Super Middleweight

Local lads Callum "Mundo" Smith and Rocky Fielding go head-to-head in Liverpool, England, on Saturday for the vacant British super middleweight title.

The two unbeaten fighters clash at the Echo Arena with more than just a Lonsdale belt on the line.

This is a battle for bragging rights in a city with a proud boxing heritage. It is also a potential steppingstone toward a world-title shot in 2016.

Smith (17-0, 12 KOs) is the youngest of four fighting siblings. He goes into the bout off the back of a career-best performance against Christopher Rebrasse in June.

As for Fielding (21-0, 12 KOs), he made an early splash in the pro ranks by winning a Prizefighter tournament in 2011.

He has since gone on to claim the English and Commonwealth titles at 168 pounds and was last seen stopping Brian Vera inside two rounds on the undercard to Smith's win over Rebrasse.

There is mutual respect between the rivals, and promoter Eddie Hearn took to Twitter to praise the pair:

Proud of these two lads..conducted themselves fantastically well in the build up.May the best man win #SmithFielding pic.twitter.com/44RpJ8t4WA

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) November 5, 2015

When: Saturday, November 7, at 10 p.m. GMT (5 p.m. ET)

Where: Echo Arena, Liverpool, England

TV: Sky Sports (UK)

Live Stream: SkyGo (UK)

Family Fortunes

The Smiths are on the rise. No, not the band from Manchester—the fighting family from Liverpool.

Light middleweight Liam Smith became the first of the brothers to become a world champion when he stopped American John Thompson in October to claim the WBO strap.

Super featherweight Stephen Smith could soon follow suit, as he is next in line for a shot at the IBF title.

However, Callum Smith could end up being the best of the lot. His eldest brother, Paul, told Sky Sports, "Callum might be the last of us four brothers to become British champion but he has always been the banker."

Rebrasse was Smith's first real serious test in the paid ranks.

The Frenchman was a former European champion who had gone 12 rounds with George Groves in 2014. But, topping the bill in his home city for the first time, Mundo rose to the challenge, recording a landslide points win.

Fielding now poses a different set of problems. This time Smith's opponent will have plenty of support inside the Echo Arena, plus there is the added pressure of fighting a familiar face in your own backyard.

Yet Smith is adamant he will come out on top, no matter how things play out. He told David Anderson of the Mirror: 

I think I beat him in every department to be honest. I think I can beat him in many ways. If he wants to go on the back foot, I believe I am the better stand up boxer, I've got a better boxing brain and better technically.

If it's an inside fight then I think I am better than him in close, a better body puncher and a better head puncher.

If he wants the fight to be a shootout then fine. I am 100 per cent confident that I win and will do it earlier than if it was a boxing match, but we won't know how it's going to go until the first bell. 

The 25-year-old has the raw materials to be a success well beyond the domestic level.

He stands at 6'3", his career knockout ratio sits at 71 per cent, and promoter Eddie Hearn has cleverly exposed him to the boxing public on big cards across Britain for the last few years.

Now, though, is Mundo's time to take centre stage. Fielding is the final hurdle he needs to clear at home before looking further afield.

No Expectations

Fielding—whose first name is actually Michael, not Rocky—is a frisky underdog for the fight—Odds Shark has him at 5/2.

He is free from the weight of expectation too, telling Sky Sports News HQ: "The talk is around Callum, and the pressure. Everyone is expecting him to win. I'm confident of winning, there's no pressure on me. I'm going in there to do a job—and I want to do a good job."

Fielding started out his professional career at light heavyweight but dropped down when offered the chance to compete in the Prizefighter Series. He has never looked back since.

His success in the eight-man knockout event saw him create history—he was the first Prizefighter champion to win his trio of bouts inside the three-round distance.

Nearly time for the weigh-in. Atmosphere building nicely. #WhosFoolingWho @CallumSmith23 @Rocky87Fielding pic.twitter.com/m3Hp7mR8Ks

— Ian Croll (@Iancroll1) November 6, 2015

Another stoppage, this time against Carl Dilks, saw Fielding get crowned English champion in 2012, while he needed just 65 seconds to flatten Mohammed Akrong and claim the Commonwealth title the following year.

He never lost the Commonwealth strap in the ring, instead giving it up on the scales.

Fielding came in way over the limit for a scheduled defence against Charles Adamu last March, per Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool Echo.

The 28-year-old has looked sharper since that error, and trainer Oliver Harrison has worked on sculpting the raw, talented Fielding into a better, more rounded fighter.

Vera was expected to pose a few problems in the summer, yet Fielding obliterated him in a hurry.

He cannot expect to do the same to Smith, but Fielding's ability to change a fight with a single shot means he is never truly out of a contest.

Fielding was branded "mentally weak" by rival trainer Joe Gallagher, per Sky Sports. Gallagher has also refused to call his opponent Rocky, instead referring to him by his original name.

Gallagher has also exchanged barbs with Harrison in the media, but it all comes down to their fighters trading punches on Saturday night.

The pre-fight needle between the two corners has only added to the intrigue, though in truth the bout didn't need any help in creating interest.

Prediction

Smith has made it clear he can triumph in a shootout, but it makes little sense for him to get involved in a brawl.

In contrast, Fielding will not mind if it becomes a battle. He cannot hope to outbox his opponent over the 12-round distance, so he must take risks in his bid to cause an upset.

Both men can come out of the bout with credit, but Smith will be the one to have the British title around his waist.

Mundo will move to 18-0 with a stoppage win around the midway point of the 12-round fight, but it will be fun while it lasts.

James DeGale will defend his IBF world super-middleweight title for the first time against Lucian Bute on November 28 at the Videotron Center in Quebec, Canada.

The British Olympic gold medalist will face the popular Romanian-Canadian fighter, who is a previous IBF super-middleweight champion, in front of a partisan home crowd, as reported by Sky Sports.

DeGale claimed the championship belt in May, beating dangerous American Andre Dirrell on points, becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic gold medal and professional world title. 

DeGale isn't hiding for his first defence, and admits the challenge of Bute will be a testing one, per Sky Sports:

Bute is a world class, elite-level fighter who kept his world title for five years. Anyone who can do that deserves some serious respect. I'm the champion and he will be very fired up trying to win back his old title, but I'm too young, too fast, too skilful to let that happen. 

My trainer Jim McDonnell has always said getting the world title is hard, but keeping it is even harder. I'm under no illusions about this fight, but I'm also a massive believer in my own ability and I aim to show just who is the best super-middleweight in the world on November 28.

It is the second successive fight for DeGale on foreign soil, and he has also previously fought in Quebec, beating Canadian Sebastien Demers in 2013.

Bute lost his world title to Carl Froch three years ago, when the Nottingham destroyer dismantled him in the ring in a comprehensive defeat.

The 35-year-old only has two defeats in his 34-fight career, and he is desperate to exorcise the ghost of his defeat to the Brit: "I lost my title in England against an English fighter and now, I will box in Quebec against another English boxer, for the same title I defended for five years. I am really motivated by this opportunity the regain the title I lost in 2012."

Bute was a credible champion during his reign, but he is fighting a quicker and stronger operator in DeGale. The Brit has risen through the ranks to gain his status, and is ready for an ageing fighter with Bute's skill set.

Despite having home advantage, it is questionable whether Bute will have the power to hurt the champion, and he is the slim underdog—with his experience being his main weapon. 

However, DeGale has knocked out 14 of his 22 opponents, and Bute is likely to hit the canvas when the British fighter arrives in town in November.

Prediction: DeGale win by KO

Frank Buglioni’s bid to become the WBA super middleweight world champion fell short on Saturday, as Fedor Chudinov beat him on points in London.

Buglioni put up a brave fight at Wembley Arena in the English capital but was second-best throughout the 12 rounds.

Chudinov retained his title by scores of 120-106, 118-108 and 117-109. The margins were wide, yet they did not reflect how hard Buglioni had made the Russian work to keep hold of his belt.

Here Bleacher Report breaks down the major talking points from the main event. 

A Winner in Defeat

Martin Domin summed it up nicely in his fight report for the Mail: “If pride and guts won world titles, Frank Buglioni would be waking up a champion this Sunday morning.”

Buglioni was, as Domin states, impressive in defeat. Several people involved in boxing also took to Twitter to congratulate him for his efforts in a losing cause:

Let's hope Buglioni is ok after that beating. Amazing courage

— Shane McGuigan (@McGuigans_Gym) September 26, 2015

Frank Buglioni showing Heart of Lion here!

— Martin J Ward (@MartinJWard1) September 26, 2015

They got the poster right for this fight. #ManVsMachine #Terminator #ChudinovBuglioni

— Dave Coldwell (@davidcoldwell) September 26, 2015

The challenger demonstrated his boxing skills in the early stages, launching shots off the back foot.

However, the problem was he simply couldn’t throw anything to stop Chudinov’s forward progress. The Russian relentlessly marched his rival down, sapping Buglioni's energy as the rounds ticked by.

Yet it was in the second half of the bout that the Englishman really showed his determination to stay the course.

There were times when he looked ready to fall. With his hands dropping down, he absorbed some particularly powerful right hands over the top.

But Buglioni somehow made it through to the final bell, a victory in itself. He told BoxNation after the fight (h/t Sporting Life): "It was a massive opportunity. I gave it 12 weeks and gave it my best."

There was no denying Buglioni gave it his best. Sadly, though, his best wasn’t quite good enough.

It is tough to see how he earns another shot at a major belt in the foreseeable future, given Chudinov was seen as the weakest of the current champions at 168 pounds.

 

The Knockdown That Never Was

Things might have been different had the sixth round been just a little longer.

A combination for once seemed to rattle Chudinov in the closing seconds. Buglioni, though, got a little carried away by his sudden success, landing a right a second or two after the bell had sounded to end the round.

https://twitter.com/NextUKFight/status/647892553199669248

The blow knocked his rival, who had lowered his guard, to the canvas. The home crowd briefly got excited, and referee Terry O’Connor seemed momentarily confused over what to do.

However, before the start of the seventh he made it clear to the officials at ringside that Buglioni should lose two points for an illegal blow.

Undeterred, Buglioni jumped out when the bell rang again to launch an attack. Sensing it was now or never, he poured it all out for the first minute of the seventh round.

The problem was, though, that the break had given Chudinov enough time to recover from his trip to the canvas. From that moment on, it became clear Buglioni was spent. The fact he even managed to hear the final bell is enough to earn him a badge of honour.

But had that right hand landed about one minute earlier in the sixth, he might well have ended up with a world title instead.

 

From Russia with Love

Chudinov—who had the legendary Roy Jones Jr. working in his corner—had plenty to prove heading into the Buglioni fight.

He had claimed the vacant WBA title—which was formerly the property of Carl Froch—by beating Felix Sturm on points in May.

However, Sturm, 36, is well past his best. Chudinov, at 28 and with an unbeaten 13-fight record, needed to prove he wasn't just a fighter who met the right opponent at the right time.

It turned out he was exactly as advertised: short, stocky and durable, though not without some skills. His jab, considering his reach is only 72”, was effective.

And, while Buglioni seemed to be running on fumes in the final stages, Chudinov looked fit enough to keep on going for another few rounds at least.

He showed his stamina and displayed an ability to deliver a range of shots, but it is questionable that Chudinov would be able to wear down and dominate the other world champions in the division.

According to Boxing News 24, it seems his next move is a rematch with Sturm, a bout that we have seen before. 

Fedor Chudinov will finally defend his WBA super middleweight title against Frank Buglioni on Saturday night.

The bout was initially meant to take place in July this year, but champion Chudinov pulled out after suffering a broken nose while sparring.

Thankfully, the Russian (13-0, 10 KOs) has had no setbacks during training for the new date.

Buglioni (17-1-1, 13 KOs) has home advantage as he bids to claim a belt that was previously held by three other Brits—Joe Calzaghe, Brian Magee and Carl Froch.

Also on the bill at Wembley Arena in London, Ryan Walsh and Samir Mouneimne meet for the vacant British featherweight title, while the Commonwealth strap is up for grabs when Lewis Pettitt takes on fellow super bantamweight Bobby Jenkinson.

Bradley Skeete, meanwhile, defends the WBO European welterweight title in a 10-rounder against Mark Thompson.

When: Saturday, September 26, at 10 p.m. BST / 5 p.m. ET

Where: Wembley Arena, London, England

TV: BoxNation (UK)

Live stream: BoxNation (UK)

Warrior Spirit

Buglioni has been given advice by a man who knows what it takes to become a world champion in the 168-pound division.

Steve Collins held the WBO title during his career. Now, the Celtic Warrior and his brother, trainer Paschal Collins, have prepared Buglioni for the biggest night of his boxing life to date.

Collins believes the Englishman has what it takes to claim the title on Saturday, telling Sky Sports:

I'm very confident. I'm not a dreamer, I'm a realist and the fact is Frank is talented enough and good enough to beat any super-middleweight in the world.

Right now—where Frank Buglioni is—there are very few guys in the division that can go 12 rounds with him.

He's fighting a guy who is at his level experience-wise in professional boxing, so it's an even match going in but we believe our preparation has been better.

As revealed by promoter Frank Warren in his blog for BoxNation, Buglioni could be earning a living in less painful ways: "Though he is a qualified surveyor, he’s turned down modelling jobs and offers of acting roles to concentrate on a boxing career."

The Londoner appears to be fully focused on his career in the ring. 

His record is solid, with a defeat to the experienced Sergey Khomitsky the only blemish in 19 fights. This opportunity at a major title may have come earlier than even he expected.

However, there are money-spinning fights are out there to be made in a division full of names, including possibly against compatriots James DeGale and George Groves.

First, though, Wise Guy has to hand a first defeat to the current champion. After Saturday night, he should have a better idea of whether he made the right career choice.

Rapid Rise 

Chudinov thrust himself into the big time when he outpointed experienced German Felix Sturm in May to claim the vacant WBA title.

He now comes to London knowing it hasn't always been a happy spot for his family to visit—Fedor's brother, middleweight Dimitry, was beaten by Chris Eubank Jr. at the O2 Arena in February.

However, the younger sibling has no intention of seeing his perfect record disappear just yet, per Martin Domin of MailOnline:

All my hard training has been done and now I just have to focus on Saturday night and keeping hold of my world title, nothing is more important.

We've seen plenty of Frank Buglioni and I know what I have in front of me, he's a good strong fighter but he will be found short at world championship level.

It doesn't matter where I fight in the world, a ring is a ring to me and I will do the job that I have to do and I will beat Buglioni.

Chudinov may have had only 13 pro bouts, but he is 28 years old and previously compiled over 170 wins in his time as an amateur, according to BoxRec.

He is short, stocky and powerful.

Buglioni will have both a height (he is 6'1" compared to Chudinov at 5'9 ½") and reach (78" versus 72") advantage and would be well advised to fight at a distance.

Chudinov has won 10 times by knockout, including hospitalising Australian Ben McCulloch when picking up the interim WBA strap last year inside two rounds.

But you can make a case that he caught Sturm at the end of his career to claim the title. Buglioni, in contrast, is in his prime.

Prediction

Buglioni is a promoter's dream—tall, handsome (Warren's word, not mine) and already with a strong fanbase in the English capital.

He has all the tools outside the ring to be a success. However, he now needs to show he has improved as a boxer since that disappointing loss to Khomitsky.

But Chudinov is a serious test. He is a tough, uncomplicated champion.

Expect him to wear down Buglioni and close the gap between the pair as the rounds progress, resulting in the Russian retaining his title with a late stoppage.

After losing on points to Badou Jack, George Groves is in danger of becoming the nearly man of the super middleweight division. It is hardly a title he hoped to earn in his boxing career.

The Londoner came up short on Saturday night in his bid to dethrone WBC champion Jack on the undercard to Floyd Mayweather Jr. facing Andre Berto in Las Vegas.

It was a third defeat for Groves in a world-title tilt. Losing never gets any easier to stomach, but this must have been the most painful of the lot.

While he had talked the talk and, for several rounds at least, walked the walk in two tilts with IBF and WBA champion Carl Froch, he ultimately ended up falling short on both occasions.

But there was no disgrace in losing to Froch. BoxRec ranks the Cobra third on their all-time list of fighters in the 168-pound division.

Yet Groves’ reputation grew from his performances against his fellow Englishman.

He stunned both his opponent and the vast majority watching on when he dropped Froch to the canvas in the opening round of their first meeting in Manchester, England. It was some way to announce your presence on the world scene.

However, now things feel different in the immediate aftermath of the bout with Jack.

The American-based Swede had succeeded where Groves had failed, the underdog having upset the odds in April by beating Anthony Dirrell to win the WBC belt.

A look at Jack’s record, though, should have given Saint George added belief he could make the champion’s reign a short one.

The Ripper had never been beyond 10 rounds before getting the better of Dirrell on a majority decision. He had been knocked out inside a round 14 months earlier, while the draw on his record came against Marco Antonio Periban, a fighter that James DeGale (more on him to come) defeated inside three rounds.

Yet Jack—who had promised to make an impact with his fists, rather than his mouth—gave Groves a taste of his own medicine, dropping him with a sharp overhand right in the first round.

The challenger recovered from the early setback in a bout that ebbed and flowed throughout. While his jab impressed, Jack’s decision to work the body paid dividends as the rounds ticked by.

It was a tough one to score. The final punch stats, tweeted by ESPN.com's Brian Campbell, said Groves worked harder but Jack was more successful:

Punch stats from @CompuBox: Jack was 210 of 506 (42 percent). Groves as 154 of 721 (21 percent).

— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) September 13, 2015

For two of the judges, Jack had done enough to retain his crown. A score of 116-111 from one of them seemed a little lopsided, but the final margins didn’t matter to Groves—he had lost again.

In the aftermath he insisted the result should have gone the other way, telling David Anderson of the Mirror, "I thought I won the fight decisively. I thought I controlled the fight with my jab and that I was in control throughout. Losing a world title fight is the worst feeling in the world."

It’s a feeling that Groves has had to become accustomed to. That doesn’t make it many any easier to deal with, though.

There could be no excuses about poor preparation—he had spent eight weeks away in a training camp at Big Bear Lake, California, using the same facilities as middleweight king Gennady Golovkin.

Even Froch felt sympathetic for his former foe's plight:

Got to feel for @StGeorgeGroves as once again his world title dream becomes a nightmare. https://t.co/nkcE5CaSuB

— Carl Froch MBE (@Carl_Froch) September 13, 2015

Groves admitted he now has to take stock, per Bryan Armen Graham of the Guardian: "I am going to take some time to work out what’s next."

The plan for a huge unification fight against James DeGale was torn up the moment the scores were read out at the MGM Grand.

Chunky holds the IBF belt after his triumph over Andre Dirrell in May. He has yet to announce who he will face in his first defence, but a rematch with Groves—who handed DeGale his solitary defeat in the paid ranks—would have been a profitable option.

Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail believes it is still possible the longtime rivals meet again, though that depends entirely on DeGale: 

DeGale, having lifted Froch’s old IBF title from Andre Dirrell in Boston, was eyeing a unification Battle of Britain should Groves win the WBC belt.

This defeat has taken a good deal of the glitter off that prospect.

However, DeGale could calculate that a domestic grudge match with Groves, although no longer a Wembley Stadium proposition, would still be a bigger money-maker than another fight abroad and offer the re-match.

The issue is that the only thing Groves brings to the table is the chance for DeGale to avenge the loss he suffered back in 2011.

If that fight doesn’t materialise, it is tough to know which path Groves will travel down next.

He will have to work out a strategy to get himself into a position for a fourth crack at a major belt. That’s going to mean taking a step or two back in a deep division.

Any of the world champions at the weight are going to think twice about offering a voluntary shot to a fighter with Groves' experience and abilities. For those holding belts, bar DeGale and his desire to exact revenge, he is a big risk for little reward.

There is also the issue of finding yourself back in a crowded pack.

While Groves rests, recovers and ponders his next move, compatriot Frank Buglioni has a shot at WBA champion Fedor Chudinov on September 26.

Rising stars Rocky Fielding and Callum Smith go head-to-head for the British crown in Liverpool, England, in November, plus Martin Murray is also now in the mix after moving up from middleweight.

It is a crowded scene domestically, and Groves is in danger of becoming yesterday’s man.

However, it is not all doom and gloom for Groves. He is just 27 years old, so there is still enough time for him to achieve his goal.

While he is still physically in his prime years, he needs to make sure the hat-trick of heartbreaking losses have not left too many mental scars. Both mind and body have to be willing to take further punishment in the pursuit of glory.

The window of opportunity is closing for Saint George—he does not want to forever be remembered as the nearly man of the super middleweights.

Badou Jack will make the first defence of his WBC super middleweight title against George Groves on Saturday.

The American-based Swede became a world champion by beating Anthony Dirrell via a majority decision in April.

Groves, meanwhile, has been cast in the role of challenger before in his career. The Englishman twice came up short in attempts to take the IBF and WBA belts from compatriot Carl Froch.

The fight is part of the undercard before Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces Andre Berto in the main event in Las Vegas.

When: Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. BST (Sunday)

Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas

TV: Showtime (US), BoxNation (UK)

Live stream: Showtime Anytime (US), BoxNation (UK)

Jack The Ace

Despite being the reigning champion, Jack finds himself the underdog going into the fight. Odds Shark prices him at 137-100, compared to Groves' odds of 4-7.

However, the 31-year-old is not bothered by his status with the bookmakers, saying in a media call, via Boxing News 24: "I like it. I was the underdog before and changed the role as well. We saw what happened in there? It’s less pressure. So I like it."

He wasn't fancied to defeat Dirrell either, yet he did enough to convince two of the three judges at ringside to award him the victory (the other official scored it 114-114).

Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs) did not have a career record that suggested he could cause an upset against Dirrell. He had never previously boxed over 10 rounds and was knocked out in just over a minute by Derek Edwards in February 2014.

Now, though, he's lost the element of surprise. Groves told Matt Christie of Boxing News that he has meticulously studied his next opponent:

This is a fight against a good guy, but a guy who is not as good as me. For that reason, we’re just looking forward to getting in there and performing. And winning and everything that goes with it. 

Without trying to give too much away about the game plan, we know Jack’s strengths. We know his weaknesses.

We plan to go in there, nullify his strengths and expose the weaknesses.

The Ripper—who represented Gambia in the 2008 Olympics but was born in Stockholm, Sweden—now has to prove that his victory over Dirrell was not a flash in the pan.

Third Time Lucky

Groves (21-2, 16 KOs) will want to make sure he doesn't become known as the nearly man of the super middleweight division.

The Londoner performed admirably against Froch, including dropping his rival to the canvas in the opening round of their first bout, but he ultimately came up short on each occasion.

Those performances raised his profile, but he is still yet to fulfil his ambition of becoming a world champion.

He has taken his latest attempt seriously, spending eight weeks in iconic Big Bear, California, in a training camp that saw him use the same Summit Gym as middleweight Gennady Golovkin.

Per Jack Bezants of the Daily Mail, Groves—who has recorded wins over Christopher Rebrasse and Denis Douglin since that second loss to Froch—has left no stone unturned in his preparations: 

We're in a great place and we're just ready to perform, to steal the show and arrive on the world scene.

Every fight is more vital than the last, more important than the last and there's more to lose, especially once you've lost.

This is a fight against a good guy, but a guy who is not as good as me. For that reason, we're just looking forward to getting in there and performing. And winning and everything that goes with it.

A world-title triumph on American soil would pave the way for some big fights, most notably a potential rematch between Groves and his longtime rival James DeGale.

Groves won the last time they met, outpointing Chunky in Manchester in 2011 when the British and Commonwealth titles were up for grabs.

A second clash in the paid ranks would gain added interest if both men held versions of a world title. DeGale already has the IBF strap in his possession thanks to a victory over Andre Dirrell in May.

However, before he can think about sizable paydays in the future, Groves must remain focused on the task at hand—beating Jack and bringing home the WBC crown.

Prediction

It is understandable that Groves is the favourite. He may have lost twice to Froch, but in doing so he proved he belongs at the highest level.

His boxing skills can allow him to dictate proceedings at the weekend—Saint George has an excellent jab, though he can at times be open to counters.

If he avoids getting into a battle and makes sure Jack can't do too much damage on the inside, Groves can make it a short reign for his opponent with a comfortable points triumph.