1) Devon Alexander (19-0) vs. Juan Urango (22-2-1)

Alexander wins 54-35-11. His most common win was by UD12.

Mike’s Take – I want to go with Urango thinking he will test Alexander’s chin but I think Devon will be too slick for him and outbox Juan for 12 rounds.

2) Sam Peter (33-3) vs. Nagy Aguilera (15-2)

Peter dominates this one going 83-13-4. 5^th round stoppage the most common outcome.

Mike’s Take – Nagy takes this one. I think he is a good up and coming HW and Peter is shot.

3) Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2) vs. Joshua Clottey (35-3)

Pac Man winning 87-10-3 with the most common being stoppage in the 7th round.

Mike’s Take – Roach only lets Manny fight guys who are tailor made for him and Clottey is no exception. Pac Man destroys him and stops him early. No great surprise.

4) Humberto Soto (50-7-2) vs. David Diaz (35-3)

Diaz wins easily 65-29-6. Soto is woefully underrated in the game.

Mike’s Take – Soto wins this one easily

5) Alfonso Gomez (21-4-2) vs. Jose Luis Castillo (60-9-1)

Using Castillo’s WW rating this one was close. Castillo pulls it out going 47-41-12. Castillo’s most common win was by UD10.

Mike’s Take – Gomez by easy and early stoppage. A shot Ricky Hatton made quick work of a shot Castillo and I think Gomez would knockout Ricky Hatton right now too.

I went 3-1 last time out as did TBCB, which puts us both at 5-1 on the year. Three different picks this week!

1) Glen Johnson (49-13-2) vs. Yusef Mack (28-2-2)

Johnson wins this one easily going 82-13-5.  The most common outcome was UD10

Mike’s Take – I have the same result but I think Johnson may stop him late

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2)         Edwin Valero (26-0) vs. Antonio DeMarco (23-1-1)

Valero dominates this one 94-6.  The most common outcome was a 6^th round stoppage

Mike’s Take – No way this one gets to the 6^th.  I like DeMarco but this fight doesn’t get out of the 2^nd round.

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3) Brandon Rios (23-0-1) vs. Jorge Teron (23-1-1)

Teron wins this one in the game 61-34-5.  Most common outcome was a UD10

Mike’s Take – Nice matchup between two prospects.  I think Rios is underrated in the game and will win this fight but it will be a good one.

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4) Tomasz Adamek (39-1) vs. Jason Estrada (16-2)

Adamek wins this with ease 66-30-4.  Most common outcome is a UD10.

Mike’s Take – Going with a gut feeling on this one and I will say Estrada pulls off the upset.  Not sure Adamek can fight at HW.  Hope he proves me wrong.

I am tied with TB Predicts with both of us starting out 2-0.  Two different picks this weekend could set the tone for the season!

1) Juan Manuel Lopez (27-0) vs. Steven Luevano (37-1-1)

Lopez wins this one easily going 79-20-1.  The most common outcome was TKO8

Mike’s Take – I think it will be closer than TB suggest but I think Lopez stops him late in the fight or gets a clear cut decision.

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2) Yuriorkis Gamboa (16-0) vs. Rogers Mtagwa (26-13-2)

Gamboa cruises in this one also going 89-10-1.  The most common outcome was a 7^th round stoppage.

Mike’s Take – Mtagwa proved to be a tough SOB against Lopez and Gamboa’s chin is more suspect.  Still I think Gamboa will win this fight but it will probably go the distance.

This starts a new season of TB Predicts and we both start out 0-0.  In these two fights I feel both Luevano and Mtagwa are a bit underrated in the game.  But at the end of the day (as Saturday night proved), these are Top Rank fighters and if they finish on their feet they will get the decision.

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Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward

By Jimmy Krug.

Mikkel Kessler 42-1 (32 knockouts) vs. Andre Ward 20-0 (13 knockouts)

Jimmy’s Take: The Super Middleweight Tournament is off and running.  Arthur Abraham established himself as a legitimate Super Middle with a brutal KO victory over Jermain Taylor in the final round of their bout and Carl Froch outworked Andre Dirrell by a hair in the eyes of the judges to capture a split decision victory  in their matchup several weeks ago.

Tomorrow, Andre Ward will attempt to out-speed and out-slick defending WBA belt-holder Mikkel Kessler.  After feeding the results into Title Bout Championship Boxing, Kessler was the clear pick – usually by stoppage around the 7^th or 8^th rounds.

I personally have not seen that much of Ward, but realize that those who are favoring a Ward victory are doing so based upon Ward’s speed and overall athleticism.

From where I’m sitting, I see Kessler as a better fighter since the Calzaghe loss and I really don’t see Ward’s speed being a factor over Kessler experience beyond the 4^th round.

I agree with the computer and see Kessler winning this one, probably by TKO around the 10^th round.

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Mike Hanson’s Take: Coming Soon!

1) Carl Froch (25-0) vs. Andre Dirrell (18-0)

I will start this by saying two things.  First I think Froch is wildly overrated in real life and in the game.  I also think Dirrell is vastly underrated in the game.  TB has Froch destroying Dirrell.  Froch won 87-13 with a whopping 57 stoppages.  Most common round was the 9^th.

Mike’s Take – All aboard the upset train.  Froch has two good wins against Pascal and Taylor.  Pascal won’t get out of a phone booth which is the way Froch likes to fight.  Taylor was up 9 rounds to 2 going into the final round.  Dirrell will not stand in front of Froch and just tattoo him all night long.  Froch gets beat up in this fight because he won’t keep his hands up.  He is tough enough to go the distance if cuts don’t stop it.  I’m almost willing to bet he gets beat by such a wide margin that he is the first to pull out of the tourney.  Dirrell wide margin UD12, like 10 rounds to 2.

2) Arthur Abraham (30-0) vs. Jermain Taylor (28-3-1)

TB has this one closer than I thought with Abraham winning out 56-43-1.  Most common outcome was an 8^th round stoppage.  29 of Abraham’s wins came by stoppage.  When Taylor won it was by decision.

Mike’s Take – I am on the upset train and I’m not getting off it.  I think Taylor’s opposition far outweighs Abraham’s.  With the rumor mill going on how great Jermain’s training camp has been I am going with Taylor by UD12.  I think he racks up rounds early in the fight and doesn’t wear out late this time.

TB Predicts took the lead on me last time out as we both missed on Grano but I went with a gut feeling on Juarez and was wrong.  TB Predicts sits at 12-6-1 and I’m at 11-7-1.  This is a make or break weekend as I could fall 3 behind if I lose both.