“Stacks” 2016 Top Boxing Prospects

By Anthony “Stacks” Saldaña (Who else would it be by?)

Well boxing fans it’s that time of year again, time for me to give you an inside look at who I believe will shine throughout the rest of 2016 and rise to stardom in 2017. If you follow me on Ringside Report you’ll know that last year I hit it out of the park with all but one of my picks. My prospects last year included Gilberto Ramirez, Anthony Joshua, Felix Verdejo, Amir Imam, and Errol Spence. This year I’m going with some fighters that might not be a household name and some fighters who are on the verge of becoming champions.

#5. Ejidigus “The Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, 13-0, 11 KO’s.

Kavaliauskas, who fights in the welterweight division has impressed me with his aggressive style since making his pro debut 3 years ago. After winning his debut by decision, Kavaliauskas went on to win 11 consecutive by knockout. The 27-year-old Kavaliauskas fought for Lithuania in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and was a bronze medalist at the 2011 World Championships. He is trained by 2013 Trainer of the Year, Robert Garcia in Oxnard, California and trains in the same stable as Vasyl Lomachenko. Both are managed by Egis Klimas. The Lithuanian welterweight recently came away with a unanimous decision over the then undefeated Deniz Ilbay of Germany,15-1, 8 KO’s. Ejidigus is promoted by Top Rank and will be making noise in a loaded division very soon.

#4. Diego De La Hoya, 15-0, 9 KO’s.

This 21 year old Mexican Super Bantamweight continues to look impressive. Diego who is the cousin of the “Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya has had no issues living up to the pressure of carrying the De La Hoya last name. Diego is trained by Joel Diaz, and has an extensive amateur background he’s also impressed his former six-division world champion cousin with his aggressiveness. “He loves fighting. And when he gets hit, you can see the fire in his eyes. He wants revenge. He reminds me of me.

“Said Oscar in a recent interview before Diego’s fight with Rocco Santomauro on the Canelo vs. Khan undercard. While Santomauro came into that fight undefeated, the 28-year-old from Hesperia, California, had only 1 knockout in his career. His lack of punching power was the perfect recipe for De La Hoya to have his way with Rocco. He was aggressive and determined to put on a great show for the fans in the new T-Mobile Arena. He really displayed skill and power in his TKO victory. Look for Diego to move up to the Featherweight division in 2016 and to have a couple more bouts before taking on top competition in 2017.

#3. Artur Beterbiev, 10-0, 10 KO’s.

At 31 years old the Light Heavyweight Beterbiev comes in as the oldest prospect but could possibly be the biggest threat to his division. Artur has 100% knockout to fight ratio and is a decorated amateur, Beterbiev won silver at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships and a pair of gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 European Amateur Boxing Champions. He also represented Russia in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Artur who fights out of Montreal, returned to the ring after an almost year-long layoff following shoulder surgery. Now seven months removed from the procedure, Beterbiev looked sharp last Friday from the opening bell as he took on Argentina’s Ezequiel Maderna. Beterbiev threw vicious right hands to the head and body throughout the fight before Maderna’s corner threw in the towel in the 4th round. Fight fans should look for the heavy handed Beterbiev to have two more fights in 2016 and fighting for a title in 2017.

#2. Callum “Mundo” Smith, 20-0, 15 KO’s.

Smith a Super Middleweight is headed to the top of the division and now Smith the prospect is a world title contender. Like Gilberto Ramirez who I had on my list last year Callum is on his way to world championship. Since turning turning pro back in 2012 “Mundo” has looked like a champion in waiting for the most part, as his powerful fists have racked up a highly impressive 20-0 record 15 of those wins coming inside the distance. Callum now finds himself on the brink of a world title bout and well in the mix with all the big boys at the 168lbs limit as Callum has become the #1 WBC Super Middleweight challenger for Badou Jack. Callum is the biggest and youngest of his bothers and may have the most potential. On November 7th 2015, Smith took on the unbeaten Brit Rocky Fielding, 21-0, 12 KO’s at the Echo Arena. Fielding was down three times prior to the stoppage in the first round 5 seconds from the bell.

Smith won the vacant British Super Middleweight title. Then on April 2, 2016 Smith fought French boxer Hadilah Mohoumadi, 20-3-1, 15 KO’s at the Echo Arena. This was a WBC Super Middleweight title final eliminator and was also for the EBU Super Middleweight title. Smith won via first round TKO. And Just a few weeks ago Smith was added to the undercard of Tony Bellew’s world title fight at Goodison Park on May 29th alongside heavyweight David Price and lightweight Sean Dodd. Smith joined his older brothers, both world title challengers Paul and Stephen on the same card. Smith got the victory over Cesar Reynoso, via TKO in the 6th round, who was down three times, once in the 1st, once in the 2nd and again in the 5th. Look for a future super fight between Smith and DeGale or Jack very soon.

#1. Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz, 20-0, 11 KO’s.

The Southern California fan favorite Joseph Diaz comes in this year as my top prospect, his talent is head and shoulders above most fighters at his age and in his division, but at Featherweight the 23 year old Diaz is definitely in one of the most stacked divisions in boxing. Diaz who has an excellent amateur résumé, was the first American boxer to qualify for the 2012 Olympics by becoming a quarter-finalist at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships, where he defeated both 2004 Olympic silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand and former world championship bronze medalist Oscar Valdez of Mexico.

Diaz who is on the cusp of graduating from prospect to contender recently made his HBO debut and looked impressive with his victory over Jayson Velez. I had the chance to interview Jo Jo” at the Canelo Khan Fight and Diaz stated “I want to win all the belts.” Joseph feels he’s ready for the next level and that 2016 will be his breakout year as he plans on fighting the best. “I feel like I need to prove I’m the best at 126, we’re all human we all bleed, we all cry and anything can happen that night in the ring.” The Mexican American Diaz has the humbleness, talent and marketability to be a superstar, and his team at Golden Boy has him headed in that that direction.

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