Future of the Light Heavyweight Division For 2013?

[-Kev-]

A lot of SMW fighters are going to move up to LHW. Bute's next fight is at 175, Ward is planning on moving up there, Kessler's last fight was at 175. Froch will probably move up there at the end of 2013, probably after facing Mack then Pavlik or one more fight at 168. Those fighters combined with Dawson, Hopkins, Pascal, Campillo, Cloud, Cleverly, Bellew. LHW is going to be a super hot division. It can definitely trump 154's heat if everything goes like I said.

That's gonna be a very strong division in 2013.

175 in 2013.

Champion: Chad Dawson
1. Andre Ward
2. Bernard Hopkins
3. Carl Froch
4. Jean Pascal
5. Mikkel Kessler
6. Lucian Bute
7. Gabriel Campillo
8. Tavoris Cloud
9. Nathan Cleverly
10. Tony Bellew

Shumenov, Murat, Chilemba, Braehmer.

Groves and Rodriguez are no doubt future LHW's but i'm not sure if that'll be in 2013.

[4Corners]

Hopkins should just retire. But I doubt Froch makes a serious move to 175 next year, he'll be busy fighting Bute and Kessler rematches next year at 168.

[-Kev-]

True, those are the best fights for him as far as styles go. Too many different styles at 175. You'll have Dawson, Ward, Hopkins and Campillo who move around a lot and are boxers. A Pascal rematch would be interesting and a Cloud-Froch fight would be a war.

What about Cleverly and Bellew? Tose are pretty good fight for Froch.

[-Kev-]

And fans/media/trainers/other fighters have been telling Hopkins to retire since he was 35 years old going in to the Trinidad fight, 40 going in to the Tarver fight[which he himself promised would be his last fight], 43 after his Calzaghe performance, 44 going in to the Pavlik fight, and now at 46.

People been telling this guy to leave for a long time now, but he keeps coming up with a big win every time so what are we gonna do about it. He could probably beat The Ring's #2-10 175 contenders, so why should he retire.

[4Corners]

I don't think Froch will fight any of the other guys like Groves, Bellew, Cleverly, etc. I would have loved to see Froch go up to 175 and fight Cleverly instead of Mack, which is pointless. It would have made Froch a 2 weight champion, and would have put him in a good position in his career, with many options.

But I think Froch fights 2 times in 2013, and than may call it a career at that point, especially if he beats Bute again, and avenges his Kessler loss.

[4Corners]

Hopkins looked like dog s**t against Dawson, that was one of the worst I've seen him. He was really finally starting to look 47. And by the time he'd fight again, he'll be 48 and another year slower and older. Even the great Archie Moore got really really old eventually, I think Hopkins is there.

[-Kev-]

Originally Posted by 4Corners

Hopkins looked like dog s**t against Dawson, that was one of the worst I've seen him. He was really finally starting to look 47. And by the time he'd fight again, he'll be 48 and another year slower and older. Even the great Archie Moore got really really old eventually, I think Hopkins is there.

Hopkins looked worse against Calzaghe and Jones, he also looked like crap against Winky. That's Hopkins style for you. You don't know if he's gonna stink up the place, dominate the guy, or fight a close fight.

If you think Hopkins-Dawson II was the worst you've seen Hopkins perform, then you must have forgotten about the Jones rematch and Calzaghe fights.

[4Corners]

Originally Posted by -Kev-

Hopkins looked worse against Calzaghe and Jones, he also looked like crap against Winky. That's Hopkins style for you. You don't know if he's gonna stink up the place, dominate the guy, or fight a close fight.

If you think Hopkins-Dawson II was the worst you've seen Hopkins perform, then you must have forgotten about the Jones rematch and Calzaghe fights.

No, and though he stunk the place up against Calzaghe, I thought he may have won that fight.

I'm saying that's the oldest, slowest, and just overall not very good I've seen Hopkins. He looked older than ever.

[-Kev-]

Hopkins was flopping around the ring against Calzaghe. And I have never seen a worse fight than Hopkins-Jones II. Probably Williams-Cintron, but that was more like one of the worst endings I have seen. Jones-Hopkins II was just terrible and I actually paid $60 for it.

[Ray Corso]

Andre needs to look very closely at the options at 168 before going to 175lb. Your (OP) list alone is the reason 175 maybe a dead end for him. The thought of trying to promote a fight with 48 yr old "Boring" Hopkins is enough to stop a mule in his tracks. He already beat Dawson and the weight lose that effected Dawson won't have anything to do with the out come because its the "approach" to the fight that doomed Dawson not the weight lose!
"Catch" these middleweights at 160+4, and go after anyone that bites.
Probably not many big fights for Andre right now if I were him or his manager I'd get home base at HBO going and get comfortable at marketing there and see what comes his way! Have the option to step out once a year for self promo but maintain a steady diet at HBO. I see and hear a smart young man in Ward so go the age of 35 and get out!! Maybe the exposure on the very visable HBO can help jump start the sport with a likable, intelligent young man like Ward! Ray.