We are getting a bit too excited about Dereck Chisora's chances for Vitali Klitschko. I think Chisora fights tall fighters better than most, but Tyson Fury and Robert Helenius are not the Klitschkos. Chisora is also not a puncher, so he won't get much of the elder Klitschkos respect. Chisora's best chance is to use his good chin and constant movement to stay in Vitali's chest, and hope the old man's knees and slowed reflexes finally kick in. Maybe he can force an injury-based surrender, which is the only way Vitali loses.
Speaking of only way to lose... Marquez and Guerrero are each without a dance partner this spring. Why not face each other? Marquez cannot afford a loss, but he is not likely to get Pacquiao again anyway. If Manny gets past Bradley, it's Floyd or retirement. He's not chancing Marquez again. Guerrero cannot afford a loss either. He may be young, but has slipped enough times that interest will wane badly if he is countered silly by Marquez. So, why risk it? It's a money fight, and no one else is racing in to face either one. Stay in the front of the line.
Speaking of racing in, is there a reason no one has yet tried this against Vladimir Klitschko? His stamina problems behind him, his only other achilles heel has been his chin. It's better than people think, but before he's had a chance to settle in and establish the jab, why not force him to fight on instinct by jumping into his chest. Corrie Sanders scored the only win over Klitschko that was not fatigue-based, and did so this way. Few men are as fast a starter, or as powerful as Sanders was, but if you're gonna lose anyway, don't waste our time. Give yourself a good shot.
Speaking of a good shot, Cotto does not have one... not at junior middle. Not enough of one to bother Floyd if he catches him. He also is not faster, nor does he have better skin. He's a good guy, and deserves a closing payday, but Floyd can do nothing but stay even, or go backwards here. He should win every round, before stopping Cotto late.
Speaking of late, is someone gonna give Vanes Martirosyan a title shot or what? He's gone unbeaten for nearly 8 years, and been ranked number one at 154lbs, for quite some time. How many more belt tricks do the sanctioning bodies plan on utlizing to keep hardware away from this man? Even Austin Trout was satiated with a "regular" title, and Canelo with a stripped version. The IBF champ Bundrage is playing the Don King once a year schedule, and WBO Champ Dzindziruk isn't even defending that often. Not since Juan Lazcano at lightweight ten years ago, has a fighter been avoided so blatantly, while lesser men strap belts around their waists.
Speaking of avoidance, Sauerland needs to match it's common division belt holders. They had Sven Ottke and Markus Beyer holding all 3 major belts at Super Middle 9 years ago, and never matched them. Now they are doing the same with Huck, and Cunningham/Hernandez. Huck-Cunningham would have even been a rematch of a pretty good fight. Instead they are feeding both their champs bums, while Huck isn't even fighting mandatories. He's not a very good fighter, and they are cashing in with Povetkin. Good business move, especially since Hernandez will likely not beat Troy Ross legitmately, unless Ross's age and layoffs has finally affected him.
Speaking of age affecting him, Glen Johnson is finally showing his age. He wins at one level, loses the next. His loss to Lucien Bute may have been the result of a bad strategy as much as skill level, but his balance and reflexes did not look like what they once were. He did not make my "fighters who should hang em up" list, because he has fooled me before, but the slide has begun..
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
