Fighter Of The Week - Sakio Bika

This week we have chosen Sakio Bika as our 

fighter of the week...

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97 - @BoxingOpinions1

The main event was crazy, it was exciting, it was the one we all wanted to watch, but the performance from the winner Adrien Broner wasn't really a show-stealing performance. In fact nobdoy on the show last night, except for maybe Malignaggi, put on a better performance than we were expecting. But one man for me that does deserve a lot of credit is Sakio Bika. After years of trying and four previous attempts, the 34-year old finally achieved his dream of becoming world champion.

Continue reading...

Arthur Abraham Vs Robert Stieglitz II - Fight Preview

By James McKnight @JamesMcKnight83.

'King Arthur' Abraham aims to defend the WBO super-middleweight title against Robert Stieglitz on Saturday, March 23. 

The pair are set to clash for a second time after their first meeting occurred last August in Berlin, Germany. This time around they meet at the GETEC arena in Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.

Abraham, 33, is Armenian-born, but is now a resident of Berlin, compared to Stieglitz, 31, who was born in Russia but now resides in Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt. This, of course, now means that Stieglitz has home advantage, whereas before Abraham did. 

Ward eyes Pavlik or a move up to 175lb...

Andre 'S.O.G' Ward.

You would think that after beating just about every guy who has been put in front of him and now being considered as the second best fighter on the planet, Andre Ward would be in a fantastic position right now. Well, unfortunately there's a slight problem... 'S.O.G' has just about wiped out the whole of the super-middleweight division, meaning there is now not really any testing fights out there for him.

When asked about this problem on the Boxing Lab Radio, this is what Ward said: "That's a good problem to have if I'm going to have any problems. I'm happy about that... I'm aware of what we've done up until this point and there are not a lot of options at 168. I think you have one or two guys that are the top but I've either already fought them or it's probably not realistic to make a fight. And you have young guys that are on their way up to contender status and those aren't really options either so I really don't know what's next."

However, there is still one fighter out there that Ward wouldn't mind facing.

"I mean you guys got like Kelly Pavlik out there," said Ward. "I know he's got one more shot left in him and he's mentioned my name and not disrespectfully. He's just saying that he wants another crack at a top guy so Kelly is definitely an option. He's got a name and he's still a tough fighter."

Ward still hasn't ruled out a move up in weight and is excited by the light-heavyweight division.

"And of course the 175 pound division which I'm excited about. I don't know if its going to be my next fight but I'm just excited about that next challenge and I think my body is going to be happy about having that extra weight on me as well. I think I'm going to be a lot stronger."

 

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

'Super Frank' does it again!

'Super' Frank Buglioni had yet another early night on Friday (September 14th) as he made light work of Joe Rea, finishing him in just two rounds.

It was a slight step up for Buglioni who has still now only had six fights but he did exactly the same to the Irishman that he did to the rest of the guys he has been fighting so far. Buglioni showed composure and just waited for the knockout to come as he was very confident that it would. He had Rea down in the first and then just dominated him in the second before the ref was forced to stop the fight.

There are still people moaning about the level of opposition that Buglioni has faced, like there is with most up and coming fighters, but what most people seem to forget is that he has only had six fights, there is no need to rush this guy. He seems to be improving every time we see him and has a bright and exciting future ahead of him. He's the type of guy he will be in exciting fights over and over again because he has a style that the fans want to see.

Team Martinez: Fight Only Happens If Ward Moves Down...

"Middleweight King" Sergio Martinez.

Super-middleweight ruler Andre Ward.

Recently, there have been a lot of people calling for a fight between the world No.1 middleweight Sergio Martinez and the WBC super-middleweight world champion, who are considered as the two bets fighters on the planet other than Floyd Mayweather. However, it has now been revealed that the fight will only happen one way... And that's if Andre Ward moves down to 160lb.

Sergio Martinez's adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz, has revealed that his fighter will never fight at super-middleweight, and the only way a fight with Ward can happen is if Ward decides to drop down in weight.

"If Andre Ward moves down to 160 pounds, the fight will happen," said Lewkowicz. "Sergio Martinez would never turn down any challenge in the middleweight division.  However, Sergio will never move up to 168 pounds or fight Ward at a catch-weight. We are ready to fight anyone in the middleweight division or at 154 pounds, or Floyd Mayweather Jr or Manny Pacquiao at 152."

"Martinez is a blown-up 154 pounder, who chooses to fight in the middleweight division. He made weight for this fight last week. He will never fight at super-middleweight."

At the moment, I'm not sure whether to be happy or disappointed. The chances of a fight between Ward and Martinez have decreased slightly but at least they're actually talking about the fight. The fact that one of Martinez's team has talked about Ward publicly does show that they see him as an option.

However, there is one thing you still need to remember. Martinez faces Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday and he must get through him face. If Chavez wins on Saturday everything changes. It would then be likely that we would see Chavez move up to super-middleweight to fight Ward. Let's just hope Martinez hasn't made a big mistake and looked past Chavez.

 

By Jack Price (@PriceyJ97)

Abraham becomes two-weight world champ!



Abraham (centre) with the WBO super-middlweight title. 



'Amazing!' That is the only word I can use to sum up this fight. Maybe the intensity and the excitement of the event was just increased because it had been so long since any of us boxing fans had seen a world class televised fight. But anyway, you're not here to hear me ramble on about how excited I am that the boxing season has started again. You're here to read about what actually happened in the highly anticipated super-middleweight fight between Arthur Abraham and Robert Stieglitz.

I think the reason that this fight was as good as it was, is because both men wanted it so bad. It was a crossroads fight and both of them had something to prove. I think it's fair to say that going into this fight we were thinking that if Abraham didn't win then his career as a world-class fighter was over. On the other hand, we all also knew that Stieglitz was desperate to be victorious because he had to prove that he belonged with the top-level fighters at super-middleweight.

It was clear from the beginning that Abraham was not fighting with the same game-plan that he usually does. For anyone who has seen the German-based Armenian fight before, you will know that he usually just lasts through the first half of the fight without really throwing any punches and then from around the 6th or 7th round onwards he tries to wear his opponent down until they give up. But this time things were different. The 32-year old came out strong and fast and clearly won the first round. This was a sign that he knew that this was potentially his last chance at proving he was a force to be reckoned with at super-middleweight. Howeveer, Stieglitz was not just going to lay down and let Abraham walk away with the opportunity. The German-based Russian came back strong and threw more punches in the next few rounds than Abraham probably did in the whole fight. He even hurt the usually iron-jawed Abraham on occasions. When it got to the eighth round, I had it scored even and there were just no clues as to who was going to win. Abraham had just won the last round but he was looking very tired, whereas Stieglitz had blood pouring from his right eye and a bruise above his left but was still looking fresh when he threw his punches. The next four rounds were once again very close, except for the last round which Stieglitz clearly won.

At the end of the fight I had it scored 115-114 to Abraham but I could have easily had it the other way round. The judges scorecards were 116-112, 116-112 & 115-113, all in favour of Abraham. There was no arguments about the winner, I just think the scorecards were slightly wide.

One thing I did notice on Twitter after the fight is how many people were now fans of Stieglitz even though he lost th fight. A lot of people had not really seen much of him before and even though he lost, he still showed a lot of heart and courage and also proved that he can compete with some top-class fighters at the weight.

Abraham is now in the best position he has been in since moving up to super-middleweight. He is now a two-weight world champion and back up there with the top-level fighters. Whilst I don't think there's much chance of him beating the likes of Andre Ward and Carl Froch, there's still a lot big fights out there for him.

Froch opponent announcement delayed until next week...

Froch with his IBF title.

The next opponent for IBF super-middleweight champion and British fan favourite Carl Froch was expected to be announced today (August 20th) but it has now been delayed to Tuesday August 28th. 

It has been confirmed that he will fight on November 17th, and the venue will be the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. But we will have to wait a little longer to find out who he will be fighting on that highly anticipated date.  

There has been plenty of rumours as to who it will be but there has been no little hints or inklings from Froch or his promoter Eddie Hearn. As the date draws closer it seems like the most likely opponent is Kelly Pavlik. The American has made his controversial thoughts on Froch known and has repeatedly said that he wants to fight the 35-year old. Mikel Kessler and Thomas Oosthuizen have been almost completely ruled out as potential opponents and the only other notable fighter that has been mentioned is fellow brit James DeGale. Maybe it could be just a walkover fight for him but as you all know, this is very unlikely for 'The Cobra'. 

Tickets for the fight will go on sale at 3pm on the day that the opponent is announced.

Groves shakes off ring rust!

British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves returned to the ring last night (July 28th) after just over 8 months out of the ring and just one and a half rounds of action in just 14 months. The 24-year old shook off his ring rust and defeated Francisco Sierra by 6th round KO.

It was a decent performance from Groves but Sierra, who I think was underestimated by a lot of people made it very tough for the Brit. Many people expected it to be an easy comeback fight for Groves but Sierra had different ideas. He took every shot that Groves threw at him and at one point it just looked as though he was never going to be hurt. He even had Groves hurt with a body-shot at one point. It took Groves a few rounds to shake off the rust and then as Sierra started to tire, he took advantage and finished in fantastic style. He landed a left-hook, right hand combo that sent Sierra crashing from the canvas. It was clear at this point that Groves, who is known as a devastating finisher, was going to end this fight right then and there. Sierra got up and came powering forward yet again but Groves landing a solid right hand that was followed by a barrage of punches and Sierra's corner were forced to throw in the towel.

The only negative thing to say about Groves at the moment is that sometimes he gets dragged into a brawl and lets his heart rule his head. This is okay if you're a Carl Froch or Juan Manuel Marquez type of fighter but I don't think Groves is cut out to fight in that type of way. Especially as he is only 24-years old and if he continues to fight on in that type of way, it could potentially affect him in the future.

Bute Vs Grachev looking likely for November 3rd...

Bute embraces Froch after his devastating defeat.

Former IBF super-middleweight champion and pound-for-pound contender Lucian Bute is looking to return to the ring on November 3rd. The most likely opponent for him at the moment is Denis Grachev.

Bute is coming off of a devastating knock out loss to British No.1 Carl Froch that has left a massive dent in his career and his reputation. Before the loss, the Canadian-based Romanian was considered to be one of the best fighters in the world but after the loss he is now just considered as a half-decent fighter that was over-hyped. 

Bute, 32, has still got a contractual right to a rematch with Froch but is highly unlikely that he will take it anytime soon. He will likely want to build up his confidence with a few 'winnable' fights and then maybe take the step back up to world title level. 

Grachev however, is coming off of a performance that turned a lot of heads for the right reasons. The 29-year old rose off of the canvas to come back and halt the heavily hyped Ismayl Sillack. 

I know there will be a lot of people that will moan about this fight but personally, I think its a pretty decent fight. It will be a good test for Bute both mentally and physically. Grachev is not a guy that will just let someone walk over him... He's an undefeated prospect that will come to win. 

Despite everything that has happened recently, Bute will still be a huge favourite going into the fight. But, as we all know by now... This means nothing in boxing. It all depends on what happens on the night and this could be a fantastic opportunity for Grachev to prove to people that he is a future superstar of this sport.

Kelly Pavlik, not impressed with Froch

Kelly Pavlik.

Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik is looking to make his way back to the top of the sport and to do that he may one day have to face British fan favourite and current IBF super-middleweight champ Carl Froch on his journey.

Froch after his victory over Lucian Bute.

Froch looked fantastic against Lucian Bute in his most recent fight on May 26th but Pavlik has revealed that he thinks that the 'Cobra' is just not that impressive. He also claims that the Nottingham man is nowhere near the same level as fellow American super-middleweight Andre Ward.

In an interview with BoxingScene.com Pavlik said: "In most of his fights, if you go look at them, he gets in wars and he gets hit a lot. If you go back and watch, even the Taylor fight, he was getting beaten up the whole entire time in that fight.... Bad. If Taylor would have taken one more knee, and if he would have survived, he was that far ahead on the scorecards [that he would have won]. I think he's a rough, gritty guy and he has power, don't get me wrong, but I just don't see him as a top, top guy of the weight class. I don't think that he is at the level that Ward is.

Pavlik's next outing is on July 7th at the Home Depot Centre in Carson, California. He faces Will Rosinsky in a HBO co-feature event. It will be his fourth fight in a row at 168lb or heavier.

Chavez Jr moving up to 168lb after Lee fight...

Chavez Jr after his fight with Rubio (the heaviest he ever weighed for a fight).

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr's trainer Freddie Roach has made it clear and simple that after the Mexican's title defence against Andy Lee tonight (June 16th), he will likely be moving up to the super-middleweight division.

"After this fight, we'll probably goo to 168" said Roach.

It has been known for a long time that Chavez struggles to make the weight limit at middleweight. On the night of his fights, he sometimes weighs in at over 180lb. Which means who puts on around 20lb in one day. It's pretty obvious that this is not good for the body and explains why he sometimes looks a little slow and drowsy in the ring.

If he manages to beat his Irish opponent Andy Lee tonight then it is almost certain that the WBC champ will be moving up. Roach also claimed that his fighter's weight was less of a problem for this fight for one reason:

"We had the weight come down a lot earlier," explained Roach.

Roach also revealed that after this bout, he would like Chavez to face Kelly Pavlik, which would be a great fight. But, he also stated that if a fight with Sergio Martinez does come about, they will take it straight away. Chavez has been constantly criticised for ducking Martinez, who many believe is the true world middleweight champ, but Team Chavez claim that they are willing and ready to take the fight.

Pavlik batters Sigmon!

Super-middleweight contender Kelly Pavlik put on a dominant performance against Scott Sigmon on Friday night (June 8th). He battered the American from round-to-round until the fight was finally stopped by the ringside doctor at the start of the eighth round.

On the undercard, young super-bantamweight prospect Jesse Magdaleno demolished his opponent Carlos Valcarcel in just one round. Magdaleno now has an unblemished record of 10 wins from 10 fights with 7 KO's. He is looking to be a definite star of the future.

Other fights on the card included light-heavyweight prospect Mike Lee winning a six-round unanimous decision over Eliseo Durazo and Rudy Puga stopping Tommy Turner in just two rounds. Another great fight was between two great lightweights in Gerardo Robles and Roger Gonzalez. Robles upset the fan favourite Gonzalez winning by a majority decision.

All these fights were good, but the main focus of the night was Kelly Pavlik. The 30-year old is desperately trying to prove that he is still a top contender at world level in the super-middleweight division. Since his losses to Sergio Martinez and Bernard Hopkins he has tried to re-group but hasn't been able to land another big fight in the last two years.

It was a fantastic performance from 'The Ghost' and it may have just boosted his chances of getting another world title shot.

Carl Froch puts on performance of his life!

On Saturday May 26th 2012 boxing fans witnessed one of the greatest performances ever by a British boxer. Carl Froch upset the odds and halted Lucian Bute in just 5 rounds to become the new IBF super-middleweight champion and three time world champion.

There were a lot of people who doubted Froch and Bute was a huge bookies favourite. The reason for this is that Bute was an undefeated fighter and had already made nine successful defences of his title. But, right from the off, it was clear that 'The Cobra' just had too much for the Canadian-based Romanian and the crowd were behind their man all the way. Every punch that knocked Bute's head back was followed by a roar from a 10,000 strong crowd. It was in the third round that it became clear that Froch was just inches away from becoming a world champion once again. There were a few shots that landed by Bute but they had no affect on the man with the iron chin. The fourth round was more of the same, Froch throwing flurries of punches and Bute looking as though he had nothing left. And then in the fifth, Froch pinned Bute against the ropes and finished the 33-year old off once and for all. It was a bit of a late stoppage but nobody cared... the crowd went crazy and Froch was the new super-middleweight champion of the world.

Froch hurt Bute on numerous occasions.

It was a dominating performance by the 35-year old Brit and he looked better than ever, even after being easily outclassed against pound-for-pound contender Andre Ward. Many people believe now that if he had performed like that against Andre Ward he may have even beat him.

It just goes to show that a fighter can be made to look good even if they only a 'B-class' fighter. Bute had never really fought anybody of any note but he was still ranked near the top of many people's pound-for-pound lists. This was his first fight in the "premier division" and he did not look like he could handle it at all.

Froch had a lot of fans going into this fight and I think after such a great performance he will have even more. There was no flaws and he showed boxing skills and controlled aggression to become the new champion of the world. Its onwards and upwards from here for 'The Cobra' as he has many options as to who he can fight next, and Froch being the fighter that he is he will not take the easy way out. His next few defences of the title will no doubt be against top class opponents and I'm looking forward to seeing the warrior back in action again.

Kessler arrives at light-heavy!

WBC silver champion Mikel Kessler.

Mikkel Kessler has made his mark on the light-heavyweight division after pulling off a fantastic one-punch knock out against Allan Green. It wasn't the best we've ever seen 'The Viking Warrior' perform but it showed us that he still has what it takes to mix it with the best in the world, and even more impressively in a heavier weight division than what he usually fights at.

Kessler scores a devastating knockout victory.

It was a worrying start for the 33-year old as he found himself climbing off the canvas in round one. Green looked as though he was going to finish Kessler's career right there and then, but once Kessler (45-2, 34 KO's) managed to tighten up his defence and stick to his boxing it became a pretty one-sided fight from then on. He managed to start landing left hook's at will and then in the fourth round he landed a monstrous shot that sent Green (31-4, 21 KO's) flying down towards the canvas.

Although, it was a good performance from Kessler, it was clear that he is not the same fighter that he used to be. His age seems to be catching up with him, in and out of the ring as he has also revealed he finds it hard to make the 168lb weight limit for the super-middleweight division. He actually weighed in for this fight at 169lb so  at the moment it looks like he could end up becoming stuck between weight divisions.

It's not clear as to who is lined up for Kessler next but there has been a big call for a light-heavyweight showdown between him and WBO world champion Nathan Cleverly. This would be a great fight for the fans and both men as the bout would make a lot of money as both fighters have huge fan bases in Europe. This would be a risky fight for Kessler to take as Cleverly is an up and coming fighter that is still young, fresh and hungry so he will want this win to earn a big name on his record.

A return to super-middleweight seems like a more sensible idea for Kessler as he only just made it over the minimum weight limit for the light-heavyweight division and his power and skill seems to be much more effective at the lighter weight.

Ward Vs Dawson looking even more likely...

Andre Ward                                 Chad Dawson

According to reports, pound-for-pound contender Andre Ward has contacted the WBC and asked them to reinstate him as the full world champion instead of the "champion in recess." The reason for this is that he is looking to take part in a 'super-fight' with light-heavyweight world champion Chad Dawson.

This means that the fight is almost a definite for September 8th and it also means that it will be Dawson who moves down in weight as the fight will be for the WBC super-middleweight title. Dawson's trainer John Scully has said that he is not very happy about Dawson dropping to super-middleweight as he hasn't fought at that weight since 2006. But, 'Bad' Chad is obviously ignoring this advice as he has said on numerous occasions that he is willing to drop from 175lb to 168lb.

The WBC had ordered a vacant title fight between interim champ Nikola Sjekloca and super-middleweight contender Anthony Dirrell, but Dirrell has been involved in a motorcycle accident that has put him out of action for around six months. According to promoter Yvon Michel, the WBC is waiting to see how long Dirrell will be out for before they make a move.

No matter what happens with the titles, Ward Vs Dawson is almost a definite fight for September and it is looking very likely that it will happen at super-middleweight. With the WBC world title on the line, it would be a lot more interesting. But, either way, it is a good and interesting fight.

Rodriguez willing to replace Dirrell...

Edwin 'La Bomba' Rodriguez.

Undefeated super-middleweight Edwin Rodriguez has announced that he is more than willing and ready to face Nikola Sjekloca for the vacant WBC title. The No.1 contender for the title was Anthony Dirrell but he was involved in a motorcycle accident that has put him out of action for over six months.

Nikola Sjekloca

The title became vacant when Andre Ward was made 'champ in recess'  by the WBC due to a hand injury that had seen him out of the ring and training for a long time. Sjekloca and Dirrell were chosen to fight for the title but now a new opponent is needed, and 'La Bomba' is ready to take the test.

"This is why I signed with Lou DiBella... It's my time and I'm ready to replace Dirrell against Sjekloca. If anybody can get this opportunity for me it's Lou."


Rodriguez has a perfect record of 21 wins from 21 and fights and 14 KO's but he wants to step up his game and start to face a higher level of competition. The 27-year old has been showcased on HBO, ESPN and three times on Shobox, and every time he has been given the chance to prove himself, he has. In his last five fights he has beaten the likes of Aaron Pryor, Don George and James McGirt who are all world rated fighters.


"We're ready for the best but it looks like Ward's moving up in weight and Bute's tied-up with Froch," said Rodriguez's manager Larry Army. "Right now, though, Edwin has earned a world title shot and we're confident he's ready to fight and beat Sjekloca."


Sjekloca is the reigning WBC international super-middleweight champion and also has a perfect record of 24 wins from that many fights but he is yet to face an opponent of any note. The most known opponent that he has faced so far is former European champ and world title challenger Khoren Gevor who isn't really a big name to have on your record. 


Rodriguez is moving up the rankings fast and looks destined to become one of the best in the super-middleweight division. He is ranked No.3 by the IBF, No.5 by the WBC and No.10 by the Ring Magazine. He will no doubt shoot even higher up the rankings if he does lands a shot at the WBC title and puts on a dominant performance to win the belt.

Dawson willing to move down to fight Ward...

'Bad' Chad Dawson.

WBC light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson has revealed that he is tired of fighting older opponents and he wants to challenge some of the best fighters in the world. Starting with the No.1 super-middleweight and top pound-for-pound contender Andre Ward. Dawson has even said that he is willing to move down to 168 to make the fight happen.

No.1 Super-middleweight Andre Ward.

"I can make 168. 175 is where I'm at and I'm on top of the division. I can make 168 so any of the guys down there, any of the big names, I'm ready for it," said the 29-year old.

The 'old' opponents that Dawson is talking about are Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson who were all beaten by 'Bad' Chad. All of these fighters are way past their best so Dawson probably feels that he still hasn't properly proved himself. This is why he is looking to seek out new challenges at super-middlweight. However, he has said that he would stay at light-heavyweight if he gets the opportunity to fight the winner of Tavoris Cloud Vs Jean Pascal.

Pascal is the only person that has beaten Dawson in his 32-fight career. The fight was stopped because of a cut and had to go to the scorecards early. Pascal was the clear winner but 'Bad' Chad did have the Frenchman in trouble towards the end of the fight. The Cloud-Pascal fight takes place on August 11th which is a problem as Dawson has already said that he wants to return to the ring in September, so the fight that we will likely see is Dawson Vs Ward.

Personally, I think a clash with Ward would be a lot better for boxing fans and the two fighters as they will know if either of them can mix it up with the best of a different weight division. Ward will likely have a little too much for Dawson but it has the potential to be a great fight.

George Groves hopes to return in the next few weeks!

@IFILMLONDON