Boxing: The Lightweight excitement

Lightweight division about to peak

The Lightweight division in boxing is one of the hottest around at the moment, fighters around the world are all able to put up a challenge and some incredibly exciting match up are out there for fans to whet their lips at. The divisions #1 fighter Juan Manuel Marquez seems to be up for any challenge, though hasn’t yet got a bout lined up following his brilliant stoppage win over Australian warrior Michael Katsidis. For Marquez his throne is unchallenged for now though below him the division is a hive of activity.

This past Saturday boxing fans saw 4 of the Lightweight contenders competing in some great fights. We had Antonio DeMarco (25-2-1) beating Reyes Sanchez (20-3-1) in a thrilling match up that saw DeMarco’s great skills overcome the pressure of Sanchez in an excellent action fight. We also saw Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (27-0-1) stop Miguel Acosta (24-4-2) for the WBA title in an early fight of the year contender. Rios’s pressure this time paying off as he decked the former champion 3 times during a 10 round thriller. The 24 year old Oxnard looks like the future of the division, though the division has a lot of depth in youth.

In a little over a week we have the talented Mexican Miguel Vazquez (27-3) defending his IBF title when he faces Australian puncher Leonardo Zappavigna (25-0). The fight, on the Mayorga v Cotto under-card could well be over-looked though promises more than it’s fair share of excitement as a talented boxer faces a relatively crude slugger. After Vazquez has already beaten Breidis Prescott and Ji-Hoon Kim, Zappavinga poses yet another challenger with a hard punch.

On April 9^th two top contenders meet off in a fight that really has got to get the fans interested. Robert Guerrero (28-1-1-2) the skilled former IBF super featherweight champion who’s unbeaten in over 5 years faces off against Australian brawler Michael Katsidis (27-3) in a fight that should be brilliant. Boxing fans should be looking forward to a clash of styles between the slick southpaw and the brawling aggression of Katsidis. Although this isn’t a title fight the winner will certainly be regarded as one of the top 3 fighters in the division.

Tough throwback Humberto Soto (54-7-2) is scheduled to fight next weekend against Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (25-2) it’s Soto’s rematch against Urbano Antillon (28-2) on May 7^th that gets pulses racing. Soto v Antillon I was one of the best fights of 2010 with Soto taking a tough fought and close decision last December. Soto, the current WBC champion seems likely to relinquish the title if he wins (allowing DeMarco, his cousin, to fight for the title) to move to 140 and try and win a 4^th divisional title.

British fighter John Murray (30-0) is scheduled to defend his European title in April (though no opponent has yet been named). He has been linked to both DeMarco and Rios as possible opponents in what could either be world title fights or a world eliminator (is Soto refuses to move up a weight). Though with Kevin Mitchell (31-1) saying no to the fight it’s possible that Murray will pass up the scheduled date to try and get one of the big Stateside fighters in the ring instead.

Although Ali Funeka (30-3-3), out of the ring for almost a year doesn’t have a fight lined up he’s still a top fighter and could pose a threat to anyone in the division. Jorge Linares (30-1) likewise hasn’t got a fight lined up though is one of the divisions most skilled fighters. The activity of the division is brilliant and it’s great to see so many top fighters all mixing in with each other.

Although this isn’t any sort of official ranking it’s worth looking at 10 of the divisions best:
1 Juan Manuel Marquez
2 Brandon Rios
3 Miguel Vazquez
4 Michael Katisids
5 Robert Guerrero
6 Humberto Soto
7 Miguel Acosta
8 Urbano Antillon
9 Leonardo Zappavinga
10 John Murray

Some possible exciting fights
Any combination of Katsidis/Murray/Zappavinga/Rios/Antillon/Soto
Any combination of Vazquez/Guerrero/Acosta/Soto
Marquez v ANY ONE

Key dates:
March 5^th (Soto v Fidel Monterrosa Munoz) (none title fight)
March 12^th (Vazquez v Zappavinga)
April 9^th (Guerrero v Katsidis)
May 7^th (Soto v Urbano)

Some other notable dates:
March 4^th (Raymundo Beltran v Carlos Vinan) USBA title fight
April 22^nd (Hoang Sang Nguyen v Luca Marasco) EU title fight

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