially being out pointed. Since then he has beaten Honorio (for a second time) in an IBF eliminator.
Born in the Dominican Republic though based in the US, the 26 year old Mendez, trained by Brit Lee Beard was a very good amateur and certainly has the superior skills of the two men. As long as he shows those skills he should get the decision this time, especially with the bout now being in the US rather than Mexico. It should also be a fantastic fight just like the first.
Prediction-Mendez by UD
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Daniel Geale v Anthony Mundine II
The only world title fight of this week oddly takes place on a Wednesday as Australian boxing fans see their only world champion, IBF Middleweight title holder Daniel Geale (28-1, 15) face off against domestic rival Anthony Mundine (44-4, 26), in a rematch of their controversial 2009 encounter that Mundine narrowly won.
When the two men first faced off Geale, then unbeaten at 21-0 was seen as the notable under-dog priced at around 3/1. Not only was he less experienced than Mudine, then 35-3 but also perceived as the naturally smaller man with Mundine campaigning as a Super Middleweight whilst Geale was a Middleweight as well as having faced much easier touches than Mundine who had been a world champion at Super Middleweight.
A lot has changed since then their first fight however and Geale is now considered not just the favourite but also as one of the best fighters in the Middleweight division. Not only does he hold an alphabet belt but he holds notable victories over Roman Karmazin, Sebastian Sylvester and Felix Sturm and has proven himself on the road winning two major decisions in Germany, something that that is incredibly rare for any fighter.
Despite unifying the IBF and WBA Middleweight belts, the political situation of the WBA has seen Geale stripped of that belt though boxing fans do rightfully regard Geale as a top guy at Middleweight, in fact some have him at #2 behind Sergio Martinez (other fans have him at #3 behind Gennady Golovkin as well).
In terms of his style Geale is a true hard worker, he's relentless in his attacks throwing 100's of punches up close as he attempts to break down opponents. Although he lacks world level power he has shown a genuinely world level engine and the cumulative effects of his shots are tiring especially as he never seems to slow down. Sadly for Geale it's fair to say that if he had the power to match his work rate he'd be one of the sports top guys pound-for-pound. The champion couples his extreme work rate with a genuine toughness and a dog like tenacity that will refuse to back down, this makes him a very serious opponent for anyone.
At 37 years old, Mundine, the challenger, is coming to the end of his eventful career. Mundine has literally gone from one sport to another having been a former professional rugby player before turning his sights on to the squared circle where he has been surprisingly successful having held various titles since his debut in 2000. The highlights of Mundine's career have understandably been his 2 reigns as the WBA World Super Middleweight champion and reign as the WBA Light Middleweight interim champion. Of course his previous titles would allow to become a 3-weight champion if he were to beat Geale for the IBF title.
As well the highlights for Mundine there have also been the down points both in and out of the ring. Notable being one of only 6 stoppage victims of Sven Ottke back in 2001, though also losing his world title at home to Puerto Rican Manny Siaca and suffering a stoppage loss in 2010 to novice Garth Woods. Away from the ring Mundine's mouth has been a source of issues including comments about the September 11 attacks and personal comments made towards Geale, comments that Geale will likely want to punish Mundine for.
In terms of his talent Mundine is a very talented fighter, he's tough (despite suffering 2 stoppage losses), he's fit, he's tricky and he can play dirty. At his peak he was a genuinely talented boxer with a decent punch (though certainly no world level banger) and under-rated skills. In recent years however father time has started to catch up with him and he's faced low level or fading opponents who were there to lose to him.
Sadly for "The Man" it's fair to say that for Geale this is personal. The champion, as mentioned above, was stripped of his WBA title for taking this bout, he's wanting revenge for the comments Mundine has made about him and he wants to avenge his only professional defeat. This time as the betting favourite and as a confident, much more developed fighter Geale will almost certainly out work, and punish Mundine. Don't expect this one to finish early, Mundine is a tough cookie and Geale isn't a banger, but expect it to be a very one sided beat down.
Prediction-Daniel Geale UD12
When the two men first faced off Geale, then unbeaten at 21-0 was seen as the notable under-dog priced at around 3/1. Not only was he less experienced than Mudine, then 35-3 but also perceived as the naturally smaller man with Mundine campaigning as a Super Middleweight whilst Geale was a Middleweight as well as having faced much easier touches than Mundine who had been a world champion at Super Middleweight.
A lot has changed since then their first fight however and Geale is now considered not just the favourite but also as one of the best fighters in the Middleweight division. Not only does he hold an alphabet belt but he holds notable victories over Roman Karmazin, Sebastian Sylvester and Felix Sturm and has proven himself on the road winning two major decisions in Germany, something that that is incredibly rare for any fighter.
Despite unifying the IBF and WBA Middleweight belts, the political situation of the WBA has seen Geale stripped of that belt though boxing fans do rightfully regard Geale as a top guy at Middleweight, in fact some have him at #2 behind Sergio Martinez (other fans have him at #3 behind Gennady Golovkin as well).
In terms of his style Geale is a true hard worker, he's relentless in his attacks throwing 100's of punches up close as he attempts to break down opponents. Although he lacks world level power he has shown a genuinely world level engine and the cumulative effects of his shots are tiring especially as he never seems to slow down. Sadly for Geale it's fair to say that if he had the power to match his work rate he'd be one of the sports top guys pound-for-pound. The champion couples his extreme work rate with a genuine toughness and a dog like tenacity that will refuse to back down, this makes him a very serious opponent for anyone.
At 37 years old, Mundine, the challenger, is coming to the end of his eventful career. Mundine has literally gone from one sport to another having been a former professional rugby player before turning his sights on to the squared circle where he has been surprisingly successful having held various titles since his debut in 2000. The highlights of Mundine's career have understandably been his 2 reigns as the WBA World Super Middleweight champion and reign as the WBA Light Middleweight interim champion. Of course his previous titles would allow to become a 3-weight champion if he were to beat Geale for the IBF title.
As well the highlights for Mundine there have also been the down points both in and out of the ring. Notable being one of only 6 stoppage victims of Sven Ottke back in 2001, though also losing his world title at home to Puerto Rican Manny Siaca and suffering a stoppage loss in 2010 to novice Garth Woods. Away from the ring Mundine's mouth has been a source of issues including comments about the September 11 attacks and personal comments made towards Geale, comments that Geale will likely want to punish Mundine for.
In terms of his talent Mundine is a very talented fighter, he's tough (despite suffering 2 stoppage losses), he's fit, he's tricky and he can play dirty. At his peak he was a genuinely talented boxer with a decent punch (though certainly no world level banger) and under-rated skills. In recent years however father time has started to catch up with him and he's faced low level or fading opponents who were there to lose to him.
Sadly for "The Man" it's fair to say that for Geale this is personal. The champion, as mentioned above, was stripped of his WBA title for taking this bout, he's wanting revenge for the comments Mundine has made about him and he wants to avenge his only professional defeat. This time as the betting favourite and as a confident, much more developed fighter Geale will almost certainly out work, and punish Mundine. Don't expect this one to finish early, Mundine is a tough cookie and Geale isn't a banger, but expect it to be a very one sided beat down.
Prediction-Daniel Geale UD12
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
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Kompayak Porpramook v Adrian Hernandez II
As all true fans of boxing know, the lower weight divisions are all too often over-looked and ignored by both the casual fan and the TV companies in the US and in Britain. This is one of the great shames of our sport as we often miss some absolute tear ups such as last years fight of the year contender between the then WBC Light Flyweight champion Adrian Hernandez (now 24-2-1, 15) and current champion Kompayak Porpramook (now 46-3, 31).
When the two men first met, last December they went at it like caged animals beating the ever loving snot out of each other in a high tempo all action war before Hernandez was stopped in round 10 in the Thai capital of Bangkok. Sadly unless you were a true die hard fan you almost certainly missed watching the fight live and had to go to youtube some days later to watch the bout. Thankfully this coming weekend, fans who unfortunately missed out on the first bout between the two men get to see it all over again as Porpramook travels to Mexico to face Hernandez in a highly anticipated rematch.
Despite being the champion, and having a win already over Hernandez, Porpramook will likely go into this bout as the under-dog. Not only is he the older man by several years but he's also having to travel to the unfamiliar surroundings of Mexico in what will be only his second fight outside of his homeland (last time he traveled was to Australia where he was beaten by Hussein Hussein over 6 years ago). Despite this he will likely feel confident of scoring another win over Hernandez who was a broken man at the end of their first bout.
Sadly however things haven't been great for Porpramook since the first fight with Hernandez and in his first defense he was lucky to retain his title as unheralded Filipino Jonathan Taconing genuinely gave him hell, before he was bailed out by a ringside Dr. after a clash of heads. It's very unlikely that Porpramook will be given any similar favours in Mexico.
With 49 fights behind him, the tough Thai is experienced but isn't the most skilled and is more of a "warrior" than a boxer, willing to go in to a slug fest. For Porpramook this may well be out of necessity as he's a very short fighter (listed at 5′ 0½″, though I think he's slightly taller than that) and needs to get inside to be effective. Thankfully, inside Porpramook has amazing work rate a solid defense and a very hurtful body attack (that was used to great effect when the men met for the first time).
Whilst Porpramook hasn't had the best of times since he claimed the title, Hernandez has looked very solid and bounced back well in defeating two relatively abject opponents who were there for little more than to rebuild the confidence of Hernandez. Though in all honesty Hernandez did deserve an easy fight or two having had a very tough 2011 with fights against Porpramook, Gideon Buthelezi (the the IBO champion) and Gilberto Keb Baas (the then WBC champion).
Despite only being 26 years old Hernandez has faced a relative who's who of the lower divisions and has been in with Rodel Mayol, Eric Ortiz, Oscar Ibarra, Gilberto Keb Bass (twice), Ganigan Lopez, Erik Ramirez and of course Porpramook.
In terms of stature Hernandez is the direct opposite of the champion. He's tall (listed at 5'8" though I don't think he's quite that tall) and rangy and often he looks like he's in the wrong division, however like Porpramook he appears to like a good old tear up, which is the Mexican way I guess. Despite being huge at the weight Hernandez has a solid work rate himself and although he may not be the hardest single-shot puncher he lands a lot of hurtful shots that can mark up opponents and break them mentally.
Despite Porpramook winning last time the two men met, I have to go with Hernandez here. He's at home, he's in front of his own fans and he's away from the humid and hot conditions of Bangkok. It won't be easy, Porpramook won't just want to give up his title, however I think Hernandez will do enough to get the decision in another memorable war.
Prediction-Hernandez UD12
When the two men first met, last December they went at it like caged animals beating the ever loving snot out of each other in a high tempo all action war before Hernandez was stopped in round 10 in the Thai capital of Bangkok. Sadly unless you were a true die hard fan you almost certainly missed watching the fight live and had to go to youtube some days later to watch the bout. Thankfully this coming weekend, fans who unfortunately missed out on the first bout between the two men get to see it all over again as Porpramook travels to Mexico to face Hernandez in a highly anticipated rematch.
Despite being the champion, and having a win already over Hernandez, Porpramook will likely go into this bout as the under-dog. Not only is he the older man by several years but he's also having to travel to the unfamiliar surroundings of Mexico in what will be only his second fight outside of his homeland (last time he traveled was to Australia where he was beaten by Hussein Hussein over 6 years ago). Despite this he will likely feel confident of scoring another win over Hernandez who was a broken man at the end of their first bout.
Sadly however things haven't been great for Porpramook since the first fight with Hernandez and in his first defense he was lucky to retain his title as unheralded Filipino Jonathan Taconing genuinely gave him hell, before he was bailed out by a ringside Dr. after a clash of heads. It's very unlikely that Porpramook will be given any similar favours in Mexico.
With 49 fights behind him, the tough Thai is experienced but isn't the most skilled and is more of a "warrior" than a boxer, willing to go in to a slug fest. For Porpramook this may well be out of necessity as he's a very short fighter (listed at 5′ 0½″, though I think he's slightly taller than that) and needs to get inside to be effective. Thankfully, inside Porpramook has amazing work rate a solid defense and a very hurtful body attack (that was used to great effect when the men met for the first time).
Whilst Porpramook hasn't had the best of times since he claimed the title, Hernandez has looked very solid and bounced back well in defeating two relatively abject opponents who were there for little more than to rebuild the confidence of Hernandez. Though in all honesty Hernandez did deserve an easy fight or two having had a very tough 2011 with fights against Porpramook, Gideon Buthelezi (the the IBO champion) and Gilberto Keb Baas (the then WBC champion).
Despite only being 26 years old Hernandez has faced a relative who's who of the lower divisions and has been in with Rodel Mayol, Eric Ortiz, Oscar Ibarra, Gilberto Keb Bass (twice), Ganigan Lopez, Erik Ramirez and of course Porpramook.
In terms of stature Hernandez is the direct opposite of the champion. He's tall (listed at 5'8" though I don't think he's quite that tall) and rangy and often he looks like he's in the wrong division, however like Porpramook he appears to like a good old tear up, which is the Mexican way I guess. Despite being huge at the weight Hernandez has a solid work rate himself and although he may not be the hardest single-shot puncher he lands a lot of hurtful shots that can mark up opponents and break them mentally.
Despite Porpramook winning last time the two men met, I have to go with Hernandez here. He's at home, he's in front of his own fans and he's away from the humid and hot conditions of Bangkok. It won't be easy, Porpramook won't just want to give up his title, however I think Hernandez will do enough to get the decision in another memorable war.
Prediction-Hernandez UD12
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Krzysztof Wlodarczyk v Fransico Palacios II
The Cruiserweight has given us some great fights recently with last weekends bout between Yoan Pablo Hernandez and Troy Ross being one of the very best fights of the year. This weekend we get another Cruiserweight title treat as WBC champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (46-2-1, 33) makes the fourth defense of his title as he faces Puerto Rican born American based Fransico Palacios (21-1, 13). This bout, a rematch of one of last years most controversial title bouts promises a lot, though will it deliver?
With 49 bouts on his record it's somewhat easy to forget that Krzysztof Wlodarczyk is just 31 years old. It feels as if the Pole has been around for years and to be honest he has, having made his debut a little more than 12 years ago. Despite a really long career Wlodarczyk is somewhat of an unknown outside of the hardcore boxing community, despite the fact he literally fought a who's who of Cruiserweight's.
Wlodarczyk started his career with 20 straight wins and claimed both the IBF Inter-Continental Cruiserweight title and the Polish Cruiserweight before suffering a controversial technical decision loss to Pavel Melkomyan in Germany. Despite the bout being ruled a technical stoppage due to a clash of heads replays seemed to suggest that the fight ending cut was scored by a punch.
It wouldn't take long for Wlodarczyk to bounce back from his first loss and he swiftly captured the WBC Youth Cruiserweight title and soon afterwards the World Boxing Foundation Cruiserweight title. Despite these title wins it wasn't until he claimed the European Union title by stopping Ruediger May in 2005 that he really started to announce himself.
In 2007 Wlodarczyk claimed his first world title as he controversially out pointed American Steve Cunningham for the IBF Cruiserweight title, though his reign was short lived as Cunningham claimed a majority decision in a rematch just 6 months later. This wasn't to be the end of Wlodarczyk at the top level however and just 2 years later Wlodarczyk would challenge Italian Giacobbe Fragomeni for the WBC Cruiserweight title. Despite dropping Fragomeni, the judges scored the bout a draw.
Almost exactly a year after the draw between Fragomeni and Wlodarczyk the two men fought again this time Wlodarczyk would come out on top taking an 8th round TKO victory. Since then Wlodarczyk has defended his title 3 times, including a controversial decision win over Palacios and an 11th round TKO over Australian Danny Green.
Wlodarczyk's record would indicate he's probably a power puncher but in all honesty he's not a powerful hitter, especially not at world level however he is a grinder and hits hard enough that you feel his shots even if no single blow will take an opponent out. Sadly however the Pole can be frustrating to watch as he can often lose focus in bouts and give rounds away by doing nothing, a problem we saw in a number of rounds against Green last time out. At his best he's exceptional, capable of throwing hurtful shots to the head and body and using very accurate fast jabs, at his worst however he's really awful.
At 35 years old Palacios is the older man, though he hasn't had the ring years of the champion. In fact not only has Palacios only fought 22 times as a professional but he's also only been a pro since 2004. Despite his relatively short professional career Palacios has a solid amateur background and he competed at the 2003 World Amateur Championships (losing controversially to Erbol Babayev).
Since turning over to the paid ranks Palacios has adapted well and started his professional career with an impressive 20 straight wins. In those 20 fights Palacios claimed the WBA Fedelatin Cruiserweight title by impressively stopping former world title challenger Luis Andres Pineda and defended that belt once stopping Lawrence Chapman inside a round.
With his amateur background it goes with out saying that Palacios is a talented fighter and knows how to use all of the punches in book with his busy jab being a key yo many of his attacks. He's at his best however when he's able to let his hands go something he used effectively when he first faced Palacios last year, sadly however the referee repeatedly broke up the action when Palacios was getting the better of it.
With the controversial nature of the first bout, which many though Palacios had won, this bout is a long awaited rematch and one that many fans would have preferred to have seen last year however it still serves to be an intriguing bout.
Against Green, Wlodarczyk looked like he was a fighter who didn't want to fight any more, he was a man who looked to be there in body but not in mind until he felt his title was being taken from him. Against Palacios he's fighting a much better fighter than Green and one who is there to take the title back from Poland come hell or high water and one who I feel will not be denied this time around. Expect Wlodarczyk to be forced to work at a high tempo, something that will not like suit him and expect him to lose rounds as a result. Whilst the judging may be questionable I just can't see the "3 wise men" favouring Wlodarczyk quite as much as they did last time, especially after the backlash by those watching.
Prediction-Palacios SD12
With 49 bouts on his record it's somewhat easy to forget that Krzysztof Wlodarczyk is just 31 years old. It feels as if the Pole has been around for years and to be honest he has, having made his debut a little more than 12 years ago. Despite a really long career Wlodarczyk is somewhat of an unknown outside of the hardcore boxing community, despite the fact he literally fought a who's who of Cruiserweight's.
Wlodarczyk started his career with 20 straight wins and claimed both the IBF Inter-Continental Cruiserweight title and the Polish Cruiserweight before suffering a controversial technical decision loss to Pavel Melkomyan in Germany. Despite the bout being ruled a technical stoppage due to a clash of heads replays seemed to suggest that the fight ending cut was scored by a punch.
It wouldn't take long for Wlodarczyk to bounce back from his first loss and he swiftly captured the WBC Youth Cruiserweight title and soon afterwards the World Boxing Foundation Cruiserweight title. Despite these title wins it wasn't until he claimed the European Union title by stopping Ruediger May in 2005 that he really started to announce himself.
In 2007 Wlodarczyk claimed his first world title as he controversially out pointed American Steve Cunningham for the IBF Cruiserweight title, though his reign was short lived as Cunningham claimed a majority decision in a rematch just 6 months later. This wasn't to be the end of Wlodarczyk at the top level however and just 2 years later Wlodarczyk would challenge Italian Giacobbe Fragomeni for the WBC Cruiserweight title. Despite dropping Fragomeni, the judges scored the bout a draw.
Almost exactly a year after the draw between Fragomeni and Wlodarczyk the two men fought again this time Wlodarczyk would come out on top taking an 8th round TKO victory. Since then Wlodarczyk has defended his title 3 times, including a controversial decision win over Palacios and an 11th round TKO over Australian Danny Green.
Wlodarczyk's record would indicate he's probably a power puncher but in all honesty he's not a powerful hitter, especially not at world level however he is a grinder and hits hard enough that you feel his shots even if no single blow will take an opponent out. Sadly however the Pole can be frustrating to watch as he can often lose focus in bouts and give rounds away by doing nothing, a problem we saw in a number of rounds against Green last time out. At his best he's exceptional, capable of throwing hurtful shots to the head and body and using very accurate fast jabs, at his worst however he's really awful.
At 35 years old Palacios is the older man, though he hasn't had the ring years of the champion. In fact not only has Palacios only fought 22 times as a professional but he's also only been a pro since 2004. Despite his relatively short professional career Palacios has a solid amateur background and he competed at the 2003 World Amateur Championships (losing controversially to Erbol Babayev).
Since turning over to the paid ranks Palacios has adapted well and started his professional career with an impressive 20 straight wins. In those 20 fights Palacios claimed the WBA Fedelatin Cruiserweight title by impressively stopping former world title challenger Luis Andres Pineda and defended that belt once stopping Lawrence Chapman inside a round.
With his amateur background it goes with out saying that Palacios is a talented fighter and knows how to use all of the punches in book with his busy jab being a key yo many of his attacks. He's at his best however when he's able to let his hands go something he used effectively when he first faced Palacios last year, sadly however the referee repeatedly broke up the action when Palacios was getting the better of it.
With the controversial nature of the first bout, which many though Palacios had won, this bout is a long awaited rematch and one that many fans would have preferred to have seen last year however it still serves to be an intriguing bout.
Against Green, Wlodarczyk looked like he was a fighter who didn't want to fight any more, he was a man who looked to be there in body but not in mind until he felt his title was being taken from him. Against Palacios he's fighting a much better fighter than Green and one who is there to take the title back from Poland come hell or high water and one who I feel will not be denied this time around. Expect Wlodarczyk to be forced to work at a high tempo, something that will not like suit him and expect him to lose rounds as a result. Whilst the judging may be questionable I just can't see the "3 wise men" favouring Wlodarczyk quite as much as they did last time, especially after the backlash by those watching.
Prediction-Palacios SD12
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