I am a bit surprised of 2 things:
1) how come Bika is rated lower than Green and why is Abraham fifth and froch third? I could make a few compromise on some stuff or not care about some of the mentioned positions below but I would rate Abraham before Froch and Bike Before Green. Also, as much as I like it, I think that Bute should be let's say third and not second at this very moment. I understand he has a very good classification because of his thunder win over Andrade but still, second is a bit generous, here's how I would make it following the new events in the division personally:
1)Ward
2)Abraham
3)Bute
4)Froch
5)Kessler
6)Bika
7)Dirrell
Green
9)Andrade (I would normally put him infront of Green but a 4th round ko...)
10)Stieglitz
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Raphael's rating:
1. Andre Ward (21-0)
America's only boxing gold medalist in the 2004 Olympics (and the only one since 1996), rose to the occasion and stunningly whipped Mikkel Kessler in an 11-round technical decision to claim a title and stamp his arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Nov. 21. It was a supreme performance and kept the Americans from going winless in the first group of bouts in the tournament.
Next: TBA vs. Jermain Taylor.
2. Lucian Bute (25-0)
Whatever the controversy over the end of Bute's first fight with Librado Andrade in October 2008, Bute made a massive statement by in the Nov. 28 rematch by first knocking down the granite-chinned Andrade with a chin shot and then knocking him out with a body shot in the fourth round. It was a star-making performance.
Next: TBA.
3. Carl Froch (26-0)
Froch opened Showtime's Super Six tournament by retaining his title via split decision against the quicker Andre Dirrell on Oct. 17. It wasn't Froch's best performance, but he got the job done against a faster opponent who tried to stink him out. Froch's next opponent in the round-robin is Kessler.
Next: TBA vs. Kessler
4. Mikkel Kessler (42-2)
It wasn't so shocking that Denmark's Kessler lost his title to Ward in their Super Six bout on Nov. 21 in Ward's hometown of Oakland. The stunning part was how bad Kessler looked in losing almost every second of the fight, which was called off and sent to the scorecards for a technical decision in the 11th round because of a cut over Kessler's right eye that was caused by an accidental head butt.
Next: TBA vs. Froch.
5. Arthur Abraham (31-0)
As usual, Abraham started slow and came on very, very strong, knocking Jermain Taylor out cold with six seconds left in their Oct. 17 fight for an explosive finish to the opening bout of the Super Six tournament. While Taylor's career is in doubt, Abraham will move on in the round robin to face Dirrell in a fight that is expected to take place in January in the United States.
Next: TBA vs. Dirrell.
6. Allan Green (29-1)
Given the possibility that Taylor will not continue in the Super Six tournament, Green is warm in the bullpen as a possible replacement, although he didn't do a lot to show he deserves to be in the field with his poor performance in a win a against Tarvis Simms on Oct. 2.
Next: TBA.
7. Sakio Bika (28-3-2)
If Showtime is looking for a replacement for Taylor in the Super Six tournament, and doesn't want to include the Bute-Andrade winner, there's no reason Bika shouldn't be considered.
Next: TBA.
8. Andre Dirrell (18-1)
In his opening bout of the Super Six tournament, Dirrell dropped a tight split decision to Froch. It was a fight Dirrell certainly could have won had he not given away so many rounds with his running, holding style. But he gained valuable experience for his next bout, a very tough assignment against Abraham in early 2010.
Next: TBA vs. Abraham.
9. Librado Andrade (28-3)
Andrade came close to knocking Bute out in the final seconds of their first fight in October 2008, but fell short thanks to terrible refereeing. In the Nov. 28 rematch, the referee didn't have to do anything but count to 10 when Bute stunningly knocked him out with a body shot in the fourth round.
Next: TBA.
10. Robert Stieglitz (36-2)
In an upset, Stieglitz stopped Karoly Balzsay in the 11th round in August in his second shot at a major belt. For his first defense, Stieglitz will face Edison Miranda (33-4), the big puncher and bigger trash talker. It's a dangerous fight.
Next: Jan. 9 vs. Miranda.
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