Super Middleweight

Hard punching super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson scored an impressive stoppage of Don George Friday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

As reported by ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, George (23-3-1, 20 KO) was the only man willing to step up and face Stevenson (19-1, 16 KO) in an official IBF eliminator after the likes of Edwin Rodriguez, Thomas Oosthuizen, James DeGale, Mikkel Kessler, Andre Dirrell, Sakio Bika and Kelly Pavlik rejected the fight.

Since hooking up with Emanuel Steward, Stevenson’s boxing ability has improved dramatically. Once a brawler with a punishing left hand, Stevenson has developed a sharp southpaw jab, as well as a right hook that he throws well to both the head and body.

Already 35, Stevenson has relatively few miles on his physical odometer considering his advanced age. Stevenson’s dramatic improvement now has him poised to challenge for a world title, and his three consecutive stoppages since he began training with Steward at the Kronk Gym has made him one of the most feared and avoided fighters at 168 pounds.

Against George, Stevenson displayed a varied attack, working off his right jab and mixing a combination of aggressive offense and precise counter punching. Particularly impressive was Stevenson’s body work—especially his right hook—and it was this commitment to punishing George’s midsection that led to five knockdowns and a 12th round stoppage.

Stevenson floored George twice in the fifth, once in the sixth and two more times in the abbreviated final round. George, who went the distance with Edwin Rodriguez two fights ago, showed tremendous heart and resilience, though the fight became drastically one-sided after the seventh round.

That said, George did expose some flaws in Stevenson’s game. Stevenson has a tendency to keep his lead hand low, which forces him to jab from him waist. George was able to land several telling right hands, and he backed Stevenson up multiple times in the early rounds.

Stevenson appeared to lose steam in the middle rounds, which has been a problem for him in the past. However, to Stevenson’s credit, he was able to catch his second wind, and scoring a late round stoppage will undoubtedly feel good.

Stevenson appeared to hurt his left hand during the fight, and the way he adapted with movement and crisp jabbing shows just how far he’s come. If Stevenson can continue to hone his boxing skills, he will surely be a formidable title challenger. Combined with his natural power and solid chin, Stevenson looks to be a tough out for any super middleweight.

Part of Stevenson’s charm is that he isn’t hard to find in the ring, and his willingness to make a good fight should attract the attention of major networks (Stevenson is already a big draw in Canada). But now, as the mandatory challenger to Carl Froch’s IBF title, the question is: will Froch want to fight him?

While Froch (29-2, 21 KO) would undoubtedly be a heavy favorite against Stevenson, he will likely be looking for a bigger fight after his rematch with Lucian Bute in Montreal. Should Froch defeat Bute a second time, the 35-year-old from Nottingham will likely pursue a fight along the lines of a rematch with Andre Ward before too much time passes.

Another roadblock standing in the way of a Stevenson-Froch fight is that Froch already has his next two bouts scheduled, which means that Stevenson would only be able to challenge for the IBF title by the summer of 2013, at the earliest.

Given the track record of sanctioning bodies, this could mean that Stevenson—who already owns the WBC “silver” super middleweight title—might find himself fighting for an interim title while Froch takes care of his own business.

At 35, Stevenson will not want to remain on the shelf for eight months. An enticing interim matchup could be made between Stevenson and Edwin Rodriguez, who also defeated George, though far less impressively. Still, Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KO) has tremendous potential, and while he called out Kelly Pavlik after his last fight, such a bout seems a bit presumptuous.

It’s time for the top super middleweight contenders to fight each other. Stevenson seems game, and if Edwin Rodriguez steps up, a fight between these two elite contenders would be great for the sport.

Also of note from the card in Montreal was rebuilding middleweight prospect David Lemieux scoring a knockout of the year candidate over Alvaro Gaona. With his confidence seemingly restored, look for the 23-year-old Lemieux to step up his level of opposition in his next fight.

After back-to-back losses to Marco Antonio Rubio and Joachim Alcine, the power punching Lemieux is hoping to re-establish himself as one of boxing’s most exciting prospects.

According to RingTV.com's Lem Satterfield, former IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute, who had been training for his November 3 fight against Denis Grachev in Florida, has returned to Montreal and is exuding confidence. 

While it would be tempting for Bute (30-1, 24 KO) to look past Grachev (12-0-1, 8 KO), as a rematch with three-time super-middleweight champion Carl Froch looms, Bute insists that he is solely focused on Grachev, who stunningly stopped light-heavyweight prospect Ismayl Sillakh in eight rounds in his last fight:

"The only thing on my mind is my fight on November 3rd. My last fight left a bad taste in my mouth and I look forward to continuing my rise to the top with the support of all my fans at the Bell Center."

After travelling to Froch's hometown of Nottingham in a move that should be applauded, Bute was routed by the former Super Six finalist in five lopsided rounds. Unfortunately for Bute, his loss to Froch gave cynics and his critics more ammunition to suggest that he had been a protected champion who had not fought anyone of consequence.

In Grachev, Bute is facing a former kickboxer and MMA fighter whose participation in other combat sports somewhat offsets his limited background in professional prizefighting. That said, the persistent and powerful Grachev was able to stop the more skilled Sillakh, despite the fact that Grachev was losing and had been down in the third round.

Whether it was Sillakh's lack of a finisher's instinct or mere underestimation, Bute will want to make sure that he leaves nothing to chance against Grachev. While Bute will carry natural advantages in speed, skill and technique into the fight against Grachev, there are a few reasons to be concerned.

Given how Bute was bullied and brutalized against Froch (29-2, 21 KO), facing a strong opponent with as much dogged determination as Grachev possesses could lead to a taxing fight. While Grachev is somewhat erratic, Bute will have to be constantly vigilant, and one wonders if the fact that he was stopped by Froch will affect his psyche against an opponent coming off of an upset knockout win.

The other interesting caveat to this matchup is that it will be contested at light heavyweight for Grachev's NABF title. While this will remove the potential stress of Bute having to trim down to 168 pounds, one wonders if the added weight could spell potential disaster given the questions surrounding Bute's chin.

Ultimately, Bute's choice of Grachev as an opponent should prove positive. Conventional wisdom suggests that Bute will box circles around Grachev and either win by referee stoppage or lopsided decision. Also, fighting again in front of his hometown fans in Montreal should give the skilled and classy Bute a boost heading into a rematch with Froch.

Should Bute win, the fight will give him confidence moving forward. Defeating Grachev would at least plant the positive seed in Bute's mind that he stood up to the punches of a full-fledged light heavyweight, and Bute should be able to try a variety of tactics given Grachev's limited fundamentals.

Froch, of course, is set to defend the IBF title he wrested from Bute on November 17 against Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO) in a fight Froch should dominate. If Froch wins as expected and Bute is lacklustre against Grachev, it could give Froch some psychological ammunition with which to taunt Bute during the promotion of their rematch.

Immediately after Froch and Bute fought, it seemed that a rematch was pointless because of how thoroughly one-sided the fight was. However, after some distance from Froch-Bute I, the prospect of their rematch has become more intriguing. This time, Bute will have the hometown advantage, and a confidence-building win might be enough to turn the tables against Froch.

Should both Bute and Froch win their upcoming fights impressively, Froch will justifiably be the betting favourite for the rematch. Despite his detractors, Bute is a skilled fighter who belongs at the championship level. Having fought Froch once, expect him to turn in a much better performance in sequel that might have more give and take than fans and pundits are expecting. 

In dismantling the severely over-matched Jason Escalera in eight lopsided rounds at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut, super-middleweight prospect Edwin Rodriguez did exactly what he was supposed to do on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” card.

Such has been the case for Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KO) throughout a career that has received a solid degree of notoriety and attention due more to his skill and potential than his actual level of opposition.

While building a viable contender and, hopefully, a world champion is a meticulous process, Rodriguez is doing himself a disservice by fighting the likes of Escalera (13-1-1, 12 KO)—an opponent who, despite tremendous heart and courage, had not fought anyone of remote significance.

Rodriguez finds himself lumped in with a cluster of super middleweight contenders who have not quite reached an elite level, yet, perplexingly, refuse to fight each other.

Adonis Stevenson, Sakio Bika, Thomas Oosthuizen and Andre Dirrell are similarly-positioned fighters who could be making compelling and meaningful matchups amongst themselves.

Certain rising prospects with significant managerial and promotional backing are part of a negative epidemic in boxing that strives to protect and preserve glossy records as opposed to making the most competitive fights in the hopes of moving towards a world title opportunity.

Given the corruption of sanctioning bodies, such safety-first maneuvering is possible.  Quite frankly, it's hurting the sport.

After dispatching Escalera, Rodriguez, finally, seems to be at least saying the right things as reported by ESPN.com’s Brian Campbell: “We want Kelly Pavlik—I'm ready.”

With promoter Lou DiBella whispering in Rodriguez’s ear, the possibility of moving up to light heavyweight to fight the likes of Jean Pascal was also broached.

That matchup seems somewhat premature considering Rodriguez took a step back in competition in his most recent fight.

Calling out Pavlik certainly makes sense for Rodriguez given Pavlik’s recognition and the fact that “The Ghost” is still on the comeback trail, a fact not lost on Campbell:

“The kind of fight Rodriguez now desires against Pavlik—a name fighter in need of a breakthrough performance of his own—appears to be the perfect litmus test to gauge just how ready Rodriguez is for the next level.”

While it is true that Rodriguez needs a litmus test, the caveat in calling out Pavlik is that Rodriguez was offered a similar test-worthy fight a few months ago.

As one of a slew of fighters that rejected an IBF elimination fight against Adonis Stevenson, Rodriguez helped reinforce the logjam of super middleweight contenders who need each other to make fights that could propel them to the elite level.

Stevenson’s promoters unsuccessfully tried to lure Oosthuizen, James DeGale, Mikkel Kessler, Pavlik and others into the elimination fight, but since it would likely take place in Montreal—Stevenson’s home-base—it ended up being a turn-off.

Not to mention, Stevenson has scored two sickening knockouts since hooking up with Emanuel Steward.

In calling out Pavlik, Rodriguez has set his crosshairs on a fighter who is likely aiming for a title shot because of his economic viability and past championship success.

To fight Rodriguez would be a dangerous step back for Pavlik, given how easily former champions and superstars can wiggle their way into big fights (even after long layoffs or uneven performances).

Rodriguez should buck the supper-middleweight trend and look to fight the likes of Stevenson in what would be a true test and step-up in competition for both men. Logistics of where the fight would be held aside, fighting Stevenson—or even Bika, Oosthuizen or Dirrell—would be a bout worthy of Rodriguez’s talent.

Stevenson and Rodriguez have both fought Aaron Pryor Jr., and after Stevenson’s bout on October 12th, they will both have battled Don George.

Should Stevenson win, a fight against Rodriguez would promise tremendous action. It is time for all these super-middleweight contenders to start fighting each other because the back road routes to a title will eventually be blocked.

HBO's Boxing After Dark is known as a launching pad for young prospects to ascend to superstardom. On Saturday night super-middleweight Edwin Rodriguez took a step toward becoming a name in the 168-pound division.

Rodriguez (22-0 15 KO) used his superior punching power to dominate fellow prospect Jason Escalara (13-1 12 KO), winning by eighth-round TKO.

Rodriguez blitzed Escalara in the first round, pounding him along the ropes and hurting him with several hard power shots. The round was so one-sided that one could argue it deserved a 10-8 score without a knockdown.

To his credit, Escalara was able to weather the early storm and never stopped throwing back. His punches just weren't as effective as his opponents.

He was again badly hurt toward the end of the fifth round, but Rodriguez was slow to react and gave his opponent some time to collect himself before going back on the attack.

At the beginning of the eighth round Rodriguez came out of the corner and landed a thudding left hand which forced a dazed Escalara into the ropes and badly busted open his ear. Almost immediately referee Steve Smoger stepped in to stop the fight.

In the evening's co-feature, former three-division world champion Vic Darchinyan (38-5-1 27 KO) returned to his winning ways with an easy unanimous decision win over prospect Luis Orlando Del Valle (16-1 11 KO). 

Darychinyan was simply too much to chew for the younger fighter, who had never before stepped in with a fighter of his class.

The "Raging Bull" controlled the action throughout, using his awkward style and aggressive in-fighting to frustrate and control his opponent. Scores were 99-91 twice and 96-94 for the former champion, who had lost his previous two fights.

Del Valle was simply not ready for a guy in Darchinyan's class. He was game and never backed down, staggering Darchinyan in the ninth round, but was clearly outclassed.

A knockout will determine the USBA super middleweight champion Saturday night.

In a battle of undefeated fighters, Edwin Rodriguez and Jason Escalera square off, both with the highest knockout percentages of their division (via bookmaker.net).

These big hitters won't play defense and try to shy away from contact. Each fighter's game is taking and making big swings. With so much on the line in this fight, not Rodriguez not Escalera is changing their fighting style for the other. They will both fight their own fight.

The fight will be broadcast on HBO's After Dark, providing both fighters with a nationwide audience. As a result, both will be going for the haymaker to make an impression in front of so many viewers.

The best bet for a knockout would be Escalera, who loves going for the kill shot. He's won his 14 decisions by knockout decision 12 times.

The two fighters come into this bout with a lot in common. They are both 27 and have not lost a match. Rodriguez comes in as the hotter fighter, beating Don George to win the super middleweight belt, while Escalera disappointed when he drew against Nick Brinson.

Rodriguez has the better resume overall, with 27 fights to his name. That's 13 more professional fights that he can relate to during this matchup.

He cannot underestimate the young gun Escalera, though. He does't have too much professional experience, but has made waves with his power style and never-back-down mentality.

Rodriguez's trainer Ronny Shields talked about his fighter's strategy with HBO Boxing:

"Edwin is going to fight almost the same kind of fight he had with Donovan George, but this time I want Edwin to knock him out," Shields says. "The reason is this guy is more of a swinger than a banger, so you have to be careful when you are backing up that he doesn't catch you with one of those swings and hurts you."

There will be a ton of those swings. Rodriguez will hope he doesn't get hit with one, but he'll be going for the haymaker as well.

One the match starts, it's only a matter of time.

According to ESPN.com’s UK outlet, rising prospect and 2008 Olympic gold medalist James “Chunky” DeGale will return to the ring on Oct. 13 to defend his European super middleweight boxing title against Hadillah Mohoumadi of France.

DeGale (12-1, 9 KO) was last seen in April when he defended his European title against the rugged and bullish Cristian Sanavia in four clinical rounds. Given that he has fought only once in 2012, DeGale’s ring return is long overdue, and now that he has split with Frank Warren and signed with Hennessy Sports, DeGale is looking to rebuild his career’s momentum.

According to the above-cited ESPN article, Hennessy has deal with Channel 5 and promotes the likes of Tyson Fury, all of which should be appealing to DeGale. Television exposure and promotional security will hopefully ensure that DeGale remains active and moves from European to world level.

DeGale’s talent is unquestioned, and his only career defeat was to bitter rival George Groves in a controversial fight. While a rematch is unavoidable and would do big business in the UK, DeGale must first reassert his dominance over continental competition that might not, at first, offer marquee names.

Mohoumadi (13-2-1, 9 KO) is such a case, and it seems likely that DeGale will have little difficulty disposing of an opponent who has lost both times he has truly stepped up in class. Most notably, Mohoumadi lost an eight-round decision to the aforementioned Sanavia, whom DeGale thoroughly dominated.

Having won the French super middleweight title two fights ago, Mohoumadi appears to have solid power and has not been stopped in either of his defeats. That said, he is ultimately a weak challenger for a European title, which is only excusable due to DeGale’s sporadic activity and need build towards a more significant fight.

Given that the Mohoumadi fight will likely provide DeGale the platform to look sharp and work on new aspects of his craft, let’s breakdown DeGale’s last performance against Sanavia—a former European champion and world titlist—in terms of what he did well and where he can improve based on notes taken during Chunky’s last fight.

Things to Work on

DeGale had a massive height advantage of four to five inches, which should have allowed the taller man to control range with a strong jab. While DeGale did use a stiff jab from both an orthodox and southpaw stance—sometimes even doubling and tripling the punch—he too often allowed Sanavia to back him up.

Fighting with his back to the ropes proved dangerous for DeGale, as Sanavia’s best chance to do damage was on the inside by bullying his way forward and trapping the former British Olympian.

To DeGale’s credit, he did show class on the ropes by slipping punches and taking a number of blows on his (usually) well-placed guard. Nevertheless, seeing the diminutive Italian back up the athletically superior DeGale was somewhat disconcerting.

There is no need for someone of DeGale’s skill to move backward and fight off the ropes. What got DeGale in trouble was trying to slip punches with his lead hand at his waist as he pulled back. Sanavia was able to hit Chunky with a few solid left hands when DeGale dropped his right, and the Italian was perhaps robbed of a clean, flash knockdown when DeGale was tagged and clung to the ropes for support.

Though he was not hurt, DeGale wants to avoid taking a chance like that with a world-class fighter who punches harder than Sanavia.

Also, DeGale’s constant switching from southpaw to orthodox seemed little more than posturing to prove he could do it, and he would have been better served sticking to his natural southpaw stance and keeping a high guard.

Things to Like

In less than four full rounds of fighting, DeGale showed measured commitment to body punching, and his digging hooks proved especially effective. He often finished combinations with crisp body shots, and there was a consistent effort to vary his offensive output.

Another weapon DeGale used was his uppercut. As Sanavia moved forward with little head movement, DeGale was able to time his opponent with step-back uppercuts that often stopped Sanavia dead in his tracks. DeGale would have been better served using the uppercut to try to time Sanavia more regularly over the first three rounds.

DeGale will likely be able to get away with lapses in concentration against the likes of Mohoumadi, but correcting certain fundamental breakdowns for fights against more naturally gifted opponents is advisable.

DeGale has an abundance of talent and a marketable name, and after one or two defenses of his European title, he should be ready for a significant, world-level fight.

Super middleweight champion Andre Ward distinguished himself as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world with his dominant victory over Chad Dawson earlier this month. Ward may now face former middleweight title holder Kelly Pavlik next, according to BoxingScene.com.

Ward (26-0, 14 KOs) put on the performance of his career against Dawson, and taking on Pavlik next would all but leave Ward with no real competition in the super middleweight division with a win.

Pavlik (40-2, 34 KOs) is in the midst of a comeback after his career was nearly derailed after the Ohio-born fighter had troubles with alcohol abuse (per SI.com).

Since returning to the ring after a year-long hiatus this past March, Pavlik is 3-0 against increasingly better competition, winning the first two bouts by TKO and his last fight against Will Rosinsky by unanimous decision.

Although Pavlik will offer Ward one his toughest assignments in the ring to date, if Ward fights like he did against Dawson, he should emerge victorious and could set his sights on the 175-pound light heavyweight division.

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

Making the jump to the light heavyweight division would obviously set up a possible rematch between Ward and Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs). Dawson is the top light heavyweight in the world and currently has the WBC and The Ring titles to his name.

Many feel that Dawson's performance was altered by shedding the extra pounds to make the 168-pound super middleweight limit, and meeting up with Dawson at his normal weight could yield a very different outcome if a rematch ever happens.