snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2004 Since the Lennox Lewis thread drew quite a bit of interest and theres apparently a few boxing fans here at TSM...I thought Id provide you with a list of major/good upcoming fights with a brief preview.... Friday, 2/20 ESPN2 Tokunbo Olajide v Larry Marks - USBA 154 Title - Olajide is a solid prospect and possible future world champion. He is rebounding from a shocking 1st round ko loss quite well and this should be his biggest test yet. Marks is a decent former world title challenger who has losses vs. Michael Covington, Cory Spinks, Andrew Lewis, and Agel Hernandez. His biggest career win came over a slightly faded Charles Murray in 2000. -Also on the card is undefeated middleweight Willie Gibbs and the great Bernard Hopkins is in-studio. Friday 2/27 ESPN2 Art Simonyan v Juan Ruiz - USBA S.Bantam Title - Simonyan(13-0-1) is on a big three fight winning streak(tko7 Radford Beasley, tko6 Ablorh Sowah, w12 Carlos Contreras). This could be his last fight before stepping up to the world championship scene. Ruiz is 16-1 Sat 2/28 HBO Erik Morales v Jesus Chavez - WBC S. Featherwt Title - The great Morales moves up in weight and immediately challenges for an ABC title. Morales is coming off a huge 2nd round ko over Guty Espadas and is looking as good as he ever has. The only man to beat Chavez since 1995 is Floyd Mayweather and holds victories over 5 former world champions. The first real big fight of 04 and it shouldnt dissapoint. -Also on the undercard, 2000 olympian Miguel Cotto looks to continue his rampage towards stardom in a major fight against Victoriano Sosa. Cotto is 18-0, Sosa is 37-3. Fri 3/5 ESPN2 Verno Philips v Julio Garcia - Philips is on a 5 fight win streak(including wins over Michael Lerma and Bronco McKart) since losing to Kasim Ouma in '01. Garcia is looking to get back in the title chase after having his own hot streak stopped by a JC Candelo knockout. Very good matchup. -Also Andre Purlette v. Lawrence Cley-Bey in a possibly entertaining, heavyweight crossroads fight. Sat 3/6 Showtime Joel Casamayor v Diego Corrales - WBO S.Feather Title - This is a rematch of one of the best fights of '03. Their fight last Oct ended in a controversial stoppage win for Casamayor when Corrales was bleeding badly from the mouth. Both are at the top of the weight class, theres alot of heat for the rematch, the two seem to really match up well, and its a must-win for both. This should be another fight of the year candidate already, and we already have one with Pemberton-Sheika2. -also, Mark '2 Sharp' Johnson defends his superfly belt against Luis Bolano(38-0) Sat 3/13 HBO Shane Mosely v Winky Wright - Undisputed 154 Title - Huge fight! It will be the first unification of the 154 weightclass. Mosely is on the rebound after going nearly 3 years without a win. Last Sept he defeated Oscar De La Hoya for the second time(apparently all three judges giving it to Shane by 2 points apiece was 'controversy'). Winky Wright hasnt lost since '99(a legit controversial decisions against Fernando Vargas) and has since scored wins over Keith Mullings, Jason Papillion, Bronco McKart, JC Candelo, and Angel Hernandez. -on the undercard its a great heavyweight matchup as the ne great white hope, Joe Mesi meets former cruiser champion Vassily Jirov. This fight has poitential to be yet another FOTY candidate. That makes two on this HBO show Sun 3/14 FOx Sports Really good doubleheader here...no idea how FSN will handle it though(tape delay, one fight on different nights, live, etc). Nate Campbell v Robbie Peden - SFeather Eliminater - Both have looked impressive lately and both desperately want a chance to prove themselves. This is that chance, total must-win fight for both. Winner gets a shot at IBF title. Should be a qualtiy scrap. Kuvanych Toygonbayev v Keith Holmes - Former champ Holmes takes on his toughest challenge since losing his world middleweight belt to Hopkins in early '01. Toygonbayez is 23-1 and hasnt lost a fight since a 6round decion to Kassim Ouma in 2000. Malcolm Tann and Robert Guerrero are both featured on the undercard. Sat 3/27 HBO Jermain Taylor will try to continue his quest to be the best of the 2000 olympian class as he fights the tough WBC regional beltholder Alex Bunema(24-3) Dominic Guinn will try to prove that he is the TOP young heavyweight in the world when he fights the man that barely lost to Joe Mesi last December, the veteran Monte Barrett. Sat 4/3 Showtime Two great matchups from Manchester England Sharmba Mitchell defends his interim junior welter title against longtime Commonwealth champ Eamonn Magee(25-4). Undefeated Ricky Hatton(34-0) with wins over Tackie, Hutchinson, Philips, Rios, Magee, and Pendleton meets possibly his toughest challenge in powerpunching prospect Kelson Pinto(19-0, 17 kos). Belts are on the line. Sat 4/10 HBO Cory Spinks v Zab Judah - World Welterweight Title - Undisputed champ Spinks goes right from his huge win over Mayorga to the ltwelter star Judah. Huge fight, a superstar should truly emerge from this. Spinks is a gifted, tremedous boxer and Judah is a charismatic, talented fighter with a serious punch. Also - Wladimir Klitischko continues his comeback after the Sanders blitz by fighting Lamon Brewster. This should be a massacre. Thurs 4/15 Show Attila Levin(29-1) vs. Jeremy Williams(40-4) in a heavyweight crossroads fight. Winner can stake claim for top 10/15 and bigger fights, loser might want to consider retirement. Sat 5/1 NBC Kermit Cintron v TBA. No idea how this fight will go but expect another great performance from the redhot Cintron. He will probably be a world champ and superstar in the next couple of years. This is also the start of the afternoon NBC boxing series for May. There ya'll go...enjoy... thanks to boxrec.com for records Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2004 Juan Ruiz? the cheap Mexican version of John Ruiz? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2004 I've followed Mesi (obviously since I'm in Buffalo) and I've seen some Jirov... I don't think either guy is likely to knock the other out...and both will stand and throw....with neither being especially commited to or good at defense. There's a good chance that fight will be exciting...and it's on the undercard of the bigger and more exciting Mosley/Wright fight! March 13th should be a great night for Boxing on HBO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2004 I've followed Mesi (obviously since I'm in Buffalo) and I've seen some Jirov... I don't think either guy is likely to knock the other out...and both will stand and throw....with neither being especially commited to or good at defense. There's a good chance that fight will be exciting...and it's on the undercard of the bigger and more exciting Mosley/Wright fight! March 13th should be a great night for Boxing on HBO. Definitly a great card...should be more than good enough to help us all forget the farce from earlier this year(2 fights over in less than 2 rounds ). Jirov is just nonstop attack. Mesi has shown a good enough chin so I dont think Jirov can put him away. Jirov has the shakier beard, imo, so Mesi has a shot at a quick knockout. I honestly expect a classic, bloody war with Mesi getting a close decision(fairer than the Barrett fight). Theyll rematch in an HBO main event this spring/summer and Mesi gets the big KO. Thats my prediction but obviously it can go alot differently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2004 Hey Bps Mesi or Juan Carlos Gomez, who's your pick? do you know who Gomez is? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 I don't know Gomez from anything more than reading his name in places. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 I don't know Gomez from anything more than reading his name in places. He was one of the featured fighters on HBO's heavyweight tripleheader last September. He scored an impressive, lopsided decision over Sinan Samil Sam. Dokiwari and Mesi won fights on that show as well, Mesi by first round ko over Davaryl Williamson. Mesi vs Gomez...I would pick Mesi, good fight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) Oh OK. I remember now. Actually Giunn beat Donkiwari that night. The funny thing about that night is, that's the night Mesi somehow became a "power puncher" because he destroyed Williamson after the first two fights went long. Every since then HBO has talked about his KO power...a power that he only really has over tomato cans. Edited February 16, 2004 by "Hail" bps21 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 Oh OK. I remember now. Actually Giunn beat Donkiwari that night. The funny thing about that night is, that's the night Mesi somehow became a "power puncher" because he destroyed Williamson after the first two fights went long. Every since then HBO has talked about his KO power...a power that he only really has over tomato cans. Yeah...Guinn beat Dokiwari. But, I wouldnt call Williamson a 'tomato can'. He had fought and beat some decent fighters, and two fights prior to Mesi he fought through a broken jaw to win a decision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 BoxRec says that Wladimir Klitschko v. Lamon Brewster is for the WBO title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 The same WBO that decided that the winner of Francisco Damiani and Johnny DuPloy was a more ideal champion than Mike Tyson? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2004 yeah.. the origins of the WBO are a bit shady and it's not on the same level as the Big 3. The WBO has some decent champions (Antonio Margarito, Joe Calzaghe, Acelino Freitas). Not to mention that Dariusz held the WBO title while he was the linear light-heavyweight champion. Although on the heavyweight side, most of the legit champs vacated the title (Bowe, Akinwande, Moorer, Mercer). Why Wlad would want to be around the WBO title, I don't know. The WBO title doesn't do much to help you career-wise. Who the hell is Lamon Brewster anyways? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
