At the rate things are going, we might be lucky if we get any big fights over the next couple of months.
Due to injury and health issues, some of the biggest September bouts have been called off.
While it’s always good to have more boxing, the postponements of Fernando Vargas-Ricardo Mayorga (set for Sept 8), Juan Manuel Marquez-Rocky Juarez (Sept 15) and Vitali Klitschko-Jameel McCline (Sept 22) allow us to appreciate some upcoming fights of greater substance.
While Marquez-Juarez looked a decent enough WBC 130-pound title defense, it was built on shaky foundations. Original challenger Jorge Barrios had failed even to make the super featherweight limit in his previous fight, and when Barrios suffered retinal tears, Juarez was called in despite looking pedestrian in his last outing.
When Juan Manuel was forced to withdraw last week with a knuckle infection, the general response was one of annoyance rather than great loss in the boxing community – although it is unfortunate that the whole card got scrapped. Fight fans won’t get their quick fix this weekend, but there’s a better plot thread to follow in the same division very soon.
This Friday, Humberto Soto takes a tune-up to prepare for his long-awaited world title shot, scheduled against WBO 130-pound titlist Joan Guzman on November 17. While his fight vs the 18-13 Ismael Gonzalez in Mexico will have little profile, it will allow “La Zorrita” to remain fighting fit following a June KO of Bobby Pacquiao.
A lightweight who took Soto into the tenth round in late 2004, Gonzalez plays the sacrificial lamb in Los Mochis, Mexico, on September 14, to what might be the heir apparent at 130-pounds. A relaxed, brutal puncher, Soto has been kept waiting since outpunching Rocky Juarez two years ago for the WBC interim title and battering Ivan Valle in a WBC eliminator over a year ago.
Thanks to the cooperation between rival outfits Top Rank (who have developed Soto) and Golden Boy Promotions (who have a stake in Guzman); Humberto finally gets his big chance. As part of the same arrangement, Manny Pacquiao rematches Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Barring any accidents, such as cuts, bruises and head clashes on the weekend, the 42-5-2 (26 KOs) Soto could enter the big Guzman fight with a considerable advantage, by keeping in fighting trim. Like Guzman, Soto is a big super featherweight who struggles to boil down to 130-pounds. Guzman, 31, hasn’t fought since last December in a dull decision over Antonio Davis.
Indeed, the slick Dominican (27-0, 17) came in two-and-a-half pounds over the weight in his super feather debut against Javier Jauregei, his stamina looked suspect in an otherwise very good win over Barrios last year, and he would already be a lightweight if a hand injury hadn’t kept him out of a planned lightweight bout vs Michael Katsidis.
Not the best preparation to take on as well schooled and powerful a fighter as Soto.
Soto may have just the edge he needs as he heads in to the most important fight of his decade-long career. Despite all the hype about being trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr, Guzman will have nine months of rust to shake off against the toughest opponent he’ll ever have faced.
Humberto Soto will be readier than he’s ever been.
VITALI’S “BACK”
Like the Marquez bout, Vitali-Klitschko-Jameel McCline was diverting people’s attention from better things. Vitali, who couldn’t meet his September 22, Munich date with Jameel McCline because of back surgery after suffering a slipped disc, falls out of the loop, but the 36-year-old was never the force he was advertised to be.
Vitali found favor after a brave and bloody loss to unpopular champion Lennox Lewis in 2003, but left the heavyweights in a fog before he could fulfil a mandatory WBC title defense against Hasim Rahman in late 2005.
Despite having the tools dominate, the injury prone Ukrainian (35-2. 24) left behind a limited legacy – knockouts over the flabby trio of Kirk Johnson, Corrie Sanders and Danny Williams, and a WBC title reign featuring a mere one defense – after retiring with knee ailment.
Indeed, there is plenty better to keep an eye on, with a pair of fights next month that promise to take the heavyweights into a new era.
The first, Samuel Peter’s (28-1, 22) belated challenge to current WBC holder Oleg Maskaev, goes ahead on October 6 in Madison Square Garden, NY.
The second, to kick off a four-man elimination tournament for the IBF crown, features Alexander Povetkin (13-0, 10) against Chris Byrd, on October 27 in Thuringen, Germany.
There is a sense of urgency about both Peter and Povetkin: while Peter, just turned 27, finally gets his crack at the green belt after some convoluted negotiations, Povetkin is being moved exceptionally quickly for a heavyweight prospect. If things go as planned, and if Vitali remains sidelined, we could even end up seeing the fresh faces – separated by no more than a year in age – against one another sooner rather than later.
But it’s not going to be plain sailing for Peter, despite assumptions that the heavy-handed Nigerian will just march in, take Maskaev’s head off and emerge as the baddest man on the planet. With so much emphasis on Maskaev’s shaky chin, there is the risk that Team Peter have overlooked the champion’s punch and fighting heart.
The attributes that enabled him to return from some terrible KO losses and make one of the most dramatic comebacks of recent years with that late KO of Rahman.
While it’s a winnable fight for Peter, it’s a worry he hasn’t stayed busy while waiting for his crack at Maskaev. He looked sharp and hurtful in his rematch win over James Toney early this year, but still has flab to burn off and his skills are in embryo. Had he done what Soto has, and taken a stay-busy bout, his momentum would be more convincing
We’ve all seen the alternative, when a lumbering, slow, flabby Peter failed to finish off Wladimir Klitschko, en route to conceding a points defeat back in 2005.
For his own sake, that Peter cannot turn up.
There are no such questions about Alexander Povetkin’s pedigree or conditioning. The man who won Gold at Super Heavyweight in Athens (and had a successful kickboxing career) is making serious strides in the pros and never carries more weight than he needs. Despite being little more than two years in the paid ranks, he’s already a ranked contender thanks to an accomplished win over Larry Donald.
Displaying superb ring intelligence, the 6’ 2”, 230-pound Povetkin controlled every round in last June, winning 100-90 on all cards after ten rounds. Against former WBO and IBF titlist Byrd on October 27, Povetkin faces another crafty defensive fighter.
Given the young contender’s skill and variety, it’ll be a huge task for Byrd, now 37 and coming off a hiding against Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF belt in April of 2006. It’s be the closest the Detroit southpaw will come to his fight with Ike Ibeabuchi way back in ‘99, when punished in five by the raging “President Ike.” While Povetkin will never be the monster that the now-incarcerated Nigerian was, his compact punches, fast hands and superior boxing brain make him a special talent.
And it makes him bad news for all ageing ex-champs out there.
Byrd stopped the rot with a seven round retirement win over Paul Marinaccio in Nassau, Bahamas of all places, in April. Despite his defensive skills, Byrd has a real fighting heart, as seen in his slugfests with bigger men Andrew Golota and Jameel McCline, and should be a decent test for the future heavyweight star.
But the more he’s given to think about, the better Povetkin responds with calculated, compact attacks.
Vitali Klitschko may fight his way to a title shot again, but the fighters that matter at heavyweight are leaving him behind. The fun starts in October and there’ll be no looking back when Peter and Povetkin get in full swing.
