By Erik Schmidt: Cruiserweight Alexander Alekseev (16-0, 15 KOs) fights for the World Boxing Organization interim cruiserweight title on Saturday night in a 12-round bout against Victor Emilio Ramirez (13-1, 11 KOs) at the at the Burg-Waechter Castello, in Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Ramirez, 24, from Argentina, will be making his first fight outside of Argentina and has his work cut out for him against the hard-hitting southpaw Alekseev.
Alekseev has destroyed 15 of the 16 opponents he’s faced since turning pro in 2006. A heavyweight participant in the 2004 Olympics from Russia, Alekseev was narrowly defeated by the eventual Gold medal winner Odlanier Solis by a score of 24-21, but he ended up giving Solis his toughest bout in the Olympics.
Ranked #2 in the WBO, Alekseev has easily handled veterans Talmadge Griffis, Louis Azille and Rob Calloway in his last three bouts, stopping each of them in the early rounds. With a smooth fighting style, noted for his counter-punching and hard body attack, Alekseev may already be the best cruiserweight in the division now that David Haye has moved up to heavyweight.
Alekseev easily takes this fight. Hopefully, with a victory over Ramirez, Alekseev can better matches 2009, preferably against opponents like Enzo Maccarinelli, Jonahthan Banks, BJ Flores or Herbie Hide. I see Alekseev easily beating each of those fighters without much trouble.
Undefeated featherweight champion Ina Menzer (22-0, 9 KOs) will be battling Norwegian Esther Schouten (22-4-1, 11 KOs) in a scheduled 10 round bout. Menzer, 28, the WIBF Women’s International Boxing Federation/ WBC female featherweight champion, is coming off of a 10 round decision of Adriana Salles in her last bout.
In her bout before that, Menzer stopped Stacy Reile in a 4th round TKO in May 2008. Menzer had problems with Reile’s hand speed in the first two rounds, but in the final seconds of the third, Menzer rocked Reile with a big right hand as the bell was sounding, stunning Reile and causing the referee to grab her to prevent her from falling.
In the 4th, Menzer landed two huge right hands that hurt Reile, dropping her to the canvas. The fight was then stopped with Reile on the canvas. Menzer should easily win this fight. Schouten, 31, is the smaller fighter, ranked #5 in the bantamweight division, and has been matched carefully in 2008, winning her last four bouts. Prior to that, she lost three fights in 2005 against good competition. Look for Menzer to win by an easy knockout.