[kenyan_cheena]

Okay, now that the fifth series of the World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments is complete, here's a little bit of hypothetical for everyone.

Based on the current standings, this is how the stage two groups would look in the WC tournament. Don't forget, there's still two series of bouts remaining in stage one, so these are bound to change. But I thought it would be fun to give you all a glimpse of what the future of the tournament might look like.

Figure in bracket is the fighter's original tournament seeding. 32 fighters qualify for stage two (top two in each group), so those seedings give you an idea of the guys who will have overachieved in getting this far. The group winners are seeded one to four with second placed fighters seeded five to eight.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT - STAGE TWO

GROUP ONE

1(1) Gene Tunney 5-0-0(2)
2(8) Sam McVey 5-0-0(1)
3(13) Ken Norton 4-0-1(2)
4(21) Ray Mercer 4-0-1(1)

5(17) Floyd Patterson 4-1-0
6(45) Harry Thomas 4-1-0
7(60) Hein Ten-Hoff 4-1-0(2)
8(24) Tom Sharkey 3-0-2(2)

Matchups for Stage Two, Series One would be:

1(1) Gene Tunney vs 8(24) Tom Sharkey
2(8) Sam McVey vs 7(60) Hein Ten-Hoff
3(13) Ken Norton vs 6(45) Harry Thomas
4(21) Ray Mercer vs 5(17) Floyd Patterson

GROUP TWO

1(2) Sonny Liston 5-0-0(4)
2(11) Joe Jeannette 5-0-0(2)
3(14) Ernie Terrell 5-0-0
4(58) Earl Walls 4-0-1

5(27) Jack Gardner 5-0-0
6(39) Steve Hamas 5-0-0
7(3) Jack Johnson 4-1-0(2)
8(18) Oscar Bonavena 4-1-0

Matchups for Stage Two, Series One would be:

1(2) Sonny Liston vs 8(18) Oscar Bonavena
2(11) Joe Jeannette vs 7(3) Jack Johnson
3(14) Ernie Terrell vs 6(39) Steve Hamas
4(58) Earl Walls vs 5(27) Jack Gardner

GROUP THREE

1(6) Peter Jackson 5-0-0(1)
2(23) Frank Moran 5-0-0(1)
3(30) Cleveland Williams 4-0-1(1)
4(66) Gary Mason 4-1-0(1)

5(19) Jimmy Ellis 5-0-0(1)
6(7) Young Stribling 4-1-0
7(22) Johnny Summerlin 4-1-0
8(63) Lou Nova 4-1-0(1)

Matchups for Stage Two, Series One would be:

1(6) Peter Jackson vs 8(63) Lou Nova
2(23) Frank Moran vs 7(22) Johnny Summerlin
3(30) Cleveland Williams vs 6(7) Young Stribling
4(66) Gary Mason vs 5(19) Jimmy Ellis

GROUP FOUR

1(4) Larry Holmes 5-0-0(1)
2(5) Riddick Bowe 5-0-0(3)
3(9) Sam Langford 5-0-0(1)
4(16) Jimmy Young 4-0-1

5(32) Earnie Shavers 5-0-0(4)
6(12) George Chuvalo 4-1-0
7(25) Tony Tucker 4-1-0(1)
8(20) Donovan Ruddock 3-0-2(1)

Matchups for Stage Two, Series One would be:

1(4) Larry Holmes vs 8(20) Donovan Ruddock
2(5) Riddick Bowe vs 7(25) Tony Tucker
3(9) Sam Langford vs 6(12) George Chuvalo
4(16) Jimmy Young vs 5(32) Earnie Shavers