Scott Quigg battles Hidenori Otake on Bellew-Cleverly 2 card on 11/22

By Boxing News - 10/22/2014 - Comments

quigg433By Scott Gilfoid: Rather than face Guillermo Rigondeaux, who badly wants to fight him, WBA World super bantamweight champion Scott Quigg (29-0-2, 22 KOs) will be defending his title against little known Hidenori Otake (22-1-3, 9 KOs) of Japana on the Tony Bellew vs. Nathan Cleverly 2 fight card next month on November 22nd at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.

#3 IBF, #11 WBO has a record that is filled with wins over largely mediocre opposition, and it’s kind of mind-boggling that the International Boxing Federation and WBO has him ranked in their top 15.

Based on the opposition the 33-year-old Otake has fought during his 9-year pro career, you can make a strong argument that he shouldn’t be ranked even in the top 50. I mean, he’s fought pretty much nobody. He’s fought his entire career in Japan without every venturing out to face opposition in other countries, and guys he’s been in with have had less than spectacular records.

Otake fits in nicely with the guys that Quigg has been facing since he was appointed WBA champion outside the ring. He’s beaten Stephane Jamoye, Tshifhiwa Munyai and Diego Oscar Silva. In October of last year, Quigg fought to a controversial 12 round draw against Yoandris Salinas. Instead of fighting Salinas again to clear up the draw, Quigg moved on and has beaten Silva, Munyai and Jamoye.

“I can’t wait to defend my World title in Liverpool on November 22 on a huge night for British boxing,” said Quigg. “Otake represents the toughest fight of my career and I’m working hard to put in a scintillating performance. He is highly ranked and highly respected with an exciting style – I’m on a big run of KO’s and I don’t intend on stopping.”

I wouldn’t call Otake the toughest opponent of Quigg’s career, because it’s pretty clear that Salinas was the toughest fight of his career. Otake has already been beaten by some guy named Manabu Koguchi. I’d say this is a fight that is equivalent to Quigg’s recent fights against Jamoye and Munyai. In other words, we’re looking at a big mismatch here.

Rigondeaux wants to fight Quigg, and he was hoping the World Boxing Association would help force that fight by ordering Quigg to fight him. But instead, the WBA sanctioned a fight between Quigg and Otake, who isn’t even ranked in the top 15 by the WBA.



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