It's Monday. Welcome back for another edition of Observe and Fight, The Boxing Observer's compilation of observations and random thoughts from the week that was in boxing. Get caught up on some of the most recent events you may have missed out on, including the official announcement of Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2, the impact this has on Floyd Mayweather, a recap of this weekend's fights, and much more. Without further ado, check out the latest observations from the Boxing Observer, David Kassel.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley 2 is set for April 12th in Las Vegas. The first fight produced one of the most controversial decisions in boxing history as Bradley was rewarded a split decision win in what most viewed as a clear Pacquiao victory. The fight itself would have been forgettable had it not been for the decision, but since then, Bradley has gone on to win the 2013 Fight of the Year contest against Ruslan Provodnikov before defeating Juan Manuel Marquez in a beautiful performance. Since the first fight with Bradley, Pacquiao was knocked unconscious against Juan Manuel Marquez before coming back to easily defeat Brandon Rios via unanimous decision in China. If anyone thinks this fight will look like the first, they are sorely mistaken. In a WAY TO EARLY prediction, I'm going with Timothy Bradley to defeat Manny Pacquiao in the rematch.
What does the announcement of Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 mean for Floyd Mayweather? There were a lot of rumblings that Bradley was waiting for his contract with Top Rank to expire in hopes of securing a showdown with Mayweather. According to reports, Bradley signed a contract extension with Top Rank, so a Mayweather fight is off the table since Mayweather will not do business with Bob Arum. In my opinion, it is the worst kept secret in the world that Mayweather will be fighting Amir Khan in May, but who does that leave as an opponent for September? Danny Garcia's name (rumors have Garcia fighting Mauricio Herrera in March in Puerto Rico) is still out there, but we may not see that fight (as long as Garcia continues to win) until 2015 when Garcia will have time to become a full-fledged welterweight. Marcos Maidana is still in the mix, but if he does not get back into the ring for his rematch with Adrien Broner until June, that wouldn't give Maidana enough time to recover and prepare for Mayweather. Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman aren't big enough names. Same goes for Erislandy Lara. To be perfectly honest, after Khan, I don't see any options for Mayweather other than Danny Garcia. A Bradley fight would have been great, but because of the Cold War between Golden Boy and Top Rank, boxing fans may yet again be denied the best possible fight.
Mikey Garcia is most definitely one of the 10 best fighters in the world. If you want to use the argument that Juan Carlos Burgos almost put him down in the 2nd round, or that Roman Martinez previously put him on the canvas with a flash knockdown, I'll argue that Shane Mosley had Floyd Mayweather out on his feet. Does that mean Mayweather isn't the best? Not at all. Saturday night, Garcia proved that he is an elite fighter because he forced Burgos, who is one tough S.O.B., into survival mode. From the first jab Garcia landed in the first round, it was clear to the viewing audience, and to Burgos, that Garcia has the goods. The scary thing is that he is only going to get better. Imagine what Garcia can do when he expands his repertoire to include a full-blown body attack. He could be untouchable for awhile.
Lamont Peterson proved that he has mentally gotten over the knockout loss to Lucas Matthysse. Peterson looked very impressive in his win against Dierry Jean Saturday night, and he looked more determined than ever (even showboating a bit during the fight). However, I'm still not sold that Peterson is among the "elite" fighters in the game. Danny Garcia is still the top guy at 140, and I don't see Peterson hanging with Danny "Swift" for 12 rounds. Does that make Peterson a bum? Absolutely not! It does mean that Peterson will never crack any P4P rankings though.
Jermell Charlo is 100% ready for a world title shot. His twin brother, Jermall, is getting his chance March 8th against Carlos Molina, probably before he is deserving of it. To me, Jermell has done much more to prove his worth than Jermall. Jermell's win over Gabriel Rosado Saturday night was the last big test I wanted to see Charlo pass. He was in with a world-class, aggressive puncher, and Charlo did not lose his composure or have to change his game plan. I don't know what is next for Jermell Charlo, but I sure hope to see him in a world title fight soon.
Bryant Jennings, on the other hand, isn't quite ready for a world title shot. Don't get me wrong, Jennings looked very good against Artur Szpilka Saturday night, but keep in mind that he was fighting Artur Szpilka. Jennings was not fighting a top heavyweight. I would like to see Jennings in with Tony Thompson in his next fight. If Jennings can pass that test, then maybe I'd like to see him fight for a world title.
What a great win for WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck! A lot of people thought that Firat Arslan won the first meeting between the two fighters, so Huck decided he would leave no doubt this time. It was very competitive through the first 5 rounds, but in the 6th, Huck landed a right hand that sent Arslan down, eventually leading to another knockdown, before the referee called a halt to the bout moments later as Arslan was unable to defend himself. I sure hope that it's only a matter of time until Huck faces Yoan Pablo Hernandez to determine supremacy in the under-appreciated cruiserweight division. I know Huck wants his chance at a Klitschko, but cruiserweight is definitely his best option. I thank ESPN3 for broadcasting the fight live in the United States because the cruiserweight division is one of the best, and most competitive, in boxing. Since HBO isn't picking up coverage of Gennady Golovkin's fight this coming Saturday in Monte Carlo, maybe ESPN3 might think about picking up the broadcast feed as well.
What a show put on by Curtis "Showtime" Stevens! I thought Stevens was going to knock out Patrick Majewski, but I didn't think it would only take 46 seconds. Stevens is right back in the mix, and I would LOVE to see a fight between he and middleweight titlist Peter Quillin! Stevens called for Quillin right after his knockout victory, and I see no reason why that fight cannot happen.
Antonio Orozco is a very exciting fighter, and I can't wait to see more of him in the future. Orozco scored a 2nd round TKO win over veteran Miguel Huerta Friday night, including a knockdown which had Huerta clear off the ground on his way to the canvas. Yes, Huerta tested Orozco's chin and hurt Orozco in the 1st round, but Orozco showed serious heart against a veteran fighter who had 18 previous knockout wins. When Orozco came back in the 2nd round, he seemed rejuvenated and finished the job. Expect to see Orozco fight in the near future on a Showtime Championship Boxing undercard. Can you imagine a fight between Orozco and undefeated lightweight Omar Figueroa? I'm salivating just thinking about it!
I know Golden Boy Promotions and Al Haymon are trying to push their young prospects, especially its 2012 U.S. Olympians, but did we really need to see heavyweight Dominic Breazeale fight a poor man's "Butterbean?" I was fairly excited to see this card because, not only was the main event going to be competitive, but the undercard had some promise. That was when I was under the impression that the IBF junior middleweight eliminator fight between former champion Cornelius Bundrage and Joey Hernandez was going to be televised. Little did I know that I would be subjected to an out-of-shape looking Beazeale opening the telecast against a 298lb punching bag. What a joke! I know that Breazeale is a prospect, but those types of fights don't have any business being on national television, PERIOD! It's no secret that it's good to be an Al Haymon fighter, and this was Exhibit One. Julian Ramirez, on the other hand, got in 8 solid rounds against a very game opponent, Derrick Wilson, which will serve the young, 20-year-old fighter well in the future.
Thomas Williams Jr. vs. Cornelius White is the leading candidate for Round of the Year! If you missed the ESPN Friday Night Fights main event this past Friday, you missed the most exciting 2 minutes 49 seconds of action so far in 2014. The first big punch was landed by Williams Jr., just seconds into the fight, which sent White to the canvas. Another big punch stunned White, but as Williams Jr. went in for the kill, White nailed him on the chin with a stunning left hook, sending Williams Jr. down. Williams Jr. was able to make it up, but was on wobbly legs. As White attacked, Williams Jr. played defense while counter-punching with big bombs. With under a minute to go, Williams Jr. landed a right hook to the top of White's head. White beat the count, but it was not easy, and the referee let him continue. Then, it was only a matter of time and just a few seconds later, the referee jumped in to stop the barrage of punches coming from Williams Jr. Anytime both fighters get knocked down in the same round, it is worthy of attention. One thing Williams Jr., now 16-0, is going to have to be careful about is opponents trying to take advantage of his aggressiveness. Williams Jr. did not look in the greatest of shape for this fight, and White sent him down, and almost out, in the first round. Williams Jr. is one of the most prized prospects in boxing, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop as the competition gets better.
It's still January and we have, yet another, candidate for Knockout of the Year! If you missed it, be sure to check YouTube for Felix Verdejo's 1st round knockout of Lauro Alcantar Saturday night. It came from a devastating left hook. Verdejo is the real deal, and you'll see why in the next couple of years.
Rico Ramos still has some pop left in that left hand. Ramos, who won his only world title by knocking out Akifumi Shimoda in 2011, is now 3-3 since that fight, but seemed very comfortable fighting at featherweight against Jonathan Arrellano Friday night. It will be tough for Ramos, but there is a possibility to see him get another chance at a world title in the future.
Even though it is Super Bowl weekend, don't forget about the boxing action going on. Victor Ortiz makes his much anticipated return Thursday night against Luis Collazo, which promises to be very entertaining. On the undercard, Gary Russell Jr. returns from injury in a scheduled 8-rounder. Gennady Golovkin is fighting on Saturday as well.
Each week, I feature an email from a fan on Observe and Fight. This week's email comes to us from Kelvin T. regarding Andre Ward's next move...
"Yo Dave, what is going on with Andre Ward? He beat up (Edwin) Rodriguez last year, but we haven't heard much from him since. There aren't any options for him in his division so who will he face next? I would like to see him in against Bernard Hopkins myself."
That's a good question, Kelvin. The time is now for Andre Ward. While he is still, arguably, the 2nd best fighter in boxing, he is beginning to show signs of breaking down due to injuries. Ward has made comments that, at 29-years-old, he doesn't want to stick around in boxing any longer than he has to. He is currently involved in another legal battle, his 2nd one, with promoter Dan Goossen. Ward says he hopes to return to the ring in March or April, but as those dates get closer, it seems unlikely he'll return in March. One name that could be interesting for Ward is George Groves, who gave Carl Froch all he could handle. Groves is trying to secure a rematch with Froch, but Froch seems in no hurry to step back into the ring with Groves anytime soon. Froch says he wants a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., if Chavez can beat Bryan Vera on March 1st. That might leave the door open for a Ward vs. Groves showdown. While Ward would be the heavy favorite, and he definitely wants his next fight to take place in the United States, if Groves is a serious possibility, Ward might think about traveling to the United Kingdom for what would probably be the biggest payday of his life. There are a lot of variables out there. Bernard Hopkins is off the table because he is a Golden Boy fighter, which means he only fights on Showtime. Ward is tied to HBO right now (I'm not sure if his contract with Goossen is also tied to HBO). Another possibility is to see Curtis Stevens make a move up to 168-lbs for a payday and try to take Ward's title, since Stevens barely broke a sweat on Saturday. Ward has a lot of options, but one thing I can almost assure you is that whomever Ward fights next, he'll be a big favorite.
That's all I've got for this week. Email any questions or comments to dkassel@fighthype.com and I will answer them throughout the week. Your email may be featured in the next "Observe and Fight." Follow me on Twitter @BoxingObserver, and be sure to "Like" The Boxing Observer on Facebook.
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