Fights in the making: Klitschko-Chisora, Ortiz-Alexander, IBF Tourney
by Brickhaus on Oct 12, 2010 8:56 AM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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- It appears that Derek Chisora has signed the dotted line to face Wladimir Klitschko on December 11 in Mannheim, Germany. While Chisora isn't the greatest opponent in the world, he might actually be one of the best opponents available, as was broken down by Scott a couple weeks ago. Chisora is only 14-0 and hasn't actually beaten any world-class competition, but this is what happens when you have one or two fighters who are just too dominant in a division. A few decades ago, Larry Holmes was forced to face 15-0 Tim Witherspoon, 10-0 Marvis Frazier, 14-1 Bonecrusher Smith, 14-0 David Bey and 16-0 Carl Williams. This really is no different. Wlad has already beaten all the serious contenders who aren't avoiding him for the time being, and at a bare minimum, it might help raise his profile in the U.K. (and eliminate a potential future opponent for David Haye) to make a Haye fight more likely.
- Since there really isn't anyone that great left, the IBF is proposing to have yet another heavyweight tournament to determine Wladimir's next mandatory challenger. The fighters who have reportedly been offered spots in the tournament are Alexander Dimitrenko, Jean Marc Mormeck, Jonathon Banks and Eddie Chambers. Denis Boytsov was initially offered a spot, but declined the invitation and was replaced by Chambers, adding to the already long list of guys who just want no piece of Wlad. Is it possible that the third biggest draw in the sport is also becoming the most avoided man in the sport? Anyway, last time the IBF did this, it went pretty well - Chambers, Alexander Povetkin, Chris Byrd and Calvin Brock boxed off, and Povetkin won the tournament to create a legitimate challenger when there otherwise wasn't one. Too bad the results themselves weren't so great - Povetkin sat on the mandatory for two years and then ducked out of the fight anyway.
- Speaking of Mormeck, a rumor has been floating around from several sources that he may be facing Hasim Rahman next. It sounds likely that the two are in discussions, although who knows how getting offered a spot in the IBF tournament might affect the chances of that fight happening. Mormeck is now 2-0 at heavyweight, but he reportedly hasn't looked too good, and everyone I know who actually saw the fight says that Fres Oquendo was robbed (once again) in their bout.
- It's not quite Andriy Kotelnik, but Victor Ortiz's next opponent will be Lamont Peterson. The IBF has decided to sanction the bout as an IBF title eliminator, so that pretty much set up the match. Since losing a lopsided decision to Timothy Bradley last year, Peterson has come back with a good but not great win over Damian Fuller. Still, Peterson is a legitimate opponent, although it's a little tough to tell how legitimate simply because he lost so badly to Bradley, and the next best fighter he's faced is probably Lanardo Tyner. The fight will serve as the main appetizer for Khan-Maidana, and it is expected that the winners of the two bouts will fight each other eventually. The more likely scenario is that the winner will have to face Kaizer Mabuza next, as he's the current IBF mandatory and titlist Devon Alexander is about to get stripped because he's signed to fight someone better than Kaizer Mabuza.
- A few other title eliminators and mandatories that have been announced recently - Vusi Malinga against Michael Domingo for the IBF bantamweight title; Gavin Rees as John Murray's mandatory for both his European and British lightweight championships, despite Rees not having fought as low as 135 since 2003; Jonathan Victor Barros vs. Irving Berry for the WBA's featherweight title (again); Chris John-Yuriorkis Gamboa has finally been ordered, meaning if a fight isn't put together by January, it will go to purse bid; and Francisco Palacios has been installed as mandatory for Guillermo Jones, although last time someone became Jones's mandatory, it took over a year and a half to actually make the fight.
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Oh, and
People need to decide on spellings of names already. I can understand Boxrec changing the names of Ukranians, but Dereck Chisora and Bryan Vera? Seriously? Have people just been spelling their names wrong all along? And then once Boxrec changes the names, the major news sources change the names, because those guys have editors and cross-checkers who make sure the names are spelled right, and that’s where they go get them. Anyway, Frank Warren’s site spells his name Derek, and I trust him more than Boxrec, so it’s Derek for me until I see something different from the horse’s mouth.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
John vs. Gamboa is a matchup I will get excited about. Gamboa is one of my faves and I’m curious to see how he does against an accomplished world-class guy like John.
My first throught...
… is that Gamboa is just too young, too fast, and too dynamic for John. But even though John isn’t young anymore, he’s a really good fighter, by far the best that Gamboa will have faced.
If a focused, aggressive Gamboa shows up, I think he’s a good bet to win. The lackadaisical, coasting Gamboa… I think John has a decent shot there.
by Verklemptomaniac on Oct 12, 2010 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Also worth noting...
… that, according to Boxrec, John has a four-inch reach advantage over Gamboa (69" vs 65").
by Verklemptomaniac on Oct 12, 2010 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Gamboa has tiny arms
Part of the reason he jumps in so much.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
I’m not sure John is the guy to do it, given that he doesn’t have outstanding power, but one of these days, if Gamboa doesn’t stop doing that, he’s gonna get absolutely crunched with a counter jumping in like that.
by Verklemptomaniac on Oct 12, 2010 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
It's easier to look bad when you're fighting one of the top guys in the weight class
Although he was kind of underwhelming against Barros also.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Even Ortiz v. Mabuza would have been interesting.
I’m not even sure if I’m furious at Ortiz or his handlers anymore, but fuck it, what’s the difference.
John-Gamboa is very intriguing, though, provided John isn’t a total physical wreck. If he’s in condition, he has the abilities to frustrate Gamboa for 10 rounds, and still get knocked out in the 11th.
I like Ortiz-Peterson just fine. I thought Peterson was plenty competitive against Bradley, just Bradley kept winning rounds.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Hmmm, so now I'm cheering on Chisora...
Oh well. Come on Del Boy!
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
Audley vs Del Boy to unify the titles next March? ;)
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Oct 12, 2010 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions
It'd be pretty funny if that ends up happening.
It won’t, but still.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Oct 12, 2010 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank fuck one English Heavyweight has the balls to step up!
If only it was the more talented one….
Imagine if Chisora wins? I doubt Haye will worry too much about what kind of money would be available and sign as soon as possible on THAT dotted line!
I never looked at it that way, but you have a good point about Chisora signing up to fight.
It kind of makes a mockery of David Haye’s “will I or won’t I” debacle.
On the other hand
Chisora is nobody. Haye has some name recognition of his own. I doubt a single casual fan outside of England and Wales has ever heard of Derek Chisora.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA
and not only do I know who Chisora is, I love him. Very fun to watch but honestly your right on. Nobody knows he is.
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 13, 2010 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions
If you're here on a regular basis, you're probably more than a casual fan
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Not many casual fans would know who Eddie Chambers is either,but i know what you mean.Chisora is even more obscure and totally unproven on the world scene.
Honestly though,without national bias,i think his hunger and determination will make for more of a fight than the likes of Sam Peter and some others have put up.
To be fair,seen as some of Wlad’s recent opponents have hardly landed a decent punch,Chisora can’t do much worse.
by Matt Mosley on Oct 13, 2010 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
that IBF tournament is a horrible idea
Eddie Chambers is going to win and then what do I get? Wladimir-Chambers II. Mormeck can’t beat any of them, Chambers already gave Dimitrenko a lesson, and Banks isn’t on Chambers’ level either.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
I wrote about this recently
and the best possible outcome is Dimitrenko wins because he isnt much of a challenge to Wlad but at least has the physical tools to be one. It wont happen and Chambers will probably win and then he will duck Wlad like most of the division is.
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 13, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions
I doubt Chambers ducks Wlad
Chambers easily has had the toughest slate of opponents of the heavyweights in the last three or so years. I’m not a fan of his style, but the dude doesn’t run from anyone, which I admire.
If nothing else, at least it buys another year of time before Wlad has to face an IBF mandatory.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
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