Alexander likely to be stripped of IBF title
The IBF has called for a purse bid between Devon Alexander and Kaizer Mabuza, which all but guarantees that no more than two belts will be unified in a bout between Alexander and Timothy Bradley. Of course, the fact they are likely to fight twice means one or both of them will probably get stripped of their belts, making the "unification" even more meaningless. Since Victor Ortiz is the next highest ranked fighter in the IBF's standings, expect to see a fight between Mabuza and Ortiz for the soon-to-be vacant title.
over 1 year ago
Brickhaus
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How did this happen, exactly? Kaizer Mabuza is 23-6-3 with one semi-impressive win, against Kendall Holt in the eliminator.
Ah, the IBF…created with the best of intentions, run with the most confusing of effects. “Valiant” Victor Ortiz’s undeserved, and smoothly paved rebuilding continues on.
Then again, Alexander shouldn’t even still be holding this title after his last fight…
Perhaps you can answer this, Brickhaus.
I’ve enjoyed reading your work on the sanctioning bodies.
Why would the IBF strip Alexander and as a result get a much smaller sanctioning fee?
"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe
Dan rafel said on his twitter
Devon will be stripped on technicality of when contract for Bradley fight due to IBF.
"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez
by Eddie Gonzalez on Sep 29, 2010 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions
The IBF follows its own rules much more closely than the other sanctioning bodies
Because of the racketeering issue they had back in the 90’s. So Devon’s mandatory has become due, and once he declines to fight after the purse bid, they’ll need to strip him. If it was the WBC or the WBA, I’m sure they’d make something up so he keeps a super duper belt or something and made Mabuza the regular titlist.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
The problem with the belts is that I'm genuinely tired of explaining to someone who "thinks" they know about boxing the issues inherent in their distribution.
If I hear one more person tell me that obviously Haye is the best in the world because he’s champion (accompanied by the ‘crazy’ signals and patronizing tone of voice) then I might actually burn out my own eardrums with boiling wax.
Alexander and Bradley are 1A and 1B for me right now, with a Rizla paper in between them. Stripping the best fighters in the division is really getting to me at the moment, I’m really tired (and I stress, ‘tired’, as opposed to pissed off, etc) of explaining it to quasi-fans. I can even hear it in my own tone of voice when I get into those conversations now.
“No, Amir Khan is NOT ‘obviously’ the best fighter in the world in that division because he holds that trinket and beat up a feather-fisted former Ricky Hatton opponent….”
“No, David Haye is not the best heavyweight in the world, no matter how much Sky Sports tries to imply that in their coverage…”
“No, the lack of a title does not mean Floyd Mayweather isn’t a top welterweight….”
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint 'Sunflowers', but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear. (Bill Nack)
Can’t agree with you placing Devon above Khan, but other than that I totally endorse your sentiments.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Sep 29, 2010 6:31 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I take it you fancy Khan’s above Devon above because of the latter’s performace V Koltonik?
I agree with Chaos, and will maybe look at it after Maidana
by Sweet science on Sep 29, 2010 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Alexander is probably the toughest style matchup out there for Khan
But at this point, I have Khan ahead of him as well. Witter-Urango-Kotelnik is a better run than Kotelnik-Salita-Malignaggi, but not THAT much better, and I thought Alexander lost to Kotelnik while Khan shut him out.
The fact that Alexander is the only guy out there who’s close to keeping up with Khan’s handspeed, together with the fact that he’s a southpaw who can punch a little, means he’s probably the most dangerous fighter for Khan though.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
The fact that Alexander is the only guy out there who’s close to keeping up with Khan’s handspeed, together with the fact that he’s a southpaw who can punch a little, means he’s probably the most dangerous fighter for Khan though.
Aka all the tools he needs to beat Khan
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
I don’t think Alexander’s handspeed is really anywhere near Khan’s, to be honest. As far as I’m concerned, while he might be a relatively difficult stylistic match up, he’d just be dominated by the Khan 1-2 from the outside for the vast majority of the fight.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Sep 30, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Alexander has *lightning* hands......
He’s at least as quick as Bradley, in my eyes.
And I also don’t think he would be dominated by the Khan jab, which only really works on guys who don’t have very good head movement.
Add to that the power that eventually did for Juan Urango (was that the first time in his career he’s been stopped??) and I think Alexander takes Khan out.
Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint 'Sunflowers', but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear. (Bill Nack)
The Khan jab:
It’s fast as all hell, but it doesn’t carry the power of a really world class jab, as displayed by a Holmes, a Wlad, or a Lewis. I know they are all heavies, but there are some really crisp jabs that knock the opponent back at will, and I don’t see Khan’s being one of those.
Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint 'Sunflowers', but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear. (Bill Nack)
I think Alexander took out a fairly weathered Urango, to be honest, who’d really taken his share of abuse from Hatton, Berto and Bailey. The stoppage was not a surprise.
I think you’re really underestimating Khan’s jab. Kotelnik is a very sound defensive fighter, who was really powerless to stopping it, and Paulie was really beaten up because of that particular punch. Add in the fact that Alexander isn’t all that fantastic defensively, and I think Khan outboxes him pretty soundly.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Oct 1, 2010 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Tim Bradley is pretty damn fast as well, but I take your point.
Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint 'Sunflowers', but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear. (Bill Nack)
I’ve never really been that impressed with Devon. I didn’t think he was great against Witter or anything – although he won handily – and, while the stoppage of Urango was impressive, it came after a pretty mediocre display against a very weathered fighter. Add in the fact that I think Kotelnik beat him – after Khan really wiped the floor with the Ukrainian – and I just don’t see how Devon can be ranked #2.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Sep 30, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Everyone is due a bad day sometime.
I think Maidana will stop Khan, and then maybe there will be some objective perspective displayed about him. I can name 20 guys who have fought at 140 in the last 10/15 years I think beat Khan all over the place, and I definitely don’t rate him as the best guy there right now.
He’s a very fast, very capable guy, who has good but not great power, and a really hideous chin. A prime Hatton would have destroyed him in short order, and I don’t have Hatton right up there in my “140 (past and present)” list either.
Probably my favourite guy at 140 in recent years has been Kostya Tszyu, and he could fight OR box with anyone. A Khan Tszyu fight would end horrifically in 4 rounds, in my eyes, and that kind of tells me Khan isn’t all Sky Sports crack him up to be.
Most fight fans would not spend a dime to watch Van Gogh paint 'Sunflowers', but they would fill Yankee Stadium to see him cut off his ear. (Bill Nack)
I think Maidana will stop Khan
im gunna throww this out there and say Maidana won’t lay a glove on Khan, and it will be stopped around the 8th or 9th.
He just won’t get to his chin, won’t get past the jab. The downside of this is that the chin still wouldn’t be tested, and maybe Alexander will be the one to do that. Or Bradley.
by Sweet science on Oct 1, 2010 7:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Totally agree.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Oct 1, 2010 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
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