A couple other thoughts... Gamboa will be a very strong fighter for years too come. I think he is far from showing us his best at this stage. I think Juanma is excellent, however is being over rated slightly due to his power at this point. I can see Gamboa using his superior handspeed, boxing ability all round, and taking JuanMa in an excellent fight. Both fighters need to build a better name for themselves first though, which i have no doubt they will do over the next year. This is one of the best potential fights in boxing IMO.
Do you see him beating guys like Cotto, Marg?. Im still not completely convinced he gets to that level or cleans the division out.
Interesting thoughts Jambo and you make some good points. Collazo doesn't have much power, but I reckon he might frustrate Berto and make him look average. I just don't really see it in Berto at the moment. He's decent is all aspects but to my opinion, lacks a certain something that the superstars have.
Maccerinelli reclaims a Cruiser title ( Providing Kronk dont send that kid up top who is going to unify the division ) Calzaghe retires but if he dosen't will be tempted only by Chad Dawson , whom he dispatches like he has done that he has fought recently by UD . Young Nathan Clevely retains his Commonwealth title and captures the European title before being mentioned in world class circles ( Keep to the order clever boy and avoid the hype ) Mundine finally quits wasting everyones time and comes back and fights Sturm and loses Kickett returns better than ever and just proves class ain't glass , Dibb ? Who knows ? Greenie finally admits he has no iterest in boxing ever again . Katsidis enjoys a couple of easy fights to get him into teh frame for a final tilt in 10 .
Vic will win all his fights this year and go P4P top 10 Bika is due.....hope he gets the big fight at SMW....he beats Froch....not Kess Dib will fight some locals to get his record going again before another shot OS. Mundine will win the vacant REGULAR title at MW Paul Briggs wont come back Cool Willie will show us that he has the goods.....again.....no rematch with Elomar Rocky gets another title shot end of year OZ HW scene.....dont know who is fighting who yet but division will have a good year and will gain interest from the public Hope Geal and Sam fight....want Geale to win to stop Mundine VS Sam 4
I think he looks good against a tough opponent in Collazo. Then would love to see him unify against Clottey. Clottey is very under rated IMO. Would be an awesome fight, i would definitely pick Berto but. See what my thoughts are after those two fights take place. One of my favourite fighters in boxing at this point.
David Haye beats Wlad to become HW champion- Can't see this fight coming off this year. Klitschko is fighting Arreola, then he has to fight Povetkin by September and I doubt he'll be in the ring again this year. Haye should really keep busy and build up his legitimacy as a heavyweight. If Kessler unifies Mundine returns to SMW to become 3 time regular belt champion. so true! Charvez Jr to KO De La Hoya- I think a lot of people are being either way too harsh on Oscar or are overestimating Chavez too much. I really don't think Chavez is anywhere near the level that Pacquiao is and combine Pacquiao's greatness with Oscar's weakened state at making 145lbs and it makes a much more formidable Oscar then anyone will give him credit for after such a bad loss. Chavez is way too green to be able to handle someone of Oscar's level right now. Haye to get spanked by Vitali, possibly go back down to cruiser to destroy Adamek. - Again I don't see Haye getting his shot at Vitali either. Vitali has to fight Gomez in March, then he has to fight Oleg Maskaev after that (taking place probably in October) leaving no time for Haye to get his shot. Either we'll have to sit through 12 months of Haye mouthing off or someone unexpected will shut him up during the year which is very plausible because Haye had a shaky chin at 200lbs (although that could have been due to the weight loss). I'll quit being a cynic now and make a few predictions of my own. Arthur Abraham destroys Daniel Geale when they fight this year proving that Geale needs to get out of his amatuer style and fight some better opposition. The Heavyweights continue in their boring ways with Vitali and Wlad holding three of the belts between them. Valuev and Chagaev have their rematch which Valuev wins comfortably on points but will lose his title if he fights anyone with a pulse (which at heavyweight equates to no one). Cunningham remembers how to use his jab and beats Adamek on points in their rematch later in the year setting up what should be an interesting rubber match early 2010. Darchinyan-Arce will win either fight of the year (if Arce wins) or KO of the year (if Vic wins). Seriously if Bob Sheridan commentates they should have paramedics sitting next to him in case he has a heart attack. Hopoate will be knocked out in a high profile fight this year proving that he is crap.
Hopkins v Adamek for the Cruiser title is the whisper I've heard. I'd be happy with a Cunningham return as well though.
I tell you what, Yuri's chin is most likely to be his undoing. Dropped again today. He's got amazing skills but if he's get dropped while fighting 2nd tier fighters, he could find himself in a spot of bother against the elite.
Wonder how well Hopkins would handle cruiserweight? If he can make it fairly comfortably, he would beat Adamek rather easily imo. Hopkins is too hard a puzzle for Adamek to solve.
Lenny Zap to reach heights only Dib and kickett can dream of, but the press will still only notice the other two.