Mid summer boxing buzz!

Taylor, Pavlik, Calzaghe, Kessler, Marquez, Pacquiao, and more!

World Middleweight Champion Jermain Taylor appeared to be scheduled for September 29th title defense against the consensus number one contender Kelly Pavlik. However, that fight has NOT been finalized, due to the question of whether Taylor can still make 160lbs.

In his last fight, Taylor defeated Current IBF Jr Middleweight Champion Cory Spinks via split decision in a performance that gave skeptics an additional reason to criticize the champion from Little Rock Arkansas. On the under card of that fight, Pavlik rose the occasion and upset the favored Edison Miranda via 7th round TKO. Previously, Miranda was being touted as the next middleweight champion, or the heir apparent so to speak, but Pavlik stole that glory with an inspiring performance that made fans and media want to see him against the Middleweight Champion of the World. This proposed middleweight title fight between these two unbeaten combatants would appear to be in jeopardy. Should Taylor refuse to take the fight due to the weight, look for him to move up to 168lbs at Super Middleweight.

Speaking of Super Middleweights, the much anticipated showdown between undefeated titlists, WBO Champion Joe Calzaghe and WBC/WBA Champion Mikkell Kessler has been finalized for November 3. The fight is set to take place in Cardiff, Wales. The televise network that it will be shown on remains unknown. I would HOPE that this fight is televised in the United States on one of the two major networks, HBO or Showtime. This match is way too big and highly significant not to be shown in the states. The Super Middleweight division is a division that is primarily taken over by Europeans, much like the Russians have claimed their dominance in the heavyweight division. I just hope that I get the chance to see Calzaghe and Kessler in action. It should be an outstanding prize fight. The winner of this match up will become the universally recognized World Super Middleweight Champion.

On October 6, there is a possibility that Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank will put their feud aside to match their fighters against each other in a big fight. That big fight is a rematch between Former Three Division Champion Marco Antonio Barrera and top Super Featherweight Contender and elite level pound for pounder Manny Pacquiao. This fight would be a rematch of their fight back on November 15, 2003, when Pacquiao dominated, destroyed, and demolished Barrera over 11 punishing rounds to claim the World Feather Championship.

On September 15, Juan Manuel Marquez is already set to make the first defense of his WBC Super Featherweight Championship against Former WBO Super Featherweight Champion Jorge Barrios. In my eyes, it would seem that these match ups were made backwards. Why these four fighters are paired the way they are at this time is beyond me. Marquez should paired with Pacquiao in a fight to settle the controversial draw they fought to at the featherweight limit back in May of 2004, while Barrera rebounds from his March 17 loss to Marquez against Barrios, who is also coming back from his split decision loss to Joan Guzman.

Just as they were the top two featherweights in the world going into their 2004 match, Pacquiao and Marquez are the leading lights at 130lbs right now. They have one draw under their belts. We need to see a winner in that fight. Barrera should be fighting Barrios to get himself back into the picture again for one last title run or big fight. Nonetheless, we have Marquez vs Barrios and the potential for Pacquiao vs Barrera II. I say "potential" because that fight has not been finalized as this goes to print.