Saul Alvarez / welterweight
Age - 19
Record – 32-0-1 (24 KOs)The Hook – Mexico’s next big thing
Hold The Hype – Quality of opposition, defense
If you’re Mexican and you can fight, you can pretty much write your ticket in terms of big fights and fan support. Jeez, even if you can’t and your last name is Chavez you can make a lucrative living, but I digress. Saul Alvarez doesn’t look like any Mexican fighter you’ve ever seen, with his red hair and freckled face, and once you get past that intriguing look, his record amazes, especially considering that he’s only 19 years old (and according to his manager, there may be even more victories not listed on his official slate). But…Alvarez does get the automatic skeptic’s appraisal due to his early level of competition, making the rest of 2010 key for him. In May, he got his first major gut check in the form of veteran Jose Miguel Cotto and he passed that test after some shaky early moments by stopping Cotto in the ninth round. Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Alvarez will have ample opportunity to shine on the world stage, and if his chin holds up and his stiff style loosens up a bit, he could make a lot of noise.
Demetrius Andrade / junior middleweight
Age - 22
Record – 10-0 (7 KOs)The Hook – Dynamic style and personality
Hold The Hype – Can he get on HBO and Showtime consistently?
One of the few bright spots on a disappointing 2008 United States Olympic team, Andrade has been a quick study in the pro ranks, walking through everyone he has faced thus far. Talent-wise, the kid from Providence has all the tools, and the personality to cross over should he make it to the top. He’s got some TV looks already, but will his promoters Artie Pelullo and Joe DeGuardia be able to get him the premium cable dates necessary to take him to the next level in the next year or two?
Kenny Galarza / junior welterweight
Age - 24
Record – 13-0 (13 KOs)The Hook – Puerto Rican power
Hold The Hype – Does anyone know who he is yet?
You would think that a Puerto Rican power puncher with 13 knockouts in 13 fights without a loss would be getting more ink or push at this point, especially in the boxing world, but that hasn’t been the case for the 24-year old from Ponce. Sure he’s fought his share of no-hopers while competing on undercards at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, but in his last three fights he took out decent competition in Joshua Allotey (TKO10), Ilido Julio (TKO4), and Miguel Casillas (TKO3). He may not turn out to be a Felix Trinidad or Miguel Cotto, but Galarza can punch and he’s exciting – isn’t that worth a second look?
George Groves / super middleweight
Age - 22
Record – 9-0 (7 KOs)The Hook – He’s a British super middleweight – enough said
Hold The Hype – Only 9-0 and the hype train is in gear - will he be moved too fast?
Maybe it’s something in the water in the UK, but the land across the pond sure can produce world-class super middleweights – Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Steve Collins, Joe Calzaghe, Carl Froch, etc. The latest 168-pound phenom is London’s George Groves, and with his sixth round TKO of Charles Adamu in April, he’s already annexed the Commonwealth title. In the ring, Groves can do it all, and as a sparring partner, he’s drawn rave reviews from none other than Froch. But given his talent, his confidence, and his management (David Haye’s Hayemaker team), will he be pushed too fast? It worked for Haye though, so it is possible that lightning can strike twice. One thing’s for sure though; once Groves emerges from the Euro scene, he will certainly be ready for prime time.
Fernando Guerrero / middleweight
Age - 23
Record – 18-0 (15 KOs)The Hook – Local kid does good things in his community, except when it comes to his opponents
Hold The Hype – Still raw
Southpaw Fernando Guerrero is a rarity in boxing these days – a local attraction who was built up on the local scene and accepted and ferociously supported by his community. That used to be the norm in the fight game, but with the exception of guys like Paul Spadafora in Pittsburgh, Joe Mesi in Buffalo, and Kelly Pavlik in Youngstown, along with a few others, it isn’t seen much anymore. But in Salisbury, Maryland, the Dominican Republic born Guerrero is a legitimate star, and it’s not just because of his exciting style and KO power, but because of his work inside the community. This support will take him far when he takes his game to the next level, and while still raw and in need of some defensive refinement, he has the talent to make that move, and if his two round drubbing of Michael Walker in April is any indication, it may be sooner rather than later.
Quadtrine Hill / heavyweight
Age - 27
Record – 1-0 (1 KO)The Hook – Former college football star hits the ring
Hold The Hype – Lack of experience, no promotional muscle behind him
Here’s my wildcard pick. Former University of Miami fullback Quadtrine Hill is a great athlete, has a great story, and the personality and charisma to go far in whatever he chooses to do in life. But will that be in the boxing ring? Having just picked up the sport, Hill has a huge mountain to climb, and while little can be taken from a couple amateur bouts and a 1:50 knockout win in his pro debut in February, we do know that he can punch. But is he willing to put the time in to make this his career? And can the little known “Heavyweight Factory” in Florida move him the right way? If I was a betting man, I’d have to say no, but if all the stars are aligned, Hill could be a heavyweight to watch out for.
Daniel Jacobs / middleweight
Age - 23
Record – 20-0 (17 KOs)The Hook – The Chosen One
Hold The Hype – Needs a step up in competition…yesterday
Here in New York, there is no shortage of hype when it comes to our top fighters. But the one fighter of the last ten years who everyone agreed was deserving of the hype was Danny Jacobs. A former amateur star, it was a shocker when Jacobs didn’t make the Olympic team, but as a pro, he has dazzled. In fact, he has dazzled so much that even though he has beaten some decent pros like Ishe Smith, Michael Walker, and George Walton, most observers believe he needs a step up in competition right away so that we don’t have to watch him beat up the overmatched Juan Astorgas of the world. Jacobs has all the tools to not only win a title, but to earn a spot on the pound for pound list, but if he’s this good, we need to start seeing it against fighters on a higher plain.
Matt Korobov / middleweight
Age - 27
Record – 11-0 (8 KOs)The Hook – Russian destroyer
Hold The Hype – Nothing yet – we’ll have to see how he does on the next level.
All you really need to know about Saint Petersburg’s Matt Korobov is that he’s managed by Cameron Dunkin and promoted by Top Rank. For the uninitiated, that means that he is being moved by a promotional company that may be the best in moving hot prospects and that he is being managed by a man whose keen eye for talent is second to none. Beyond that, the kid can fight. He’s got good power, good fundamentals, and has delivered to the tune of a perfect 11-0 pro record. The only things we need to see are whether his chin can hold up against a puncher, if he can handle the next level of competition, and how he reacts in a dogfight. If he passes those tests, the future at 160 pounds looks bright considering prospective dance partners like Fernando Guerrero and Danny Jacobs.
Edwin Rodriguez / super middleweight
Age - 25
Record – 15-0 (11 KOs)The Hook – New England kid with power and poise
Hold The Hype – East coast bias
Part of a new wave of Dominican Republic born fighters making some noise in the boxing world (along with Fernando Guerrero and Argenis Mendez), Edwin Rodriguez is a former US amateur champion who has made a seamless transition to the pro game while becoming a local favorite in his adopted hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts. That’s a double-edged sword, because while New Englanders are passionate about their fighters, outside of the region, these same fighters are met with a dose of skepticism that sometimes takes a while to shake. Rodriguez keeps doing his thing though, and he’s been fighting the perfect mix of journeymen and vets in his first two years as a pro. Add in his affiliation with DiBella Entertainment, and he’ll get the opportunity to be seen nationwide in the coming years.
Deontay Wilder / heavyweight
Age - 24
Record – 10-0 (10 KOs)
The Hook – America’s best heavyweight hope
Hold The Hype – Does America even care about heavyweights anymore?
The United States boxing team’s lone medalist in the 2008 Olympics, Bronze winner Deontay Wilder has kind of flown under the radar thus far as a pro despite a stellar 10-0 record with all wins coming by knockout. Why? Who knows, but you would think that Golden Boy Promotions would really start putting the 6 foot 7 Alabama native out there, especially considering the dismal state of the heavyweight division here in the states. Well, maybe they’ve started, as Wilder’s last two bouts have been in Las Vegas, introducing him to the fight capital of the world. And while Wilder is raw, he is exciting (eight of his ten knockouts have come in the first round), and if there’s one thing we need from our big men, it’s excitement.
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=28135 
Home Page 
