Fibroso
02-07-2013, 12:50 PM
ESPN.com's divisional rankings
UNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (140 POUNDS) 1. Danny Garcia (25-0)
http://sports.espn.go.com/photo/2012/0716/sn_g_dagrcia_cr_65.jpg
Although Erik Morales failed multiple drug tests, his Oct. 20 fight with Garcia which opened the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., for boxing -- was allowed to go on and Garcia waxed the faded star, scoring a sensational one-punch, left-hook knockout in the fourth round. Garcia's next defense, which will also be at the Barclays Center and again headline a Showtime card, was supposed to be on Feb. 9 against former titlist Zab Judah (42-7), but Garcia suffered a rib injury and the fight was postponed for more than two months.
Next: April 27 vs. Judah.
2. Lucas Matthysse (33-2)
Argentina's Matthysse is on a tear lately and has emerged as one of the most dynamic and feared fighters in boxing. His latest victim, Michael Dallas Jr., didn't make it out of the first round as Matthysse scored a sensational knockout on Jan. 26 to retain his interim title. The fight that boxing fans are asking for is for Matthysse to take on full titleholder Danny Garcia. It's a mandatory fight that would line up nicely in the fall.
Next: TBA.
3. Lamont Peterson (30-1-1)
Out of action since his controversial win against Amir Khan in December 2011 because of a failed drug test that killed the rematch, Peterson, who signed in January with Golden Boy Promotions, is slated to make the first defense of the title he won against Khan in the main event of an ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" card against former titlist Kendall Holt (28-5). Holt will travel to Peterson's hometown of Washington, D.C.
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Holt.
4. Amir Khan (27-3)
Khan got knocked out by Danny Garcia in a July title bout, after which he fired trainer Freddie Roach and hired Virgil Hunter. In his first bout with Hunter, Khan returned Dec. 15 for a lopsided 10th-round knockout of totally overmatched lightweight Carlos Molina in what was the first fight on a three-fight deal Khan has with Showtime.
Next: April 20 vs. TBA.
5. Zab Judah (42-7)
Judah is getting yet another title shot against Danny Garcia. But the fight, which will take place in Judah's hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been postponed. It was originally scheduled for Feb. 9, but rescheduled after Garcia suffered a rib injury in a training session. Judah, a former three-time 140-pound titlist, and Garcia's father and trainer, Angel Garcia, nearly came to blows in a near-riot at the kickoff news conference in December. Hopefully, the fight will live up to the violence they promised.
Next: April 27 vs. Garcia.
6. Brandon Rios (31-0-1)
As Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez prepared to fight on Dec. 8, Rios, who was coming off a sensational victory against Mike Alvarado in one of the year's best fights on Oct. 13, was prominently mentioned as a likely opponent for the winner. Rios was even ringside for the fight, but when Marquez knocked out Pacquiao it set the stage for a probable fifth fight between them and, thankfully for boxing fans, left Rios to fight Alvarado in a rematch. They will meet for a vacant interim title in Las Vegas in an HBO main event. How can this not be another great fight?
Next: March 30 vs. Alvarado.
7. Mike Alvarado (33-1)
Alvarado's April slugfest against Mauricio Herrera was a fight of the year frontrunner until what happened on Oct. 13. That is when Alvarado and Brandon Rios engaged in a toe-to-toe war that was an instant classic. Although Rios stopped Alvarado in the seventh round, Alvarado's career was elevated tremendously by the sensational battle. A Rios-Alvarado rematch, for a vacant interim belt, is set and we are all lucky for it.
Next: March 30 vs. Rios.
8. Khabib Allakhverdiev (18-0)
Russia's Allakhverdiev, who owns wins against Kaizer Mabuza and Nate Campbell since late 2011, claimed a vacant title by winning a seventh-round technical split decision against former featherweight and junior lightweight titlist Joan Guzman on Nov. 30 in the main event that marked Bounce TV's first boxing event. Guzman was unable to continue after injuring his leg when he tripped (along with being partially pushed) to the canvas.
Next: TBA.
9. Olusegun Ajose (30-1)
Nigeria's Ajose put up a game and exciting effort against Lucas Matthysse in their Sept. 8 battle for a vacant interim belt, but Matthysse was too much. He battered Ajose, dropped him for the first time in his career and stopped him in the 10th round of an exciting fight.
Next: TBA.
10. Denis Shafikov (31-0-1) Shafikov, a Russian southpaw, rolled to a lopsided decision win against fringe contender Albert Mensah on Dec. 1 to move a step closer to a mandatory title shot.
Next: TBA.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6402207
UNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (140 POUNDS) 1. Danny Garcia (25-0)
http://sports.espn.go.com/photo/2012/0716/sn_g_dagrcia_cr_65.jpg
Although Erik Morales failed multiple drug tests, his Oct. 20 fight with Garcia which opened the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., for boxing -- was allowed to go on and Garcia waxed the faded star, scoring a sensational one-punch, left-hook knockout in the fourth round. Garcia's next defense, which will also be at the Barclays Center and again headline a Showtime card, was supposed to be on Feb. 9 against former titlist Zab Judah (42-7), but Garcia suffered a rib injury and the fight was postponed for more than two months.
Next: April 27 vs. Judah.
2. Lucas Matthysse (33-2)
Argentina's Matthysse is on a tear lately and has emerged as one of the most dynamic and feared fighters in boxing. His latest victim, Michael Dallas Jr., didn't make it out of the first round as Matthysse scored a sensational knockout on Jan. 26 to retain his interim title. The fight that boxing fans are asking for is for Matthysse to take on full titleholder Danny Garcia. It's a mandatory fight that would line up nicely in the fall.
Next: TBA.
3. Lamont Peterson (30-1-1)
Out of action since his controversial win against Amir Khan in December 2011 because of a failed drug test that killed the rematch, Peterson, who signed in January with Golden Boy Promotions, is slated to make the first defense of the title he won against Khan in the main event of an ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" card against former titlist Kendall Holt (28-5). Holt will travel to Peterson's hometown of Washington, D.C.
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Holt.
4. Amir Khan (27-3)
Khan got knocked out by Danny Garcia in a July title bout, after which he fired trainer Freddie Roach and hired Virgil Hunter. In his first bout with Hunter, Khan returned Dec. 15 for a lopsided 10th-round knockout of totally overmatched lightweight Carlos Molina in what was the first fight on a three-fight deal Khan has with Showtime.
Next: April 20 vs. TBA.
5. Zab Judah (42-7)
Judah is getting yet another title shot against Danny Garcia. But the fight, which will take place in Judah's hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been postponed. It was originally scheduled for Feb. 9, but rescheduled after Garcia suffered a rib injury in a training session. Judah, a former three-time 140-pound titlist, and Garcia's father and trainer, Angel Garcia, nearly came to blows in a near-riot at the kickoff news conference in December. Hopefully, the fight will live up to the violence they promised.
Next: April 27 vs. Garcia.
6. Brandon Rios (31-0-1)
As Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez prepared to fight on Dec. 8, Rios, who was coming off a sensational victory against Mike Alvarado in one of the year's best fights on Oct. 13, was prominently mentioned as a likely opponent for the winner. Rios was even ringside for the fight, but when Marquez knocked out Pacquiao it set the stage for a probable fifth fight between them and, thankfully for boxing fans, left Rios to fight Alvarado in a rematch. They will meet for a vacant interim title in Las Vegas in an HBO main event. How can this not be another great fight?
Next: March 30 vs. Alvarado.
7. Mike Alvarado (33-1)
Alvarado's April slugfest against Mauricio Herrera was a fight of the year frontrunner until what happened on Oct. 13. That is when Alvarado and Brandon Rios engaged in a toe-to-toe war that was an instant classic. Although Rios stopped Alvarado in the seventh round, Alvarado's career was elevated tremendously by the sensational battle. A Rios-Alvarado rematch, for a vacant interim belt, is set and we are all lucky for it.
Next: March 30 vs. Rios.
8. Khabib Allakhverdiev (18-0)
Russia's Allakhverdiev, who owns wins against Kaizer Mabuza and Nate Campbell since late 2011, claimed a vacant title by winning a seventh-round technical split decision against former featherweight and junior lightweight titlist Joan Guzman on Nov. 30 in the main event that marked Bounce TV's first boxing event. Guzman was unable to continue after injuring his leg when he tripped (along with being partially pushed) to the canvas.
Next: TBA.
9. Olusegun Ajose (30-1)
Nigeria's Ajose put up a game and exciting effort against Lucas Matthysse in their Sept. 8 battle for a vacant interim belt, but Matthysse was too much. He battered Ajose, dropped him for the first time in his career and stopped him in the 10th round of an exciting fight.
Next: TBA.
10. Denis Shafikov (31-0-1) Shafikov, a Russian southpaw, rolled to a lopsided decision win against fringe contender Albert Mensah on Dec. 1 to move a step closer to a mandatory title shot.
Next: TBA.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6402207