By Marcus Richardson: Arthur Abraham (34-3, 27 KO’s) has looked absolutely horrible since moving up to the super middleweight division in 2009, and his success has been limited at best having lost three of his last six fights at that weight. However, it doesn’t matter because he’s been given a #1 ranking by the WBO and will be challenging arguably weakest of the super middleweight champions in WBO champ Robert Stieglitz (42-2, 23 KO’s) on August 25th at the O2 World Arena, Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany.
This will be Abraham’s big chance to pick up a belt the easy way, because Abraham has already been beaten by WBA/WBC champion Andre Ward, and he’s also been badly beaten by former WBC champion Carl Froch. Abraham would very little of a chance to defeat IBF champion Lucian Bute if he were to fight him. However, against the vulnerable Stieglitz, Abraham has a fair chance of winning the fight and holding it down long enough to maybe milk six or seven title defenses. Believe it or now, Stieglitz has already defended his WBO title six times successfully since winning it in 2009 with a victory over Karoly Balszay. Stieglitz is the same fighter that was easily beaten by Librado Andrade in 2008.
Abraham could end up facing Mikkel Kessler if Abraham gets by Stieglitz. That fight is almost a forgone conclusion because it would set up another German based fight and it would give Abraham a nice payday. Kessler would obviously beat Abraham, but at least Abraham would get one big payday. I don’t see Abraham having any interest in fighting a unification bout against Ward because it was too much of a mismatch last time he beat Abraham. The money fight for Abraham is against Kessler.
Stieglitz doesn’t have much power and he’ll have big problems against Abraham. Stieglitz is a volume puncher and he seems to do well against fighter without much power. Abraham will likely run him over in five or six rounds unless Stieglitz is able to use movement to keep from getting hit. I don’t think he can, and this should be an easy fight for Abraham.