Anyone see the Daniel Santos fight? Can he be a main man at 154?

[Kev]

I've read and heard he beat Rivera up pretty badly,cut him,dropped him. Santos is a pretty good fighter,and a HUUUUGE 154 pounder(usually rehydrates to 170 plus). I'd LOVE to see him v Roman Karmazin(the best 154 pounder imo) although I think Santos is now the number 1 contender to fight Joachim Alcine.

Semi-related: I've seen the Argentinian Sergio Gabriel Martinez mentioned a few times on these boards, if I remember correctly mostly by you. Also, he somehow made it into the #2 spot at 154 (after PBF no less) at the Saddo Ratings-thing (I remember this, because it kinda stood out as weird/surprinsing).

Anyway, havent seen it on here, but he fought on saturday as well, as he beat someone with the proud record of 3-34-2 in Spain. Completely meaningless fight (except for staying busy), but perhaps worth a mention anyway.

Wow,thanks for the news. Yeah,Sergio Matrinez is an excellent fighter,a slick southpaw who travels around Europe getting decisions/wins in guys backyards. He has only lost once,to Margarito. I totally forgot about him,an excellent fighter. Heck,a Mayweather nut hugger on this site made a thread about him and how impressive he was,realised Margarito had beaten him and was too embaressed to respond He,Santos,Karmazin,Forrest,all dangermen at 154.

Well, glad to be of help, if you hadnt seen the news. The thing about 154 is that we might call the above mentioned guys 'dangermen', but who are they dangerous for? If ODLH moves down (and PBF stays down), then they are more like the actual top guys, arent they?

Or are we talking about Cory Spinks as the man to beat? Or - as someone inexplicably suggested - Joel Julio for that matter?

Anyway, I am surprised that nobody in this thread has mentioned Dzindiruk. He may not be a superstar, but he is a belt holder at 154, and he does already hold a victory Santos. It was in Germany however, and I havent seen the fight, so I venture to ask if it was a robbery? Or have people just forgotten the fight completely?

You have to also remember,Santos has been getting decisions in guys backyards. He beat Kotiev the first time,it was a robbery,upon review,the WBO ordered a rematch,which Santo won via KO..he also won decisions in the UK too. He lost his way a bit when one of his family died and I think Santos also ran someone over or somethin,again,likely to take it out of a fighter.

I forgot about Dzinziruk. I've seen that fight twice. He deserved to win and seems like a good fighter. Typical European fighter though,straight up and down,tight high held guard,stiff jab,very robotic though. I don't think Santos was well prepared for that fight though and I don't see why the champ would have to go and defend in the challengers backyard? I don't think we are going to see or hear much about Sergei,I don't think he'll leave Germany to be honest.

I agree with what you wrote about Dzindiruk. Although I do think he should be mentioned among the top guys, even if he refuses to leave Germany. Boxing is after all international, not just American (and while I understand your comment on champion/challenger, you should remember that Germany for obvious reasons is a much, much bigger economy/market than Puerto Rico).

Anyway, I was just surprised that Frozensolid named all those guys who could beat Santos, yet didnt name the one fighter who have already done exactly that.

Seriously,I have not been keeping track of 154 at all for a while but again,you are indeed correct,have a CC on me for knowing your stuff. I'm back in the swing of things. Joel Julio is there and Spinks is too. When I say dangermen,I mean in the sense that they could be top men in the division,dangerous to each other I guess.

Forzensolid was jut being an idiot to annoy me. He most likely has hardly seen any of those guys fight. The top guys appear to me to be:

Alcine
Spinks
Forrest
Santos
Karmazin
Julio
Dzinziruk
Martinez
Simms

I think some pretty decent matches could be arranged there but all these guys are plagued with injury/inactivity!! Also,f of those guys are southpaws,no-one likes fighting southpaws!! Heck Romazn Kamrazin once said in an interview,he HATES fighting southpaws!

Who do you think is the best there? Obviously it's difficult to say.

I'm not sure but arn't Alfonso Gomez and Julio Ceaser Chavez Jr fighting at 154 lb these days too? I wonder if our oiwn Bradley Pryce can get a title from amongst that group.

I think the division is one of the weaker ones but even so guys like Spinks, Forrest and Karmazin are still tough tests for a decent British domestic boxer.

I'd definitely fancy Santos to do well in this group though.

Actually Kasim Ouma has a great chance here if he ever decides what division he wants to be in, and of course guys like Sechew Powell and Ishe Smith will likely get another chance to impress in 2008.

It's actually not as weak a division as it first appears.