Karmazin vs. Bunema On Saturday

Former International Boxing Federation light middleweight champion Roman Karmazin (36-2. 23 KOs) will step back in the ring this Saturday on the undercard of Roy Jones Jr. vs. Felix Trinidad bout, when he takes on Alex Bunema (28-5-2, 14 KOs) for the little known WBA Inter-Continental light middleweight title at New York’s Madison Square garden. That bout will give Karmazin, now 35, much needed visibility and hopefully will jump start his career which has stalled since losing his title to Cory Spinks in a very controversial majority decision on July 14, 2006. Karmazin, the champion, out punched and out landed Spinks over the entire course of the bout, yet he ended up losing on two of the three scorecards.

Karmazin appeared to easily defend his title. However, considering the fight was held in Spinks’ hometown of Saint Louis, it’s not surprising that Karmazin lost the fight, though it is strange that a champion would have to go to a challenger’s hometown to fight. That doesn’t sit right with me somehow.

Bunema, 32, doesn’t figure to be much of an obstacle for Karmazin. However, he will be an opponent that Karmazin’s skills can be shown to the world against, and if he looks good, perhaps it will give Karmazin an opening for another title shot in the near future. I personally think he’s the 2nd best fighter in the light middleweight division, second only to Vernon Forrest. I doubt Cory Spinks, the IBF champion, will give Karmazin a rematch anytime soon, so Karmazin will probably have to fight one of the other champions if he wants a shot at a title.