By Jim Dower: According to the latest boxing news, former IBF/WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) could be facing EBU light middleweight champion Ryan Rhodes (44-4, 30 KO’s) for the vacant WBC light middleweight title in the near future. Margarito, 32, is ranked number #2 in the division, whereas Rhodes, 33, is ranked number #3. The two of them could be on a collision course for the WBC title, which was previously held by Sergio Martinez. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is the current number #1 contender according to the WBC’s rankings, but it’s almost an impossibility that Chavez’s Top Rank promoters will want to put him in with either Margarito or Rhodes, knowing that there would be an excellent chance that Chavez would be soundly beaten by both.

This leaves Rhodes and Margarito to fight it out for the the title. Rhodes is open to the fight, telling Sky Sports, “It’s a dream fight for me and it looks like it can happen if I win in September. I’d be too fast and straong for him. I campaigned for seven or eight years at middleweight and more than held my own. Fighting him is a mouth-watering prospect.” Rhodes has a fight coming up on September 18th against the number #6 ranked WBO light middleweight contender Lukas Konecny.

If the southpaw Rhodes can get by that fight in one piece, then he will be on cruise course for the Margarito bout, if Top Rank is open to having Margarito fight the slick Rhodes. It would be a dangerous fight for Margarito, because he has problems against fighters that use a lot movement like Rhodes and he’s not particularly fast either. Rhodes is both fast and elusive and he’s also a southpaw. This could be a nightmare fight for Margarito and one that he could lose if he’s unable to stalk Rhodes and force him to fight it out.

To be sure, Rhodes has limited experience as a pro against fighters in the class of Margarito, and he could find himself badly over-matched. Most of Rhodes’ opposition during his 15-year pro career have been the European variety and he’s done well for the most part against them. He does have problems against big power punchers, though, as he was stopped by the hard hitting Gary Lockett four years ago, losing a 12 round decision. Lockett, not a fast fighter, was able to stalk and punish Rhodes in the 2nd half of their fight after wearing him down. Margarito would perhaps an even better chance of accomplishing the same thing because of his good power and his high work rate.