February is a pretty dead month, so I was able to add a January fight that were not announced by the time I wrote my january predictions. In fact, I am rather disappointed at how quiet February is this year. It is one of the deadest months in other sports, and should be when big fights happen. You can even get a full 6 week training camp in, without messing with a boxer's holiday fun. But for whatever reason there is not much ado this year for the second month. So, let's hope January stays sharp, and leads us into a hot March.
Brandon Rios vs.Mike Alvarado 3
This went from a fight between two top contenders, to a fight for a lightly regarded belt, to a fight between two shop-worn former contenders, who may have only one big one left in them. When you fight in the style of these two, your career at the top is not usually long. Rios has been exposed by Abril, Pacquiao, and to a lesser extent, by Alvarado himself. Mile High Mike has lost to Provdnikov and Marquez. While it would appear that Rios is the fresher of the two, Alvarado has already shown he knows how to beat Rios. He just needs the discipline to stick with it. A hometown loss against Provo embarrassed him into the intelligence he will need to stick to a game plan. Alvarado by UD, in both men's last hurrah as main event fighters.
Jermain Taylor vs. Sergio Mora
I was disappointed to see this fight announced, because as is the case in too many divisions, the IBF is content to mean nothing in the grand scheme. 140, 147, 154, and now 160.. the IBF strap is the least meaningful of all in these divisions. The lack of interim titles is refreshing, but it means the sanctioning body strips everyone who does not face a useless mandatory. Now that we can see Taylor is wasting his optional, there will be no excitng fights for him on the horizon. Don't get me wrong... fights with GGG or even Jacobs would likely be suicide missions. However, a Cotto match would be a money maker, a unification, and although Cotto's fans would not likely forgive him for ducking Canelo (another great option for Taylor), it gives Taylor a better (but still small) chance of being the linear 160lb king again. However, I think we only saw Jermain briefly crowned because of Soliman's injury... and Mora is more motivated. Mora by MD, in a fight that should retire them both.
Gennady Golovkin vs. Martin Murray
This fight was announced long ago, and I must say, GGG's people are doing his best to put him in with anyone real who is not afraid. Unfortunately, that limits his US opposition. Geale, Rubio, Macklin, and now Murray are all foreign opponents. Jacobs, Quillin, Cotto, Canelo (also foreign), and new belt holders like Taylor and Lee are being steered so far away from GGG they are going backwards. Kudos to Murray for taking the fight, but he has only two close fights against Sturm and Martinez to measure him against Golovkin. His turtle shell defense cost him both of those fights, and I have a feeling they are not the right recipe here. We saw how long Curtis Stevens was able to last covering up, so maybe Murray has a shot there, but the longest anyone went with a championship GGG was Kassim Ouma. Ouma is a volume punching bad-ass who usually walks right through punches. That gave GGG a lot to think about. Murray will try very little, then quit. GGG by 5th round TKO.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com