Eddie Chambers' (30-0) split decision over Calvin Brock (31-2) puts him just outside the top ten with a showdown against Alex Povetkin (14-0) looming. The 25-year-old fighter has the highest ranking of his career in the SportsRatings Heavyweight Boxing Top 100 computer ratings.
Here is the new top 12, updated for the results of last weekend (though 11/5/2007):
| last mo. | Rank | Fighter | Rating |
Rated Record | Recent Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | WLAD KLITSCHKO | 53.81 |
34-3-0 |
|
| 2 | 2 | RUSLAN CHAGAEV | 42.25 |
12-0-0 |
|
| 3 | 3 | NICOLAY VALUEV | 32.79 |
21-1-0 |
|
| 4 | 4 | SAMUEL PETER | 32.59 |
15-1-0 |
|
| 5 | 5 | LENNOX LEWIS | 30.46 |
34-2-1 |
inactive 52 months. |
| 6 | 6 | OLEG MASKAEV | 29.08 |
21-5-0 |
|
| 7 | 7 | ALEX POVETKIN | 28.08 |
9-0-0 |
|
| 8 | 8 | SULTAN IBRAGIMOV | 28.02 |
10-0-1 |
|
| 9 | 9 | VITALI KLITSCHKO | 27.11 |
22-2-0 |
inactive 34 months. |
| 10 | 10 | DAVID TUA | 26.60 |
28-3-1 |
|
| 11 | 11 | MATT SKELTON | 25.83 |
13-1-0 |
|
| 17 | 12 | EDDIE CHAMBERS | 25.66 |
12-0-0 |
W12 #27 CALVIN BROCK |
Chambers-Povetkin will be the final of the IBF qualifier tournament, the winner earning the right to face champion Wlad Klitschko, who is recognized as the titleholder by SportsRatings. The IBF, as well as boxing fans, should be glad Chambers and Povetkin won their fights, as it was the best possible outcome for a number of reasons:
- Both of the men eliminated, Brock and Chris Byrd (40-4-1), had previously lost to Klitscko, with Byrd losing twice. This result guarantees a new challenger for the champ.
- The tournament finalé will be a clash of young, undefeated fighters. The heavyweight division is in desperate need of new blood, and these are the two top-ranked undefeated (with no draws) fighters in the world.
- Klitschko will be facing an undefeated challenger who has had to earn his shot. The challenger will be relatively young, but will have been tested.
- Either Chambers or Povetkin, whoever wins their fight, will be ranked in the top 5 afterwards, which is reasonable for getting a shot at the champ. Klitschko's last defense was against Lamon Brewster, ranked #11 at the time, and before that, Ray Austin (then ranked 30th).
The Chambers-Povetkin fight won't happen until early next year, and Klitschko presumably won't take on the winner until at least the summer. A lot can change between then and now, but this leaves heavyweight boxing fans something to look forward to while they dream of unification.
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