By Dan Ambrose: WBA Super middleweight champion Felix Sturm (24-2-1, 14 KO’s) is continuing with his habit of taking on weak opposition for his non-mandatory title defenses when he takes on 2nd tier middleweight Ronald Hearns (26-1, 20 KO’s) on February 19th at the Porsche Arena, in Stuttguart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. This is yet another disappointing opponent for the 31-year-old Sturm, who seems as if he’s devoted his career to milking his WBA title for all it’s worth.

In the past four years, Sturm has defended his World Boxing Association middleweight crown to unknowns like Noe Gonzalez Alcoba, Jamie Pittman, ad Koji Sato. Even in the fights he does take against contenders, he doesn’t face guys that are much of a threat to him due to their lack of power. Since 2007, Sturm has fought Randy Griffin twice, Sebastian Sylvester, Khoren Gevor and Giovanni Lorenzo. I’m not impressed with any of those fighters and it’s no wonder, with match-making like that, Sturm has been able to retain his WBA title all this time.

Had Sturm taken a break from the softies and faced someone like Kelly Pavlik or Sergio Martinez, my guess is Sturm would have lost his WBA title a long time ago. But you got to hand it to Sturm’s management, because they’ve found a way for him to keep his title all this time by putting him in with weak opponents.

I have no clue why the WBA blessed Sturm’s fight with the 2nd tier Hearns. Shouldn’t Sturm have to fight someone that is at least ranked in the top tier? Hearns is nowhere to be seen in the top 15 in the middleweight division, and he hasn’t anyone during his six year pro career to deserve a title shot. Hearns has fought one decent opponent during his entire seven year career and that was Harry Joe Yorgey, who knocked Hearns out in the 9th round in March 2009.