By Michael Lieberman: WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (34-2-1, 14 KO’s) has been a champion off and on since 2006, but has done precious little over the years in facing high level fighters. Sturm, 32, has gotten a reputation for milking his title against the easiest opponents possible in order to prolong his time as a champion. It may have worked, but has cost him by keeping him an almost unknown champion.

Sadly, not much has changed since 2006, as Sturm will be facing #12 ranked WBA contender Ronald Hearns (26-1, 20 KO’s) on February 19th at the Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Hearns, 32, is the son of famous fighter Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns. However, Ronald doesn’t have his father’s huge power, although he can punch a little.

Unfortunately, Ronald has never beaten a top tier fighter before during his seven year pro career and the one time he fought a fringe contender in Harry Joe Yorgey in March 2009, Hearns was beaten up and stopped in the 9th round. Hearns then went back to fighting C level fighters and has won his last five fights since them to get a #12 spot ranking by the WBA. It goes without saying that Hearns doesn’t belong fighting a champion, but then again, Sturm is perfectly okay with picking out the bottom dwellers in the top tier and fighting them instead of going after more dangerous opponents that might have a chance to knock him out and take his title.

It’s hoped that Sturm will eventually step it up before he starts losing his skills and taking losses. He needs at least one high profile fight for his career because the best fight that Sturm has had as a champion was against Javier Castillejo, and Sturm was stopped in the 10th round in their first fight in 2006 but then won a controversial 12 round decision in the second fight in his adopted country of Germany.