BoxRec

With Ward gone to light-heavy. Arthur Abraham was pretty much the clear number 1 in most ratings so when he got beat by Zurdo its reasonable that Zurdo takes over. I don't think its clear cut who is subjectively best out of Zurdo, DeGale or Jack. Like always we won't really know till they fight, both DeGale and Badou Jack kinda pooed their pants at the weekend and can hardly claim 168 supremacy. It is an Open Door with Callum Smith looking a threat.

Ability wise I doubt he's much worse, if worse at all, than Degale or Jack. He's performed better against common opponents and while Abraham isn't great I think beating him like that (12-0, not 7-3 with a knockdown suffered like the Dirrell 'schooling') is impressive compared to what others have accomplished at 168 recently.

I don't think its clear cut who is subjectively best out of Zurdo, DeGale or Jack. Like always we won't really know till they fight, both DeGale and Badou Jack kinda pooed their pants at the weekend and can hardly claim 168 supremacy. It is an Open Door with Callum Smith looking a threat.

I agree. To me if someone thinks one fighter is clearly the best at 168 they are probably overrating them; it's very much there for the taking.

jujigatame wrote:Abraham wouldn't beat Smith, but I think he'd have a damn good chance of beating Bute, Jack, and even Dirrell in a rematch.

You gotta be kidding. This is a guy who needed three fights to overcome Stieglitz, two fights to overcome Paul Smith, nearly lost to non punching middleweight Murray and has no notable wins in SMW division.

Rod Salka was ranked 91 at lightweight when he fought Danny Garcia. After the Garcia loss, Salka posted a couple of wins one against an opponent ranked 55 (Monty Clay). Salka is currently ranked 39 but at Super-featherweight

Tarkus wrote:

jujigatame wrote:Abraham wouldn't beat Smith, but I think he'd have a damn good chance of beating Bute, Jack, and even Dirrell in a rematch.

You gotta be kidding. This is a guy who needed three fights to overcome Stieglitz, two fights to overcome Paul Smith, nearly lost to non punching middleweight Murray and has no notable wins in SMW division.

He beat Stieglitz and Smith the first time he faced them.....neither fighter was robbed of a win.

They can't find someone better with 2.5 months' notice?

Disgraceful opponent.

Why couldn't he fight a standard level of rubbish opponent like Blake Caparello or Juergen Doberstein?

crusader wrote:

Tarkus wrote:

jujigatame wrote:Abraham wouldn't beat Smith, but I think he'd have a damn good chance of beating Bute, Jack, and even Dirrell in a rematch.

You gotta be kidding. This is a guy who needed three fights to overcome Stieglitz, two fights to overcome Paul Smith, nearly lost to non punching middleweight Murray and has no notable wins in SMW division.

He beat Stieglitz and Smith the first time he faced them.....neither fighter was robbed of a win.

It clearly was not convincing enough and warranted a rematch. And he got stopped in one of them.

I wonder if WBO actually allowed this defense? They should decline the opponent.

Tarkus wrote:

crusader wrote:

Tarkus wrote: You gotta be kidding. This is a guy who needed three fights to overcome Stieglitz, two fights to overcome Paul Smith, nearly lost to non punching middleweight Murray and has no notable wins in SMW division.

He beat Stieglitz and Smith the first time he faced them.....neither fighter was robbed of a win.

It clearly was not convincing enough and warranted a rematch. And he got stopped in one of them.

Okay, so he beat both on his first try, between 6 fights with that pair won 5, there were no robberies, and the loss was clearly avenged twice.

AA isn't anything special and I didn't have him #1, but I still think he was comfortably within the top 10 and given how dominant Ramirez was in beating him don't think it's unreasonable for people to elevate the latter near the very top of the 168 rankings. Zurdo has also done better than Degale and Jack against pretty much every common opponent he has with each of them, and I can see why some people think he may be the best in the division.

Taking into account that DeGale, Jack and Dirrells are Haymon fighters, I can't imagine that they face Zurdo unless he jumps to Haymon or Haymon loses his standing in boxing.

Chudinov or Smith would be great second defenses.

Tarkus wrote:

jujigatame wrote:Abraham wouldn't beat Smith, but I think he'd have a damn good chance of beating Bute, Jack, and even Dirrell in a rematch.

You gotta be kidding. This is a guy who needed three fights to overcome Stieglitz, two fights to overcome Paul Smith, nearly lost to non punching middleweight Murray and has no notable wins in SMW division.

He went 3-1 against Stieglitz in his career. The first fight with Smith was basically a draw (similar to DeGale/Medina) and he won decisively in the rematch. He beat Murray in a close but not controversial fight and honestly I think Murray would have a good chance of beating Bute, Jack, and Dirrell too.

Hopefully some of these fights can happen so the division will get some more clarity. DeGale will probably outpoint Jack rather easily, as I think Jack is extremely ordinary.

I think Smith is Jack's mandatory now, but DeGale/Jack may happen first.

I'd actually like to see Smith/Sturm, but Sturm probably won't go for that.

jujigatame wrote:I think Smith is Jack's mandatory now, but DeGale/Jack may happen first.

I'd actually like to see Smith/Sturm, but Sturm probably won't go for that.

Smith vs Hart could be interesting.

They should make DeGale Jack in England and put Smith Bute on the undercard. Then DeGale Smith clash. Hopefully Smith wins and we can have a massive unification with Ramirez.

Man can dream.

Everyone takes the low road these days

ikorolev wrote:

jujigatame wrote:I think Smith is Jack's mandatory now, but DeGale/Jack may happen first.

I'd actually like to see Smith/Sturm, but Sturm probably won't go for that.

Smith vs Hart could be interesting.

Think Smith will fight Medina next as Hearn said recently it would be an interesting comparison with JD's performance.

jujigatame wrote:

Tarkus wrote: Wait a minute. And what wins Ramirez has? Dirrell and Bute are lot better then old, over the hill Abraham who was never a good SMW to begin with. Noone in the division have a better record then DeGale right now. Ramirez and Smith have potential but no record.

Abraham is inconsistent but I still think a dominant win over him is worth more than Dirrell or Bute.

I agree with that statement.

Aaronide_ger wrote:This guy is actually a middleweight.. Cherry pick of the year goes to Ramirez, this is not even a mando

Agreed.