By Tom Donelson
Do you know what makes the cruiserweight division so interesting? The fact that there are six or seven good fighters at the top of the division who can beat each other. Last Saturday night, Guillermo Jones stopped Wayne Braithwaite in four rounds. Braithwaite came in as the favorite, but Jones was a wily veteran and he knew Braithwaite's weakness. Braithwaite loves to switch from southpaw to orthodox, but he is vulnerable to right hands.
Jones nailed Braithwaite with rights after rights in the first round. Braithwaite could never establish his rhythm as Jones had the former champ on the ropes. Braithwaite barely made it through the first round but in the second and third, it was Braithwaite who attacked and Jones barely defended.
The former champ looked in control, but in the middle of the fourth, Jones’ right found a home upon Braithwaite's head. Braithwaite attempted to wade out the storm and even slipped a couple of Jones’ rights while on the ropes. The referee implored Braithwaite to fire back and from his angle and taking into account the beating that Braithwaite took in the first round, referee Jim Villers decided that Braithwaite had enough.
While Showtime's Al Bernstein felt that the fight was stopped too soon and judging from Braithwaite reaction, he might have a point. However, Braithwaite's vulnerability to rights and lack of reaction, forced Villers to stop the fight. In boxing, such decisions are made in a split second and if the wrong decision is made, the boxer could end up seriously hurt or worse.
Jones won this fight but there is no guarantee that a rematch will be the same. Look at the top ten, you will find the undisputed champ Jean Mormeck followed by O’Neil Bell, Dale Brown, Guillermo Jones, Carl Thompson, Johnny Nelson and undefeated Steve Cunningham among others. All of these fighters are excellent fighters and below them, there are hosts of solid contenders. Unlike the heavyweights, these cruiserweights are fighting one another.
Each fight has meaning and each fight can easily be declared pick em. This division is delivering what fight fans have clamored for- competitive fights among the leading contenders. And this division has one fighter that is recognized as the undisputed champ in Jean Mormeck and series of solid contenders wanting what he has- the recognition of being the best. Never mind the sanctioning bodies, concentrate on Mormeck. He is the best of the crop.
Mormeck does have series of challengers. Guillermo Jones showed since he entered the cruiserweights that he poses a serious threat to Mormeck's crown. His only cruiserweight loss was to Steve Cunningham and his previous shot at a title ended up in a draw to Johnny Nelson. (Some, like Showtime Al Bernstein, felt that Jones should have at least won WBO version of the title from Nelson.) Steve Cunningham has defeated both Jones and Davis in his last two fights, showing that he belongs among the cruiserweight elites.
O’Neil Brown is a tough fighter, who could stand up to Mormeck. Even though he escaped with a controversial decision to Dale Brown, he still has the power to derail Mormeck. Dale Brown has already lost to Mormeck but as he showed in his last fight with Bell, he has the boxing skills to frustrate Mormeck in a rematch. And ignore the last fight, Braithwaite still has the talent to challenge for the leading crown.
For fight fans tired of the antics of the heavyweight division, where every fight appears to be an eliminator to yet another eliminator and the champions avoid each other- pay attention to the Cruiserweights. That is the one division where good fighters are fighting good fighters.
