Prospects for the Super Middleweight Division in 2014:
Still one of the deepest and hottest divisions in boxing, the super middleweights have plenty of potential going into the next year.
The weight class’s phenom, Andre Ward, sometimes muses on the idea of promoting a challenge from Gennady Golovkin, should the 160 lbs slugger wish to come up for such a fight, but otherwise it looks like he will have to choose between a rematch with Carl Froch or seeking another bout with a top light heavyweight. For his part, Froch, the division’s clear #2 guy and fan favorite, shows less interest in a rematch with George Groves than he does in getting that return bout with Ward, or getting into a slugfest with Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.
Any of the aforementioned fights would be a gem for 2014, but what about the rest of the division? No one is sure what Mikkel Kessler will do, and the Viking Warrior may even retire. Edwin Rodriguez is most likely moving up to 175 lbs. Other contenders are still very much in the division and in the game, however, so let’s look at the prospects for five notable super middleweights, and use that as a barometer for the 168 lbs division in 2014.
1. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The son of the legendary JCC might just be looking like a meaty meal for many in the 168 lbs weight class. At middleweight, Chavez was basically a light heavyweight draining down to pummel smaller fighters. He was big, strong, tough, but somewhat crude, and the massive size advantage he enjoyed at 160 won’t go nearly so far at 168. Looking at the super middleweight Top 10, it is hard to imagine who wouldn’t fancy their chances in a crack at Chavez, Jr.
The thing is, while it’s easy to see Carl Froch busting Chavez up like an overripe tomato, some of those other guys (Atrhur Abraham, Robert Steiglitz, Sakio Bika, Anthony Dirrell, J’Leon Love, and Brandon Gonzales) might just find out they are not quite up to the job of taking him down.
Chavez has name recognition, and more cachet than real ability. He is going to wind up in at least one big fight next year, and if that is with someone whose name isn’t Ward, Froch, or Kessler, he might just win it.
2. George Groves: Even if Carl Froch decides to not give Groves a rematch, St. George has a very bright future ahead of him. He is still ranked as #2 for the WBA and WBO, and #4 with the IBF. On those same alphabet soup Top 10 ranking lists are a host of name fighters, so it’s safe to say that a clash with any of them will vault Groves into mandatory challenger status and another title shot.
3. and 4. Robert Stieglitz/Arthur Abraham: WBO titlist Robert Stieglitz already has a marquee fight on his dance card for 2014, namely his rubber match with Arthur Abraham. As previously mentioned, whoever wins that fight might very well find George Groves bearing down on them. If not Groves, the next five names on the WBO rankings are just as good from a fight fan’s point of view: James DeGale, Chavez, Kessler, Dirrell, and Dmitri Sartison. As usual, the WBO title is the focus of plenty of super middle drama.
5. Sakio Bika: The most avoided fighter in the division now has the green belt around his waist, which means anyone who wants to make a go at the WBC Championship can’t sidestep the tough-as-nails guy coming from Cameroon by way of Australia. Bika squeaked past Anthony Dirrell, so his next move might very well be a rematch. If it’s not, Chavez is still very well-connected with WBC President-for-Life Jose Sulaiman, and the WBC’s silver champion is James DeGale. In lieu of the WBC ordering a Dirrell rematch, they will almost certainly foist either Chavez or DeGale onto Bika.
The bottom line: expect the 168-pounders to keep on producing plenty of exciting, top quality action.
