Unbeaten Filipino Merlito Sabillo (22-0, 11) might be the most obscure champion in world boxing right now despite holding the genuine WBO title at Minimumweight. He'll be looking to make the first defense of that belt when he takes on little known Colombian challenger Jorle Estrada (17-6, 6) in the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino, Pasay City.
Although the Philippines is a boxing mad country Sabillo has never really had the hype that has been associated with his compatriots such as Froilan Saludar and Denver Cuello instead he's had to fight for his respect. He finally earned that respect last time out when he stopped Luis De La Rosa in De La Rosa's homeland of Colombia.
Although he's relatively unknown Sabillo is a highly talented fighter who had developed wonderfully since turning professionally back in 2008. He's developed not only the skills that have taken him to winning the WBO Minimumweight titles but also developed the power that has seen him stopping his last 4 opponents. Sure Sabillo isn't the next Pacquiao in terms of being a concussive puncher but he hits significantly harder than his record shows.
In Jorle Estrada we have a fighter who is even more obscure than Sabillo though footage does exist of him and information is out there about him nothing seems that impressive about him.
Estrada debuted in 2008 and started his career with 10 straight victories. Following those victories he went 3-6 losing to the likes of Carlos Buitrago, Pedro Guevara, Welter Tello and Carlos Velarde. This run would have discouraged many fighters but Estrada stuck with it and is currently on a 4 fight winning streak which has seen him claiming the South American Minimumweight title.
What I've seen of Estrada hasn't looked good. He appears to push his punches which never seem to have any snap or accuracy on them, his defense is weak and whilst he's been unfortunate to be stopped at least once (the stoppage loss to Buitrago was awfully weak) he doesn't look like he really takes a shot too well.
With the skill of Sabillo and his under-rated power I really can't see this going the distance. I imagine he'll rock Estrada in the middle rounds and then go for the kill unloading until Estrada is eventually stopped.
Prediction-Sabillo TKO7
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Friday, 28 June 2013
Gennady Golovkin v Matthew Macklin
The most important fight in boxing this coming weekend seems to be an obvious contest as WBA Middleweight champion-the rising star Gennady Golovkin (26-0, 23) takes on former 2-time title challenger Matthew Macklin (29-4, 20). The bout, on HBO, is not only a major title bout but will also help define the very exciting Middleweight division, a division going through a lot of changes.
The hard hitting and thoroughly fun to watch Golovkin has been a hidden favourite of hardcore boxing since pretty much fighting as an amateur though it wasn't until much more recently that he's managed to really make an impact with the casuals. The impact he's made has coincided with a deal with American broadcaster HBO who have shown 2 of his last 3 bouts and helped give him the exposure he's deserved.
Golovkin combines explosive-"KTFO" power with skills, a deep understanding of the ring and very good basics. He's not the quickest or the most defensively but he's tough and more than capable of taking a shot or two as he cuts off the ring and tries to smash you in half with his venomous shots to both head and body. It's his power that has helped him become one of the sports most talked about fighters but the ability to deliver it is second to none in the sport right now.
With a long amateur background it's fair to say that Golovkin is technically well schooled. So far he's not had to show his technical boxing too much, but it's certainly there, just for our enjoyment we should feel relieved that he likes to seek and destroy rather than box and moved. When he does box however his jab is a dominant factor and has the power of a a top fights straight.
In the challenger Matthew Macklin we have a very credibly and versatile fighter who can either brawl at a relentless pace, as he did against Felix Sturm in a bout that he was controversially defeated in in or can box at a very credible standard as he did in a losing effort with Sergio Gabriel Martinez. He has hurtful power that kept Sturm in his shell, dropped Martinez and stopped both Joachim Alcine and Amin Asikainen inside a round.
Macklin, at his most exciting is a power and hard hitting brawler. Sometimes he's made to pay for this, as he was against Jamie Moore, but it's certainly something he can do to keep fans interested win-lose-or draw.
Problem for Macklin here is that's "only" a credible fighter in whatever he does. He hits hard-but doesn't have monster power, he boxes well but not amazingly he can brawl at a high level but not the truly elite level. And whilst sometimes being very good is good enough against Golovkin it probably isn't quite good enough and whatever style Macklin decides to bring to the fight likely be issue to Golovkin who will adapt if and when needed whilst breaking down Macklin.
I expect Macklin to try and box early on but figure that Golovkin can do the same. After a few rounds of getting tagged with jabs and counters I expect he'll throw caution to the win and make a fight of things. If he does this he'll speed up his demise but certainly put one something memorable for the fans.
Prediction-Golovkin TKO6
The hard hitting and thoroughly fun to watch Golovkin has been a hidden favourite of hardcore boxing since pretty much fighting as an amateur though it wasn't until much more recently that he's managed to really make an impact with the casuals. The impact he's made has coincided with a deal with American broadcaster HBO who have shown 2 of his last 3 bouts and helped give him the exposure he's deserved.
Golovkin combines explosive-"KTFO" power with skills, a deep understanding of the ring and very good basics. He's not the quickest or the most defensively but he's tough and more than capable of taking a shot or two as he cuts off the ring and tries to smash you in half with his venomous shots to both head and body. It's his power that has helped him become one of the sports most talked about fighters but the ability to deliver it is second to none in the sport right now.
With a long amateur background it's fair to say that Golovkin is technically well schooled. So far he's not had to show his technical boxing too much, but it's certainly there, just for our enjoyment we should feel relieved that he likes to seek and destroy rather than box and moved. When he does box however his jab is a dominant factor and has the power of a a top fights straight.
In the challenger Matthew Macklin we have a very credibly and versatile fighter who can either brawl at a relentless pace, as he did against Felix Sturm in a bout that he was controversially defeated in in or can box at a very credible standard as he did in a losing effort with Sergio Gabriel Martinez. He has hurtful power that kept Sturm in his shell, dropped Martinez and stopped both Joachim Alcine and Amin Asikainen inside a round.
Macklin, at his most exciting is a power and hard hitting brawler. Sometimes he's made to pay for this, as he was against Jamie Moore, but it's certainly something he can do to keep fans interested win-lose-or draw.
Problem for Macklin here is that's "only" a credible fighter in whatever he does. He hits hard-but doesn't have monster power, he boxes well but not amazingly he can brawl at a high level but not the truly elite level. And whilst sometimes being very good is good enough against Golovkin it probably isn't quite good enough and whatever style Macklin decides to bring to the fight likely be issue to Golovkin who will adapt if and when needed whilst breaking down Macklin.
I expect Macklin to try and box early on but figure that Golovkin can do the same. After a few rounds of getting tagged with jabs and counters I expect he'll throw caution to the win and make a fight of things. If he does this he'll speed up his demise but certainly put one something memorable for the fans.
Prediction-Golovkin TKO6
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)
Xiong Zhao Zhong v Denver Cuello
The first title fight of the coming weekend takes place in Dubai as the little known, but yet historic, Xiong Zhao Zhong (20-4-1, 11) defends his WBC Minimumweight title against the highly ranked Filipino Denver Cuello (33-4-6, 21) in what should be a highly enjoyable contests, even if it is in an unfavoured division.
The champion, the first male "world champion" from his native China is widely regarded as a paper champion, a man given a title to help raise the profile of boxing in the untapped Chinese market (something Bob Arum is now trying to tap in to with Zou Shiming). The WBC allowed Zhong, who had never previously fought at the 105lb division, to fight for the vacant belt late last year against the somewhat hopeless Javier Martinez Resendiz.
Zhong defeated Resendiz last year via decision for the belt in a relatively close contest after the WBC had paid a step aside fee to their mandatory contender, Filipino Denver Cuello (who of course, now fights for the belt some 7 months later).
Stylistically Zhong is pretty limited, he's tough and does have plenty of power on his shots, in fact he dropped the then WBC Flyweight champion Daisuke Naito back in 2009 but from a technical stand point he's "acceptable but limited". There is no great work from him and his victories to date don't belie some under-lying "extra gear" that he could move in to if push came to shove.
What Zhong does have going in his favour is the fact he is a naturally bigger man having competed at both Flyweight and Light Flyweight for much of his career. This should help him take the shots of Cuello and even allow him to bully the challenger a bit but at 30 years old he is certainly getting on a bit for a fighter in the lower divisions and he's also stepping in with his best opponent since Naito some 4 years ago.
In the Filipino challenger we have a fighter who has waited his turn for a world title fight, then had to wait a bit longer. More and more obstacles have been thrown in his way over the years and yet they've not prevented him from becoming one of the most exciting fighters in the lower division.
Fighting from the southpaw stance the 26 year old Cuello has become known as "Mr Excitement" due to his vicious power which has helped him become on of the top ranked Minimumweights on the planet and helped him stop 10 of his last 12 opponents.
Having started his career 3-2-4 Cuello has turned things around remarkably well and has lost just 1 of his last 27 fights (and even that was a highly controversial DQ in Mexico against a Mexican fighter). He has done things "the hard way" and developed as a fighter thanks to it. He is now a solid offensive fighter with a hurtful array of shots to the head and body and a fighter who will be a real nightmare for anyone in the division.
Going in to this bout it's obvious the WBC would rather see Zhong retain the title so they could push things in China (and hopefully "help" IK Yang and Zou Shiming to world title bouts). With this in mind I actually see Cuello more determined than ever to stop his opponent. This might back fire with the toughness of Zhong but the body shots that Cuello throws are bound to take an effect sooner or later.
Prediction-Cuello TKO7
The champion, the first male "world champion" from his native China is widely regarded as a paper champion, a man given a title to help raise the profile of boxing in the untapped Chinese market (something Bob Arum is now trying to tap in to with Zou Shiming). The WBC allowed Zhong, who had never previously fought at the 105lb division, to fight for the vacant belt late last year against the somewhat hopeless Javier Martinez Resendiz.
Zhong defeated Resendiz last year via decision for the belt in a relatively close contest after the WBC had paid a step aside fee to their mandatory contender, Filipino Denver Cuello (who of course, now fights for the belt some 7 months later).
Stylistically Zhong is pretty limited, he's tough and does have plenty of power on his shots, in fact he dropped the then WBC Flyweight champion Daisuke Naito back in 2009 but from a technical stand point he's "acceptable but limited". There is no great work from him and his victories to date don't belie some under-lying "extra gear" that he could move in to if push came to shove.
What Zhong does have going in his favour is the fact he is a naturally bigger man having competed at both Flyweight and Light Flyweight for much of his career. This should help him take the shots of Cuello and even allow him to bully the challenger a bit but at 30 years old he is certainly getting on a bit for a fighter in the lower divisions and he's also stepping in with his best opponent since Naito some 4 years ago.
In the Filipino challenger we have a fighter who has waited his turn for a world title fight, then had to wait a bit longer. More and more obstacles have been thrown in his way over the years and yet they've not prevented him from becoming one of the most exciting fighters in the lower division.
Fighting from the southpaw stance the 26 year old Cuello has become known as "Mr Excitement" due to his vicious power which has helped him become on of the top ranked Minimumweights on the planet and helped him stop 10 of his last 12 opponents.
Having started his career 3-2-4 Cuello has turned things around remarkably well and has lost just 1 of his last 27 fights (and even that was a highly controversial DQ in Mexico against a Mexican fighter). He has done things "the hard way" and developed as a fighter thanks to it. He is now a solid offensive fighter with a hurtful array of shots to the head and body and a fighter who will be a real nightmare for anyone in the division.
Going in to this bout it's obvious the WBC would rather see Zhong retain the title so they could push things in China (and hopefully "help" IK Yang and Zou Shiming to world title bouts). With this in mind I actually see Cuello more determined than ever to stop his opponent. This might back fire with the toughness of Zhong but the body shots that Cuello throws are bound to take an effect sooner or later.
Prediction-Cuello TKO7
Friday, 21 June 2013
Juan Carlos Reveco v Ulises Lara
When we talk about "world title fights" we often want to see the best fighting the best and instead end up with a very good fighter facing a very undeserving challenger. We end up with yet another mismatch in a world title bout this coming weekend as WBA Flyweight champion Juan Carlos Reveco (30-1, 16) defends against the undeserving Ulises Lara (12-13-2, 7).
The Flyweight division is, for me, one of the best out there. The likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Akira Yaegashi, Edgar Sosa, Moruti Mthalane, Rocky Fuentes, Hernan Marquez, Milan Melindo, Giovani Segura, Kompayak Porpramook, Ulises Solis, Toshiyuki Igarashi and Froilan Saludar leave the division looking like an amazingly deep division.
Sadly when we go through those names there is no Ulises Lara who, despite a good result against Omar Soto last time out, is a journeyman.
Other than the Soto result there are "names" on Lara's record though all of them have beaten him. Fighters like Jesus Silvestre, Juan Hernandez and Javier Martinez Resendiz have all competed on the world stage and all beaten Lara.
As well as his sub .500 record Lara has also suffered 4 stoppage losses, been knocked down numerous times and really isn't a world class fighter. His boxrec ranking of #18 at Flyweight is genuinely generous and over-inflated due to the victory over Soto (who had himself been inactive and had been stopped 5 times previously).
In Reveco we have a genuinely talented fighter. The 29 year old Argentinian is one of the sports best body punchers, he's a proven fighter who's only loss was a controversial one in France to Brahim Asloum. Sure he's not a big name fighter around the world but he's big news at home and has fought solid competition such as Nethra Sasiprapa, Asloum, Francisco Rosas, Ronald Barrera, Karim Guerfi and most recently Masayuki Kuroda.
With a solid jab, decent work rate and hurtful power Reveco is possibly the 4th best fighter in the division (which as mentioned is very deep). I think we'll see a showcase performance in what really should be considered a stay busy fight more than anything else.
Hopefully Reveco will get the job done nice and quickly and then face a more notable opponent, for example Kompayak Porpramook (the WBA "interim" champion), Rocky Fuentes or the winner of the upcoming bout between Milan Melindo and Juan Francisco Estrada.
Prediction-Reveco TKO6
The Flyweight division is, for me, one of the best out there. The likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Akira Yaegashi, Edgar Sosa, Moruti Mthalane, Rocky Fuentes, Hernan Marquez, Milan Melindo, Giovani Segura, Kompayak Porpramook, Ulises Solis, Toshiyuki Igarashi and Froilan Saludar leave the division looking like an amazingly deep division.
Sadly when we go through those names there is no Ulises Lara who, despite a good result against Omar Soto last time out, is a journeyman.
Other than the Soto result there are "names" on Lara's record though all of them have beaten him. Fighters like Jesus Silvestre, Juan Hernandez and Javier Martinez Resendiz have all competed on the world stage and all beaten Lara.
As well as his sub .500 record Lara has also suffered 4 stoppage losses, been knocked down numerous times and really isn't a world class fighter. His boxrec ranking of #18 at Flyweight is genuinely generous and over-inflated due to the victory over Soto (who had himself been inactive and had been stopped 5 times previously).
In Reveco we have a genuinely talented fighter. The 29 year old Argentinian is one of the sports best body punchers, he's a proven fighter who's only loss was a controversial one in France to Brahim Asloum. Sure he's not a big name fighter around the world but he's big news at home and has fought solid competition such as Nethra Sasiprapa, Asloum, Francisco Rosas, Ronald Barrera, Karim Guerfi and most recently Masayuki Kuroda.
With a solid jab, decent work rate and hurtful power Reveco is possibly the 4th best fighter in the division (which as mentioned is very deep). I think we'll see a showcase performance in what really should be considered a stay busy fight more than anything else.
Hopefully Reveco will get the job done nice and quickly and then face a more notable opponent, for example Kompayak Porpramook (the WBA "interim" champion), Rocky Fuentes or the winner of the upcoming bout between Milan Melindo and Juan Francisco Estrada.
Prediction-Reveco TKO6
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Sakio Bika v Marco Antonio Periban
One of this weekend's most promising, though most overlooked bouts, see's multi-time world title challenger Sakio Bika (31-5-2, 21) facing off against Mexican power puncher Marco Antonio Periban (20-0, 13) in a bout for the recently vacated WBC Super Middleweight title.
The division, one of boxing's best with the likes of Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Robert Stieglitz has been one of the sports most interesting over the past few years and this bout, whilst a "low level world title bout" again has the feeling of "interesting" about it.
Of the two men Bika is by far the more well known fighter. In a 38 fight career he has faced a genuine who's who including (but by no means limited to) Sam Soliman (twice), Markus Bayer, Joe Calzaghe, Lucien Bute, Peter Manfredo Jr and Andre Ward. Although he's only beaten Soliman and Manfredo from that list no one has had an easy night with him (with Ward having one of his toughest fights against him).
The reason no one has an easy night with Bika is because he's teak tough, very wild, throws punches from bizarre angles and doesn't mind being dirty. He's crude, clumsy, hard hitting and built like a rock. In fact the only time I remember him ever being down was when Jaidon Codrington dropped him in an excellent opening round in the final of "The Contender" season 3.
Born in Cameroon though based in Australia, Bika is a man who really should be avoided by fighters wanting to make a name for themselves. He has impressively won 9 of his last 11 bouts and of 6 of those have come by stoppage. His 2 losses in that run have come against Ward and to Jean-Paul Mendy, with the loss to Mendy being a case of Bika getting himself disqualified with a stupid punch when Mendy was down.
Aged 34 however and with just a sole fight (a 12 round decision win over Nikola Sjekloca) in the last year, Bika certainly isn't a fighter in his peak. He has only fought 3 times in the last 30 months and whilst that may help his longevity there are questions about how much he has left in the tank. He did look to have been technically improved against Sjekloca but Sjekloca himself looked limited (but brave).
With Bika being a clear "world level" fighter this will be the first big step up for Mexican Marco Antonio Periban, a fighter many haven't really seen.
Periban is a rare Mexican Super Middleweight and one who does have genuine power (despite his record "only" showing a 65% stoppage rate). He's been slowly climbing the rankings since 2008 and although he has scored victories over several "known names" they aren't known on the world stage. In fact the best victory on his record is probably Francisco Sierra (who was stopped by George Groves) or Samuel Miller (who had been beaten by Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez and Alex Theran in his 2 of his 3 previous bouts).
Although Periban has got lights out power he's a very slow fighter who often waits too long to let his hands go, has poor footwork and pretty weak defense. He can certainly be outboxed very easily by a proper boxer and he has been hurt in the past by lesser punchers than Bika.
Despite being just 28 Periban seems to have stopped improving in recent bouts and this is a bit of a worry when he's not making the step up to world class.
With both men having power this will likely be an explosive contest. I'd expect the odd head clash though with Bika being a tough so-and-so it's hard to go against him. Bika will almost certainly be willing to force a war with Periban and if that does happen there's only one winner.
For Periban to win he needs to be able to hurt Bika and control the pace of the bout, it's hard to imagine him doing either of those. I'd imagine that Bika will walk through Periban's slow but hurtful shots whilst ping his own wild hurtful hooks around the side of the head of the Mexican and eventually force a stoppage.
Prediction- Bika by stoppage TKO7
The division, one of boxing's best with the likes of Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Robert Stieglitz has been one of the sports most interesting over the past few years and this bout, whilst a "low level world title bout" again has the feeling of "interesting" about it.
Of the two men Bika is by far the more well known fighter. In a 38 fight career he has faced a genuine who's who including (but by no means limited to) Sam Soliman (twice), Markus Bayer, Joe Calzaghe, Lucien Bute, Peter Manfredo Jr and Andre Ward. Although he's only beaten Soliman and Manfredo from that list no one has had an easy night with him (with Ward having one of his toughest fights against him).
The reason no one has an easy night with Bika is because he's teak tough, very wild, throws punches from bizarre angles and doesn't mind being dirty. He's crude, clumsy, hard hitting and built like a rock. In fact the only time I remember him ever being down was when Jaidon Codrington dropped him in an excellent opening round in the final of "The Contender" season 3.
Born in Cameroon though based in Australia, Bika is a man who really should be avoided by fighters wanting to make a name for themselves. He has impressively won 9 of his last 11 bouts and of 6 of those have come by stoppage. His 2 losses in that run have come against Ward and to Jean-Paul Mendy, with the loss to Mendy being a case of Bika getting himself disqualified with a stupid punch when Mendy was down.
Aged 34 however and with just a sole fight (a 12 round decision win over Nikola Sjekloca) in the last year, Bika certainly isn't a fighter in his peak. He has only fought 3 times in the last 30 months and whilst that may help his longevity there are questions about how much he has left in the tank. He did look to have been technically improved against Sjekloca but Sjekloca himself looked limited (but brave).
With Bika being a clear "world level" fighter this will be the first big step up for Mexican Marco Antonio Periban, a fighter many haven't really seen.
Periban is a rare Mexican Super Middleweight and one who does have genuine power (despite his record "only" showing a 65% stoppage rate). He's been slowly climbing the rankings since 2008 and although he has scored victories over several "known names" they aren't known on the world stage. In fact the best victory on his record is probably Francisco Sierra (who was stopped by George Groves) or Samuel Miller (who had been beaten by Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez and Alex Theran in his 2 of his 3 previous bouts).
Although Periban has got lights out power he's a very slow fighter who often waits too long to let his hands go, has poor footwork and pretty weak defense. He can certainly be outboxed very easily by a proper boxer and he has been hurt in the past by lesser punchers than Bika.
Despite being just 28 Periban seems to have stopped improving in recent bouts and this is a bit of a worry when he's not making the step up to world class.
With both men having power this will likely be an explosive contest. I'd expect the odd head clash though with Bika being a tough so-and-so it's hard to go against him. Bika will almost certainly be willing to force a war with Periban and if that does happen there's only one winner.
For Periban to win he needs to be able to hurt Bika and control the pace of the bout, it's hard to imagine him doing either of those. I'd imagine that Bika will walk through Periban's slow but hurtful shots whilst ping his own wild hurtful hooks around the side of the head of the Mexican and eventually force a stoppage.
Prediction- Bika by stoppage TKO7
Paul Malignaggi v Adrien Broner
The biggest fight of the coming weekend sees WBA Welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7) taking on the fast rising Adrien Broner (26-0, 22) a man dubbed by many as the future star of American boxing. This will be Broner's first fight above 135lbs and the big question is whether or not the weight will be a problem, for the man known as "The Problem"?
Broner, a man who has claimed world titles at both Super Featherweight and Lightweight is viewed as the most exciting young American in boxing. To date however he hasn't really been tested in the way many would like to have seen him tested. His toughest bout to date came against the visibly under-sized Daniel Ponce De Leon and other than that bout he has done as he's wished with opponents.
Aside from the Ponce De Leon bout Broner has beaten a veritable list of B level opponents like Jason Litzau, Eloy Perez, Vicente Escobedo, Antonio DeMarco and Gavin Rees. For a perceived "pound-for-pound" top 10 fighters (as Ring Magazine herald him) his record is weak.
In terms of talent, as opposed to his opponents, Broner does often look very good. He's got fast hands, a seemingly solid chin and explosive power. Every shot he throws seems to be crisp, hurtful and has an effect on an opponent. Despite his strengths he does seem to be technically limited, his jab can be lacking, he can be caught and often looks like Floyd Mayweather's more offensively minded but much less skilled little brother.
One thing we've all seen is that if you let Broner fight his fight and go to him, he will beat you with his power. Gavin Rees showed that he can be tagged, Ponce De Leon showed he can be out boxed but to date he has remained unbeaten as the hype machine has really gone crazy about him.
In Malignaggi we have a champion who will also be the under-dog. This is despite the fact Malignaggi is more proven, the champion and the man who has been fighting at 147lbs in recent bouts.
Like Broner, Malignaggi made his name outside of the Welterweight division having been a multi-time champion at Light Welterweight (a weight that Broner has notably skipped). In the Light Welterweight division Malignaggi fought a genuine who's who in the form of Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan and Juan Diaz. Whilst he lost most of those fights (going 1-1 with Diaz, though should have been 2-0) Malignaggi proved he belong on the world stage with brave performances.
As a Welterweight Malignaggi has gone on to be undefeated (claiming a controversial victory over Pablo Cesar Cano last time out, when Cano failed to make weight) and looked like a rejuvenated fighter against Vyacheslav Senchenko. It was the Senchenko fight that Malignaggi was last viewed as the under-dog and last written off before he put on arguably the best performance of his career showing off a beautiful jab, wonderful movement and blistering combinations. If that Malignaggi shows up again here he could very easily embarrass Broner.
Sadly for Malignaggi it's rare that we actually see him at his very best. He's a fighter who has always lacked power and instead has always had to rely on pure boxing and speed. At 32 that speed could start going very fast, especially against a younger, fresher fighter like Broner. If it does, he could be a sitting duck for the challenger who whilst not great with his own footwork is very deliberate.
In the build up to the fight both men have been talking the talk, there is bad blood here and whilst Malignaggi has seemed to get the better of the verbal sparring he may just have have annoyed Broner to the point where the younger guy really wants to make a point and actually does use his feet to cut the ring off and break down Malignaggi. The natural size difference isn't as big as it would "seem" on paper and I'd expect Broner to be the bigger man in the ring, meaning this could be very painful for Malignaggi.
The champion is tough but with out the fire power to keep Broner away I can't see anything but a Broner stoppage in the middle rounds.
Prediction-Broner TKO8
Broner, a man who has claimed world titles at both Super Featherweight and Lightweight is viewed as the most exciting young American in boxing. To date however he hasn't really been tested in the way many would like to have seen him tested. His toughest bout to date came against the visibly under-sized Daniel Ponce De Leon and other than that bout he has done as he's wished with opponents.
Aside from the Ponce De Leon bout Broner has beaten a veritable list of B level opponents like Jason Litzau, Eloy Perez, Vicente Escobedo, Antonio DeMarco and Gavin Rees. For a perceived "pound-for-pound" top 10 fighters (as Ring Magazine herald him) his record is weak.
In terms of talent, as opposed to his opponents, Broner does often look very good. He's got fast hands, a seemingly solid chin and explosive power. Every shot he throws seems to be crisp, hurtful and has an effect on an opponent. Despite his strengths he does seem to be technically limited, his jab can be lacking, he can be caught and often looks like Floyd Mayweather's more offensively minded but much less skilled little brother.
One thing we've all seen is that if you let Broner fight his fight and go to him, he will beat you with his power. Gavin Rees showed that he can be tagged, Ponce De Leon showed he can be out boxed but to date he has remained unbeaten as the hype machine has really gone crazy about him.
In Malignaggi we have a champion who will also be the under-dog. This is despite the fact Malignaggi is more proven, the champion and the man who has been fighting at 147lbs in recent bouts.
Like Broner, Malignaggi made his name outside of the Welterweight division having been a multi-time champion at Light Welterweight (a weight that Broner has notably skipped). In the Light Welterweight division Malignaggi fought a genuine who's who in the form of Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan and Juan Diaz. Whilst he lost most of those fights (going 1-1 with Diaz, though should have been 2-0) Malignaggi proved he belong on the world stage with brave performances.
As a Welterweight Malignaggi has gone on to be undefeated (claiming a controversial victory over Pablo Cesar Cano last time out, when Cano failed to make weight) and looked like a rejuvenated fighter against Vyacheslav Senchenko. It was the Senchenko fight that Malignaggi was last viewed as the under-dog and last written off before he put on arguably the best performance of his career showing off a beautiful jab, wonderful movement and blistering combinations. If that Malignaggi shows up again here he could very easily embarrass Broner.
Sadly for Malignaggi it's rare that we actually see him at his very best. He's a fighter who has always lacked power and instead has always had to rely on pure boxing and speed. At 32 that speed could start going very fast, especially against a younger, fresher fighter like Broner. If it does, he could be a sitting duck for the challenger who whilst not great with his own footwork is very deliberate.
In the build up to the fight both men have been talking the talk, there is bad blood here and whilst Malignaggi has seemed to get the better of the verbal sparring he may just have have annoyed Broner to the point where the younger guy really wants to make a point and actually does use his feet to cut the ring off and break down Malignaggi. The natural size difference isn't as big as it would "seem" on paper and I'd expect Broner to be the bigger man in the ring, meaning this could be very painful for Malignaggi.
The champion is tough but with out the fire power to keep Broner away I can't see anything but a Broner stoppage in the middle rounds.
Prediction-Broner TKO8
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