The Saturday HBO co-feature is advertised as a 12 round lightweight eliminator  between former WBA super-featherweight champ Joel Casamayor, and a still untested albeit undefeated lightweight  Almazbek Raiymkulov.

In skills, the Cuban southpaw Casamayor( 31-3, 19 KO) is the far superior and more experienced of the two - flip side is age 33 has him deep into the wrong side of the hill.

The former Soviet amateur Raiymkulov (20-0, 12 KO) who wears the sobriquet Kid Diamond, is younger at age 28, physically strong and willing, but with no better than decent power.

Resumes reflect two different worlds of fistic socializing:

• Casamayor with TKO win and decision loss in meetings with Diego Corrales, remaining two losses were wars with Acelino Freitas (UD) and Jose Luis Castillo by split decision - a testimony to toughness and rich talent.
   

• The  Kid Diamond work application is more of club fight collectables than legitimate stepping stones to title consideration - only recognizable victim is Lamar Murphy (TKO5) who never lived up to early potential.

The Raiymkulov key to this title eliminator comes off a come from behind TKO6 win over light punching Soviet southpaw Koba Gogoladze.

Only similarity Koba has with Casamayor is they both work from the port side.

Pick is the Casamayor skills in a cake walk - either midstream stoppage or lopsided decision win.

GEL

6-5-2005