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On a side note I think Cotto-Rhodes would be a barn burner.
1. Sergei Dzinziruk (36-0)
After 18 months out of action because of a beef with German promoter Universum, Ukraine native Dzinziruk signed with new promoters Gary Shaw and Artie Pelullo and made an impressive American debut on May 14. Dzinziruk broke down Australia's Daniel Dawson with a tremendous jab and stopped him in the 10th round to send a strong message that he is a formidable foe for anyone at 154 pounds.
Next: TBA.
2. Miguel Cotto (35-2)
Under the guidance of new trainer Emanuel Steward, Cotto claimed a title in his third weight class on June 5, stopping Yuri Foreman in the ninth round in the return of boxing to Yankee Stadium after a 34-year absence. Cotto, who looked very sharp in his first fight since being battered in a 12th-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in a November welterweight title bout, was in total command even before Foreman suffered a right knee injury in the seventh round.
Next: TBA.
3. Kermit Cintron (32-3-1)
The former welterweight titlist got a raw deal in a four-round technical-decision loss to Paul Williams on May 8 on HBO. The fight ended when Cintron fell out of the ring, smashed into a ringside table and wasn't allowed to continue by the ringside doctor, although Cintron certainly could have given a better indication that he wanted to continue.
Next: TBA.
4. Alfredo "Perro" Angulo (18-1)
Following his entertaining 11th-round knockout of Joel "Love Child" Julio on April 24, Angulo will return to HBO to face former titleholder Joachim Alcine in a quality matchup. Angulo, however, won't be defending his interim belt, which he is expected to vacate at any moment because he and Dzinziruk aren't going to meet next as ordered.
Next: July 17 vs. Alcine.
5. Cory Spinks (37-5)
Spinks' long-overdue mandatory title defense against Cornelius "K9" Bundrage (29-4), slated for June 12 in St. Louis, was called off by promoter Don King, who was facing big losses for a show nobody cared about. Instead, the bout is likely to find its way onto King's Aug. 7 card in St. Louis, which will be headlined by junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander.
Next: TBA vs. Bundrage.
6. Ryan Rhodes (44-4)
In his first defense of the European title he won in October by knocking out English countryman Jamie Moore in a great fight, Rhodes looked terrific. On May 21, he scored three knockdowns of former world title challenger Luca Messi and stopped him in the sixth round. Rhodes wants a world title shot, or even an eliminator with Antonio Margarito, but more likely he'll next make his European mandatory against Lukas Konecny.
Next: TBA.
7. Joachim Alcine (32-1)
Canada's Alcine, who lost his title via sixth-round knockout to Santos in July 2008, has won two in a row since then. Now he has the opportunity to receive great American exposure by facing Angulo on HBO in what ought to be a very interesting fight.
Next: July 17 vs. Angulo.
8. Yuri Foreman (28-1)
Despite being stopped by Cotto on a ninth-round body shot and losing his title June 5, the future rabbi showed enormous heart by fighting on despite an obviously injured right knee in the seventh round. He kept on trucking even after trainer Joe Grier threw in the towel in the eighth round and it was disallowed by referee Arthur Mercante. Foreman probably made more fans in this loss than he had made in any of his 28 victories.
Next: TBA.
9. Vanes Martirosyan (28-0)
In his HBO debut, the 2004 U.S. Olympian easily outpointed previously undefeated Joe Greene in a sloppy, boring affair on the Cotto-Foreman undercard at Yankee Stadium on June 5.
Next: TBA.
10. Sechew Powell (26-2)
In June 2008, Deandre Latimore stopped Powell in the seventh round. On March 19, Powell exacted revenge by winning a decision in a good performance in a title eliminator that earned him a title shot against the winner of the Spinks-Bundrage bout.
Next: TBA.
On a side note I think Cotto-Rhodes would be a barn burner.
1. Sergei Dzinziruk (36-0)
After 18 months out of action because of a beef with German promoter Universum, Ukraine native Dzinziruk signed with new promoters Gary Shaw and Artie Pelullo and made an impressive American debut on May 14. Dzinziruk broke down Australia's Daniel Dawson with a tremendous jab and stopped him in the 10th round to send a strong message that he is a formidable foe for anyone at 154 pounds.
Next: TBA.
2. Miguel Cotto (35-2)
Under the guidance of new trainer Emanuel Steward, Cotto claimed a title in his third weight class on June 5, stopping Yuri Foreman in the ninth round in the return of boxing to Yankee Stadium after a 34-year absence. Cotto, who looked very sharp in his first fight since being battered in a 12th-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in a November welterweight title bout, was in total command even before Foreman suffered a right knee injury in the seventh round.
Next: TBA.
3. Kermit Cintron (32-3-1)
The former welterweight titlist got a raw deal in a four-round technical-decision loss to Paul Williams on May 8 on HBO. The fight ended when Cintron fell out of the ring, smashed into a ringside table and wasn't allowed to continue by the ringside doctor, although Cintron certainly could have given a better indication that he wanted to continue.
Next: TBA.
4. Alfredo "Perro" Angulo (18-1)
Following his entertaining 11th-round knockout of Joel "Love Child" Julio on April 24, Angulo will return to HBO to face former titleholder Joachim Alcine in a quality matchup. Angulo, however, won't be defending his interim belt, which he is expected to vacate at any moment because he and Dzinziruk aren't going to meet next as ordered.
Next: July 17 vs. Alcine.
5. Cory Spinks (37-5)
Spinks' long-overdue mandatory title defense against Cornelius "K9" Bundrage (29-4), slated for June 12 in St. Louis, was called off by promoter Don King, who was facing big losses for a show nobody cared about. Instead, the bout is likely to find its way onto King's Aug. 7 card in St. Louis, which will be headlined by junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander.
Next: TBA vs. Bundrage.
6. Ryan Rhodes (44-4)
In his first defense of the European title he won in October by knocking out English countryman Jamie Moore in a great fight, Rhodes looked terrific. On May 21, he scored three knockdowns of former world title challenger Luca Messi and stopped him in the sixth round. Rhodes wants a world title shot, or even an eliminator with Antonio Margarito, but more likely he'll next make his European mandatory against Lukas Konecny.
Next: TBA.
7. Joachim Alcine (32-1)
Canada's Alcine, who lost his title via sixth-round knockout to Santos in July 2008, has won two in a row since then. Now he has the opportunity to receive great American exposure by facing Angulo on HBO in what ought to be a very interesting fight.
Next: July 17 vs. Angulo.
8. Yuri Foreman (28-1)
Despite being stopped by Cotto on a ninth-round body shot and losing his title June 5, the future rabbi showed enormous heart by fighting on despite an obviously injured right knee in the seventh round. He kept on trucking even after trainer Joe Grier threw in the towel in the eighth round and it was disallowed by referee Arthur Mercante. Foreman probably made more fans in this loss than he had made in any of his 28 victories.
Next: TBA.
9. Vanes Martirosyan (28-0)
In his HBO debut, the 2004 U.S. Olympian easily outpointed previously undefeated Joe Greene in a sloppy, boring affair on the Cotto-Foreman undercard at Yankee Stadium on June 5.
Next: TBA.
10. Sechew Powell (26-2)
In June 2008, Deandre Latimore stopped Powell in the seventh round. On March 19, Powell exacted revenge by winning a decision in a good performance in a title eliminator that earned him a title shot against the winner of the Spinks-Bundrage bout.
Next: TBA.
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