WBO champ Marco Huck and the cruiserweight division

WBO champ Marco Huck and the cruiserweight division

By John J. Raspanti, Doghouse Boxing (June 29, 2011) Doghouse Boxing
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By John J. Raspanti, Doghouse Boxing: WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco “Captain” Huck (32-1, 23 KOs) is set to face ex-champion Hugo Hernan Garay (34-5, 18 KOs) at Munich ’s Olympic Park in less then three weeks. Huck’s lone loss was to Philadelphian Steve Cunningham (24-2, 12 KOs ) almost four years ago. There are many in the boxing community who consider Cunningham the class of the cruisers, though Troy Ross might have something to say about that.

The division is a mixture of age, youth and experience. 42 year-old Antonio Tarver (28-6, 19 KOs) and 38 year-old Danny Green (31-3, - 27 KOs ) will fight in July. WBA champion Guillermo Jones (37-3, 29 KOs ) is a year old then Green.

Cunningham is 34 and last fought in February. Russian Denis Lebedev (22-1, 17 KOs) is fresh off a KO of a fading Roy Jones, waits in the rings for his own title shot. Lebedev checks in at 31 years of age.

The kids of the group are Nigerian knock out puncher Lateef Kayode (17-0, 14 KOs ) at 28, and WBO champion Huck who turned 27 this November. Huck recently sat down with boxing-online to answer some questions.

Q: Marco, how has the preparation been going?

MHUCK: “Things have been going very well. After my victory over Ran Nakash in April, I took a brief vacation and then went straight back to the gym. I have been working out in Berlin with my coach Ulli Wegner. I´m in perfect shape.”

Q: What do you think of Garay?

MHUCK: “He is a former world champion, so that tells you all about his class. He is strong and very aggressive and I expect him to come forward a lot. However, he has never been inside the ring with someone like me. I will give him a proper beating.”

Q: What makes you so confident?

MHUCK: “I just have a lot of faith in my abilities. I know how strong I am. My fans love my explosive style and my punching power. Garay most certainly cannot keep up with me. I will wear him down.”

Q: The fight against Garay will already be your seventh title defence in less than two years. Do you like staying busy?

MHUCK: “I just love to be in the ring. There are a lot of talented contenders out there but as the world champion I have to constantly prove myself against top opposition”.

The Marco Huck-Hugo Hernan Garay fight is a 12 rounder for Huck’s WBO championship. The bout takes place on July 16 in Munich . A few days later Antonio Tarver and Danny Green test each other’s moxie in Australia . In August of this year, WBA champion Jones meets Yoan Pablo Hernandez for his piece of the title.

The cruiserweights have always been something of a “lost” division. They float under the pugilistic radar, hoping the boxing fans will notice them. Maybe it’s time to do just that – notice them.

A big thank you goes to Johannes Berendt of Team Sauerland for allowing us the use of this interview.

-- Questions/comments j ohnboxing1@hotmail.com

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