Joan Guzman vs. Yuri Romanov; IBF Lightweight Title

[Zocalo]

So the champ will be the winner between the 7th and 9th ranked fighters... typical bull**** from our glorious boxing bodies.

[El Dominicano]

Nice to see someone is keepin it real! I agree

He doesn't deserve to face so and so, yet you talk crap about the opposition he faces lol

[dondi330]

He doesn't deserve to face so and so, yet you talk crap about the opposition he faces lol

Here you go making up facts.
I hope and wish Guzman fights the best....because I tell you right now and in front of all...I will bet it ALL THAT HE LOSES. If Its anyone in top 10 I will bet half if its top five I will be it all. Rankings will have to be acknowledged by wba,wbc,wbo,ibf all of them.

[Dave Rado]

Guzman and Romanov are the two highest-ranked "available" contenders to fight for the title. Guzman is ranked at number 7 and Romanov is sitting a number 9.[details]

Highest ranked available fighters, higher than Marquez and Diaz? These IBF guys are real comedians!

[El Dominicano]

Here you go making up facts.
I hope and wish Guzman fights the best....because I tell you right now and in front of all...I will bet it ALL THAT HE LOSES. If Its anyone in top 10 I will bet half if its top five I will be it all. Rankings will have to be acknowledged by wba,wbc,wbo,ibf all of them.

All I need to know

[AztecWanker]

Highest ranked available fighters, higher than Marquez and Diaz? These IBF guys are real comedians!

available is the key word. Diaz and Marquez are not available since they are fighting for the wbo strap i believe.

[Dave Rado]

available is the key word. Diaz and Marquez are not available since they are fighting for the wbo strap i believe.

They're fighting for the WBO, WBA, IBO and Ring belts - what's so special about the IBF that it has to be the only one to prefer to give its belt to much lower ranked fighters? Campbell was stripped of the WBO, WBA and IBF belts, and of these the IBF is the only one to consider Marquez-Diaz to be unworthy of its belt.

[OnePunch]

They're fighting for the WBO, WBA, IBO and Ring belts - what's so special about the IBF that it has to be the only one to prefer to give its belt to much lower ranked fighters? Campbell was stripped of the WBO, WBA and IBF belts, and of these the IBF is the only one to consider Marquez-Diaz to be unworthy of its belt.

As crazy as it seems, the IBF are actually following the rules. Vacant titles are filled by a fight between the top 2 available contenders. Here are their rankings....

1 Ali Funeka (lost on 2-14, not eligible)
2 NOT RATED
3 Juan Diaz (unavailable)
4 Fernando Angulo (lost on 2-14, not eligible)
5 Julio Diaz (unavailable)
6 Anthony Peterson (injured)
7 Joan Guzman (accepted fight)
8 Zahir Raheem (rejected fight)
9 Yuri Romanov (accepted fight)
10 Yodsanan Nanthachai
11 Michael Katsidis
12 Bredis Prescott
13 Saddam Kietyongyuth
14 Amir Khan
15 Tyrone Harris

I guess the one issue a person could have is why Marquez is not in their rankings. And thats a damn good question. But the rankings supervisor and championship committee are 2 seperate things, so the championship committee had no choice but to go down the rankings to the top 2 available guys. It stinks, because Funeka should be in this fight, but if nothing else, at least the IBF are consistent with their application of the rules these days.

As for the WBA, it just a cash grab. The WBA already has a lightweight champion in Paulus Moses, and are only supposed to name a "super" champion when an existing champion has the WBA regular title, and 1 or more of the IBF, WBC, or WBO titles. Ring and IBO are not recognized by the WBA, so there is no basis to allow the WBA Super Champion title to be on that fight. Strictly a cash grab.

The WBO acted properly, and completely within their rules when giving Marquez-Diaz the sanction for the WBO title. #1 Barrera was unavailable due to having signed to fight #9 Khan, so Marquez at #2 and Diaz at #3 is correct for the title fight. (note: had Marquez and diaz NOT been ranked #2 and #3, they would have had to keep going down the list same as the IBF, and it probably would have been DeMarco vs. Prescott for the vacant title)

[ИATAS]

Good deal, hopefully Guzman comes out victorious and sets up a bit of a bigger name afterwards. Too bad Zahir Raheem rejected the fight, that would be more interesting imo

[The Hammer]

Nice to see Yuri Romanov have a shot at a world title!