Call me crazy but I feel there is enough potential talent in the Super Middleweight division to make it as potentially exciting and competitive as the 140 pound division. I know on the surface this sounds ridiculous when you consider the division’s recent history. In recent times we have seen the 168 pound class dominated by boring European fighters (with the exception of Joe Calzaghe and  Robin Reid) who relied predominately on winning their bouts on points and a lot of these victories were controversial. I see a changing trend with the top fighters who are emerging in this division.

If one of the television networks like HBO or Showtime made a concerted effort, they could turn this division into gold. I guess the recent dominance of the dull European Champions in this division who were only prepared to fight in their own country (predominately Germany) to protect their titles has prevented the growth of this division in the entertainment stakes. I’m sure Kessler will want to stay and fight at home but at least he knocks out a lot of his opponents instead of relying on hometown points victories. I am confident Danny Green will lift the WBC title from Marcus Beyer and Danny Green is extremely keen to get exposure on American television.

There is a lot of raw talent in this division, if the networks wake up to the fact they are sitting on potential gold mine, they just need to invest a bit of time and money to develop the potential into a cash cow. Here are the major players and the state of the division:

The Current Champions:
 

• Joe Calzaghe (UK) WBO Champ 38 fights with 30 KO’s. UNDEFEATED
  Has held the WBO Super Middleweight title since 1997 and is currently undefeated. Joe when he is one top of his game is a powerful puncher and an exciting fighter. Has made 17 successful defenses of his title against a combination of good solid fighters such as Chris Eubank, Omar Sheika, Robin Reid, Richie Woodhall, Charles Brewer & Byron Mitchell as well a substantial number of average opponents. Still Calzaghe must be considered the best in the division at this point in time and he has been looking for a big money and career defining bout or bouts.
   
• Jeff Lacy (USA) IBF Champ 18 wins, 14 KO’s. UNDEFEATED
  Recently won the IBF Super Middleweight title with a TKO over Syd Vanderpool and followed up with a very competitive and exciting 12 round points victory in his first title defense against Omar Sheika. Lacy is also currently an undefeated exciting power puncher who represents a difficult challenge and a danger to anyone he faces. Probably the only fighter in the division any of the TV networks are supporting well in the 168 pound division.
   
• Mikkel Kessler (DENMARK) WBA Champ 35 wins, 27 KO’s. UNDEFEATED Recently won the WBA Super Middleweight title with a 8th round TKO of Manny Siaca. Not your typical European Super Middleweight fighter as he has a tendency to win his fights by KO, a refreshing change to say the least. Whilst I have been unlucky not to see Kessler in action at all, I have been led to believe he is a solid boxer with excellent power. Kessler too is undefeated and would be a serious problem for anyone in the division to defeat. At this point in time the WBA has ordered he face Anthony Mundine in his next bout. Not surprisingly Kessler has asked for permission to make a voluntary title defense first, even though the both Siaca & Kessler were told by the WBA before their title bout that the winner must face Mundine next. Anthony Mundine doesn’t seem too keen on facing Kessler either as he was ringside to see Kessler dominate and crush an opponent that Mundine had big problems fighting.
   
• Markus Beyer (GERMANY) WBC Champ 30 wins, 12 KO’s and 2 defeats  Hopefully Beyer is the last of the boring European Super Middleweights, like his former stable mate Sven Ottke, Beyer has fought predominately in Germany and has been given his fair share of question points victories. Even though Beyer is a three time holder of the WBC Super Middleweight title, he is definitely the dullest of the current champions and probably the luckiest champion in the division as he won the WBC title for the 2nd time by a controversial points decision over Eric Lucas (surprisingly the bout was held in Germany). In his first defense Beyer was beaten to a pulp by Danny Green just over 12 months ago and managed to hang onto his title with a controversial disqualification victory. He has managed to avoid Green since and has made title defenses against very average and unworthy challengers. He even managed to lose his title on points to one of these hand picked opponents. To Beyer’s credit he regained the title with a rare KO victory. At present he is scheduled to make a defense on 18th December against another unworthy contender from Japan who was soundly defeated in January by Anthony Mundine.
  
  The Top Contenders:
   
• Danny Green (Australia) 19 victories including 18 KO’s and 1 controversial disqualification loss
  Won the WBC Interim Super Middleweight title against the tough and rugged Eric Lucas with a 6th round TKO in Lucas’ home town of Montreal. Green is an exciting powerful puncher with under rated boxing skills who has knocked out or stopped all but one of his opponents. His only defeat was a controversial disqualification against Marcus Beyer that I consider should have been a TKO victory to Danny Green. Hopefully Green will end Marcus Beyer’s reign of boredom soon, as Beyer must face Danny Green by February regardless of the outcome of the German’s December defense. Apparently, the WBC will strip Beyer and make Danny Green (WBC Interim Super Middleweight Champion) the official WBC Champion if Beyer cannot defend his title for what ever reason against Green in February. Not even an injury will save Beyer this time, Green will fight the winner in February.
   
• Anthony Mundine (Australia) 22 wins, 17 KO’s and 2 defeats
  Mundine is a very naturally gifted boxer and all round athlete who won the WBA Super Middleweight title by winning a points decision over a rusty and out of form Antwun Echols. Credit where it is due as Anthony won a fight I thought he would lose. Anthony Mundine has excellent power, good boxing skills, and the fastest hands in the division and perhaps the most fragile chin when you consider that he was knocked out cold for five minutes in his first title shot by the feather fisted Sven Ottke in an IBF title challenge in 2001. Mundine has difficulty coping with fighters whom have a decent array of skills. Sam Soliman, Sven Ottke & Manny Siaca all threw him off his game plan big time.
  
  Mundine gave up his WBA title by refusing to throw enough punches in his second defense against Manny Siaca whom subsequently lost the title to Mikkel Kessler in his first title defense. Mundine has since had two bouts against over matched opponents since the loss to Siaca and he has been promised a shot at Mikkel Kessler by the WBA. Mundine was at ringside in Denmark to watch Kessler destroy Manny Siaca in 8 rounds and has since started talking about fighting Danny Green in Australia provided he wins the WBC strap from Marcus Beyer.
  
  Mundine and or his management have looked for easy options and  opponents for most of his career and now pretty much all the titles are held by big punching dangerous fighters. No easy options left at 168 pounds for Mundine unless Beyer some how manages to retain his title against Danny Green.
   
• Scott Pemberton (USA) 29 wins, 24 KO’s and 3 defeats
  Another fighter I have not seen fight with a good KO percentage. Has been TKO’ed by Charles Brewer in 6 rounds, but he has two victories over Omar Sheika where both men tasted the canvas. Poor Scott must be wondering why Jeff Lacy over looked him for his recent IBF defense. I guess sometimes losing a fight has its benefits by making certain fighters look more attractive as an opponent. Pemberton has worked his way up the rankings in the WBC and has been mentioned as an opponent for Danny Green to introduce the Perth Slugger to the American boxing fans.
   
• Mads Larsen (Denmark), 45 wins, 37 KOs, 2 defeats
  Again, I have yet to see this man box but I have heard he is a decent puncher with good skills. Like so many others in the Super Middleweight division, Larsen lost a controversial majority decision to Sven Ottke in September of 2003.
   
• Robin Reid (UK) 37 wins, 27 KO’s, 4 defeats
  A former WBC Super Middleweight Champion who made four successful title defenses before losing his title to South Africa’s Sugar Boy Malinga. Reid has faced the best the division has to offer. A one time model who is in possession of a very solid chin under his good looks and power in his punches. Reid has lost point decisions to Thulane 'Sugar Boy' Malinga, Joe Calzaghe and you guessed it, Sven Ottke (controversially!). Reid has put himself back into title contention by earning a deserving points victory over Brian Magee in the Irishman’s backyard knocking Magee down at least 3 times in the process. Robin Reid would be a tough fight for anyone on the list.
  
  Contenders on the fringe:
   
• Omar Sheika (USA) 26 wins, 17 KO’s and 7 defeats
  Sheika proved he is still a force to contend with by going 12 rounds with Jeff Lacy, even though he did not earn or deserve the opportunity considering he lost twice recently to Scott Pemberton. Poor Scott must be wondering what you have to do to get a shot at the title..
   
• Eric Lucas 37 (CANADA) wins, 14 KO’s and 6 defeats
  Has just had his first comeback bout since being crushed in 6 rounds last year by Danny Green. Not a big puncher although be knocked out Glen Catley impressively with one punch to win the WBC title. Lucas is a solid contender who always comes to fight and pressures his opponents. Possesses all the ingredients to make an exciting fight if he fights anyone on this list other than Beyer, whom he lost his WBC Super Middleweight title in Germany on a controversial points decision.
   
• Rudy Markussen (DENMARK) 29 wins, 17 KO’s and 1 defeat
  Again I haven’t seen this fellow fight but with a record like this, it is unlikely.  He is a Copenhagen cab driver fighting in his spare time. Only loss was suffered at the hands of Sven Ottke on points.
  
  Dream match ups that could be potentially made at Super Middleweight might include:

Calzaghe-Lacy
Lacy-Green
Lacy-Kessler
Calzaghe-Kessler
Kessler-Green
Green-Mundine
Calzaghe-Mundine