BoxRec

Vadim Tokarev will prove that he's perhaps the world's best cruiser. master boxer, wicked body attack, solid chin, power and guts. Anyone who likes cruisers should see his 4th round stoppage of talented Felix Cora Jr. A real thriller.

Yuri Romanov Despite the loss to Earl, the road warrior went to Spain & laid out talented Spaniard Juan Carlos Diaz Melero to win the EBU title. The lightweight ranks are thinning and the Kostya Tszyu lookalike - who's only been a pro 5 years - is great when he finds his rhythm.

Tshifhiwa Munyai - I'm really excited about watching this youngster fight, and fully expect him to destroy Martin Power again. Hopefully afterward ppl are still eager to challenge the lanky South African so that he still makes appearances over here (thus qualifying him as a Euro based fighter). Maybe Napa would make a semi-decent test?

Jackson Asiku and Ajose Olusegun - right now they're making our homeboys look like Coward The Duck, none of Wank's fighters are going to go near them, so fingers crossed because they have the God given talent.

Anyone got any other ideas, while I'm thinking up some more?

I can't see Eastman, Richard Williams or Ted Bami excelling themselves; I don't think Mbaye gets any good challengers - unless they bring in Kotelnik who can't win a decision abroad (henvce why he won't 'do well')

I hope Reda Zam Zam starts making some progress in terms of opposition he looks very good.

Ruslan Chagaev and Alexander Dimetrenko continue to impress as Heavyweights. Chagaev is a bit less green than Dimetrenko but I suspect both will be around the top ten for a long time.

Amin Asikainen looks to be a real talent also, but I wasn't to impressed with him against Sipos. Against Tendill and Sylvester he looked the business. Sylvester hasn't looked the same fighter since his defeat also - so I am looking forward to that one. The winner I think could be in for some bigger things.

One of the more improved boxers of 2005/2006 was Christophe Canclaux the EU Light Middleweight champion. Losses to European class (but not world class) fighters Alexander Sipos and Jimmy Collas earlier in his career do not bold well. But he seems to be improving now and looking very confident. He has the chance to avenge one of these losses vs Collas very early in the new year.

Also at Light Middle is Hussein Bayram. He is 31 now, but impresses everytime I have seen him fight. His sole defeat was vs Dzindriruk so thats not that bad.

I actually predict maybe a bleak time ahead in boxing. The prospects just don't seem to be there. Yes, we have a great depth of very good fighters - but I really cannot think of a single fighter who just oozes class and potential - like say Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Jermain Taylor and Rocky Juarez did a few years ago. They looked like world title certainties from their early twenties - cannot think of anyone who looks like that now... Maybe with the exception of Abner Mares.

Heavy - Sulatn Ibragimov - I think he will beat Briggs.
Alex Povetkin - could drop down to cruiser, but looked realy good against Mayfield on Eurosport and not afraid to fight decent competistion.


Cruiser - the aforementioned Tokarev looks strong.
MArco Huck should also advance and is looking good.


Super-middle - Lucian Bute from Romania looks to be a great prospect. I think he's actually based in Canada.
Denis Inkin of Russia looks solid if unspectacular.

I agree with Inkin. He handled the very underrated (if somewhat chinny) Mario Veit very nicely. I can see Inkin picking up a world title at SM before the year is out.

Not sure I agree, I thought he was a bit pensive vs Viet who probably would have won if his chin would have held up.

I wouldn't mind seeing him in with Brahmer. I know that would be seen as a backward step - but maybe Brahmer has learned from his mistakes vs Viet. For me, he would be my favourite vs Viet in a rematch - looked decent since and I thought he showed the tools to be better than Viet (just didn't use them often enough).

I know we are dealing with European's here - but the Peterson brothers from the states have looked good so far. I have seen more of Lamont, but Anthony appears to have a bigger punch (bit of weakness of Peterson).

Roman Karmazin He's just won a comeback fight , and can get back into title contention this year, even at the age of 34.

I'm expecting an upturn in the fortunes of John Murray this year. He's not had the best 2006, but I think that might only be a blip.

Kiko Martinez will be my tip I think. Still very raw, and still somewhat untested, but is (from the little I've seen) a useful, aggressive pressure fighter. Could give Dunne some real problems if they meet this year.

I also think that this year will see an end to the Sergio Martinez tour of Spain. If he can actually get himself a fight he might be able to launch himself back into some sort of title mix.

topper123 wrote:Roman Karmazin He's just won a comeback fight , and can get back into title contention this year, even at the age of 34.

Apparently he looked really good. It'd be interesting if he stayed at middleweight. Seems like he's outgrown junior middle a bit.

I think Derry Matthews can excel if Frank manages him well.

viciousmaussa wrote:

topper123 wrote:Roman Karmazin He's just won a comeback fight , and can get back into title contention this year, even at the age of 34.

Apparently he looked really good. It'd be interesting if he stayed at middleweight. Seems like he's outgrown junior middle a bit.

Middleweight seems to suit him. He looks in great shape:

Bernard dunne looks to be on the way up after his good win over pickering and hopefully he can push into world honours.

Yeah, potential fights with Hunter and Molitor on the horizon for Dunne if he pursues them hard enough.

Will Dunne go back to Feather to fight Hunter though?

E wrote:

viciousmaussa wrote:

topper123 wrote:Roman Karmazin He's just won a comeback fight , and can get back into title contention this year, even at the age of 34.

Apparently he looked really good. It'd be interesting if he stayed at middleweight. Seems like he's outgrown junior middle a bit.

Middleweight seems to suit him. He looks in great shape:

absolutely - also he's starting too look a little bit slow at junior middle. Going up to middle would keep him more 'up to speed', against the bigger men. He could easily win a title (Castillej0 rematch, anyone?), I give him a good shot to beat any of the promising contenders & he'd give Taylor a tough fight, IMO.

Cannibal wrote:Yeah, potential fights with Hunter and Molitor on the horizon for Dunne if he pursues them hard enough.

Considering the way he has been steadily facing better opposition each time he has fought recently i wouldnt think there would be a change in this trend hopefully he could face hunter soon (if thats the way they are looking) then push on for a world title oppurtunity assuming he would win this fight.

I think the pickering performance quitened the doubters somewhat and personally i think he is above domestic and euro level now and i reckon hunter is somewhere in between the two so he would be a good start.

how about Jean Paul Mendy, who just drew in the shobox supermiddle tournament?
also look for young amateur world champion Willy Blain, now 15-0, improving a lot...

Sultan Ibragimov - he's a southpaw, pretty quick hands, good judgement of distance (has to be when he's fighting 6'5-6'9 opponents) and I feel he could've beaten Ray Austin (who he drew with) if he'd stayed focused after knocking him down...IMO he's going to beat Briggs, when they fight in March for the WBO crown.

Bernard Dunne made a believer out of me after his win over Esham Pickering, he looked class that night. Apparently an American named Mike Oliver (?!) is calling him out...no i've never heard of him either.

Ruslan Chagaev looked impressive beating John Ruiz in the WBA eliminator, i think he will give the beast a good test. Alexander Dimitrenko looks a bit like a Ukranian Roman Greenberg though, lacked killer instinct against Billy Zumbrun after having him down in the first round and the Omar Gonzalo Basile fight was just a farce. Needs a serious injection of better class opponents IMO for a fighter at 24-0. Dennis Boytsov is another Heavyweight banger getting good reviews although my pick of the bunch remains Alexander Povetkin, will lay my neck on the line and predict a star in the making there.

Marco Huck as i mentioned in a previous thread looks promising, shame David Haye is jumping out of the Cruisers soon as Huck V Haye would be a good European title fight. Tokarev i have not yet seen fight but he is now Boxrec's No. 1 Cruiserweight so he must be doing something right. Alexander Alekseev is supposed to be promising, saw him in with Zoltan Beres but Beres is so negative it is hard to gauge.

I was impressed with Denis Inkin's punch picking versus Mario Veit, the three punch combination that floored and ultimately finished Veit was class. Can't think of anyone else off hand but Sergei Dzinziruk has always been a favourite of mine since his win over Daniel Santos. Maybe he can find a big fight in 2007

steve689 wrote:Bernard Dunne made a believer out of me after his win over Esham Pickering, he looked class that night. Apparently an American named Mike Oliver (?!) is calling him out...no i've never heard of him either.

Ruslan Chagaev looked impressive beating John Ruiz in the WBA eliminator, i think he will give the beast a good test. Alexander Dimitrenko looks a bit like a Ukranian Roman Greenberg though, lacked killer instinct against Billy Zumbrun after having him down in the first round and the Omar Gonzalo Basile fight was just a farce. Needs a serious injection of better class opponents IMO for a fighter at 24-0. Dennis Boytsov is another Heavyweight banger getting good reviews although my pick of the bunch remains Alexander Povetkin, will lay my neck on the line and predict a star in the making there.

Marco Huck as i mentioned in a previous thread looks promising, shame David Haye is jumping out of the Cruisers soon as Huck V Haye would be a good European title fight. Tokarev i have not yet seen fight but he is now Boxrec's No. 1 Cruiserweight so he must be doing something right. Alexander Alekseev is supposed to be promising, saw him in with Zoltan Beres but Beres is so negative it is hard to gauge.

I was impressed with Denis Inkin's punch picking versus Mario Veit, the three punch combination that floored and ultimately finished Veit was class. Can't think of anyone else off hand but Sergei Dzinziruk has always been a favourite of mine since his win over Daniel Santos. Maybe he can find a big fight in 2007

That oliver guy has a decent looking record although the lack of ko's would make him a viable opponent but would dunne be looking to fight other up and comers rather than trying to move into world class it wouldnt really make sense to fight a guy like this unless of course it was a stay busy fight while waiting on a title oppurtunity.

viciousmaussa wrote:

E wrote:

viciousmaussa wrote:Apparently he looked really good. It'd be interesting if he stayed at middleweight. Seems like he's outgrown junior middle a bit.

Middleweight seems to suit him. He looks in great shape:

absolutely - also he's starting too look a little bit slow at junior middle. Going up to middle would keep him more 'up to speed', against the bigger men. He could easily win a title (Castillej0 rematch, anyone?), I give him a good shot to beat any of the promising contenders & he'd give Taylor a tough fight, IMO.

There was nothing between Karmazin and Spinks that night, thought a draw would have been good but going by a few comments about his debut against Toney, he could make major impact at 160. I watched the Showtime card and his fight wasn't televised though

Do you know how long he has been with Roach?

Raff The Frenchman wrote:how about Jean Paul Mendy, who just drew in the shobox supermiddle tournament?
also look for young amateur world champion Willy Blain, now 15-0, improving a lot...

Mendy I haven't seen, but Blain lacks power and hasn't thegreatest chin. MAy have stayed amateur to long. I don't expect much from him.

lvlarc_uk wrote:

viciousmaussa wrote:

E wrote: Middleweight seems to suit him. He looks in great shape:

absolutely - also he's starting too look a little bit slow at junior middle. Going up to middle would keep him more 'up to speed', against the bigger men. He could easily win a title (Castillej0 rematch, anyone?), I give him a good shot to beat any of the promising contenders & he'd give Taylor a tough fight, IMO.

There was nothing between Karmazin and Spinks that night, thought a draw would have been good but going by a few comments about his debut against Toney, he could make major impact at 160. I watched the Showtime card and his fight wasn't televised though

Do you know how long he has been with Roach?

I had Karmazin beating Spinks - I felt he overcame a slow start, figured him out in the middle stages and outlasted/wore him down - just in time. By ALL rights RK should've got a draw, because the German judge criminally scored rd 12 for Spinks.

Karmazin had never fought a fast welter before, so that probably made me think he was looking a tad slow and tight.

Don King absolutely has to get him another title shot. God knows how Toney gets a rematch vs Peter, while Karmazin doesn't get Spinks II - he had plenty to moan about - a massive ring to suit Spinks, the German judge's weird scoring, the ref...

I think Roman has been at the Wild Card gym for a while. Don't know how long he's been in the states, poss from the Papillion (?) fight onward. Roach was in the corner for the Ouma fight, I think, but he wasn't during the Spinks.

His role is uncetain. Roach seemed upset that Karmazin was being a tight bastard last year, trying to cut back training costs by not having Roach as trainer/cutman. Roach complained about "not even getting a t-shirt" from him.

Apparently Karmazin gts really shit pay, so that would be an explanation.

stujones wrote:Not sure I agree, I thought he was a bit pensive vs Viet who probably would have won if his chin would have held up.

I wouldn't mind seeing him in with Brahmer. I know that would be seen as a backward step - but maybe Brahmer has learned from his mistakes vs Viet. For me, he would be my favourite vs Viet in a rematch - looked decent since and I thought he showed the tools to be better than Viet (just didn't use them often enough).

I really liked Veit to beat Inkin. Veit is a very big SM and has some very nice skills. That Inkin held his own until the KO was pretty good, imo.
I'd like to see Inkin fight one of the up-and-comers at SM (rather than Brahmer)... Froch or Green would be fantastic.