Top 25 Heavyweights (As of October, 2006)
By JE Grant
Of course the big controversy in September occurred in the Sam Peter – James Toney eliminator bout. Toney appeared to have outpointed Peter but the split vote went the other direction. The WBC decided to over-rule a prior notification that the winner would be a mandatory challenger to Oleg Maskaev. Of course stranger things have happened before – Toney gained an earlier shot at Hasim Rahman as the “mandatory” when the WBC decided to skip over its then-number one contender Maskaev. Don’t worry about figuring out the wild decisions of any of the alphabets and don’t think for one moment that any one of them can lay legitimate claim to being better or more noble than any of the others.
October brings with it a title defense of sorts when Nicolay Valuev takes on the long-dormant Monte Barrett. This bout does not inspire any great faith in the big guy. Perhaps at some point he will choose to take on a top contender.
Although there are minimal changes since last month, some of the shifts are noteworthy. The injured Lamon Brewster begins to fall as months pass with no word on a possible comeback.
The performances of James Toney and Sam Peter were convincing enough to indicate that both Maskaev and Rahman would be hard-pressed to beat either.
Once again, many thanks to Brian Bizzack and Troy Ondrizek. Each continues to provide insight and information that improve this compilation.
* * *
1. Wladimir Klitschko, Ukraine – IBF Champion (Last month #1) Potentially the best matchup awaits when Klitschko faces undefeated Calvin Brock in November. Brock has enough power to pose a legitimate threat. He’s also very available to receive Klitschko quick-fisted attack.
2. Serguei Liakhovich, Belarus – WBO Champion (Last month #2) The real question when Liakhovich faces Shannon Briggs is which Briggs will show up. If a svelte 245 pound Briggs meets Liakhovich it may actually be a fight for a while. If Briggs is 273, as he was for his last bout, it will be an early and easy night for the “White Wolf.”
3. Calvin Brock, USA (Last month #4) Brock has re-signed with his old promoter and presumably with some more money in his account. It’s a good thing he secured his cash now because in November he faces his stiffest challenge, Wladimir Klitschko. He’ll go in a decided underdog. No doubt that he needs to raise his game in every department if he is to conquer the speedy, hard-hitting titlist Klitschko. He does have the one attribute that has proven effective --- he can hit with authority. That is likely his only real chance for victory.
4. Lamon Brewster, USA (Last month #3) As much as we hate to admit it, Brewster’s eye injury has already dealt a blow to Lamon’s activity level. If and when he returns, he’ll need a few bouts against lesser opponents to get him back in the flow.
5 (Tie). Samuel Peter, Nigeria (Last month #5) In this column last month we said Peter would take care of old man James Toney --- but it did not happen, despite the scores. Big Sam looked good in spots and he did land some heavy leather. Unfortunately Toney’s pecking and poking shots landed with much greater frequency and with enough authority to deserve the nod.
5 (Tie). James Toney, USA (Last month #8) I was fully prepared to push “Lights Out” into the bottom ten, assuming a big loss to Peter. But let’s face it, he was ripped off. He landed plenty and withstood the occasional mega-shots from the young, strong Peter. Toney showed he has some juice in his tank. Anyone on this list would have a difficult night against him.
7. Oleg Maskaev, Uzbekistan / USA – WBC Champion (Last month #6) The “Big O” decided against the huge money shot at the best heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko, in order to take on the completely undeserving Peter Okhello in Moscow in December. Okhello fights most often in Japan and has never beaten anyone remotely near the world-class level. His most notable opponent was tough journeyman Kali Meehan – to whom he lost. He appears to have a little kick in his punches, but it is hard to tell given his slate of opponents to date.
8. Hasim Rahman, USA – (Last Month #7) The still fairly marketable Rahman may next face Sinan Samil Sam in Germany in some kind of WBC eliminator. One never really knows what the WBC has in mind.
9. Nicolay Valuev, Russia – WBA Champion (Last month #9) The newly minted “Russian Giant” conducted a roadshow with Don King trying to convince us that his bout with Monte Barrett (or is it Monte Masters?) is really a title fight. The only thing we can draw out of this US tour is that his former moniker, “The Beast from the East,” was far more original.
10. Sultan Ibragimov, Russia (Last month #10) For some reason, the WBO vaulted Sultan over Luan Krasniqi to its number one position. Of course it was ridiculous to have Krasniqi there in the first place, but Ibragimov moved to the top spot based on a draw with Ray Austin. We can only hope that Ibragimov goes in against a real top ten opponent (or a rematch with Austin) before anyone awards him a “mandatory” title shot. He has enough talent to make it --- he doesn’t need a boost.
11. Ray Austin, USA (Last month #11) Hopefully you read about Ibragimov above. Now get this --- Austin actually fell in the latest WBO ratings from number 14 to number 15. Figure that one out.
12. John Ruiz, USA (Last month #12) The number one WBA contender has reportedly signed with German manager Wilfried Sauerland. This will undoubtedly result in a title shot. Don’t be surprised to see Ruiz jet to the top of another sanctioning body’s list to go along with his WBA rating. I continue to remind readers of this column that Ruiz has not won a fight since November 2004. He has a WBA eliminator with Ruslan Chagaev scheduled for October.
13. Shannon Briggs, USA (Last month #13) His WBO title bout with Liakhovich represents his last shot at the big time. A loss means permanent relegation to club shows.
14. Ruslan Chagaev, Uzbekistan (Last month #14) As he prepares for John Ruiz, he should contemplate what a win will mean. For fans it will mean that the Huggmeister (now that Ruiz is signed with a German promoter it is only fitting that he has a German-sounding nickname) no longer would be a potential title contender and thus no longer someone we have to watch on TV. For Chagaev, it means breaking away from the pack of talented up-and-coming European heavyweights.
15. DaVarryl Williamson, USA (Last month #15) Rumors have it that “Touch of Sleep” will face journeyman Przemyslaw Saleta later this fall. It’s good to see that he is getting back to the action. Saleta is 3-3 in last six bouts, but one of the wins was a stoppage of Luan Krasniqi.
16. Fres Oquendo, USA (Last month #16) Oquendo is the latest fighter selected to face the shell of Evander Holyfield. Unlike journeyman Jeremy Bates, Oquendo actually has some skills, some speed, and better than average power. All of that spells disaster for Holyfield at the very ripe age of 43.
17. Matt Skelton, England (Last month #17) A possible British Commonwealth defense against formerly highly regarded Audley Harrison is reportedly being negotiated. Harrison may have the skills to take the lumbering Skelton out of his game --- depending on which Harrison shows up.
18. Jameel McCline, USA (Last month #18) After a burst of activity January through July, suddenly nothing is on the boards. Last month there were whispers of a bout with Gonzalo Omar Basile. Basile will instead travel to Germany to face Alexander Dimitrenko.
19. Danny Williams, England (Last month #19) Now that British champion Scott Gammer successfully defended his belt in September maybe a deal can be reached for a shot with Danny, a practicing Muslim who declined to meet Gammer during Ramadan.
20. Luan Krasniqi, Germany (Last month #20) Perhaps his recent pullouts have cost him something. One month he was rated number one and suddenly Sultan Ibragimov surpasses him in the WBO ratings. Of course it never made sense for Krasniqi to be number one so it should not come as a surprise to see a change.
21. Tony Thompson, USA (Last month #21) Idle since his June win over Dominick Guinn.
22. David Tua, New Zealand (Last month #22) – Tuaman has fought only once in 2006. Inactivity is his biggest foe, because with an active schedule he could find himself in the title picture very quickly.
23. Vladimir Virchis, Ukraine (Last month #23) “The Hunter” is still looking to parlay his new EBU title into some real EUROS. There is now some real talent in Europe and don’t be surprised to see more and more top Americans venturing there to face big draws like Virchis.
24. Monte Barrett, USA (Last month #24) His career begins and ends October 7th when he faces the giant Valuev.
25. Eddie Chambers, USA (Last month #25) Philly’s 27-0, 24 year-old Chambers represents a glimmer of hope for American heavyweights. He has yet to meet and beat the top 10 guys necessary to stake his claim, but he’s on the right track.
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Prospects, fringe contenders, and others who need mentioning listed in no particular order. Don’t read the fact that they are listed here as an indication a ranking is imminent. Regular readers should also note that I’ve taken off some names that were here in months past who still rate attention. We're highlighting activity and when potentially top fighters have bouts scheduled you’ll likely see them reappear.
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Chris Byrd, USA – Some cruiserweight possibilities seem to have floated away. We await Chris’ career decision.
Oliver McCall, USA – The former titlist stopped journeyman Darroll Wilson in September. McCall is now 20-1 (with 2 NCs) in his last 23 bouts. Lest anyone forget, in 1996 the “Atomic Bull,” scored a one-round knockout over the "Big O" in Maskaev’s seventh bout. At 41, he is just four years older than Maskaev. Is a rematch possible? If the Bull keeps winning don’t be surprised to see the fight signed.
Jean Francois Bergeron, Canada – The tall 33 year-old Canadian moved to 25-0 with a fifth-round stoppage of Edgar Da Silva in Montreal in September.
Joe Mesi, USA – Okay now we’re worried about Joe. He did move to 33-0 in September but he did it in a four-round bout against a 36 year-old opponent who is now 3-2. Will he break out of this circuit soon?
Chazz Witherspoon, USA – Chazz returned in September to stop Innocent Otukuwu in Philly. We can only imagine that Innocent’s nickname is “By-Stander” because has now lost his last six bouts, five by knockout. By the way Witherspoon weighed exactly what he did in his televised fight against Michael Alexander in July. He was very fleshy to say the least.
Alexander Povetkin, Russia – His September win over American Ed Mahone looks better on paper than it really should lead us to believe. Mahone picked up many wins early in his career but has now lost 8 of his last 10. Still, the former Olympic gold medal winner Povetkin is staying focused and busy. Don’t be surprised if he is a legitimately ranked fighter by mid 2007.
Gonzalo Omar Basile, Argentina – The hulking 25-1 Argentine will face by far his stiffest test when he travels to Germany in October to face budding superstar Alexander Dimintrenko. This is a tremendous matchup.
J.D. Chapman, USA – The 23 year-old stopped trial-horse Ray Lunsford in Arkansas in September. He moved his record to a fat 25-0 (22 KOs). If nothing else he’s been busy – six fights this year. He’s working with Jeff Mayweather to refine his game. Look for him to start making some noise this time next year.
Denis Boytsov, Russia – In September he beat Ondrej Pala in Germany on a fifth round stoppage due to cut.
Roman Greenberg, England (via Israel) – One last fight in Europe – in November – and then he ventures to the U.S. under the auspices of Warrior Boxing. We will undoubtedly see him a lot next year.
Alexander Dimitrenko, Ukraine – Finally a big showdown with a streaking opponent, Gonzalo Omar Basile. The big Argentine has won 12 fights in 2006. He’s also only one inch shorter than the 6’7” Dimitrenko. Big fight for the youngster.
Damian Wills, USA – The 21-0-1 prospect is scheduled to take on fellow unbeaten Chris Arreola, 17-0, in November. How often have you seen two hotshots taking on each other with no title on the line? This is the kind of confidence that could lead to something big.
Scott Gammer, England – October will be a pivotal month as Gammer defends his British belt against Michael Steeds. If he emerges relatively unscathed perhaps he can lure Danny Williams into the ring. The Muslim Williams, you will note, pulled out of an earlier proposed bout for Ramadan observance.
Travis Walker, USA – A big bout with fellow touted prospect Jason Estrada awaits in November. He and Estrada were busy in September. Walker stopped John Clark to advance to 21-0-1 (17 KOs).
Jason Estrada, USA – He decisioned Maurice Wheeler over eight rounds in September. The win now brings him to 7-0, 1NC (1 KO). The fact that he has only one stoppage win may foretell difficulties down the road with fighters who can not only go the distance but can win rounds with power.
Of course the big controversy in September occurred in the Sam Peter – James Toney eliminator bout. Toney appeared to have outpointed Peter but the split vote went the other direction. The WBC decided to over-rule a prior notification that the winner would be a mandatory challenger to Oleg Maskaev. Of course stranger things have happened before – Toney gained an earlier shot at Hasim Rahman as the “mandatory” when the WBC decided to skip over its then-number one contender Maskaev. Don’t worry about figuring out the wild decisions of any of the alphabets and don’t think for one moment that any one of them can lay legitimate claim to being better or more noble than any of the others.
October brings with it a title defense of sorts when Nicolay Valuev takes on the long-dormant Monte Barrett. This bout does not inspire any great faith in the big guy. Perhaps at some point he will choose to take on a top contender.
Although there are minimal changes since last month, some of the shifts are noteworthy. The injured Lamon Brewster begins to fall as months pass with no word on a possible comeback.
The performances of James Toney and Sam Peter were convincing enough to indicate that both Maskaev and Rahman would be hard-pressed to beat either.
Once again, many thanks to Brian Bizzack and Troy Ondrizek. Each continues to provide insight and information that improve this compilation.
* * *
1. Wladimir Klitschko, Ukraine – IBF Champion (Last month #1) Potentially the best matchup awaits when Klitschko faces undefeated Calvin Brock in November. Brock has enough power to pose a legitimate threat. He’s also very available to receive Klitschko quick-fisted attack.
2. Serguei Liakhovich, Belarus – WBO Champion (Last month #2) The real question when Liakhovich faces Shannon Briggs is which Briggs will show up. If a svelte 245 pound Briggs meets Liakhovich it may actually be a fight for a while. If Briggs is 273, as he was for his last bout, it will be an early and easy night for the “White Wolf.”
3. Calvin Brock, USA (Last month #4) Brock has re-signed with his old promoter and presumably with some more money in his account. It’s a good thing he secured his cash now because in November he faces his stiffest challenge, Wladimir Klitschko. He’ll go in a decided underdog. No doubt that he needs to raise his game in every department if he is to conquer the speedy, hard-hitting titlist Klitschko. He does have the one attribute that has proven effective --- he can hit with authority. That is likely his only real chance for victory.
4. Lamon Brewster, USA (Last month #3) As much as we hate to admit it, Brewster’s eye injury has already dealt a blow to Lamon’s activity level. If and when he returns, he’ll need a few bouts against lesser opponents to get him back in the flow.
5 (Tie). Samuel Peter, Nigeria (Last month #5) In this column last month we said Peter would take care of old man James Toney --- but it did not happen, despite the scores. Big Sam looked good in spots and he did land some heavy leather. Unfortunately Toney’s pecking and poking shots landed with much greater frequency and with enough authority to deserve the nod.
5 (Tie). James Toney, USA (Last month #8) I was fully prepared to push “Lights Out” into the bottom ten, assuming a big loss to Peter. But let’s face it, he was ripped off. He landed plenty and withstood the occasional mega-shots from the young, strong Peter. Toney showed he has some juice in his tank. Anyone on this list would have a difficult night against him.
7. Oleg Maskaev, Uzbekistan / USA – WBC Champion (Last month #6) The “Big O” decided against the huge money shot at the best heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko, in order to take on the completely undeserving Peter Okhello in Moscow in December. Okhello fights most often in Japan and has never beaten anyone remotely near the world-class level. His most notable opponent was tough journeyman Kali Meehan – to whom he lost. He appears to have a little kick in his punches, but it is hard to tell given his slate of opponents to date.
8. Hasim Rahman, USA – (Last Month #7) The still fairly marketable Rahman may next face Sinan Samil Sam in Germany in some kind of WBC eliminator. One never really knows what the WBC has in mind.
9. Nicolay Valuev, Russia – WBA Champion (Last month #9) The newly minted “Russian Giant” conducted a roadshow with Don King trying to convince us that his bout with Monte Barrett (or is it Monte Masters?) is really a title fight. The only thing we can draw out of this US tour is that his former moniker, “The Beast from the East,” was far more original.
10. Sultan Ibragimov, Russia (Last month #10) For some reason, the WBO vaulted Sultan over Luan Krasniqi to its number one position. Of course it was ridiculous to have Krasniqi there in the first place, but Ibragimov moved to the top spot based on a draw with Ray Austin. We can only hope that Ibragimov goes in against a real top ten opponent (or a rematch with Austin) before anyone awards him a “mandatory” title shot. He has enough talent to make it --- he doesn’t need a boost.
11. Ray Austin, USA (Last month #11) Hopefully you read about Ibragimov above. Now get this --- Austin actually fell in the latest WBO ratings from number 14 to number 15. Figure that one out.
12. John Ruiz, USA (Last month #12) The number one WBA contender has reportedly signed with German manager Wilfried Sauerland. This will undoubtedly result in a title shot. Don’t be surprised to see Ruiz jet to the top of another sanctioning body’s list to go along with his WBA rating. I continue to remind readers of this column that Ruiz has not won a fight since November 2004. He has a WBA eliminator with Ruslan Chagaev scheduled for October.
13. Shannon Briggs, USA (Last month #13) His WBO title bout with Liakhovich represents his last shot at the big time. A loss means permanent relegation to club shows.
14. Ruslan Chagaev, Uzbekistan (Last month #14) As he prepares for John Ruiz, he should contemplate what a win will mean. For fans it will mean that the Huggmeister (now that Ruiz is signed with a German promoter it is only fitting that he has a German-sounding nickname) no longer would be a potential title contender and thus no longer someone we have to watch on TV. For Chagaev, it means breaking away from the pack of talented up-and-coming European heavyweights.
15. DaVarryl Williamson, USA (Last month #15) Rumors have it that “Touch of Sleep” will face journeyman Przemyslaw Saleta later this fall. It’s good to see that he is getting back to the action. Saleta is 3-3 in last six bouts, but one of the wins was a stoppage of Luan Krasniqi.
16. Fres Oquendo, USA (Last month #16) Oquendo is the latest fighter selected to face the shell of Evander Holyfield. Unlike journeyman Jeremy Bates, Oquendo actually has some skills, some speed, and better than average power. All of that spells disaster for Holyfield at the very ripe age of 43.
17. Matt Skelton, England (Last month #17) A possible British Commonwealth defense against formerly highly regarded Audley Harrison is reportedly being negotiated. Harrison may have the skills to take the lumbering Skelton out of his game --- depending on which Harrison shows up.
18. Jameel McCline, USA (Last month #18) After a burst of activity January through July, suddenly nothing is on the boards. Last month there were whispers of a bout with Gonzalo Omar Basile. Basile will instead travel to Germany to face Alexander Dimitrenko.
19. Danny Williams, England (Last month #19) Now that British champion Scott Gammer successfully defended his belt in September maybe a deal can be reached for a shot with Danny, a practicing Muslim who declined to meet Gammer during Ramadan.
20. Luan Krasniqi, Germany (Last month #20) Perhaps his recent pullouts have cost him something. One month he was rated number one and suddenly Sultan Ibragimov surpasses him in the WBO ratings. Of course it never made sense for Krasniqi to be number one so it should not come as a surprise to see a change.
21. Tony Thompson, USA (Last month #21) Idle since his June win over Dominick Guinn.
22. David Tua, New Zealand (Last month #22) – Tuaman has fought only once in 2006. Inactivity is his biggest foe, because with an active schedule he could find himself in the title picture very quickly.
23. Vladimir Virchis, Ukraine (Last month #23) “The Hunter” is still looking to parlay his new EBU title into some real EUROS. There is now some real talent in Europe and don’t be surprised to see more and more top Americans venturing there to face big draws like Virchis.
24. Monte Barrett, USA (Last month #24) His career begins and ends October 7th when he faces the giant Valuev.
25. Eddie Chambers, USA (Last month #25) Philly’s 27-0, 24 year-old Chambers represents a glimmer of hope for American heavyweights. He has yet to meet and beat the top 10 guys necessary to stake his claim, but he’s on the right track.
*************************************************************************
Prospects, fringe contenders, and others who need mentioning listed in no particular order. Don’t read the fact that they are listed here as an indication a ranking is imminent. Regular readers should also note that I’ve taken off some names that were here in months past who still rate attention. We're highlighting activity and when potentially top fighters have bouts scheduled you’ll likely see them reappear.
*************************************************************************
Chris Byrd, USA – Some cruiserweight possibilities seem to have floated away. We await Chris’ career decision.
Oliver McCall, USA – The former titlist stopped journeyman Darroll Wilson in September. McCall is now 20-1 (with 2 NCs) in his last 23 bouts. Lest anyone forget, in 1996 the “Atomic Bull,” scored a one-round knockout over the "Big O" in Maskaev’s seventh bout. At 41, he is just four years older than Maskaev. Is a rematch possible? If the Bull keeps winning don’t be surprised to see the fight signed.
Jean Francois Bergeron, Canada – The tall 33 year-old Canadian moved to 25-0 with a fifth-round stoppage of Edgar Da Silva in Montreal in September.
Joe Mesi, USA – Okay now we’re worried about Joe. He did move to 33-0 in September but he did it in a four-round bout against a 36 year-old opponent who is now 3-2. Will he break out of this circuit soon?
Chazz Witherspoon, USA – Chazz returned in September to stop Innocent Otukuwu in Philly. We can only imagine that Innocent’s nickname is “By-Stander” because has now lost his last six bouts, five by knockout. By the way Witherspoon weighed exactly what he did in his televised fight against Michael Alexander in July. He was very fleshy to say the least.
Alexander Povetkin, Russia – His September win over American Ed Mahone looks better on paper than it really should lead us to believe. Mahone picked up many wins early in his career but has now lost 8 of his last 10. Still, the former Olympic gold medal winner Povetkin is staying focused and busy. Don’t be surprised if he is a legitimately ranked fighter by mid 2007.
Gonzalo Omar Basile, Argentina – The hulking 25-1 Argentine will face by far his stiffest test when he travels to Germany in October to face budding superstar Alexander Dimintrenko. This is a tremendous matchup.
J.D. Chapman, USA – The 23 year-old stopped trial-horse Ray Lunsford in Arkansas in September. He moved his record to a fat 25-0 (22 KOs). If nothing else he’s been busy – six fights this year. He’s working with Jeff Mayweather to refine his game. Look for him to start making some noise this time next year.
Denis Boytsov, Russia – In September he beat Ondrej Pala in Germany on a fifth round stoppage due to cut.
Roman Greenberg, England (via Israel) – One last fight in Europe – in November – and then he ventures to the U.S. under the auspices of Warrior Boxing. We will undoubtedly see him a lot next year.
Alexander Dimitrenko, Ukraine – Finally a big showdown with a streaking opponent, Gonzalo Omar Basile. The big Argentine has won 12 fights in 2006. He’s also only one inch shorter than the 6’7” Dimitrenko. Big fight for the youngster.
Damian Wills, USA – The 21-0-1 prospect is scheduled to take on fellow unbeaten Chris Arreola, 17-0, in November. How often have you seen two hotshots taking on each other with no title on the line? This is the kind of confidence that could lead to something big.
Scott Gammer, England – October will be a pivotal month as Gammer defends his British belt against Michael Steeds. If he emerges relatively unscathed perhaps he can lure Danny Williams into the ring. The Muslim Williams, you will note, pulled out of an earlier proposed bout for Ramadan observance.
Travis Walker, USA – A big bout with fellow touted prospect Jason Estrada awaits in November. He and Estrada were busy in September. Walker stopped John Clark to advance to 21-0-1 (17 KOs).
Jason Estrada, USA – He decisioned Maurice Wheeler over eight rounds in September. The win now brings him to 7-0, 1NC (1 KO). The fact that he has only one stoppage win may foretell difficulties down the road with fighters who can not only go the distance but can win rounds with power.
posted by JE Boxing at Friday, September 29, 2006
63 Comments:
I liked this group with the exception of Brewster being so high. Probably still on the mend with the detached retina. Krasniqi turned down Tony Thompson so that should be considered. Eddie Chambers is an up and coming talent from what I hear here in Philly. Time for Alexander Dimitrenko to step up. David "Nino" Rodriguez 23-0 22 ko's. out of TX is a prospect about to bust out!
I'll have to check out Rodriguez. Thanks!!!!
James Toney James Toney James Toney he is the real deal.
(Sorry I haven't been here for awhile JE, a few days ago my friends wife was hit by a car. She's in critical condition. Looks like she's going to probably live, but the whole situation not too good...)
Alrighty...Let's check out the list!
Okay, first off J.E..."Tie"??? WTF? No, no, no. I thought JT won the fight as well, but you could also make a case that Peter won it by a SLIGHT margin. Please...No "ties" in JE Boxing. Peter - to my somewhat "chagrin" - should have been placed a notch higher.
(Okay...I'm getting warmed up folks...Let's see what else I can find...;-)
...Maskaev at #7? Quite frankly, I don't even think Maskaev is the 7th best hvy in the world. But his defeat of Rahman does warrant a slightly higher ranking. He should be at #5 JE.
Flip-flop Brewster and Brock. (How has Brock slowly and "suddenly" gotten THAT high? You had it correct last month. Why change it suddenly?)
Okay...Other than that, the list looks sound JE. I shall now proceed to reading the comments...;-)
Good stuff as always J.E. And it looks like Briggs will be coming in at about 250-255. (This guy is indeed "BUILT"...But it's not a "bodybuilding competition" out there.) As for Rodriguez, I have never seen him, but I will once again repeat the words of a well-respected but anonymous trainer: "He hasn't fought anyone of note...He's fairly ordinary...Draws well in the San Antonio area, but I do not feel as though he is a legitimate prospect Bizzack". As for Harrison-Skelton...Kind of an interesting fight, and I believe about a tossup. It's a must-win for BOTH of them. And I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again; the best hvy in the U.K right-now-as-we-speak is young Roman Greenberg. I'd bet Ondrizek's left-nut on it, and Grant's right. (Don't worry gentlemen, I'm correct over 50% of the time...LOL)
Oh...Speaking of young Mr.Greenberg, he will be fighting Alexai Verakin (sic?) on Nov.4th in the fight capital of the world; Monte Carlo, Monaco. (I don't quite understand the Monaco thing JE, but it's a tad bit 'peculiar' indeed...) Anyways, Verakin is a journeymen. Nothing more - nothing less. But Roman has been out of the ring for sometime due to his injury, and I think he is a suitable opponent at this time. Word is that they will be taking a DEFINITE step-up in 2007, and he may fight the winner of Harrison-Skelton or Vladimir Virches as soon as this Winter.
I'm glad to see that you've weighed-in. My suspicion about Brewster is that he may be finished. I can't hold a spot that high forever. Besides, I suspect Brock will fall at the hands of Klitschko and move down the list soon.
Well, I agree on Both J.E. But...It hasn't been THAT long since Brewster fought (5 or 6 months?) Personally, I would probably hold his spot for about a year. Why do I think he's deserving of a #3 ranking? Because he gave Liahkovich a VERY tough fight, and in fact DEFEATED Vlad Klitschko. I would have swapped LB and Brock (Or, kept the same as you did last month) and technically...I would keep Byrd somewhre in the top-10 (for up to a year) unless he announces an official move to 200, or retires. And no more silly 'ties' anymore J.E. There are a few (albeit very minor) 'gaffes' here in my opinion. But not too shabby Grant...
"At ease..."
"Gen.Bizzy" *Wink*
P.S- Kind of a scary thought, but if Audley beats Skelton...He'll be right back in the the thick of things! The big bloke will probably be one fight away from a title shot should he win. And I think he has a pretty good chance to beat the tough-as-old-boots but crude-and-clubbing 39.old Skelton. My best guess is that the line on that fight is awful close to even-money/pick em'.
Oh..."T.O IN THE HOUSE BEEEEEE-YOTCH!!!" (LOL) *I JUST got your email a few minutes ago T.O. I'll shoot you back.
T.O- That is an intriguing matchup (Chapman-Davis) and I think probably an absolutely IDEAL one for J.D at this stage. (i.e. I think he would PROBABLY win it.) Just TOO big in all liklihood. Davis - at 5'8" - just has absolutely NO business whatsoever fighting above 200.lbs. (Well, he might make for a good hvy journeymen-type, but little or nothing more.)
Having seen Chapman fight only once....it seems to me that he has some underlying talent and willpower. In the fight I saw, against Matt Hicks (I think) he appeared a little pudgy. In his next fight he dropped a few pounds. He has Jeff Mayweather with him and that is a good thing.
Yeah, I've only seen him twice and those were my feelings as well. Didn't see future world champ timbre, but not bad and looks to have a little potential. Also, the 2nd time I saw him he did look much 'tighter' physique wise than the first. (He looked pretty 'sloppy' the first time I saw him. Both pugilistically and physically.)
* Pretty dramatic improvement with the friends wife incidentally.
You lost me on the *
Oh, sorry J.E. I made a reference to my friends wife on an earlier post on this thread. She was hit by a truck and in critical condition, but has since made very substantial improvement. She still has a ways to go, but it looks like she will be at least okay, and quite possibly make a full recovery. (She had a bad head injury. Subdural Hematoma among other things.)
I just read that journeymen/fringe contender Mike Mollo destroyed Kevin Mcbride in 1 round. Doesn't shock me. Besides not being very good, Mcbride has also been about 20 or 30 pounds too hvy. Anyways, probably not a factor here. Boy, I've said it before, and I'll say it again; he and advisors just blew it in how the went about their 'business' after the Tyson fight. Had they played their cards right, he could have gotten at least one nice big 6-figure payday after that win. As it stands - he really didn't end up making jack-squat off of it. Just terrible, dumb, stupid business and thinking.
* The bright side is Mcbride never got a title shot, I suppose.
* Minor correction = Mollo stopped him in 2.
No shock there. You know that I wrote hard against the proposed Ruiz-McBride match. I feel sorry for the big guy -- he just isn't a world-class heavyweight.
Hit the Valuev thread if you're still here T.O.
Troy -- Let's hope this isn't so.
You are probably right. I wonder when the WBA is going to throw the "mandatory" card. I know that Ruiz and Chagaev are supposed to battle in an "eliminator." Hopefully something good happens there -- i.e. new-blood Chagaev eliminates Der Huggmeister.
Of course the Chagaev match would offer some intrigue. Unfortunately it would almost definitely be held in Germany with no US TV.
(LOL) As soon as you said it, it (Bergeron fight) totally makes sense. I think King will have him fighting fringe-contenders until the big 49th or 50th. Anyways, I would definetly give Valuev a slight edge over Bergeron, but nothing more quite honestly. It wouldn't really surprise me much if Bergeron beat him.
I wonder how they are going to reconcile the No-Contest he had with Andreas Sidon in 1999. While most accounts say that Valuev actually knocked out Sidon only to have the match called back on after he left the ring resulting in the NC (or some goofy story like that).
continued from last message.......Marciano had nothing but wins on his slate: no No-Decisions, No-Contests etc...
If Valuev really wants to impress the world he should go after Joe Louis' record of 25 defenses. :)
No but there is also no way that he will collect 25 of them anyway -- even if he fought only the Becks and Barretts of the world. Clearly his 45-0 is not the same as Marciano's and his list of defenses won't be the equal of Louis'.
Didn't Nielsen have some kind of "world" title as well?
I think he held the IBC and IBO titles. What a world.
Except that he never beat a truly top-10 ranked fighter. His wins over old men Larry Holmes, Tim Witherspoon, and Bonecrusher Smith were as close as he came to rated guys (and all were mere shells of their former selves). Nielsen had 66 fights without a notable win. BTW most people thought the Holmes fight was a ripoff hometowner.
He ended his career at 64-2. I don't think he was avoided -- I think he did the avoiding. He and his handlers were apparently more interested in pumping up the record than they were in creating a champion. BTW Tyson blew him away.
Hehehe...Good stuff here. Yes, the big lummox has been merely knocking down a few "Becks", and knocking off a few "Barets"...;-)
Perhaps a few Liahkovich shots, or one big Vladdy one. (LOL) Yeah, he (NV) wouldn't be a cheap drunk I fear. Andre Rousimoff ("Andre The Giant") could reportedly down a whole case of beer within a few hours and only be slightly 'buzzed'. But he was even bigger than NV. Andre was about 7-6" and 400-500.lbs. (I saw him live when I was about 12 yrs.old. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary...What a huge scary looking M.F'er...!!!)
Hmm, interesting. I wouldn't necessarily bet the farm on Mesi getting annihalted, but I would definetly pick McCline to win, and without someone putting the proverbial gun to my head.
P.S- 10-4 on the email, Troy. I have been having problems with that email recently. It is a "webmail" that a friend of mine gave me (last name Seemeyer, hence the address) that works at a website development company. I can't log in to the damn thing, and he's on vacation this week. (This seems to happen about once or twice a year, and I'll call him and tell him about it, and he'll say - "Oh, try it in a few minutes and it should work". I think it's just a matter of a few keystrokes on his end, and forgets to annually or bi-annualy 'renew it'. He's kind of a Donkey-ass, but a very old friend. (i.e. "Old friends are worth keeping around, whether you like them or not...") Anyways, I have another email (Hotmail or Yahoo) but I can't remember the f*ckin password. (I made the horrendous mistake of having 'multiple passwords' a few years back...) I stick with one of two passwords these days, as one of them is (somewhat abstractly) related to German beer, and the other Oscar Delehoya, as he and I were born on the same day.
*BB*
BTW- Boy...Me and my buddies had many good times emulating pro wrestling and boxing down in the family basement as a kid. Fake blood and everything. Ric Flair was always my personal favorite Troy, but how could one not like and be fascinated by Andre. Yeah, pro wrestling was kind of cool in the 70's/80's, but then it just kind of went in the crapper. I mean, I can respect what Vince Mcmahon did to it from a marketing/promotional angle (The guy flat-out took it to a whole new level) but at the same time, he also kind of ruined it for pro wrestling purists (boy, there's an oxymoron for ya'!) like myself. I mean, I likes the whole "good guy" vs. "bad guy" concept/cliche. I found a bit of 'solace' in it. You know, a bit like an episode of "The Road Runner". Geez...Nowadays not only do you not see any wrestling to speak of (Flair was an accomplished college wrestler) but no blood either. Oh, and as for the blood? Contrary to much speculation and conjecture, the blood (back in 'the day') was NOT fake. What they did was this: They would pack tiny little razor blades into the ring, usually taped to their fingers. They would then go down to the canvas and intentionally 'slice' themselves (doesn't take a whole lot on the head/face, as you well know) usually in a small and vertical incision on the forehead. This is why when you sometimes see an old pro wrestler, they will have small up-and-down scars on their foreheads. They would get paid an extra bonus for 'juicing'. (i.e blood...)
Ah, the 'good old days'...
(* I'm certain J.E feels the same way about this, as he is not all that much older than myself, and we usually tend to agree...;-)
Oh...Kevin Johnson just won a six-round decision over a Marion Wilson-type journeymen. He reportedly won all six (or at least five) of the rounds in a 'non-eventful' bout. Johnson is now a ten-round fighter, but received this fight on short notice.
The winner of Dimentrinko-Basille should probably crack the top-25 in November J.E.
Alright T.O, here's a new name (and a Florida guy) Carl Davis Drummond. (Or Davis Carl Drummond?) A hvy of 16-0 w/14 ko's. Fought nothing but tomato-can's though.
Troy - Don't tell anyone this, but since Greenberg is going to be fighting in Florida, I may have to send a pair of gloves to you to have him autograph. I'm telling you, this kid could be a 'dark-horse/sleeper'. The only two guys I know of that seem to think as highly of him as I do are Angelo Dundee and Clive Bernath. The kid has only decent-and-not-big power, but he is fast and smooth with his feet and hands. No doubt that he and Denis Boytsov and Alexander Povetkin are my three hottest hvy prospects folks. * I am somewhat 'intrigued' by Kevin Johnson and the cruiser-soon-to-be-hvys David Haye and Alexander Aleeksev, but if I was in charge of an NFL/Boxing draft, those would be 6th or 7th round "project" picks. The other three are bona-fide high-round draft picks. (Whoa...An idea..."Fantasy Football"..."Fantasy Boxing"???)
As for Dimentrinko folks, I haven't seen but a single brief video-clip of him...(???) He has an interesting fight against another fringe-contender coming up soon. He has the 'prototype-size', but as Ondrizek/Orltroy and I have been saying since 2004 or 2005...This new breed of hvy's is going to be more 'medium-sized'. Let's see how he does against the South American, and go from there...
I think you're right about the Dimitrenko-Basile winner cracking the top 25. Barrett won't remain.
It looks like Drummond is with Warrior Boxing. All of his fights until the last one were in Costa Rica -- not exactly a hotbed of heavyweight action. We'll see how he develops.
Oh...No,no,no J.E. Monte Carlo and Costa Rica veritable hvy hotbeds (where have you been?) right up there with Iceland & Greenland, Grant...;-)
J.E- I did actually kind of forget about those few Boytsov clips I have, as well as the short Greenberg one from a few years ago. I just put a little 'sticky-note' on my comp, and I'll do a search of it and see if I can't get those off to you. They are pretty small files, so I should be able to send them via email.
Thanks -- I look forward to it.
Scott Gammer has just defeated Micky Steed. *Sidenote - "Mick Steed" a good name for a male porn star.
;-)
Oh, Kessler has JUST defeated Beyer by 3rd round KO. This does not surprise me at all. Kessler...Is GOOD J.E...
Chazz Witherspoon KO'd a journeymen in 3 last night to improve to 15-0 (8). Who is the best young hvy in Pennsylvania? With Eddie Chambers, Malik Scott, and Chazz Witherspoon all hailing from the area - let's find out!
BTW - Chazz weighed 230.lbs. I would prefer to see him at 220.lbs, but not a bad weight for him.
Aww, c'mon T.O! The kid (Boytsov) is 20 yrs.old for god's sakes! He had a close fight against another good young contender that ended on a technicality, and he won. Nobody looks great every time out! P.S- Oh, what's the story with this Drummond? Is he any good? (I have the Sharpei and gloves ready to fed-ex to you T.O. Make Roman sign them.)
Typo: Ehh...A SHARPIE. (Yeah, I'll send a Chinese fighting dog through the mail and have him sign it...LOL)
Do you have any clips/links of Aleeksev Troy? From the brief bit I've seen, I'm excited about him as a cruiser. But he just doesn't look to have the frame/body type for a move to hvy to me. Looks like he's perfectly suited for 200.lbs.
Ah...*Cringe*...Forgot about that. I just caught a short vid-clip of a Czech cruiser named Rudolf Kraj. Couldn't really tell much, but looks like he may be promising.
(LOL) Thought that might brighten your spirits a bit. It's actually right on the Universum site, if you go to the multimedia/boxing tv/archives. They also have a few Egan or Dieter Roth vids as well. (The Kraj fight only goes about 1 minute. He fights a kind of thin looking tomato-can.) Catch ya' later...:-)
Okay, here's another one guys; Kertson Manswell of Trinidad/Tobago. 29 yrs. old 6'4" 230's, 12-0 w/11 KO's. Never seen him. Just beat Corey Sanders.
Corey has had his ups and downs. I'm not sure we can gauge Manswell's ability on that win.
Not only that J.E, but he's also over-35, 300.lbs, and damn near half-blind. He is a big S.O.B that can punch a little and has a pretty good chin though I suppose...
* I will say that he carries 300.lbs fairly well aesthetically though. (i.e. he doesn't look like a grossly obese slob, and his stamina is decent.)
P.S - Oh, did you get the (very!) brief and 'dated' Greenberg clip/link I sent J.E? I have a few short Boytsov ones that are on the way...
Couldn't get the video to run. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work.
Hmm...Go to Secondsout J.E, and go to the free preview section on T.V. The Boytsov clips are on my other comp, but will probably be shooting over tonight.
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