Looking into the 2009 Crystal Ball of Boxing

Casting a gaze into my crystal ball I’m going to attempt to predict what the future holds for the entire world champion in all 17 divisions.

The big boys at Heavyweight are ruled by the brothers Klitschko at the moment. Word is that Vitali will fight David Haye in the summer in London. It’s a bad style match up for Haye who despite a speed advantage will be considerably under powered. Vitali is a much tougher shell to crack than Wladimir who has in the passed been a little weak in the chin department. I have a feeling Vitali will stop Haye inside five with Haye moving in and out but his tendency to enjoy a tear up will cost him as one of Vitali’s bomb’s will land and put Haye down and out. Another former Cruiserweight champion who’s after Vitali is Juan Carlos Gomez who is the WBC mandatory again Klitschko will be to tough and stop Gomez. The younger Klitschko will fight two up and coming young contenders Alexander Povetkin PTS12 & Chris Arreola KO4. Ruslan Chagaev will return from his injury and see off unknown but unbeaten Carl Davis Drummond in February inside the distance then head to a summer rematch with Nicolay Valuev. Although Valuev has made several adjustments he isn’t technically good enough to beat Chagaev. On the back of those two wins Chagaev will be the most likely opponent for one of the Klitschko’s in 2010. Young lion’s Odlanier Solis, Alex Dimitrenko will continue to develop. Solis will fight in America whilst Dimitrenko will win the European title.

It’s all change at Cruiserweight. This time last year Cunningham, Aslan, Maccarinelli & Haye were the champions. All are gone now. Just a few weeks back Cunningham was dethroned by Tomasz Adamek who became a two weight world champion. A rematch of the barnstorming first fight will likely happen in early summer. Hopefully this time it will gain more attention and both guys can earn the sort of money they deserve. Panama’s Guillermo Jones went to Germany and beat Arslan. Look for Jones to travel back to Europe possibly losing it to either Marco Huck or Alexander Alexeev. Maccarinelli will fight Jonathan Banks for the vacant WBO title. Maccarinelli will outwork Banks and possibly stop him late on. Maccarinelli will then defend his title twice possibly beating someone like Grigory Drozd. Giacobbe Fragomeni won the WBC title but it would be a major surprise if he went through 09 without losing it. His mandatory is Krzysztof Wlodarczyk who is a former IBF Cruiserweght champion who will get to Fragomeni first and likely beat him.

The top dogs at 175 are Calzaghe & Hopkins who are both in the twilight of there career’s. Calzaghe is currently mulling over retirement and will make his decision in the New Year. When he makes his decision it looks like he may retire. As for Hopkins he has said he wants to continue however he is without an obvious next opponent. When the dust settles it wouldn’t surprise me to see Hopkins also retire. The dominant champion appears to be Chad Dawson, though he’s good, very good he doesn’t have the name recognition to entice Hopkins & Calzaghe and at the moment and so it seems may once again fight Antonio Tarver in mid March. After another point’s win Dawson will face Tavoris Cloud in what should be an entertaining scrap, it’s hard to see Cloud prevailing as Dawson seems to be pretty dominant at the moment. Romanian Diaconu is the WBC champ who has to face ancient Silvio Branco when he returns from Injury. Diaconu has backers in Canada too, hopefully they’ll man up and bring Glen Johnson in. That will show exactly where Diaconu is. Hugo Garay won the WBA title after a couple of tough luck stories when he narrowly lost to Zsolt Erdei. Garay will likely have to be a road warrior which makes it doubly difficult to keep the championship. My guess is that someone will stump up the cash to take Garay to there country from where Garay will lose a close decision. It will be same old same old for Erdei first up is former European champ Yuri Barashian after Erdei turns him back he’ll likely feast on a few more second rate opposition.

Since Calzaghe moved to Light Heavyweight there is no top guy, by the end of 09 we should have a better idea though. Kessler has said he’ll go to America, if he can do this maybe he can establish himself as the best. A solid opponent would be Allen Green. Romanian Lucian Bute will face Mads Larsen in the first quarter of 09. He’ll have to fight Librado Andrade and beat him without the controversy after the way he ran out of gas last time. That would be a big fight and could happen in the summer though Andrade may have a crowd pleasing fight with Sakio Bika first which he’d need to win to set up the rematch. Denis Inkin makes his first defense against Karoly Balzsay in what looks a 50-50 fight the winner could face either one of the Andre’s Ward or Dirrell both of whom are ranked highly by the WBO. The WBC crown is held by Britain’s Carl Froch who’s mandatory is Jermain Taylor it’s unknown whether that fight will be made at the moment as HBO are looking for Taylor to have a bigger fight (Possibly Glen Johnson or even Joe Calzaghe) if all other avenue’s are explored and bare no fruit then Froch-Taylor could happen in the spring. Its likely DiBella would bring Froch to America.

Bernard Hopkins sent Kelly Pavlik smarting all the way back down to 160 and Pavlik will make his first appearance since when he faces Marco Antonio Rubio who Pavlik will stop in the middle rounds. After that Pavlik will make another defense before fight Paul Williams at the end of the year. Long reigning IBF champion Arthur Abraham enjoyed a strong 08 however without an obvious dance partner for his first fight of the year may just take a run of the mill fight then fight the winner of Giovanni Lorenzo-Dionsio Miranda. A move to the packed 168 looms, though it remains to be seen what path Abraham goes. Felix Sturm has a mandatory against Anthony Mundine in what looks a quality match up though it is a step up fight for both fights so may not happen. Sturm seems just a bit too good for anyone else at 160 so seems capable of reigning for another year. Several young prospects should step up to contendership this year Gennady Golovkin was a silver medalist in the 2004 Olympics, Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam & Andy Lee.

Vernon Forrest lost and regained his WBC title last year, his team enquired about fight Felix Sturm that was rebuffed though. Forrest seems in no rush to face number one contender Sergio Martinez. At some point Forrest who’s looking for big fights at 37 will come unstuck and lose his title. Daniel Santos will face Nobihiro Ishida in Japan then struggle to find anyone who will face him. The IBF title will be contested by two St Louis natives Cory Spinks & Deande Lattimore, Spinks will find a way to eke out a points win. Again with nobody in a rush to face him may find himself on the shelf for awhile. Hopefully Don King who promotes both Santos & Spinks will set up a unification. Sergei Dzindziruk will continue to reign at 154 though won’t have to face Paul Williams who seems likely will move to 160 and fight Winky Wright in March. Alfredo Angulo will battle Mayorga in February and stop the grizzled veteran moving him very much into contendership whilst James Kirkland will also continue to develop and be on the fringes of fighting for a world title. With so many tricky battle hardened boxers at Light Middleweight making it a minefield to guide the top young guys to a title fight. Forrest, Spinks, Santos, Martinez et al, all know every trick in the book. De La Hoya will fight on with a retirement fight in September against Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in Las Vegas. In his prime De La Hoya would have brushed past Chavez Jnr with ease, but now?

The first big fight of the new year will be Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley, I’m looking at Margarito to be to strong and young for Mosley who may start strongly but similar to fight with Cotto Margarito will come on strong to take a decision. Cotto will win the vacant WBO title against England’s Michael Jennings in February stopping Jennings in the middle rounds. That sets up a summer Margarito-Cotto rematch. It’s difficult to see how Cotto can beat Margarito after the pressure Margarito put on Cotto. Margarito will get to Cotto earlier and stop Cotto in 9. Andre Berto will turn in a career best performance in mid January stopping Luis Collazo in the tenth. It will give his handlers the confidence to let him off the leash. He’ll be back in May to face fellow Lou DiBella fighter Carlos Quintana on HBO after dark. Quintana is a solid fighter who is capable of springing a surprise Joel Julio PTS12 & Paul Williams PTS12 but also if he’s tagged early he’s been blown away Williams LKO1 & Cotto LKO5. Berto will belong in the later group stopping Quintana KO7. Berto will close out the year beating Jackson Bonsu via points. IBF champ Joshua Clottey will fight mandatory Kermit Cintron in the spring and win a tough close decision. A fall unification fight Margarito-Clottey 2 will happen and though Clottey will not injure his hands this time he will come up short again making Margarito the WBA/WBO & IBF champion.

Showtime signed sealed and will deliver a Light Welterweight unification in early April between WBC champ Timothy Bradley & WBO counterpart Kendall Holt. Bradley is more rounded and will win on points. A fall mandatory will loom against the brilliant young Devon Alexander. It may of come a little to soon for Alexander as Bradley is more seasoned and in his prime. Bradley to win again on points though it will be fairly close. 2000 Olympic silver medalist Andreas Kotelnik will attempt to make his second defense against Argentinean Marcos Maidana who’s known as a puncher. Maidana will wear down Kotelnik and force a late stoppage. Maidana is promoted by German company Spotlight look for them to keep Maidana busy without pushing him to hard. Herman Ngoudjo will narrowly outpoint tough Juan Urango then turn back a resurgent Randall Bailey before closing the year beating Mike Arnaoutis. Top guy Ricky Hatton will face Manny Pacquiao in May. Pacquiao will cut up Hatton and stop him in ten. The winner could face a possibly comebacking Floyd Mayweather up at 147. Top prospect Victor Ortiz enjoyed a solid 08 and will look to continue that in 09 he’ll be a part of HBO after dark show in March. Ortiz will look for a title fight and will cheer Holt on in his fight with Bradley as both guys are with Top Rank making it an easy fight to make.

With Pacquiao likely vacating the WBC Lightweight championship will be up for grabs with Edwin Valero beating Antonio Pitalua via KO. Valero who has just signed with Golden Boy will fight twice more with David Diaz or Jesus Chavez in the opposite corner. Nate Campbell may come unstuck against Ali Funeka in February. Funeka will likely face the winner of Juan Manuel Marquez & Juan Diaz. I look for Diaz to be a little too big and a little to fresh and see of Marquez in a close competitive brawl. Diaz may struggle at times to get inside of Funeka’s reach but will get enough body work done to wear the big man down so he can get at him down the stretch to eke out a solid win to once again become the WBA/WBO & IBF holder. Barrera may still have enough to win the spurious WBA’s regular title if he can fight unknown Kobari or Moses who clash in early 09. Joan Guzman won’t get a title fight after his failed attempt at making weight in a much anticipated September fight with Campbell but will remain active and as a Lightweight one possible opponent is Mike Katsidis who will get back to winning ways in The Philippines at the end of January. Anthony Peterson will take a step up creating part of a bottle neck of fighters waiting for a title challenge when he beats Julio Diaz. Another possible opponent is Joel Casamayor who will attempt to get back to winning ways and make another title run. Columbian puncher Breidis Prescott will see some action in America and look for a title challenge. Amir Khan will move along well in the New Year fighting four times and showing improvement under Freddy Roach.

With many of the top dogs from 130 absconding to 135 Pacquiao, Marquez, Marquez, Guzman etc this division needs new life breathing into it. One addition is Robert Guerrero who has moved up from Featherweight he gets back into action in January under his new promotional banner Golden Boy the January fight should just help him shed his ring rust before bigger challenges the first of those could come in March alongside Ortiz on HBO After dark. A summer fight with Cassius Baloyi for the IBF champion. Baloyi will first beat Malcolm Klassen before losing to Guerrero. A spirited Vincente Escobedo will lose to Guerrero in the fall. Completing a solid year for “The Ghost”. Another former Featherweight who didn’t have the best of years in 08 was Jorge Linares who was injured for much of the year but still found time to get healthy and win the WBA crown. A much busier (& healthy) Linares will remain active and help ascend his star status even higher with several solid wins. Humberto Soto finally won a world title late in 08 & will see plenty of action on Top Rank cards though with a lack of big money fights Soto may jump ship and chase 135 riches. One possible fight is Urbano Antillion, who would give any of the champions a stiff test cpould even spring a surprise. Nicky Cook shocked Alex Arthur to claim the WBO kingmanship. Cook is solid but could will come unstuck against Roman Martinez only for Martinez to lose the title to Cook’s gym mate Kevin Mitchell.

Widely known as the best Featherweight in the world is Indonesian Chris John. John suffered terrible cuts from his win over Hiroyuki Enoki. One fight that will be looming for him on his return is his mandatory against either Monty Meza-Clay or Jorge Solis both would be worthy opponents but neither is likely to unseat John. Oscar Larios is currently injured so Elio Rojas & Yuriorkis Gamboa will fight for the Interim title if Gamboa as expected get through a January fight with Roger Gonzalez. Gamboa will see off Rojas and then beat Larios for the title. Steve Luevano will make his fifth defense against Rocky Juarez. It’ll be his biggest fight and he’ll put in his best performance winning a decision. A rematch with Mario Santiago will follow; Luevano will fight less and box more winning the decision. Juanma Lopez may come up to 126 by the year end and could fight Luevano. Lopez would be favorite, but Luevano is a class act. After a sixteen year career perennial contender Cristobal Cruz made the successful leap to Championship level winning the vacant IBF title against Orlando Salido he’ll head to France to fight Cyril Thomas, Cruz should have to much and see of Thomas. It’s difficult to see him seeing through the year as champ especially if one of the champs or top contenders can get him in the ring.

There are several big match ups possible at 122 making it a big year for several of these guys. Top dog is WBC holder Israel Vazquez who’s not fought since February 08 and doesn’t look like he’ll fight again until summer 09. Though it will likely be big fight, one possibly fight is a rematch with Jhonny Gonzalez. Unified champ Celestino Caballero enjoyed a standout year which culminated in his beating Steve Molitor in his home town. Caballero seems willing to fight anyone anywhere. In fact 5 of Caballero’s 7 title fights have taken place outside of Panama making him Boxing’s premier world champion road warrior. A Vazquez-Caballero fight would be about as good as it gets. In the hot division Juanma Lopez won and defended his WBO championship twice, all three fights ended inside the first round. Lopez will be back in April to fight Bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa, The Pinoy fighter has never been stopped and is a very capable boxer puncher whilst in his mid thirties he should still provide Lopez with a decent fight without winning. Another Filipino fighter who may get a date with Lopez is Bernabe Conception. By the end of the year Lopez along with Caballero & Vazquez may have moved to hunt bigger fish in the pound four pounds above at Featherweight. Rafeal Marquez is rested up after his stunning trilogy with Vazquez and seems to have enough in the tank to pick up a vacant title and re-establish himself before looking to fight one of the aforementioned fighters at 126. Daniel Ponce De Leon will bounce back and provide a few thrills on Telefutera with several stirring KO’s. The last man to beat Caballero, his countryman Ricardo Cordoba is another fighter who may benefit if Caballero leaves the division. Steve Molitor will get back into action in the summer of 09 and place himself close to another title fight by the end of the year.

Long reigning WBC Bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa looks to continue his reign. He’ll first fight Vusi Malinga who he’ll outpoint then make a voluntary defence before the year is out. Panamanian Anselmo Moreno 23 came from nowhere to outhustle Wladimir Sidorenko and take the WBA laurels in May 08 and found time to defend his title twice. He could see himself in the ring with comebacking Cristian Mijares who seems likely to move up from Super Flyweight. That should be an interesting fight between to clever boxers. It will answer two question’s. Is Mijares the same after being KO’d by Vic Darchinyan & if Moreno really is the goods. If the fight happens I think Mijares will have to much ring craft and likely home advantage against the younger Moreno. Joseph Agbeko largely remained under the radar due to only one fight in 08 but it was a pretty decent scrap that happened to get on verses so hopefully Don King won’t let him sit out much of this year. One very interesting scrap for him would be fellow African Silence Mabuza who’s only losses were both against Rafael Marquez. With Gerry Penalosa campaigning for bigger fights up at 122 the WBO title will likely become vacant in the New Year with Eric Morel who looks revitalised claiming it but losing it before the end of the year to Abner Mares.

Lord of the Super Flys Vic Darchinyan is scheduled to battle Mexican Jorge Arce on 7 February. Darchinyan will be favoured to turn back Arce in what is sure to be a blood bath between to vicious punchers. After that Darchinyan who only wants the biggest fights he can get will look to fight the winner of Fernando Montiel-Nonito Donaire which goes ahead in The Philippines in mid March. Both guys are in terrific form at the moment, it looks a classic 50-50 fight. I see Montiel retaining his title in a thriller on points, setting up a Darchinyan-Montiel fight for the summer for all the marbles. Montiel will be too sharp and pick apart Darchinyan stopping him in 11. Finally Montiel will fulfil his potential entering the Pound for Pound lists. While Darchinyan will move up to Bantamweight, Montiel will defend all the titles possibly against Alexander Munoz. Donaire will bounce back with a few wins; a rematch with Montiel will be on the horizon for 2010.

Japan’s Daisuke Naito will face Koki Kameda in a spring fight that will be massive in Japan where both guys are house hold names. Kameda will prevail making himself a two weight world champion. His first defence will come when he’ll turn back tough Mexican Julio Cesar Miranda. Thailand’s Denkaosan Kaovichit won the WBA title at the third time of asking when he stopped Takefumi Sakata. Kaovichit is a seasoned competitor at 32 with a career record 46-1-1(20) he’ll likely make a few non title fights and keep the title in his homeland where he’ll make a few defences. Omar Narvaez will break Carlos Monzon’s Argentinean record for title defences when he turns back the challenge of Rayota Whitfield in February. Narvaez will travel to Europe for a big purse before possibly fighting Hugo Cazares. With Nonito Donaire moving up in weight Moruti Mthalane will capture the vacant title beating Bernard Inom. Mthalane is a decent fighter a will continue to fight in South Africa where he’ll be tough to beat.

Mexican’s Ulises Solis & Edgar Sosa are both too of the most active fighters in Boxing. Sosa won the title in April 07 since then he’s made 7 defences while Solis won the IBF title in January 06 and has totalled 8 defences. Sosa has nothing scheduled as yet but will likely have another busy year. Fellow Mexican’s Omar Nino & Erik Ortiz could get a shot but both would be turned back. Solis goes to the Philippines where he’ll face Brian Viloria. Viloria has reinvented himself over the last year and will come good and shock Solis and take the title. Viloria will then return to America and appear on Margarito-Cotto 2 card before seeking a unification. The WBA will strip Brahim Asloum and Cesar Canchila will be made up from Interim champion to full champion he will fight Giovanni Segura in a rematch this time Segura will win setting up a rubber match for the summer which Segura will also win. Roman Gonzalez will outgrow the Strawweights and move up and fight Segura. Gonzalez who looks sensational so far will engage Segura in a head on collision which will see Segura going down via mid round stoppage. The best pure boxer in Boxing Ivan Calderon will turn back two more challengers to set up a fall fight with fellow Top Rank promoted fighter Brian Viloria. Calderon will turn back Viloria on points though Viloria will have his moments.

Oleydong Sithsamerchai shocked everyone when he bested compatriot Eagle Kyowa. Since then he’s proved that was no fluke and that he is a very good champion. The WBC ruled that Oleydong must face Juan Palacios in his next fight. Nothing is scheduled as yet, though it will likely happen in Thailand where Oleydong is going to be very difficult to beat though it won’t be an easy fight as Palacios will be a tough nut to crack. Roman Gonzalez evoked memories of the Legendary Ricardo Lopez with his outstanding KO over Yutaka Niida. “El Chocolatito” will fight in February or March in Japan. He may keep busy back in Nicaragua with a non title bout or a title defence but by the end of the year he’ll of outgrown 105 and he’ll move up to Light Flyweight. Katsunari Takayama will pick up the vacant title towards the end of the year making him a two time champion. Mexican Raul Garcia 26 is an unbeaten southpaw who’s well backed by his promoter, incredibly in 26 fights he’s yet to leave Baja, California Sur, Mexico. He appears a solid enough champion. Look for him to keep his title again through out the year one opponent will be mandatory Ronald Barrera who Garcia already owns a point’s decision over. Donnie Nietes faces Erik Ramirez in February at home in the Philippines, it’s a eighth round stoppage win for me for the champion. Nietes will hopefully be busier than last year and will keep his championship unless Ivan Calderon decides to move back to Srawweight.