Boxing: February 22 - 23, 2008 [View All]

[H2O Man]

(All bouts subject to change)

Friday, February 22 - at Hollywood, Florida (ESPN2) -
10 rounds, welterweights: Richard Gutierrez (21-1, 13 KOs)
vs. Miguel Vazquez (20-1, 9 KOs); 10 rounds, junior
lightweights: Johnnie Edwards (13-0, 7 KOs) vs.
Yuriorkis Gamboa (8-0, 7 KOs).

Saturday, February 23 - at New York (HBO) - 12 rounds,
IBF heavyweight title: Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs)
vs. Sultan Ibragimov (22-0-1, 17 KOs); 12 rounds,
middleweights: Joe Greene (17-0, 12 KOs) vs.
Francisco Antonio Mora (52-12, 35 KOs); 10 rounds,
middleweights: John Duddy (23-0, 17 KOs) vs. Walid
Smichet (17-3-1, 13 KOs); 8 rounds, middleweights:
Peter Quillin (16-0, 13 KOs) vs. Thomas Brown
(11-3-1, 7 KOs); 10 rounds, cruiserweights: Johnathon
Banks (18-0, 13 KOs) vs. Imamu Mayfield (25-8-2, 18 KOs).

The ESPN FNF card looks interesting. The first fight will likely be more exciting, in terms of the potential for a knockout, while the main event will be a chess match. It's a good card, and helps these young contenders to be seen by the boxing fans, and then showcases a couple solid contenders. Thank you, ESPN.

The HBO card is important. Everyone wants to see John Duddy step up. I think maybe the idea is to have him and Joe Greene both look good, then meet each other in the late spring or early summer. Duddy is an exciting fighter, who has the natural defensive skills of Jerry Quarry -- once he gets hit, the guy resorts to slugging. He is exciting, and a fan-favorite.

The main event appears one-sided to me. Ibragimov is too small, has too weak of defensive skills, and seems unlikely to be able to hurt Klitschko. Of course, there can always be an upset -- and Wladimir is not unbeatable by any means. But I think he will stop Ibragimov by the end of the 8th round.

The real interest in the division is going to be coming at the end of the year. Klitschko has another defense coming up, which he will win in 8 or less. In the mean time, Nikolai Valuev has earned a rematch against Ruslan Chagaev, after a one-sided victory over Sergei Liakhovich.

The winner of the Chagaev vs Valuev fight will then likely face Klitschko. Each of the two would provide a tougher fight -- at least on paper -- than either of Wladimir's next two victims. I think that he is just too big for Chagaev, but Ruslan is fast, strong, very athletic, and has the ability to land blows that hurt a larger foe.

Perhaps more interesting could be the giant Valuev against Klitschko. Though he is able to relax against smaller foes, I think Wladimir would be anxious against Valuev. And when he is nervous, Klitschko tires fast, and is hurt by punches he could otherwise shake off.

It will be good to see the heavyweight mess get cleared up. I respect Klitschko and Valuev, who are both willing to fight any other heavyweight in their effort to become the undisputed champion. In 2009, one of the two will be fighting a matured Samuel Peter, and then there will be one champion.