by Cliff Rold

Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao at Welterweight is what is has been: a talking point without imminent resolution.  It’s easy to get lost in the sea of endless speculation about what isn’t happening in the fall of 2010.  Easy, but unfortunate, because boxing can point to what will occur through the remainder of summer alone in boxing and look forward with anticipation.

In just more than one week, the participants in the 2009 Fight of the Year will reunite, and one hopes reignite, when Juan Manuel Marquez defends the Lightweight title against Juan Diaz.

Freshly announced, the two best Jr. Flyweights in the world appear set for action at the end of August, Ivan Calderon and Giovanni Segura adding to the classic Puerto Rico-Mexico divide.

And then there is Light Heavyweight.

The 175 lb. domain, one of the sports ‘original eight,’ has never really gone anywhere.  One of the most intriguing division’s of the 00’s, Light Heavyweight has seen some of its star power recede as Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, and Antonio Tarver have aged, retired, or all of the above.

It has not lost its action power as it reloaded.

The chance for new, real stars is upon us in a big way over the next three weeks.  This Friday, on ESPN2, fans won’t necessarily see men who are destined for immediate stardom.  However, for at least the winner, the chance to be an opponent one day for a fellow Light Heavyweight closer to that threshold exists.

Making his first defense of the WBA belt after a highly controversial coronation last January, 26-year old Beibut Shumenov (9-1, 6 KO) will attempt to hold off the challenge of 30-year old Vyacheslav Uzelkov (22-0, 14 KO).  Uzelkov’s deep amateur background and longer professional tenure make him a favorite but the action in the ring will determine all.

How Friday’s opportunity feeds the future, and how opportunities are seized from there, can take care of the rest.  What matters is that Friday turns the attention of the sport to a division set to explode.  As noted in the Picks of the Week on Monday, this is the prologue for a sensational, if unofficial, “Final Four” scenario.

Given the heated “Super Six” action seven pounds and one division below, what’s going on at Light Heavyweight needs more attention than it has received so far.

On August 7th, on the HBO-televised undercard of Devon Alexander-Andriy Kotelnik, 28-year old Tavoris Cloud (20-0, 18 KO) will defend his IBF belt against 41-year old veteran Glen Johnson (50-13-2, 34 KO).  One week later, in front of a certain wild crowd at Montreal’s Bell Center, 28-year old Chad Dawson (29-0, 17 KO) will challenge for the WBC belt of 27-year old Jean Pascal (25-1, 16 KO) with the winner to be crowned as Light Heavyweight king by Ring Magazine.

With both the retirement of Joe Calzaghe as Ring titlist and lineal titlist Zsolt Erdei’s vacating of his claim in 2009, it clears the path for a new monarch beyond much debate.  There can be a case, given his wins over Tomasz Adamek, Glen Johnson (twice, once without argument), and Antonio Tarver (decisively twice), that Dawson is already the de facto king.

A win over Pascal would fill out his resume to make de facto just plain old factual.

That win is no lock.  Pascal may not be as refined in his skills, but he’s got athleticism in abundance and proven heart evidenced in wars against Carl Froch (his lone loss) and twice with Adrian Diaconu.

Cloud, if he can get by Johnson, would emerge as a strong leading contender to the status of the Dawson-Pascal winner.

Just as a Dawson win over Pascal is no lock, so too is a Cloud win over Johnson still an ‘if.’  Despite his age, and lopsided loss to Dawson last year, Johnson remains one of the most fearsome Light Heavyweight in the world.  One of the great late peaking fighters of recent memory, Johnson showed against Yusaf Mack earlier this year that he can still go.

Thankfully for the division, his age is an anomaly right now.  Look again at the ages listed for the men this Friday, the men in the weeks to come.  The future of the sport will always, has always, rested with its young and these are mostly young men.  That Dawson, Pascal, and Cloud have all shown capable of making fan friendly fights is extra bonus.

The only thing really missing is depth and Shumenov-Uzelkov begins to answer some of that concern.  Excitement begins with a good match-up; it sustains with the promise of more where those came from.  Friday’s winner, if he looks good in victory, would be rich with such promise.

With the “Super Six” growing towards its end, the likelihood of its winner someday joining the mix at Light Heavyweight is also simple to consider.

So let the hopes for Superfights lower on the scale continue.  Let the laments about what ain’t happening (for now) carry on.  That glass is a pour of half empty until proven otherwise.

For those who like to take a full swig, Light Heavyweight is happening right now.  The contracts are signed.  The fights are made.  The future is growing brighter.  All which need be required of the fans is anticipation for imminent opening bells.

Weekly Ledger

Cliff’s Notes… Even Bruce Seldon shook his head at Paul Briggs ‘knockout’ loss to Danny Green…Seriously, first there is talk about a possible Omar Narvaez-Hugo Cazares clash and now Calderon-Segura gets made?  It’s like someone extracted from my mind and conducted an Inception on the minds of matchmakers…For those who have not seen Inception, that was just the cue to do so.  The genius of Christopher Nolan continues to amaze…Anselmo Moreno-Nehomar Cermeno II needs U.S. distribution…If this scribe were choosing, Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley would be next and at 140.  If Pacquiao can pack the house for Joshua Clottey, imagine what he can do with a fighter of legitimate pound-for-pound talent.  And, hey, unlike say Antonio Margarito, Bradley actually deserves a chance at a big chance.   

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com