Take a look at what's simmering in the pot. Champion: Sergio Gabriel Martinez Ring Magazine top ten: Sturm Williams Pavlik Sylvester Gevor Macklin Mundine Lopez Geale Zbik Boxrec.com (computerized points system) top ten (2-11, not counting the champ): Sturm Pavlik Mundine Geale Sylvester N'Dam N'Jikam Macklin Gevor Barker Karmazin Williams is fighting Cintron at LMW, so I'm not sure why Ring has him rated at 160. Also, say what you will about the limitations of a computerized points system, but Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam is a better fighter than Anthony Mundine, so a top 10 list with the former looks a little better than one with the latter... Anyway, on the immediate horizon we have: No significant middleweight contests scheduled in the next five-six weeks. June 5th, Germany - Sebastian Sylvester vs. Roman Karmazin for the IBF title. June 5th, Morocco - Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam vs. LaJuan Simon June 11th, ESPN2 - David Lemieux vs. Elvin Ayala June 26th, PPV - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. John Duddy Sturm has been inactive since July. The rest of the top ten (as well as most of the top prospects) have fought as recently as 2010, if not the last quarter of 2009 at the longest. That's a pretty good looking month of June, and might reshape the top ten a bit. What match-ups (either scheduled or potential) are people looking forward to? How different do your own rankings look? Also, if you have any news about who's in eliminators, and who's mandatory for whom, share it here.
wba just called for a purse bid tween anthony mundine and gennady golovkin. pretty exciting match, i (as well as others on here) have high hopes for golovkin.
Middleweight is at a low at present but the future of the division looks really bright. I expect Golovkin to be top dog soon and lots of great prospects getting ready to step up to the plate. With the exception of Golovkin, there could be any of 10-15 fighters in with a shout of getting a world title over the next 18 months. Sturm and Sylvester won't be champs for too much longer.
I'm a Duddy fan so I'm really looking forward to that, it could be a very entertaining war. N'Jikam is a slick operator so it will be nice to see how he gets on against a solid Simon. Shouldn't be long after that (if he wins) before he gets a shot. I'm not shitting myself with excitement about the Sylvester fight to be honest.
Well Williams holds a win over the champ Martinez at middle weight so that's why he's ranked. I just really wish guys in the states like me can get a glimpse at some of these international fighters soon. I only recognize a hand full of the fighters listed. I fel deprived. As far as state side? Me and my cronies watch everything we can. These international promoters need to step it up.
I'm a big Made In Hell fan...if Roman can keep the Cinderella Man dream rolling on with another (career-best) win, he'd be the feel good story of the year.
It would be great for him to get one at his age. It's very possible too. Sylvester is one of the weakest world champions around, he is there for the taking.
Middleweight alphabet rankings WBC Champion: Sergio Martinez Sebsatian Zbik (I) 1. Gennady Golovkin 2. Domenico Spada 3. Paul Williams 4. Danny Jacobs 5. Marco Antonio Rubio 6. Mathew Macklin 7. Mahir Oral 8. John Duddy 9. Anthony Mundine 10. Dmitry Pirog WBA Champion: Felix Sturm 1. Anthony Mundine 2. Gennady Golovkin 3. Hassan NDam NJikam 4. Khoren Gevor 5. Avtandil Khurtsideze 6. Daniel Jacobs 7. Renan St-Juste 8. Mahir Oral 9. Noe Gonzalez Alcoba 10. Matthew Macklin IBF Champion: Sebastian Sylvester 1. Roman Karmazin 2. NOT RATED 3. Anthony Mundine 4. Giovanni Lorenzo 5. Mathew Macklin 6. Gennady Golovkin 7. Daniel Geale 8. Lajuan Simon 9. Khoren Gevor 10. Dimitri Pirog WBO Champion: Sergio Martinez 1. Sergio Martinez 2. Dmitry Pirog 3. Gennady Golovkin 4. Hassan NDam NJikam 5. Gennady Marirosyan 6. Daniel Jacobs 7. Mathew Macklin 8. Avtandil Khurtsidze 9. Anthony Mundine 10. Daniel Geale I don't get how SGM is his own #1 contender according to the WBC - or why NOT RATED is #2 IBF. :huh Who did NOT RATED ever beat?
Pavlik and company were suppose to have a sit-down on Friday afternoon. We'll probably get a report of some kind on Monday. If the reports on his current weight were accurate, I doubt if he'll ever see 160 again. The article that gave his weight as 192 had some mistakes in it, so maybe the weight was wrong. 159.5 to 192 in 2 weeks seems hard to buy.
The Middleweight division sucks right now. Too many also-rans. This is a division that could use a tournament to get rid of all the junk.
