Yoan Pablo Hernandez stripped of IBF title, Ramirez now champion

hernandez443By Scott Gilfoid: #8 IBF contender Tony Bellew (25-2-1, 16 KOs) just saw his pathway to a world title shot in December cleared with the news that IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) has been officially stripped of his IBF by the International Boxing Federation title for failing to defend the title for the past 13 months.

Hernandez has had injury problems that has kept him from defending his IBF title. It was reportedly last week that the IBF was making the move to strip the 30-year-old Hernandez of his title, and now it is official, according to fightnews.com.

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Yoan Pablo Hernandez vs. Victor Emilio Ramirez on October 2nd in Buenos Aires, Argentina

hernandez3434By Scott Gilfoid: IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) will be defending his title against IBF interim champion and former WBO belt holder Victor Emilio Ramirez (22-2, 17 KOs) on October 2nd in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to news from Dan Rafael. This venue will give the 31-year-old Ramirez the home country advantage, which might help him a bit but not a whole lot.

Ramirez is a pretty primitive fighter in the Marco Huck mold, and he’s very beatable against certain types of fighters. Huck was able to beat Ramirez at his own game in defeating him by a 12 round unanimous decision to take his WBO cruiserweight title in 2009 in a slugfest.

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Tony Bellew will fight for a world title in October or November, says Hearn

bellew56By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn says his fighter #2 WBO, #8 IBF, #10 WBA cruiserweight contender Tony Bellew (24-2-1, 15 KOs) will be fighting for a world title this year in October or November against the winner of the July 25th fight between IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) and Victor Emilio Ramirez (22-2, 17 KOs).

Hearn specifically wants Bellew to fight Hernandez for his IBF title, even though Bellew has a much higher ranked with the World Boxing Organization at No.2. Hearn didn’t come right out and say it, but obviously he sees Hernandez as the most vulnerable of the four cruiserweight champions.

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Ola Afolabi vs. Yoan Pablo Hernandez on December 6th in Germany

afolabi33By Allan Fox: #3 IBF Ola Afolabi (21-3-4, 10 KOs) will be challenging International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) for his title on December 6th at a still to be determined venue in Germany.

For Afolabi, 34, this will be the 4th time he’s fought for a world title or at least the full world title. He’s come up short three times against WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck.

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Afolabi named IBF mandatory for champ Yoan Pablo Hernandez

afolabi4554By Allan Fox: IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) has got a very tough fight ahead of him in Ola Afolabi (21-3-4, 10 KOs), who the International Boxing Federation [IBF] had made the 29-year-old Hernandez’s IBF cruiserweight mandatory challenger.

Hernandez has a little over four months to face Afolabi, as the fight must take place by 12/31 this year.

Hernandez struggled to an unimpressive 12 round split decision win last Saturday night against 43-year-old former WBA cruiserweight champion Firat Arslan last Saturday night in Erfurt, Germany.

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Hernandez decisions Arslan

By Jim Dower: Making his 4th defense of his IBF cruiserweight title Yoan Pablo Hernandez (29-1, 14 KOs) defeated a tougher than expected Firat Arslan (34-8-2, 21 KOs) by a 12 round split decision in a fight that looked closer to be a draw than a win for Hernandez on Saturday night at the Messehalle in Erfurt, Germany.

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Arslan expects to beat Yoan Pablo Hernandez

Steve Herelius, Yoan Pablo HernandezBy Eric Thomas: In fight involving questionable match-making, IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (28-1, 14 KOs) will be defending his title against 43-year-old Firat Arslan (34-7-2, 21 KOs) on August 16th at the Erfurt Exhibition Hall in Thuringia, Germany. Arslan is a former WBA cruiserweight title holder, but he lost his strap 6 years ago in a loss to Guillermo Jones.

Recently, Arslan has lost 2 out of his last 4 fights in the past two years, and he hardly should be given another world title shot based on two defeats at the hands of WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck.

This fight just kind of an indication how the better known fighters get title shots at the expense of the lesser known guys with a higher ranking. Arslan isn’t ranked in the top 15 by any of the sanctioning bodies at this time in the cruiserweight division.

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Firat Arslan faces Yoan Pablo Hernandez on August 16th

By Scott Gilfoid: 43-year-old Firat Arslan (34-7-2, 21 KO’s) has lost 2 out of his last 4 fights, and is no longer ranked in the top 20 in the cruiserweight division, but on August 16th he’ll be getting a world title shot anyway against the German based IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (28-1, 14 KO’s) at the Messehalle, Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany.

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Hernandez stops Alekseev in 10th round

alekseevr0By Jim Dower: IBF cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (28-1, 14 KO’s) successfully defended his title on Saturday night in beating #1 IBF Alexander Alekseev (24-3-1, 20 KO’s) by a 10th round knockout at the Stechert Arena in Bamberg, Germany.

Hernandez, 29, nailed Alekseev with a right hook to the head in the 10th round that put him down on his back. Referee Lindsey Page then immediately stepped in and immediately called a halt to the bout at 1:35 of the round due to Alekseev being too hurt to continue.

Hernandez also knocked Alekseev down in the 2nd and 5th rounds with left hands to the head.

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