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Calvin Brock Analyzes the Heavyweight Division
By Scoop Malinowski
Calvin Brock started off his career losing his first four amateur fights. But today the talented and persevering American is among the top ten best heavyweights in the world.
And a victory in his next fight on June 24th (televised by HBO) against fellow unbeaten Timur Ibragimov of Uzbekistan could open the door to a world title fight.
In this Exclusive, the unbeaten 30-year-old shares his insightful thoughts on the rest of the heavyweight field. Read on for who Brock believes is the most dangerous heavyweight, who is his most exciting and who everybody better be on the lookout for:
Hasim Rahman: "He fought a good fight against Toney, in my opinion. He's real strong. He sticks to his discipline. He's good at what he does. And he beat a very tough guy that's been whuppin' on other heavyweights - that's James Toney. Which is not easy to beat a guy like James Toney."
Chris Byrd: "Real good. Smaller heavyweight titleholder. Real slick. Only southpaw holding a world title. He's been winning for a while now. He knows how to win."
Nicolay Valuev: "I don't know much to say about him because I haven't really seen him. But I know if he's undefeated, 43-0, he's definitely to be taken very seriously. Big guy like him 7-3, 325. I've seen him on film, couple older fights. He looked pretty good. I was impressed with him."
Sergei Liakhovich: "After watching Sergei beat Brewster, I think he's one of the best skilled heavyweights in the division. He's real good."
Wladimir Klitschko: "I think he's probably one of the most dangerous boxers in the division right now. Because he's very quick, very fundamentally good. Tall. Being world champion, got a lot of power. I think of all the heavyweights out there, he's probably at the top right now, of all the heavyweights right now. The most dangerous one."
Samuel Peter: "Definitely a knockout artist. Very exciting to watch. Good at being impressive. I think he's the most physically strongest heavyweight in the division right now."
Lamon Brewster: "Very powerful. Good at his discipline. Does what he does well. Definitely attracts a lot of attention when he's in the ring. Exciting to watch. I think he's the most exciting one to watch."
John Ruiz: "I didn't see his last match (vs. Valuev). Has a lot of experience. Very disciplined in the ring. And he's strong at what he does. He knows how to get in there and win a boxing match. What can you say, he wins."
Calvin Brock: "I'm all around good. I'm all around good at everything. I know how to win. I know how to adjust to any style. I'm the future of the division. I am gonna become the world heavyweight champion. And people are gonna know that I an the world heavyweight champion. When it's asked, Who's the world heavyweight champion?, people are gonna be able to say it's Calvin Brock, without not knowing."
Shannon Briggs: "I think Shannon Briggs is talented. He has good skills. Very hard puncher. Definitely somebody everybody better keep their eyes on and look out for."
James Toney: "Master of the sweet science of boxing. He could be a real force in the division if he just wants to get his weight down further. A much better in-shape James Toney would beat most of the heavyweights out here."
Timur Ibragimov: "He's good. He's a good boxer. Good boxing skills. Undefeated. What can you say? I'm very up for this boxing match. Training very hard for it. And I'm prepared to face a very good Timur Ibragimov. But still, I'm prepared to come out of that ring undefeated 29-0 come June 24th."
Sultan Ibragimov: "Another guy, undefeated. Shorter style. I was in the same Olympics he was (2000). I didn't watch him too much, don't remember him boxing too much. I saw him box the gold medal round when he lost to Felix Savon. Took the silver. What can you say about an Olympic silver medalist? It's very tough to make it that far in the Olympics. He's real good. Real powerful. Definitely somebody that the heavyweight division better be on the lookout for, because he's definitely coming up."
