Bulgarian pugilist Kubrat Pulev moved into the top ten of the SportsRatings Heavyweight Boxing Top 100 for June of 2012 following his early May stoppage of former #13 Alexander Dimitrenko. Pulev (10-0 in rated fights, 16-0-0 overall) rose to #6 from #12 last month, while Dimitrenko, suffering his 2nd loss in what was an exciting fight, tumbled to #54.
The top five was unchanged consisting of Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Tyson Fury, and Robert Helenius; as a group, the top five has not lost a pro fight in the last eight years.
Pulev's ascendence bumped the rest of the top ten down a notch, including Eddie Chambers, the other man to beat Dimitrenko. Chambers is at #8 and will face #23 Tomasz Adamek on June 16. Former #10 David Haye, who "retired" and hasn't won since beating Audley Harrison in late 2010, fell from the top ten to #12 while Seth Mitchell held at #11.
| -3 Yr |
-1 Yr |
-6 mos |
May Rank |
June Rank |
Fighter |
Rating
|
Rated Record | May results / June schedule |
| -- | 16 | 13 | 12 | 6 | KUBRAT PULEV | 20.77 | 10-0-0 | KO 11 #13 ALEX DIMITRENKO |
| 6 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 7 | CHRIS ARREOLA | 19.86 | 19-2-0 | ...6/23 vs. tba |
| 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | EDDIE CHAMBERS | 19.42 | 14-2-0 | ...6/16 vs. #23 TOMASZ ADAMEK |
| 2 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | RUSLAN CHAGAEV | 19.05 | 15-2-0 | |
| 19 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | TONY THOMPSON | 18.68 | 17-1-0 | |
| -- | 37 | 36 | 11 | 11 | SETH MITCHELL | 18.17 | 11-0-0 | |
| 26 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 12 | DAVID HAYE | 18.12 | 5-1-0 | last win -18 months. |
| -- | 58 | 29 | 24 | 13 | DAVID PRICE | 17.76 | 4-0-0 | KO 4 #34 SAM SEXTON |
| -- | 20 | 15 | 14 | 14 | EDMUND GERBER | 17.06 | 7-0-0 | UD 8 #148 MAURICE HARRIS |
| 28 | 32 | 33 | 42 | 15 | ODLANIER SOLIS | 16.88 | 9-1-0 | UD 12 #17 KONSTANTIN AIRICH |
| 15 | 15 | 16 | 23 | 16 | FRANCESCO PIANETA | 16.54 | 7-0-1 | UD 10 #87 OLIVER MCCALL |
The area just below the top ten was very active, with David Price jumping 11 spots to #13 after his 4th round knockout of Sam Sexton. Another unbeaten, Germany's Edmund Gerber, held at #14 due to a (somewhat controversial) unanimous decision over Maurice Harris. Odlanier Solis, recovering from a long layoff due to knee surgery, leapt back into title consideration with a comfortable comeback win over Konstantin Airich, moving up to #15 from #42. And Francesco Pianeta moved up seven spots after beating aging but resilient Oliver McCall. McCall fell from the top 100 for only the 2nd time in the last 20 years; though his title-contention days are over, he can't be counted out from returning to the top 100 yet again. Airich dropped to #56 while Sexton held on at #97.
The rest of the top 100 was rather quiet. Ukranian Vyach Glazkov (4-0, 12-0-0 overall) moved up one spot to #32 for his 7th round stoppage of Gbenga Oloukun. Yohan Banks made a surprise debut in the top 100, jumping all the way from #308 to #95 after upsetting former #106 Skyler Anderson. Anderson's last loss was in 2005 when he was 18 years old, though he faced a kind schedule; Banks knocked him out in the 4th round. The win is actually Banks' first against a fighter in our system; previously he had two draws and four losses among registered heavyweights. Overall he is 5-6-3.
This month also features a rare entry by a Japanese heavyweight. Kyotaro Fujimoto debuts at #40 after beating Afa Tatupu in a 2nd round TKO. Only one other Japanese fighter, Masataka Takehara, is in our system, with a 0-3-2 record against ranked fighters (6-6-3 overall). In fact, there are only 6 Japanese heavyweights tracked by BoxRec.com. Time will tell if Fujimoto lasts in the top 100—he is undefeated, but only at 3-0-0—but he could provide a means of entry for other Japanese or regional fighters.
June Preview: Chambers/Adamek the big fight
June 16th is the biggest day of the new month, with #8 Eddie Chambers (36-2-0) facing off against Tomasz Adamek (45-2-0) in Newark in a battle of smaller, quick, skilled heavyweights, both of whom are re-establishing themselves after being knocked out by a Klitschko brother. The winner will hold a ranking just outside the top five with a fast-track toward another title fight; the loser will fall from the top 25 and face an uphill battle for future title contention.
On the same card, rising American prospect Bryant Jennings (#50, 13-0-0) takes on #104 Steve Collins (25-1-1). Also on the 16th but in England, aptly-named Richard Towers (#73, 13-0-0) fights #209 Gregory Tony (17-2-0). #44 Lucas Browne also faces an opponent to be determined on that card.
Current #7 Chris Arreola (19-2, 35-2-0 overall), our highest-ranked American, is also looking for a title fight, with his June 23 bout against a to-be-determined foe in Los Angeles perhaps the final stepping stone toward another Klitschko match. Another former Klitschko foe, #36 Kevin Johnson, headlines the latest Prizefighter tournament to be held on the 20th.
Two non-heavyweights in the top 100 face each other, #64 Lateef Kayode and #70 Antonio Tarver, the former light heavyweight king. Both made the top 100 with wins over rated heavyweight opponents but will fight at cruiserweight.
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