The Boxing Thread

[NewEnglandGuy]

I bet the money would be right for Bud, and Canelo obviously doesn't want Benavidez so what else could be next for him (of significance)

It’s disappointing, but here’s the list:

-Jermall Charlo, 33-0, age 34. Twin of Jermell Charlo who Canelo beat in September of last year after Jermall backed out of the initial scheduled fight with Canelo. Jermall hasn’t knocked out an opponent since 2019 and after the forgettable fight Canelo had with his brother, this is back burner stuff.

-A light heavyweight. In 2022 Canelo moved up from 168 to 175 and received the second of his two career losses (first was to Floyd Mayweather 11 years ago) to Dmitry Bivol who is still undefeated with a massive upcoming fight, possibly fight of the year, with undefeated and 3 belt holder Artur Beterbiev.

With Benavidez holding the interim WBC light heavyweight title, Canelo could fight someone else in the division if plans were to go to Benavidez after. Loser of Bivol/Beterbiev or more likely up and coming undefeated David Morrell, the regular WBA light heavyweight champ, or British Light Heavyweight champ, and also undefeated, Joshua “just business” Buatsi.

-Christian Mbilli, 27-0, age 29. If Canelo stays in Super Middleweight after beating Berlanga, this is the only fight worth making. Mbilli has an upcoming fight against Derevyanchenko he should win.

-At lower weight classes, 160 Middleweight and 154 Jr Middleweight, the winner of recently announced but not scheduled fight between Errol Spence and WBO and WBC champ Sebastian Fundora. For those who follow less, Spence, 28-1, lost (badly) the super fight last year with Crawford. He is 34 and has only fought 3 times since the car accident in 2019 that put him in the ICU for a week but is still a major name and talent. Before the Crawford fight, they were both considered top 5 pound for pound champs. Fundora, 21-1-1, upset previously unbeaten champ Tim Tszyu, now 24–1, in a split decision this spring.

The other names in the divisions to know: Janibek Alimkhanuly - undefeated #1 Middleweight had to pull out of a fight last month due to dehydration.
Vergil Ortiz Jr - undefeated Jr Middleweight with a title fight this month against Serhii Bohachuk. He is 21-0 with 100% KO rate with 21. Even if he makes it 22, there will be TWO weight classes he would have to climb to fight against Canelo.

Now speaking of disadvantages, Canelo gives up almost 5 inches in height, 4 inches in reach, and is over 6 years older than Benavidez who is now where he belongs in light heavyweight. At 5’8”, I don’t see an aging Canelo going for the best of the best in the higher weight class. Bivol already beat him. Beterbiev and Benavidez would be such risky fights that I’d be impressed if he agreed to one. The boxing world and causal fans would love to see the name recognition and difficulty level, but I get it if instead he fights safer same size/class to smaller guys before hanging it up. Whichhhhhhh would be Crawford, a 147 Welterweight who just moved up and got by on the cards by a point to just a contender at Jr Middleweight. Two classes below Canelo.

So if the money is the same, which fighter goes for the legacy fight (challenging up). Canelo to 175 or Crawford to 168???

 

[Bishop2b5]

Dubois dominated Anthony Joshua today. Joshua is hard to understand. He has a ton of skill, but seems to be completely lacking the guts, or meanness, or toughness or something that you need to get through tough times in a fight. He's great as long as he's not hurt or in any danger, but the moment he gets rocked or can't easily run over an opponent, he wilts, falls apart, or just gives up. He seems to be totally lacking what Hagler, Duran, Holyfield, Marciano, and Frazier had in spades.

 

[Plankton]

Dubois dominated Anthony Joshua today. Joshua is hard to understand. He has a ton of skill, but seems to be completely lacking the guts, or meanness, or toughness or something that you need to get through tough times in a fight. He's great as long as he's not hurt or in any danger, but the moment he gets rocked or can't easily run over an opponent, he wilts, falls apart, or just gives up. He seems to be totally lacking what Hagler, Duran, Holyfield, Marciano, and Frazier had in spades.

Joshua's biggest problem is his glass jaw. He cannot take a heavy shot at all.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Joshua's biggest problem is his glass jaw. He cannot take a heavy shot at all.

Definitely. He sure doesn't have a GGG type chin, that's for sure. I thought about it more last night and realized that he seems like a guy who has a lot of skill, but was pushed into boxing without having that burning desire to be a fighter. He's there, he can do it, but he doesn't really want to be doing it. Makes it easy to quit when the going gets tough.

 

[Plankton]

Definitely. He sure doesn't have a GGG type chin, that's for sure. I thought about it more last night and realized that he seems like a guy who has a lot of skill, but was pushed into boxing without having that burning desire to be a fighter. He's there, he can do it, but he doesn't really want to be doing it. Makes it easy to quit when the going gets tough.

Oh, I agree. Joshua definitely doesn't spit fire like a lot of fighters. Usyk, for example, is a really gritty and resilient fighter who is very mentally tough. Joshua is much more of a front runner as a fighter. He has a lot of athletic skill, but his lack of chin and lack of grit makes him come up short against top flight opposition.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

If AJ lacked heart I don’t think he would have kept getting back up and taking more punishment from Dubois. I do think it’s fair to say his confidence has been shaky ever since the Ruiz fight and I think questioning his chin is definitely a fair criticism too.

As for Dubois I hope he gets a shot against the Fury - Usyk winner. If a borderline shot had been called above the belt instead of below he would have gotten a KO of Usyk in there first fight. He’s on a heck of a run and hopefully remains a factor in the division for awhile.

Speaking of which we are seeing a changing of the guard at heavyweight. Wilder is finished, AJ is at the end, Fury win or lose the rematch is nearing the end, Zhang is ancient, Joyce is finished, Parker is nearing the end. Will be interesting to see how the crop of younger guys plays out.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Best heavyweight of all time. Unquestionably in my lifetime.

One of three to retire with the title and one of three to defeat every opponent he ever faced (beat McCall, Rahman and Holyfield in rematches).
This is currently free on Amazon Prime Video.

 

[dublinirish]

should be worth a watch

 

[ACamp1900]

Anyone watching?? Two good fights thus far. The wife and her family are all huge pac man fans for obvious reasons. I think they all know the odds he has at our age but hey,… get to cheer him on once more

 

[Bishop2b5]

I'm probably going to watch. Pacman is roughly a 2:1 underdog. I wish he'd call it a day. He can't improve his legacy, but can hurt it, and I doubt he needs the money. Too many fighters keep fighting way past their expiration date just because of ego or inability to move on to the next phase of their life and hang up the gloves.

 

[ACamp1900]

That last round of the Fundora fight was one of the better rounds I’ve seen in years,… shame it ended there. Ok, here we go.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Not watching but did see some of Usyk earlier. Amazed by what a great heavyweight he turned out to be, never imagined this when he moved up from cruiser.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Not watching but did see some of Usyk earlier. Amazed by what a great heavyweight he turned out to be, never imagined this when he moved up from cruiser.

He's not particularly exciting, but you just can't beat him. Super skilled and solid with a phenomenal motor for a heavy. He's a boxer's boxer.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Barrios may need a knockout at this point to win. Pacquiao's been steadily piling up rounds and looks very good. If he doesn't tire or walk into a shot, he's got this fight.

 

[ACamp1900]

PAC MAN!!!!

Impressed he even finished it. Good fight, I thought if he were to win it it had to end early. I agree with Manny tho,… Ultimately, I think he won the fight, kind of a protect both sides decision imo

 

[Bishop2b5]

I thought he piled up enough points early to win it by a close margin. Impressive performance by an old man against a much younger world champion.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Alvarez vs Crawford tonight was supposed to be the biggest fight in several years. Crawford is undefeated, but moving up a couple of weight classes to take on the bigger, stronger Canelo Alvarez, with Alvarez roughly a 2-1 favorite. Fight started really slow, but was pretty action packed after the first round. Neither guy really rocked the other, but they both dished out some punishment. I thought Alvarez would just be too strong and hurt Crawford, but Crawford fought a great fight, was willing to go toe to toe and slug it out, and Alvarez could never seem to get much momentum going or get through Crawford's defense. Crawford won a unanimous decision with the judges' cards pretty accurate in my opinion. Good fight. Slightly surprising outcome.

 

[GATTACA!]

Should have seen me fight my shed wall a few hours ago. Gave it the ole one two.