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
Showing posts with label WBA Light Welterweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WBA Light Welterweight. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
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, 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.
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