There Can Only Be One (Part 2)

by Simon Garner

The “Super Six” tournament has brought together some of the best fighters at 168lb. But who will win? Who will be the surprise package? And will the belts change hands in each and every fight? There are many questions that need answering and will hopefully be resolved in the next 20 months or so.

Now we look to the contenders. So who’s battling it out? And what chance do they have of winning?


Carl Froch (Current WBC Champion): 25-0 (20KO’s): 2/1F

The joint favourite to win the “Super-Six,” the Nottingham-based fighter who claimed the WBC belt last December in a war with Jean Pascal

Pros: “The Cobra” as he’s known to his fans, is the tallest are arguably the biggest puncher of the six combatants. He has recent wins over Pascal and Taylor which is superior to the other participants. He is the only one of the six to have a win over another one of the group. He comes on strong later in fights, epitomised by his KO of Taylor. His heart and mental strength are just as good as anyone in the tournament, if not just that little bit better. Arguably in his prime at 32.

Cons: In his fight with Taylor, he was out-boxed for large parts of it and his fight with Pascal was very close. His low guard can often make him vulnerable to attacks which could be a reason to bet against him in a tournament that includes more boxers than sluggers.

Next fight: vs. Andre Dirrell (October 17) (WBC Championship)

Opinion: Froch has the ability to go far in this tournament and is one of the most proven fighters here. However, if the other guys can out-box him and stay with him in the later rounds, he could be in trouble.


Mikkel Kessler (Current WBA Champion): 41-1 (31KO’s): 9/4

The most established man at 168lb is the “Viking Warrior.” He’s also previously held the WBC belt, which he lost to Joe Calzaghe in 2007.

Pros: He’s been in the 168lb division far longer than the other fighters and has more experience. Showed a lot of fight and heart in defeat in his unification bout with Calzaghe. Has a strong job and punches in bunches. Probably the most physically gifted of the group and in his prime at 30.


Cons: Hasn’t been in the ring since October 2008 due to contractual problems and hasn’t fought a name fighter since Calzaghe and Andrade in 2007. Despite his fight with Calzaghe, he has few names on his resume and has never fought outside of Europe. In order to win this tournament, he will have to travel well.

Next fight: vs. Andre Ward (21 November) (WBA Championship).

Opinion: This will be a big step up in opposition for Kessler and it will be interesting to see how he copes. Most people are calling him the No. 1 seed but we’ll see how he fares come November.


Arthur Abraham: 30-0 (24 KO’s): 7/2

The former IBF Middleweight king is stepping up and will face his first real tests at 168lb during the super-six tournament.

Pros: Successfully defended his IBF Middleweight title on ten occasions, something no other competitor in the tournament can claim. He’s unbeaten and at 30 is still in his prime. Clearly a tough fighter, he battled with a broken jaw for the majority of his first fight with Miranda. Just moved up from middleweight so won’t struggle to make the 168lb limit. Raul Marquez claims Abraham’s speed bothered him more than Shane Mosley’s, a bold claim.

Cons: He’s by far the smallest guy in the tournament and will be giving up a height and reach advantage to his fellow competitors. Hasn’t fought many guys who are larger than him and is largely untested at the weight. Furthermore, he’s only fought outside of Europe once and most of his fights in the super-six will likely take place in the USA. His middleweight defences were not against the highest opposition and therefore, flatter and deceive.

Next fight: vs. Jermain Taylor (17 October 2009)

Opinion: Abraham is an unknown quantity, he’s opposition hasn’t pushed him and he’s barely fought at 168lb. I expect him to challenge but probably won’t take home the overall crown to the disappointment of his subjects.

In Part 3, I will complete a review of the remaining three fighters and conclude who I think will win the super-six tournament.

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US Heartland Beat Report (10/12/09)

by Russ Choate

Welcome to the second installment of Boxing in the Heartland, a monthly wrap up of the fight action in the Heartland of America.

The month got underway in Oklahoma, with Allan Green (29-1) trying to show why he should have been included in the Super Six Tournament. He defeated Tarvis Simms (25-1-1) by unanimous decision in their 10 round bout.

On the 16th Joel “Love Child” Julio (34-3) looks to get back on track by taking on a less challenging opponent in Clarence Taylor(14-22-4). Julio was ESPN.com’s Boxing Prospect of the Year, but has suffered consecutive losses to top 10 opponents.

Brandon Rios (21-0-1) wants 10 more rounds to prove that he is a better fighter than Manuel Perez (14-4-1). Their first fight was just over a year ago and both fighters have been undefeated since. They square off on the 17th in Corpus Christi, Texas.

On the undercard of that fight Raul Martinez (24-1) stays closer to home to face Jonathon Perez (15-6). Martinez last fought Nonito Donaire for the IBF flyweight title.

In other action that same night, Vassiliy Jirov (37-3-1)looks to pad his record against Cory Phelps (13-6-1). Shannon Briggs (48-5-1) is also looking to make a comeback on this card.

In the best matchup of the month Al Seeger (28-4) will battle Victor Fonseca (16-0). This will be Seeger’s first fight back since his tragic fight against Benjamin Flores. In that fight, the referee stopped the fight in the eighth round and led Flores to his corner, he collapsed shortly afterward. He was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness and died five days later. This fight can be seen live on showtime on October 23rd.

On the last Friday of the month prospects, Tim Coleman (16-1) and Marvin Cordova Jr. (21-1-1)will challenge each other in El Paso, Texas. Coleman has been in camp with De La Hoya, Hatton, Mayweather, Paul Williams, Alfredo Angulo, Zab Judah, and other top contenders. He claims Paul Williams poses the biggest problems for him.

In the main event Hector Camacho Jr. (49-3-1) fights Luis Ramon “Yori Boy” Campas (92-14-1). These two fighters have a combined 161 fights under their belts. Hector Camacho Sr. (79-5-3) fought “Yori Boy” Campas to a draw in May of this year. The younger Camacho says he feels reborn in the ring and his goal is to be world champ.

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Arena Make Desperate Bid For Sturm’s Services

In an almost absurd offer, the promotional outfit Arena Box headed by Ahmet Oner, has offered WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm (33-2-1, 14 KO’s) a $25 million contract for a six fight deal to fight for their company. The numbers don’t add up as he’s not at the top of the division and has struggled in his last handful of bouts against lower opposition.

After a massive fall out with promotional company Universum, Sturm quickly looked elsewhere despite the company stating that they have a valid contract until 2012. He’s been under-matched throughout his career after a controversial defeat to Oscar De La Hoya. He hasn’t shown his potential since that shocking decision with sloppy performances against the likes of Khoren Gevor, Randy Griffin and a very costly stoppage defeat to Javier Castillejo.

Can Arena get Sturm fights with Anthony Mundine or even the winner of Pavlik-Williams? Will Sturm take the risky route of the prospects by opting to face Kazakh Gennady Golovkin, or Cameroonian born French showboater Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam? Could he be used as a stepping stone for Daniel Jacobs? It all depends with what Sturm wants to do and with what promotional company he stays with.

If he stays with Universum, and demands big fights, he might get a fight with the winner of Pavlik-Williams, but that is very unlikely as the winner is likely to move up (Pavlik) or move down (Williams) in weight. Another fight with Sebastian Sylvester might be the biggest money deal out on the market for Sturm as both are notable figures in German boxing. If he moves to Arena, their lack of pulling power might result in the only big fight being a contest with Anthony Mundine at best. It’s a big money offer, but will Sturm go with his head or his heart, or in this case, do they both agree on the same verdict?

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Juanma Lopez Passes First Gut Check

Latin Fury 12, New York- WBO Jr. Featherweight champion, Juan Manuel Lopez (27-0, 24 KOs) wouldn't know what he was really in for until the seventh round of his fifth title defense against Rogers Mtagwa (26-13-2, 18 KOs) in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

From the signing of the fight, right through to the first half of the encounter, this was thought to be just another step for Lopez; A way to pass the time while bigger bouts presented themselves. Some were even openly criticizing Lopez and his promoter, Top Rank, for fighting such a soft touch.

Somebody forgot to tell Mtagwa that he was just another victim.

The first half of the fight played out like many of Lopez's fights. He was in command and hitting Mtagwa with some big shots. Unlike most of his fights, though, Mtagwa wasn't going down. As a matter of fact, he was getting stronger as the fight went on. Despite suffering a knockdown in round five, the warrior from Tanzania kept things close and, instead of getting worn down by Lopez's heavy hands, it appeared that the one being ground down was Lopez.

The second half of the fight was controlled by Mtagwa. At several points, Lopez seemed to be stunned by Mtagwa's wild punches.

The twelfth round was a nightmare for Lopez and his first real gut check as a pro. Following a near knockdown at the end of the eleventh, Lopez had to deal with a a charging Mtagwa in the final round. Lopez was out on his feet, clinching desperately for the full three minutes while his challenger attempted to close the show.

The defending champ miraculously made it to the final bell and ended up winning a unanimous decision based on his work in the first half of the fight. The scores were: 116-111, 114-113 and 116-111. The BTBC had it 115-112, also for Lopez.

After the bout, promoter Bob Arum skated around the topic of a rematch for Mtagwa and mentioned the names of Featherweight champs, Steven Luevano and Elio Rojas as Lopez's next opponents.

On the undercard:

Yuriorkis Gamboa TKO 4 Whyber Garcia

Odlanier Solis TKO 2 Monte Barrett

Pawel Wolak TKO 5 Carlos Nascimento

John Duddy UD 8 Jorge Muñoz

Omar Chavez UD 6 James Ventry

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Salgado Shocks Linares!

Juan Carlos Salgado (22-0-1, 16 KOs) shocked the world, and probably shocked himself, by knocking out well-regarded WBC Super Featherweight champ and recent Golden Boy signee, Jorge Linares (27-1, 18 KOs) in less than one full round in Tokyo.

The Mexican, Salgado, landed the decisive blow (a left hook to Linares' temple) just 44 seconds into the first round. The defending champ went down and was able to beat the count, but was on shaky legs. About thirty seconds later, after Salgado pounced on an injured Linares, the ref was forced to call an end to the contest.

On the same card, Japan's defending WBC Super Bantamweight champ, Toshiaki Nishioka, forced Mexico's Ivan Hernandez to retire with a broken jaw after the third round.

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Cleverly Beats Fry; Brancalion Bout Next

Nathan Cleverly TKO 8 Courtney Fry

Heavily favoured Welsh light-heavyweight Nathan Cleverly 18-0 (8 KOs) retained his Commonwealth and British belt with an eighth round stoppage victory over spoiler Courtney Fry 13-3 (5 KOs) at the York Hall. Fry is a 3 time ABA champion and won gold at the Commonwealth games in 1998 and was by far Cleverly’s biggest test since his unanimous decision victory over Tony Oakey last year.

With his all-action style and increasingly apparent talent, Cleverly, 174, Cefn Fforest, Wales, is gradually emerging as a world class light-heavyweight. In this bout, headlined by the Cardiff maths student, Fry, 173, Liverpool, England, proved to be a sterner test for Cleverly than expected, as he competed for seven rounds against the unbeaten prospect.

Early in the first round, the ‘Clever Boy’ was catching Fry with forceful shots and nailed Fry with uppercuts. The story was the same in the second round as Cleverly dictated with his longer reach and much quicker reflexes than his opponent. Fry, who hadn’t fought since his 3 round points defeat to Tony Oakey in February’s Prizefighter, began to land his jab in the third round successfully, and began to make things difficult for Cleverly.

In the 5th round, the most exciting round of the contest, Fry landed a wild left hook which got Cleverly’s attention before backing him up into the ropes with uppercuts and right hands. Later on in the round, Cleverly’s powerful body shots found their home on the former amateur champion’s waistline and his uppercuts grazed Fry’s chin on many occasions as they brawled in a competitive round.

The Welshman changed tactics and negatively jabbed his way to win the 6th and 7th round before he wasted little time in finishing Fry off in the eighth. The 6’3’’ student waded in and landed several right hands which staggered Fry before the referee Victor Loughlin made the right call by halting the contest at 2:51 in the 8th round. The champion was comfortably ahead on points before the stoppage came, winning every round bar one on every judge’s scorecard.

Nathan Cleverly has recently been nominated to fight for the European trinket against Italian Antonio Brancalion. Cleverly’s promoter Frank Warren, suggested December the 5th as a date that could see Cleverly come an European champion. The big question still remains, Is is too early for Cleverly to step up? Brancalion was recently stopped by Juergen Braehmer in the 1st round.

On the undercard, heavyweight Derek Chisora 11-0 (6 KOs) made his comeback from a biting ban by stopping Zurab Noniashvilli in the third round. Middleweight prospect Billy Joe Saunders 4-0 (3 KOs) won on points against durable opponent Alex Spitko.

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Hector "Macho" Camacho Arrested in Tampa

From The St. Petersburg Times:

TAMPA — Former boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho was back in jail Friday night — this time in Hills­borough County — charged with violating his probation stemming from a 2007 burglary conviction in Mississippi.

Camacho, 47, won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s. His last title bout was against then-welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya in 1997, a loss by unanimous decision.

In 2007, he pleaded guilty to breaking into ZDI Computer Center in Gulfport, Miss. in 2004 and causing $13,000 of damage and loss.

The judge suspended six years of the boxer's seven-year sentence but said that he could end up serving the entire seven years if he violated any of the conditions at sentencing.

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Diaz – Malignaggi II back on, AGAIN

Juan Diaz-Malignaggi II is back on for December the 12th. The negotiations have been on and off since their first fight back in August.

The junior welterweights were close to a deal for a sequel of their controversial August fight but it fell apart about a week ago when the winner of the first fight, Diaz pulled out of negotiations, reportedly over money. However, Richard Schaefer released a statement saying that the parties have returned to the table and are close to an agreement.

The fight would take place in either Chicago or Las Vegas and be televised on HBO After Dark, Schaefer said. Diaz defeated Malignaggi by a unanimous decision on August 22nd in Houston, Diaz’s home town, but most observers thought the fight was very close. Malignaggi had predicted he would get screwed in the scoring and claimed in the ring afterward that he was. Gale Van Hoy, a Texas judge, scored the fight 118-110 for Diaz, adding to the controversy.

“I think one of the most talked-about fights on the internet is Diaz-Malignaggi II. I think people really want to see it,” Schaefer said in his statement. That’s where they’re wrong. It’s been a highly debated subject on our forum, and the conclusion is that Malignaggi deserves a rematch but that they don’t care if he does get one. The result wasn’t a robbery; it was made controversial by a wide score from Gale Van Hoy. All it will do is land them in a pointless trilogy that will waste a bit of career time. Thomas Hauser’s article has recently caused controversy by slagging off HBO executives, questioning their matchmaking qualities. Does this rematch add fuel to the fire in his argument?

Victor Ortiz is expected to fight on the undercard for the first time after his thrilling stoppage defeat to Argentinean slugger Marcos Rene Maidana. Abner Mares is another name that is floating around that he could make an appearance on the undercard.

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Does Jermain Taylor Belong in The Super 6 Tournament?

by Paul Magno

The answer to the question posed in the title of this story is No....and Yes.

For anyone who has read my writings before, you know that I'm not one to walk the fence...and I have the bitter online arguments to offer as proof.

But on this subject, there cannot be any real definitive answer; The issue is just too complex and the answers, too simple.

On a pure merit basis, Jermain Taylor does not belong in a tournament to determine the best Super Middleweight in the world. With only two fights at 168 lbs. and zero wins, he really has no right to be listed among the top six in the division, but, neither does Arthur Abraham.

The former IBF Middleweight champion from Germany, has only fought once at the Super Middleweight limit in four years. If you exclude Taylor on the basis of not belonging, Abraham must go too.

However, when putting something together on the scale of this tournament, some other factors have to be taken into consideration. Name recognition, drawing power and promotional affiliations have to enter into the selection process...It's in this area where the answer to whether Taylor belongs is a big "yes."

Showtime, the host of the tournament, primarily wants to reach their home market of US television sets. Jermain Taylor, for better or worse, easily has more name recognition among casual US fight fans than any of the other five tourney entrants.

While Robert Stieglitz, Sakio Bika and even Allan Green are more deserving of inclusion, Showtime has to pay attention to the basic responsibility and goal of putting butts in front of the TV to watch their programming.

Showtime could've included IBF Champ, Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade instead of Taylor and Abraham, but Andrade is with Golden Boy and the folks at GBP also won the purse bid on the upcoming Bute-Andrade rematch, effectively securing the bout for HBO.

So, Taylor is in and so is Abraham, another recognizable name who will bring some ratings to the battlefield.

It's only fitting that Taylor and Abraham be matched up against one another in the opening round of the Super 6 Tournament on October 17th. Aside from fighting for position in the 18-month battle for Super Middleweight supremacy, they'll literally be battling to see who really belongs there.

Discuss This Topic on The BTBC Fan Forum...Click Here

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Dawson and Johnson look in good shape ahead of rematch

Yesterday, Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson participated in their WBC's 30-day mandatory weigh-in before their light heavyweight rematch. Dawson tipped the scale at 185 pounds in Las Vegas at his training camp. Johnson weighed in at 181.6 pounds in Miami. The WBC light heavyweight limit is 175 pounds.

The two will square off on November the 7th at the XL Center in a rematch to last year’s fight. The WBC light heavyweight interim will be on the line. Back in April, 2008, the two competed for Dawson’s WBC light heavyweight title, with Dawson winning the bout by unanimous decision.

“I was 185 and that was with my clothes on. Everything’s good. I’m ready to take on Johnson and put to rest this idea that he should have won the last fight.” Dawson said after his sparring session.

Johnson weighed in at 181.6 pounds at Thump Fight Gym and Fitness Center in Miami. “I think Chad knows I mean business by coming in at 181.6 pounds 30 days out,” Johnson said. “I can’t wait. I am ready for this fight and I am taking it very seriously. I feel great. Let’s get it on.”

Leon Margules, a director in the promotional company of Johnson said “He looks spectacular. He is way ahead of where we expected him to be. I asked him before the weigh-in how much he weighed and he thought 185 pounds. He is just healthy, training and in tremendous shape. The last time he was 30 days out from a fight he was 188, 189 pounds. It shows how serious he is taking this fight. It’s life or death to him.”

If this fight is half as competitive as the first bout, we should be in for a treat. The winner is expected to face off against the winner of the highly anticipated rematch between Bernard Hopkins – Roy Jones Jr. in 2010, with a massive pay-check on the line and a fight that will determine who is king at 175 pounds.

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Quintana vs. Clottey on Pavlik-Williams Card, 12/5

HBO broadcasters have unanimously agreed that the co-feature bout between Paul Williams – Kelly Pavlik on December the 5th in Atlantic City, should be Joshua Clottey vs. Carlos Quintana. With rumours of a Juan Diaz – Paulie Malignaggi rematch, and speculation that Timothy Bradley and Lamont Peterson will be fighting for Bradley’s WBO belt, they have finally decided to host a contest between two former welterweight belt-holders, Ghanaian Joshua Clottey and Puerto Rican southpaw Carlos Quintana at a catchweight of 149 lbs. Both struggled to hit the big time in the inflated ego division and will compete in a 10 round fight on the live broadcast.

Quintana, 32, was the first to defeat Colombian icon Joel Julio, and is the only guy to have beaten Paul Williams in the professional ranks, before suffering a devastating first round knockout defeat in their second contest. He has also been stopped by Miguel Cotto in 5 rounds. Clottey, also 32, has dropped competitive and controversial decisions to Antonio Margarito and more recently Miguel Cotto. He won the vacant IBF welterweight title against Zab Judah last year, before vacating the belt to fight for a bigger pay-check, Miguel Cotto. The ‘Grand Master’ who fights out of Bronx, New York, thought he had a big money fight on December 26 against Shane Mosley, but when HBO pulled the plug, he found a spot as the chief support for the middleweight contest.

Both fighters are still regarded as world-class technicians, despite recent setbacks and difficult defeats. The winner of the bout will probably move on to bigger and better things, Andre Berto perhaps, while the loser is likely to permanently move up to junior middleweight. Whatever happens, it’s still another great fight coming our way in December.

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A Heavy Fall Gets Heavier: Miranda, Dimitrenko, Scott Added to Schedule

After a slow Summer, boxing is rebounding with a jam-packed Fall. Recent new editions to the Autumn schedule:

Edison Miranda (32-4, 28 KOs) makes his debut under the Goosen Tutor promotional banner on October 22nd at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, CA. as he takes on Mexican slugger, Francisco Sierra (20-2, 19 KOs).

Heavyweight prospect, Malik Scott (32-0, 11 KOs), will also be on the card.

Also, just added to the boxing schedule:

In Germany, on November 8th, Alexander “Sascha“ Dimitrenko (29-1, 19 KOs) makes his comeback after his decisive loss to Eddie Chambers on the Fourth of July. He'll be taking on Luan Krasniqi (30-4-1, 14 KOs) in a rematch of a 2008 bout, which Dimitrenko won via KO in the third round.

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Denkaosan Kaovichit Retains WBA 112 lb. Title

WBA Flyweight Champion, Denkaosan Kaovichit (48-1-1, 20 KOs) retained his title Yesterday in Osaka, Japan via Majority Decision in the home town of challenger, Daika Kameda(15-2, 11 KOs).

This was Kaovichit's second title defense of the strap he took from another hometown Japanese fighter, Takefumi Sakata, in December of 2008.

Kaovichit is ranked #4 at Flyweight by the BTBC.

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There Can Be Only One : Part 1

by Simon Garner

On the 5th February this year, the man considered the king at 168lb, Joe Calzaghe retired from boxing. In doing so, he left somewhat of a void in the super middleweight division. What we’ve been left with, is a number of good fighters with varying degrees of experience, but no one who stands out.

The best case that’s been made for the throne came back in April when Carl Froch dramatically stopped Jermain Taylor in the final round of the WBC title bout. A fight which Taylor largely dominated until the later rounds only for him to tire and for Nottingham based fighter to take advantage.

The likes of Andre Ward and his namesake, Andre Dirrell have both fought since the retirement of Calzaghe but neither has stamped a big impression on the boxing world. The same can be said for Mikkel Kessler, the current WBA champion, a man who fought well against Calzaghe back in 2007, but has only entered the ring to face the likes of Dimitri Sartison and Danilo Haussler in recent times.

The other big name left in the division is ‘King’ Arthur Abraham, who despite his regal title has yet to make significant inroads in the division, with his only win coming last year in a rematch against Edison Miranda. A man who was also recently defeated by Andre Ward

Therefore, due to the confusion in the division, a plan was devised by Ken Hershman, the head honcho of boxing at Showtime to make all of the aforementioned combatants fight it out to find out who is the best in the divison.

The concept devised is an ingenious and unique one, never tried to such an extent before in boxing: a modified round-robin tournament to create an undisputed divisional leader. The winner of each bout will receive three points for a KO victory and two points for a decision. One point will be awarded for a draw. The preliminary rounds will begin in October and each participant will engage in three initial bouts. From this, the top four highest points scorers will advance to the semi-finals in January 2011. The winners will then fight in the final in May/June 2011.

This tournament is similar to others of yesteryear that sought to establish lineage in a crowded divison. The most recent example of this came in a smaller game back in 2001 when the top middleweights fought to establish a champion. First, the Executioner, Bernard Hopkins outpointed Keith Holmes. Then Felix Trinidad knocked out William Joppy. And finally, Hopkins shocked the world by putting on a boxing masterclass and finally stopped the seemingly unbeatable Tito to become the first undisputed champion at 160 since Marvin Hagler.

In contrast the super-middleweight division hasn’t been without a leader for nearly as long. However, by bringing together the top fighters at the weight, all under different promoters, is something that should be applauded. The “Super Six” tournament will turn heads and as Lou DiBella put it recently, it will provided an “international jolt of adrenaline for boxing”

In Part 2, I will consider all the participants, their strengths, their weaknesses and their chances of victory. Finally, I will then state who I think will be crowned as champion in 2011.

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Moore Pencilled in For Chavez Jr. or Martinez Shot

The winner of what is arguably the British domestic battle of the year between two light-middleweights Jamie Moore and Ryan Rhodes, will be taken one step closer to a world title.

The massive excitement surrounding the contest has gone up another level with the news that the WBC has granted the fight as an eliminator for Sergio Martinez’s world crown. Jamie Moore’s European light-middleweight title will also be on the line when the pair meet in October.

The match will be staged at Bolton Arena later in October, with Salford's Moore ranked third and Rhodes seventh in the WBC's rankings. Moore is ranked #8 with The Ring Magazine and at #10 with the BTBC’s own professional ranking system.

Moore's manager Steve Wood and promoter Frank Maloney are hoping that a victory for Moore over Rhodes could propel him towards a straight shot at Martinez or at a final eliminator against mandatory contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

"I have lobbied the WBC and it is great that they are getting behind British boxing," said Maloney. "If Jamie wins he will go to the WBC convention in Jeju, Korea in early November and try and get him the fight he dreams of. This fight is already potentially the domestic fight of the year, but this great news from the WBC makes it even bigger. No wonder tickets are flying out of the door."

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is using his father’s name to his advantage, earning many pay-checks fighting overmatched fighters. He will get the chance to show the world what he’s made of on the undercard of Pacquiao-Cotto on November 14. Many believe he has the potential to be a champion, but his lack of experience against quality boxers may prove to be his downfall. A fight with ‘Mr Excitement’ Moore, could prove his doubters that he has the ability to beat a world level fighter at 154 lbs.

Many felt that current WBC champion Sergio Martinez won his controversial battle with Kermit Cintron when the pair met in February. The bout was scored a draw, and had one of the weirdest rounds in boxing history when the bout looked to be stopped but was overturned and restarted with all sorts of confusion in the ring. Martinez is currently on a different scale to Chavez Jr, but there are similarities between Martinez and Moore’s styles, which could make a bout between both boxers an ever more intriguing challenge.

The last thing we want is another WBA light welterweight saga with more than three fighters claiming to have the right to challenge for the title. WBC should set the record straight with both camps. Is Chavez Jr. ready for the major step-up in class? Is Martinez-Moore the most exciting match-up at 154? Or is there more money in Chavez Jr.-Moore?

Discuss this topic on our forum: Here

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Khan to Defend Against Salita, Dec. 5th

After finally winning the WBA light-welterweight title against Ukranian Andreas Kotelnik in July, former Olympian Amir Khan hopes to successfully defend his belt against unbeaten Ukrainian Dimitri Salita, who now fights out of Brooklyn, New York.

The 22 year old Khan will fight on December 5th at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena which has a capacity of over 10,000. Salita, 27 has been in the mandatory position for well over 15 months has an unbeaten record, but he did draw against Ramon Montano after Salita was knocked down twice in the first round.

"For Amir's first defence this is a very tough fight for him and he's taking on a fighter that the American media are really building up at the moment," said Warren. "Salita's got a great record, he's unbeaten and carries a big punch and of course he will pose a threat to Amir, but Amir's a world-class fighter and has to deal with these challengers. I've promoted a lot of shows in Newcastle with all the big names like Naz (Naseem Hamed), Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton and Nigel Benn and I'm delighted to bring Amir to the city for the first time. The public there are big sports fans and love the big events and it's great to bring them a fight like Khan v Salita."

Salita hasn’t beaten any world-class opponent in the ever deepening talent rich 140 pound division. Where does this leave Argentinian Marcos Rene Maidana, who brawled to a six round stoppage defeat of Victor Ortiz in a bout televised on HBO? He should get his title shot in 2010 but would Maidana have been defeated by then? He lost a hometown decision against Andreas Kotelnik at the beginning of the year. One thing the WBA saga has guaranteed at light welterweight, quality match-ups, and I don’t complain when a few of them come along.

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Cleverly to Fight for Vacant European 175 lb. Belt

Welsh light-heavyweight sensation Nathan Cleverly, has been nominated to fight for the vacant European light-heavyweight belt. The 22 year-old British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion has a perfect record and will defend his titles on Friday night against Courtney Fry at York Hall.

Former Olympian Fry, 34, recently suffered a points defeat in his last outing to Tony Oakey in the light-heavyweight Prizefighter tournament. Nathan Cleverly 17-0 (7 KOs) won the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight belt against Oakey in a 12 round unanimous victory. The Cardiff University maths student then added the British title to his collection with a stoppage victory over Danny McIntosh in July. Cleverly has always declared his interest in claiming the Lonsdale belt outright before moving on to world honours.

“It’s been a big boost being nominated for the European title. There’s only one fight that I’m focusing on at the moment and that’s my next one. Obviously it’s up to my promoter Frank Warren who I fight, but if he thinks the European title is the way to go then I’ll bite his hand off if he offers me that fight.

“My ultimate aim is to win a world title, but I’ve always wanted to go the traditional route o winning British, Commonwealth and European titles before I get there. I’ve got a few options at the moment and I’m excited about what the next 12 months will bring.”

Nathan Cleverly was recently edged to the Britain’s boxer of the year to Sheffield welterweight Kell Brook. Only one vote separated both undefeated fighters in prestigious Boxing Writers’ Club award.

Cleverly and Fry fight out of an orthodox style and Cleverly holds a 2-inch height advantage. If ‘Clever Boy’ wants to continue his knockout streak, his body shots will be key. My prediction is that Cleverly would win a shutout unanimous decision.

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Chavez Jr. Added to Cotto-Pacquiao Undercard

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (40-0-1, 30 KOs) has been added to the Cotto-Pacquiao undercard on November 14th. Chavez Jr. will be taking on Troy Rowland (25-2, 7 KOs). By the way, Rowland is ranked #222 by Boxrec.

This was the spot long rumored to be set aside for Humberto Soto vs. Edwin Valero. Unfortunately, immigration, legal and medical issues never allowed that fight to be anything more than a rumor.

Also on the card: Daniel Santos will finally be defending his WBA Jr. Middleweight crown against Yuri Foreman and Jesus Soto-Karass will take on Alfonso Gomez. Rumor also has Eric Morel vs. Z Gorres for the WBO interim Bantamweight title as a back-up in case the Santos fight falls apart.

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Journeyman Rubin Williams to Make MMA Debut

Journeyman Light Heavyweight, Rubin Williams, will make his MMA debut on Tuesday against Kazushi Sakuraba for an MMA promotion called DREAM.

I don't know much about Sakuraba, but it appears that the Japanese fighter has a solid reputation in MMA circles....Williams, on the other hand, can't make the same claim in his sport of boxing.

Williams has a record of 29-8-1 (16 KOs), but is 0-6-1 in his last seven contests and has been stopped five times in his eight losses.

The event airs in North America on HDNet.

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Green vs. Simms: Sitting In the Dwindling Crowd

By Russ Choate

As the crowd was entering the circus tent, Tyrone Brunson was entering the ring. The record holder for most consecutive knockouts, challenged Marcos Primera to eight rounds of fight action. Brunson looked the part of a knockout king, but could not put Primera to the canvas. The fight ended in a unanimous decision in Brunson’s favor.

In the next bout of the evening Tor Hamer embarrassed Howard Jones. This fight had just begun, when it was ended. Hamer came out swinging and Jones was quick to fall. After staggering to his feet the ref called the fight.

The last non-televised fight of the night was a tribal war between Brooke Wellby & George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah. Indian drums were beat as the fighters entered the ring and you could tell “Comanche Boy” was the crowd favorite as the fighters entered the ring. Wellby a Native American from Winnipeg Canada needs to carry papers to prove his heritage. The crowd cheered their fighter to a unanimous decision.

Then just as you thought everyone was getting ready to watch the televised portion of the card, most of the crowd left. I guess this is a sign of “Comanche Boy’s” following. Everyone who was left turned their attention to Antonio Tarver.

Marcus Johnson and Victor Villereal kicked off the televised portion of the night. Johnson looked crisp with powerful punches to the head and body. Villereal had his most aggressive round in the 5th, but followed that up by being knocked down in the 6th. Johnson tried to put Villereal away in the 7th, but Villereal survived the rest of the fight. Johnson won on all three scorecards 80-71.

In the best matchup of the night Antwone Smith stopped Henry Crawford. Crawford started the fight using his speed to land the better combinations for the first two rounds. Smith looked better in the 3rd and then buckled Crawford with a body shot to end the 4th. The 5th round was a toss-up. In the 6th Crawford danced his way to the canvas. Leaving his hands down and spitting out his mouth piece he survived the round. Crawford looked better the next couple of rounds, until the last seconds of the 9th. He regained himself long enough to make the bell. Then his corner made the decision to call the fight.

The crowd continued to dwindle as the main event got under way. Allan Green was the aggressor during the early rounds. Then in an attempt to change things up Simms went with the southpaw stance for the middle rounds. Green continued to land powerful punches for the later rounds and scored himself a unanimous decision. Green is currently the alternate for the Super Six Tournament.

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