Balzsay, Klassen & Garcia Defend Titles

While attention is focused primarily on a battle of arguably underachieving pugilists, Juan Diaz against Paulie Malignaggi, there are three more significant world title fights scheduled on a relatively quiet boxing weekend.

Balzsay‘s WBO Super Middleweight (168 lbs.) title

August 22 (Saturday) - Budapest, Hungary

This is the second title defense for Balzsay and fittingly, a homecoming for the Hungarian who has been away since establishing his home in Hamburg, Germany as a Universum-promoted boxer. He captured the title against fellow immigrant and Hamburg resident Denis Inkin early this year by a close yet unanimous decision. He successfully defended the title against Maselino Masoe last April by stopping him in the eleventh. The Hungarian’s main arsenal, his lethal left straight took care of business against Masoe. Balzsay deserves a spot in the super middleweight tournament by Showtime but, unfortunately, he does not have the name recognition in the US. If talent is the only criteria, then he would have been a guaranteed contender in the tourney.

Stieglitz, also a German immigrant but born in Russia, is fighting for a world title for the second time. The vacant IBF super middleweight title was at stake more than two years ago when he was stopped by Alejandro Berrio in the third round. Berrio’s reign was short-lived as he was beaten by the current titleholder Lucian Bute seven months later. A possible title shot against Bute did not happen for Stieglitz as he lost an eliminator against Librado Andrade. That was his last loss. He is cruising on a four-fight winning streak going into this title challenge.

: Balzsay by a comfortable decision.

Klassen’s IBF Junior Lightweight (130 lbs.) title

August 22 (Saturday) - Houston, TX

HBO (9:45 PM ET)

The "Stone" and the "Ghost" is the co-feature in HBO’s Diaz-Malignaggi card. Klassen recently dethroned the tough Cassius Baloyi by knocking him out in the seventh. Klassen is one of the better boxers in the lower weight classes the world barely know. He is consistently in the top three 130 pounders in various credible lists. His last setback was when he lost the same title on his first reign against Mzonke Fana. That started the South African round-robin. Fana eventually lost to Baloyi until Klassen took his title back against Baloyi four months ago.

Fight fans last image of Guerrero was when he was heavily criticized for quitting on an arguably resumable fight against Daud Yordan last March. He opted not to continue because of a cut over his right eye in the second round after a clash of heads. After the Yordan fiasco, Guerrero quietly added a notch in his win column against Efren Hinojosa after the referee stopped the fight because of an injury to Hinojosa in the eighth round. Guerrero will be going for his second title in different divisions. He captured the IBF featherweight title almost three years ago by dethroning Eric Aiken. Aiken quit on his stool at the end of eight lopsided rounds.

Shane Mosley has been instrumental in Guerrero’s training for this title fight. It will be interesting to see if Sugar Shane’s guidance pays off.

: Klassen by late stoppage.

Garcia’s IBF Mini Flyweight (105 lbs.) title

August 22 (Saturday) - Los Cabos, BCS, Mexico

This is a "keep busy" fight for Garcia in preparation for his tough mandatory challenger, Nkosinathi Joyi. Garcia already won a close split decision against Gutierrez two years ago. The only presumable change on the result of this rematch is a more compelling win for Garcia.

Garcia won the title from Florante Condes via split decision last year. He successfully defended three times against Jose Luis Varela (twice) and Ronald Barrera.

: Garcia by a wide unanimous decision.

I received a few benighted and partial comments in prior articles, so I decided on reposting the baseline rules that I have set forth when I first published this tally in 8CN on July 8th.

Also, Gerry Penalosa and Nonito Donaire relinquished their titles several weeks ago when they decided to move up in weight. That explains their absence from the list and the reason why the Philippines only have two current titles.

Penalosa relinquished his WBO 118-lb. title four months ago when he unsuccessfully challenged Juan Manuel Lopez for Lopez's WBO 122-lb. title instead of meeting his mandatory challenger, Eric Morel. Fernando Montiel was promoted from interim and now holds Penalosa's vacated title.

Donaire's difficulty in meeting the 112-lb. flyweight limit is the main reason he moved a division north. He was also mandated to give Moruti Mthalane a rematch giving him more reasons to relinquish his belt. He officially relinquished early last month. He won the WBA 115-lb. interim title last weekend while Mthalane, according to various reports, is on tap to meet Julio Cesar Miranda for Donaire’s vacated IBF title.

I believe that is crystal clear enough to patriotic yet partial fight fans.