Welcome to another weekly gander at my bulging, bulbous sack and the marvelous money shot from within, which is always just one tickle away from exploding all over boxing’s purveyors of ignorance. This week, we have questions and comments regarding Davis vs. Barrios, Oscar vs. Canelo, Mayweather vs. The World, and more.
Davis-Barrios, Mayweather and Exhibitions, The New Kings
Hi, Mr Magno, as always, I hope you and your family are healthy.
It’s been a while since I took some time to talk some boxing, I have some spare time to touch a variety of subjects as the current state of boxing is pretty busy.
First, I’m very intrigued by the Davis vs. Barrios fight. The styles of the participants have the potential to make it very exciting and dramatic, which is why I love boxing at its best or at least, when there is decent matchmaking. Every now and then, a new star can be born when he is supposed to be the step up of the A-side, I’m referring to Barrios. Such was the case when Danny Garcia faced Amir Khan and when Maidana faced Victor Ortiz. We’ll see if Barrios can step up and produce some fireworks.
Next subject, I see what you mean with the new emergence of exhibitions and it being a result of the current state of boxing. Even though I personally don’t favor them, I will always analyze other points of views and will never consider my point of view to be the correct one. If I want to learn, I have to consider other points of view and be able to change mine, if valid point are presented. My only knock on these fights and exhibitions is that, had they not existed, someone like Mayweather, who like any other great, misses their fan’s attention and doesn’t mind the fat paycheck, would have come back three or four years ago in a meaningful fight against Canelo at a catchweight at middleweight. I’m sure that with their fan base that fight could have generated at least four million pay per views, But who can blame him for taking an easier route with the same payday?
And finally, I am really enjoying the Kings documentary on Showtime. Hopefully our current fighters can understand that, as was the case with the four kings, charisma, showmanship, and the willingness to fight the best, can produce enough drama and excitement to enhance and grow our sport. My opinion is that fighters like Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez, Jaron Ennis and Virgil Ortiz have what it takes to create this excitement and drama, and help the sport grow..
— Benjamin from Puerto Rico
Hey Benjamin.
Thanks for the well-wishes.
I think the Mario Barrios fight is a risky one for Gervonta Davis. In my opinion, it’s riskier than many of the big fights out there for him at 135. It makes me wonder whether the move to 140, at least for this fight, is more about necessity than thirst for another divisional title.
Barrios is very good and has many of the aspects and characteristics that gave Davis problems at times with Leo Santa Cruz. He’s tall, long-armed, and aggressive. Plus, he’s a natural 140 lb. fighter whereas Santa Cruz was really a featherweight stepping up to Davis at lightweight.
This will be a true test for Davis. Unfortunately, because this fight came out of the blue and it’s not against one of the elite lightweights many hoped he would face, Gervonta will probably not get the credit he deserves if he wins.
I disagree with your Mayweather assessment. I believe, barring some crazy financial mishap, Mayweather would never have come back to “real” fighting. He would’ve been one of the few to hang ‘em up and keep them hung up. It’s a moot point, though, since exhibitions ARE a thing and, some would argue, enjoyed a resurgence in great part because of the success of Mayweather-McGregor in 2017.
I agree that we have the young talent out there to make waves and usher in a mainstream breakthrough. I also agree that the key to doing this is via fighters taking risky, best vs. best, fan-friendly bouts. The problem is that the sport’s business model doesn’t support this path to breakthrough anymore.
Back in the day, the ONLY way to the big paydays and to star status in boxing was through these risky best vs. best fights. That’s not the case anymore as networks/streaming services, in competition with one another, have dumped large sums of money on fighters and promoters to acquire “exclusive content.” And they’ve done this without building the base.
So, what’s essentially happened is that fighter pay has gone through the roof for the top guys, no matter who they fight, while growth has flat-lined (or diminished). This has created a strange, dangerous dynamic where, unless you’re talking a bout with Canelo, Mayweather, or maybe Pacquiao, there’s really no great incentive to take on a risky fight.
A big reason for Spence-Crawford not happening, for example, is that both can make very good money fighting lesser opposition. And, because only the hardcore fans (who tune in for everything) are the ones watching anymore, there’s just not that much extra money to be had in fighting one another.
Spence-Crawford will not pull in enough extra eyeballs to facilitate the big money they want to make for this fight. Believe me, if the money was there, the fight would’ve been made long ago, regardless of their conflicting business ties.
In short, boxing is in for tough times unless we can build the base and get through to the mainstream sports fan. But the only way to do that is by having better, more appealing fights and making them more accessible to curious newcomers– two things pretty much impossible to do under the current business model.
ODH vs. Canelo? Who Beats Mayweather?
Hi Paul
Back in Mexico now? Did you miss our food? 🙂
Well, I have always believed that this is a gentleman’s sport and we should never care about soap operas or dramas happening on it, but I might need to ask this:
Oscar de la Hoya who beat Fernando Vargas (154) vs the Canelo that beat Liam Smith? who wins and what is your justification for your answer?
I am not sure what to think about ODLH nowadays, i can only see him wishing to get back to fight because he is bleeding money. He had a wonderful career to mess it up by losing against a nobody.
So the circus fight [Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul], if I am honest I was just hoping to see Mayweather receive a huge punch, but it never happened. People keep talking about which would’ve been the worst style against Mayweather and Vernon Forrest seems to be the most popular pick. My thoughts are that even though Forrest was really good he was just not that explosive or unpredictable for Floyd.
I have thought about MOSLEY AT 135, but there is a reason why they did not fight, and if I read it correctly, Mosley was the one who rejected the fight.
I guess for me the safest pick would be Julio C Chavez, he is the upgraded version of JL Castillo, or maybe since Maidana gave him a hard time by making it difficult during the infight, Roberto Duran might have something to say about it.
I did not pick Whitaker (one of my all time favs) because that fight would’ve been a stinker.
Best Regards, Paul
— Miguel
Hey Miguel.
I wasn’t gone long enough to miss the food. LOL. Plus, I was back in Chicago where the food is absolutely awesome.
IMO, even a slightly post-prime Oscar De La Hoya beats a prime Canelo. That’s no knock on Alvarez, just an acknowledgment that Oscar was THAT good. His fast hands, athleticism, and versatility would’ve led him to a win, either via KO or safety-first decision (depending on how Canelo responded to things).
As for the one to beat Mayweather, Duran might’ve been that guy. He was physically tough, could box, could punch, and (except for that one “no mas” fight with Leonard) impossible to discourage. I think someone like Chavez was too set in his ways and a bout with Mayweather would’ve looked like his bout with Whitaker. He’d be playing to his strengths even when they were clearly not working. There’s also Sugar Ray Leonard, who I think would’ve handled Mayweather at 147.
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