Miguel Berchelt – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Who Wins? Leo Santa Cruz vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.

We started the series with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the Boxing Junkie list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue, No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk and No. 6 Gennady Golovkin, No. 7 Errol Spence Jr., No. 8 Tyson Fury, No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada, No. 10 Mikey Garcia, No. 11 Artur Beterbiev and No. 12 Josh Taylor, No. 13 Manny Pacquiao and No. 14 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

Next up is our final subject, No. 15 Leo Santa Cruz.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Santa Cruz would do against Gervonta Davis, Gary Russell Jr., Miguel Berchelt, Joseph Diaz Jr. and Jamel Herring. We then tally Santa Cruz’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Santa Cruz isn’t the flashiest boxer (or person) but he has known almost nothing but success. He has fought at the elite level for a decade, has won titles in three divisions and avenged his only loss (to Carl Frampton) by consistently outworking his opponents.

We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.

So here goes: Santa Cruz vs. his five potential opponents.

***

SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19 KOs) VS. DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs)

Gervonta Davis (left, against Jesus Cuellar) would be a handful for Leo Santa Cruz. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II

Rosenthal: Santa Cruz makes his opponents miserable because of his work rate; he doesn’t give them a chance to breathe. Davis, at his best, is more dynamic – quicker, more explosive – and definitely a bigger puncher. If he can handle Santa Cruz’s pressure – which isn’t a given – he’ll control the fight by outboxing Santa Cruz and landing the bigger shots. Davis by decision.

Frauenheim: Hard to know what to make of Santa Cruz. He was a whirlwind at 126 pounds. But recent performances are forgettable. Davis has dangerous power. Dangerous temper, too. The Santa Cruz of a few years ago frustrates him, beats him on the cards. Expect the old Santa Cruz, who wins a unanimous decision.

Nam: It comes down to whether Davis shows up in shape and prepared. If he fought like he did against the one-legged, washed-up Yuriorkis Gamboa, Santa Cruz could run away with a decision. Given how Davis’s energy tends to sag in the second half of fights, Santa Cruz could be in a prime position to snag some rounds on activity alone. The thinking here, though, is that Davis’s power will have the last word. Davis by stoppage in the late rounds.

***

SANTA CRUZ VS. RUSSELL (31-1, 18 KOs)

Gary Russell Jr. (right, against Tugstsogt Nyambayar) might have too much speed for Santa Cruz. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Rosenthal: Santa Cruz has the style – pressure, pressure, pressure – to give a slick boxer problems. But Russell has the talent, the experience and toughness to handle almost anything. He’ll use his feet to frustrate Santa Cruz and land more than enough quick, accurate shots to win rounds. Russell by decision.

Frauenheim: Harder to know what to make of Russell than it is Santa Cruz. He’s fought only four times over the last four years. He’s known for hand speed. He’ll be 32 in June. If the speed is still there, he beats Santa Cruz, landing punches from various angles. Expect the speed to be there. Russell, unanimous decision.

Nam: If Santa Cruz can’t cut off the ring, he doesn’t have a chance of winning this fight. Superior hand speed notwithstanding, Russell is an effective boxer, who likes to continually slide to his left as he flits in with a flurry here and there, making this something of a nightmare styles matchup for the Mexican. If Russell doesn’t skimp out on the road work, he should find himself on the winning end of a decision.

***

SANTA CRUZ VS. BERCHELT (37-1, 33 KOs)

Miguel Berchelt (right) has too many advantages to lose to Santa Cruz Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Rosenthal: Berchelt is the genuine article. The Mexican can box, he can punch, he can take a punch (with one exception years ago) and he, like Santa Cruz, is a natural 130-pounder. Neither will have to look for the other, meaning both fighters will land a lot of hard shots. Punching power will be the difference. And Berchelt has an edge in that department. Berchelt by late KO.

Frauenheim: Santa Cruz’s toughest fight. Berchelt has a presence, an intangible poise. He won’t lose his cool, even a Santa Cruz at his whirlwind best. He’s also strong, physical enough to slow down Santa Cruz, especially in the later rounds. Berchelt, unanimous decision.

Nam: Like Santa Cruz, Berchelt likes to mix it up on the inside. Only he’s bigger and he hits harder. This is a fun fight until Berchelt’s natural advantages take over in the second half. Berchelt by unanimous decision.

***

SANTA CRUZ VS. DIAZ (31-1, 15 KOs)

Jo Jo Diaz has the skill set to compete with Santa Cruz but perhaps not the punching power. Michael Reaves / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Diaz, a former U.S. Olympian, is a polished, gutsy boxer who is coming off a break-through victory over Tevin Farmer to win a 130-pound title in January. He will give Santa Cruz problems early in the fight but Santa Cruz, also an excellent boxer, ultimately will outwork him and win a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Diaz has momentum, winning five straight since his lone loss to Russell in May 2018. An accomplished amateur, he has solid boxing skills. He also knows Santa Cruz. He sparred with him. What he doesn’t have is power, or at least enough to slow down Santa Cruz, who wins unanimous decision.

Nam: Both guys like to tussle on the inside, but Diaz hits harder and his southpaw angles will befuddle the somewhat unimaginative Santa Cruz. This is a high-volume affair that’ll be close on the cards. Diaz by decision.

***

SANTA CRUZ VS. HERRING (21-2, 10 KOs)

Is former Olympian Jamel Herring (right) to slick for Santa Cruz. Dylan Buell / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Herring, another U.S. Olympian, realized his potential by outboxing Masayuki Ito to win a 130-pound title last May. He doesn’t have much power but he’s a beautiful, effective boxer. The problem for him is that Santa Cruz will be in his face from beginning to end, giving him little chance to find his rhythm. Santa Cruz by clear decision.

Frauenheim: Herring is slick and as tough as his Semper Fi nickname. The combat veteran knows his way around the ring. But his power – 10 KOs in 21 fights – is suspect. He’ll need more than he has displayed against the often-tireless Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz, unanimous decision.

Nam: Herring is bigger (he used to campaign at 135), awkward, and mobile. Stylistically speaking, Santa Cruz has never fought anybody like Herring; the majority of his opponents have been artless, come-forward types. Herring controls the distance and pace for 12 rounds, working behind his southpaw jab while continually turning Santa Cruz, en route to a points decision.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Leo Santa Cruz: 5-10 (0 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Artur Beterbiev: 14-1 (11 KOs)
Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai: 8-7 (5 KOs)
Josh Taylor: 7-6-2 (2 KOs)
Mikey Garcia: 7-8 (0 KOs)
Leo Santa Cruz: 5-10 (0 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao: 3-12 (0 KOs)

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Juan Francisco Estrada vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Tyson Fury vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Mikey Garcia vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Artur Beterbiev vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Josh Taylor vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Manny Pacquiao vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs. five potential opponents

Won Wins? Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers predict who would win if Vasiliy Lomachenko fought five top potential opponents in our “Who Wins” feature.

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create a feature in which we complete that sentence by asking, “Who would win each fight if we pitted a specific boxer against five top prospective opponents?”

We start with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and pit him against Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Miguel Berchelt and Ryan Garcia. The Boxing Junkie Staffers – Michael Rosenthal, Norm Frauenheim and Sean Nam – then make their predictions and we would tally the score for Lomachenko.

If he wins all five fights, he would have a score of 15-0, as each staffer will have predicted a victory in all five matchups.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day, meaning we’ll focus on No. 2 Terence Crawford tomorrow.

So here goes: Lomachenko vs. the five potential opponents.

LOMACHENKO VS. LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)

Rosenthal: No one will outbox Lomachenko. An opponent would have to swarm him or rough him up (a la Orlando Salido), have a size advantage (Jorge Linares) or have unusual power. Lopez has a high boxing IQ but not enough for Lomachenko, at least not yet. He has the power to hurt Lomachenko but our No. 1 boxer is too good to get caught. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.

Frauenheim: Intriguing fight, mostly because both like to set traps. The winner will be the fighter who’s better at getting out of one. That’s Lomachenko, whose agile feet allow him to almost glide above the canvas in a tireless dance, in and out of traps and into a split-decision win.

Nam: Lopez is the future, but Lomachenko still reigns over the present. Lopez has the size and power to trouble Lomachenko, but he will have his hands full against the Ukrainian’s high-octane pressure and unusual dexterity. It’ll be tactical in the beginning, but expect Lomachenko to take over in the latter half of the bout and win a clear decision. A late stoppage wouldn’t be surprising.

***

LOMACHENKO VS. HANEY (24-0, 15 KOs)

Devin Haney (right) stopped Zaur Abdullaev but does he have the seasoning to hang with Lomachenko? AP Photo / Frank Franklin II

Rosenthal: Haney is naturally bigger than Lomachenko, which would work in his favor. He also is quick and has tight technique most of the time, which obviously would help. Haney’s problem is that he has neither the seasoning – he’s only 21 years old — nor the pop in his punches to hurt Lomachenko, at least not on paper. I think he gives Lomachenko some trouble but loses a clear unanimous decision.

Frauenheim: For Haney, it’s a little early. He’s had 24 fights, nine more than Lomachenko. Haney also has youth. He’s 21, 11 years younger than Lomachenko. But Lomachenko, perhaps the best boxer in Olympic history, knows his way around the world and the ring. Lomachenko’s angles and instincts add up to a win by unanimous decision.

Nam: Same scenario as Lomachenko vs. Lopez. Haney is very much the future of the sport, but there is nothing to suggest in either his ability or body of work that he can handle Lomachenko. Haney may boast advantages in quickness and size, but it’s worth pointing out he had some trouble with Alfredo Santiago in his last bout. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.

***

LOMACHENKO VS. DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs)

Gervonta Davis (right) had some trouble with Yuriorkis Gamboa. Would he have to be better to compete with Lomachenko? AP Photo /T ami Chappell

Rosenthal: This might be the most intriguing matchup of the bunch. Davis is comparable with Lomachenko in size and has the swarming style and punching power to push the Ukrainian to his limits. And I presume Davis would be focused for this fight, which isn’t always the case with him. I think Lomachenko wins a closer-than-expected, but unanimous decision.

Frauenheim: Davis has dangerous power. A dangerous temper too. It’s the temper that will do him in against the clever Lomachenko. Lomachenko will throw punches from angles yet unseen by Davis, who will walk or stumble into a trap he can’t escape. Lomachenko wins a late-round TKO.

Nam: Don’t mistake popularity for ability. The hard-hitting Davis is talented, no doubt, and he may one of the few American fighters with legitimate box office appeal, but consider his performance against Yuriorkis Gamboa a warning. The Baltimore native needed 11 rounds before he could put away a shopworn fighter who fought the majority of the fight on one leg due to a torn Achilles. That won’t cut it against Lomachenko, who will win by stoppage.

***

LOMACHENKO VS. BERCHELT (37-1, 33 KOs)

Miguel Berchelt (right) overwhelmed Jason Sosa. Could he do the same against Lomachenko? Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Rosenthal: Berchelt is a beast. The Mexican is a well-schooled boxer with crushing power, as his KO percentage indicates. And he has the experience that the others here lack. In other words, this would be a real challenge for our favorite. I think he pushes Lomachenko harder than anyone else here but, because of Lomachenko’s superhuman skill set and resilence, he weathers the storm and wins a close, but unanimous decision.

Frauenheim: Lomachenko’s toughest fight. Berchelt has a presence, an intangible poise that will prove effective against Lomachenko. To wit: Berchelt won’t lose his cool. He won’t crack when Lomachenko tries to apply his magic. Berchelt also has power. Question is, can he catch Lomachenko? Probably not. A draw.

Nam: Of all the fighters here, Berchelt perhaps has the most diverse offensive skillset. His ability to rifle off four-five punch combinations would bode him well against Lomachenko, who is best when he has his opponent on the backfoot. Berchelt may be able to break that pattern. However, Berchelt leaves himself wide open when he throws his combinations and tends to leave his chin hanging out. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.

***

LOMACHENKO VS. GARCIA (20-0, 17 KOs)

Ryan Garcia (right) has blown away his opponents but hasn’t faced anyone like Lomachenko. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

Rosenthal: Garcia has generated a great deal of excitement but the fact is he’s still developing. He has the natural ability and punching power to compete with anyone, including this opponent; he just doesn’t have the experience to hang with a wizard like Lomachenko. He would have his moments but wouldn’t survive 12 rounds. Lomachenko by KO.

Frauenheim: Years from now, an interesting fight. Garcia has power and very fast hands. Lomachenko has seen both, dealt with both. Lomachenko will employ his own hand speed, moving from side to side and landing a blitz of combinations from all sides for a unanimous decision.

Nam: Too green. Garcia is showing signs of improving steadily under the guidance of Canelo Alvarez’s head trainer, Eddie Reynosos, but he is still something of a prospect. He keeps his chin deadly high and has an upright stance. So far his reflexes and power have led to highlight reel wins over pedestrian opponents. Lomachenko would pick him apart from the opening bell and stop him in embarrassing fashion in the late rounds.

THE FINAL TALLY

Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)

Andrew Cancio makes move to Top Rank official

Former junior lightweight titleholder Andrew Cancio, who left Golden Boy under difficult circumstances, signed with Top Rank on Thursday.

It was a blue-collar promise from a blue-collar boxer.

Andrew Cancio, a former junior lightweight champion who works for the gas company when he isn’t in the ring, said he’d be back after Golden Boy fired him three days before Thanksgiving, just a few days after he lost his title and ripped the promotional company.

Cancio is back, fulfilling a promise the way he completes a job.

Top Rank signed him Thursday.

In announcing the multi-fight deal, Top Rank, miraculously, didn’t mention Golden Boy.

“He was a free agent, miraculously, and we didn’t hesitate to make a deal with him and his team,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum said in a statement.

Miracles happen. So, too, does some subtle trash talk.

There’s nothing subtle about Cancio’s power or his working-man appeal. He is the West Coast’s version of Joe Smith Jr., a Long Island, New York laborer when he isn’t knocking Bernard Hopkins out of the ring or beating Jesse Hart.

Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs), who is from the Colorado River town of Blythe, California, stunned Alberto Machado last February, knocking him out in four rounds for a 130-pound belt. In a rematch four months later, he needed only three rounds to stop Machado.

On November 23, however, Cancio’s championship run came to an abrupt end. Rene Alvarado of Nicaragua knocked him out in seven rounds. He had knocked out Alvarado in December 2015

“I’m very grateful to begin the next chapter of my career with Bob Arum and the entire Top Rank team,” said Cancio, who criticized Golden Boy in a Los Angeles Times’ story for not promoting his blue-collar roots with appearances on bigger cards. “I look forward to returning to the ring in front of my army of supporters and am fully prepared to fight my way towards becoming a world champion again.’’

Cancio is expected to make his first appearance for Top Rank in April on ESPN. He provides another matchmaking possibility for Top Rank’s other junior lightweights, including Miguel Berchelt (honorable mention pound-for-pound), Jamel Herring, Oscar Valdez Jr., Carl Frampton and Masayuki Ito.

Andrew Cancio to sign with Top Rank: report

Andrew Cancio, who recently left Golden Boy Promotions, reportedly has signed a multi-fight deal with Top Rank.

Andrew Cancio will soon be back to working two jobs.

The former junior lightweight titleholder and Southern California day laborer has reportedly signed a multi-fight deal with Top Rank, just two months after he was released by former promoter Golden Boy for voicing his discontent with the company before his knockout loss to Rene Alvarado on Nov. 23.

Cancio, who crafted one of the best feel-good stories of last year by upsetting then titleholder Alberto Machado twice, took his ex-promoter to task for what he perceived was a lack of a promotional boost. After Cancio’s loss to Alvarado via seventh-round stoppage, Golden Boy promptly dropped the fighter from its roster.

“He wanted bigger purses and he wanted to fight in bigger venues,” Golden Boy president Eric Gomez told ESPN. “He didn’t think Golden Boy was providing that for him so we released him and wish him all the best. I hope he finds what he’s looking for.”

Cancio’s new promotional deal with Top Rank means he joins a packed stable of 130-pounders, including titleholders Miguel Berchelt and Jamel Herring, as well as contenders Carl Frampton and Oscar Valdez.

Cancio isn’t the only ex-Golden Boy fighter on the move. Longtime Golden Boy client and junior featherweight titleholder Rey Vargas reportedly signed with Premier Boxing champions.

Oscar Valdez Jr. wants Miguel Berchelt if he wins on Nov. 30

Oscar Valdez Jr. is moving up to 130 pounds to face Andres Gutierrez on Nov. 30 but has his sights set on Miguel Berchelt.

Oscar Valdez Jr. is adding a few pounds and some very big aspirations in pursuit of a second division title.

The former 126-pound champion is moving up to 130 to face Andres Gutierrez (38-2-1, 25 knockouts) on Nov. 30 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on ESPN+, a fight Valdez hopes is a springboard to an immediate showdown with junior lightweight titleholder Miguel Berchelt.

“If we go out the way we want, with the hand held high after this fight, I think we already deserve the position to face Berchelt,’’ Valdez said Monday during a question-and-answer session with media in Los Angeles.

Valdez (26-0, 20 KOs) doesn’t plan to waste any time at the new weight. Berchelt is considered the best of the current 130-pound class. He has made six successful title defenses, just three short of Julio Cesar Chavez’s record.

“In that division, the goal is to fight him,’’ Valdez said. “He is the boxer to beat.’’

The boxer to fear, too.

Oscar Valdez has had a lot to celebrate in his career but is looking for more worlds to conquer. Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Berchelt has power and a presence. He is often mentioned as a possible opponent for current lightweight champion and pound-for-pound leader Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Valdez has never backed away from a big risk. His fearless streak was oh-so evident against Scott Quigg on a rainy night on March 3, 2018 in Carson, California. Quigg failed to make the featherweight limit but Valdez decided to fight anyway. Quigg busted his jaw. Valdez lost a lot of blood and spent several days getting his meals through a straw after his mouth was wired shut in surgery. But he won the fight, scoring a unanimous decision over the bigger Quigg.

It was a sure sign of his courage.

And his determination.

“If I had to retire tomorrow I would not be happy with my career,’’ said Valdez, a two-time Mexican Olympian who was born in the Mexican border town of Nogales but went to school in Tucson. “I think there is much to achieve , and some of that is to go up and win another title.”

Valdez will be fighting for the third time with Canelo Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, in his corner.

“More than anything, I am grateful to him that he opened the doors for me,’’ said Valdez, who had worked with Manny Robles, heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.’s trainer. “He has a lot of work with Canelo. At first, we doubted if he would have enough time. But on the contrary, we have spent Christmas together.

“I have learned a lot with Eddy Reynoso, and I will demonstrate it in my next fight. In boxing, you never stop learning.”