Boxing Junkie – Page 17 – Syndication Server

Who wins? Josh Taylor vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create …

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create our own “Who Wins?” feature, in which we pit a single fighter against each of five potential opponents and indicate who we believe would win the fights.

We started the series with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the Boxing Junkie list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue, No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk and No. 6 Gennady Golovkin, No. 7 Errol Spence Jr., No. 8 Tyson Fury, No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada, No. 10 Mikey Garcia. and No. 11 Artur Beterbiev.

Next up is No. 12 Josh Taylor

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Taylor would do against Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis (in a rematch), Maurice Hooker, Terence Crawford and Teofimo Lopez. We then tally Taylor’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Taylor had a huge 2019, defeating Ivan Baranchyk by a wide decision to win a 140-pound title and then unifying by narrowly outpointing Regis Prograis to become a major star.

We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups. And we’re operating under the assumption that none of our featured boxers will fight with ring rust as result of their forced coronavirus-related layoff.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 13 Manny Pacquiao.

So here goes: Taylor vs. his five potential opponents.

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TAYLOR (16-0, 12 KOs) VS. RAMIREZ (25-0, 17 KOs)

Jose Ramirez (punching Maurice Hooker here) is the most compelling potential opponent for Josh Taylor. Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Great matchup. Taylor and Ramirez are similar. They’re both were accomplished amateurs, they can box, they have some power and they’re big, strong 140 pounders who know how to use their muscle. Ramirez is probably more aggressive but Taylor might be a slightly better technician. The Englishman wins a close decision for that reason.

Frauenheim: Ramirez’s pound-for-pound credentials were evident last July in a stoppage of Maurice Hooker. He displayed newfound head movement and a hook to the body, all on the road in Texas. He’s getting better. Taylor will try to over-power him, bully him. But it won’t work against the poised Ramirez. Ramirez, unanimous decision.

Nam: Taylor edges this one. Ramirez’s high-octane offense will be difficult to quell. But Taylor’s superior inside work will help take some of the sting off of Ramirez’s attack. He’ll tame Ramirez. Taylor wins on points.

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TAYLOR VS. PROGRAIS (24-1, 20 KOs)

Regis Prograis (right) pushed Taylor to the limit but came up short on the cards. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

Rosenthal: Taylor won a highly competitive first fight with Prograis – a majority decision – by fighting behind his excellent jab, keeping the pressure on his rival, beating him to the punch. Prograis will have to work a little harder in the rematch to have his hand raised. Will he? Too difficult to say. This one ends in a draw.

Frauenheim: Get ready for a trilogy. Taylor’s move to Top Rank means he has a new trainer in Ben Davison. They’ll need time to develop chemistry. During the coronavirus pandemic, there are no fights, no chance to work together. Prograis II figures to happen not long after boxing returns. That’s an opportunity for Prograis. He makes adjustments, wins split decision.

Nam: Flip a coin. Taylor was busier in the first fight, which partially helped shade the scores in his favor. He also outworked Prograis on the inside and landed some crushing right hooks. Expect the same in the rematch, with Prograis making a rally that comes too late. Taylor wins by a hair on the scorecards.

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TAYLOR VS. HOOKER (27-1-3, 18 KOs)

Maurice Hooker (right) fought with spirit against Ramirez but couldn’t cope with Ramirez’s all-around game. AP Photo / Brandon Wade

Rosenthal: Hooker met his match in Ramirez, who overcame Hooker’s quickness and movement with his combination of ability and punishing aggression. Hooker could be in for a similar fate against Taylor, who will both outbox and outslug the American en route to a clear decision victory.

Frauenheim: Hooker has advantages. He’s 5-foot-11, two inches taller than Taylor. He uses his height effectively. He has an 80-inch reach, 10½ inches more than Taylor. But that won’t be enough to keep Taylor off him. Taylor, late-round stoppage.

Nam: This is Taylor’s easiest fight here. Taylor will work his way inside Hooker’s long, but lazy jab and proceed to batter the Dallas native’s rib cage. It’s a one-sided fight. Taylor gets his hand raised by the eighth round.

***

TAYLOR VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)

Terence Crawford might be too strong — and too good — for Taylor. Sarah Stier / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Of course, this is a big challenge for Taylor. Crawford isn’t a big welterweight but he’s bigger than Taylor. And as good as Taylor is terms of skills, Crawford is better and more dynamic. Taylor is too talented to go quietly but he will eventually wear down and get stopped late in the fight.

Frauenheim: An intriguing fight a couple of years from now. Taylor has yet to make the jump from junior-welterweight to welter. Crawford has been fighting and winning at 147 pounds since 2018 — four fights, four victories, all by stoppage. Crawford’s punching precision with both hands punishes Taylor as he moves inside. Crawford, unanimous decision.

Nam: Given Taylor’s tendency to slightly fade late in fights, this one doesn’t bode for him. Crawford is one of the top finishers in the sport. Once blood starts trickling from Taylor’s eye, Crawford will pounce on him. Expect a painful ending for Taylor, whom Crawford stops before the final bell.

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TAYLOR VS. LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)

Teofimo Lopez (here standing over admiring his knock down of Richard Conmmey) would have to move up in weight to face Taylor. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Rosenthal: Lopez is a beast at 135 pounds. He has an impressive ring IQ, he’s athletic and he can whack. Hence the excitement surrounding him. But how does he do against a top 140-pounder like Taylor? Probably very well. He’ll have some trouble with Taylor’s all-around ability and size but eventually he’ll get to him and dominate the second of the fight to win a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Lopez, who will turn 23 on July 30, is a lightweight poised to become a junior-welterweight. His confidence and explosive skill set give Taylor trouble. Then again, Prograis had confidence and explosive skill set, too. Taylor beat him. Two years from now, he scores a decision over Taylor. Today, they fight to a draw.

Nam: Lopez may be bigger than the average lightweight, but at junior welterweight he would fit right in with the rest of the division. Taylor is taller, rangier and punches hard enough to give Lopez a possibly rude awakening. On the other hand, Lopez, a power puncher with great reflexes, has a good shot of doing the same to Taylor. In the end, Taylor’s versatility and experience should give him a close decision.

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THE FINAL TALLY

Josh Taylor: 7-6-2 (2 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Artur Beterbiev: 14-1 (11 KOs)
Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)
Josh Taylor: 7-6-2 (2 KOs)
Mikey Garcia: 7-8 (0 KOs)

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Juan Francisco Estrada vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Mikey Garcia vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Artur Beterbiev vs. five potential opponents

Video: Chris Mannix, Sergio Mora discuss decline (or not) of Triple-G

Genndaiy Golovkin’s tooth-and-nail war with unheralded Sergey Derevyanchenko in October raised an obvious question: Has Triple-G declined? It wasn’t long ago that Golovkin steamrolled through the middleweight division, scoring a remarkable 23 …

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Genndaiy Golovkin’s tooth-and-nail war with unheralded Sergey Derevyanchenko in October raised an obvious question: Has Triple-G declined?

It wasn’t long ago that Golovkin steamrolled through the middleweight division, scoring a remarkable 23 consecutive knockouts even as he raised his level of opposition.

Then he struggled to beat Danny Jacobs, drew (controversially) and lost to Canelo Alvarez, and went to hell and back to defeat Derevyanchenko by a close, unanimous decision.

Hall of Fame trainer Teddy Atlas went so far to say that Triple-G “looked like a shot fighter” against Derevyanchenko and questioned whether a third fight with Alvarez makes sense from a competitive standpoint.

“It’s called Father Time, it’s called nature, it’s called aging, and it comes to all of us, but we all don’t have to fight for a living,” Atlas said of the 37-year-old Kazakhstani. “… When the truth comes to you in the ring, the truth can hit you, bang, hard and fast.”

DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss that topic on Jabs with Mannix and Mora.

Listen to what they have to say.

Who wins? Artur Beterbiev vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

No. 11 Artur Beterbiev is next.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Beterbiev would do against Dmitry Bivol, Jean Pascal, Gilberto Ramirez, Badou Jack and Canelo Alvarez. We then tally Beterbiev’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Beterbiev has built a reputation as a capable boxer with uncommon strength, as his 100% knockout percentage suggests. He unleashed his full destructive power in his most-recent fight, breaking down and then brutally stopping then-unnbeaten Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the 10th round in October.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 12 Josh Taylor.

So here goes: Beterbiev vs. his five potential opponents.

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BETERBIEV (15-0, 15 KOs) VS. BIVOL (17-0, 11 KOs)

Dmitriy Bivol (left, against Lenin Castillo) has a series of quality victories the past few years. Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA

Rosenthal: This could be Beterbiev’s most-difficult fight. Bivol has demonstrated his superior skill set against one quality opponent after another the past few years. He’s an excellent boxer, maybe good enough to expose whatever limitations Beterbiev might have. The question is whether he can weather the Beterbiev storm for 12 rounds. The guess here is he can’t. Beterbiev by late KO.

Frauenheim: Bivol is technically proficient. He knows his way around, moving across the ring on educated feet that take him in and out of harm’s way. But he lacks power, or at least enough of it to keep the heavy-handed Bertebiev off him. Beterbiev cuts off ring and wins by a late-round stoppage.

Nam: Dmitry Bivol has the discipline, conditioning and quickness to outpoint Beterbiev, which is what you need to do against a bruiser like Beterbiev. It won’t be an aesthetically pleasing fight, but Bivol’s effective in-and-out motion will see him win the majority of rounds. As long as he can wade through a few big punches, Bivol wins on points.

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BETERBIEV VS. PASCAL (35-6-1, 20 KOs)

Jean Pascal resurrected his career as an elite fighter by beating Badou Jack. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Rosenthal: Pascal deserves a lot of credit for beating Marcus Browne and Badou Jack in succession, which made him a major player again after many had written him off. That doesn’t mean the 37-year-old can compete with Beterbiev. He can’t. Pacal relies on his power to win fights and he simply doesn’t measure up to Beterbiev in that department. Beterbiev by sixth-round KO.

Frauenheim: Pascal fought his way back into the title mix with victories over Marcus Browne and Badou Jack. He’s athletic. But his record includes tough bouts against the best at 175 pounds, everybody from Sergey Kovalev to Bernard Hopkins. Wear and tear are evident, too much to withstand Beterbiev for 12 rounds. Beterbiev, late stoppage.

Nam: Pacal is riding an impressive two-fight win streak over top light heavyweight contenders Marcus Browne and Badou Jack, but against Beterbiev he will be fresh out of luck. The only chance is for Pascal to land his unorthodox overhand right. But if Beterbiev, whose chin has prompted some questions in the past, evades them, he will batter the veteran into submission before the sixth round.

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BETERBIEV VS. RAMIREZ (40-0, 26 KOs)

Gilberto Ramirez (right, against Maxim Bursak) has some quality victories but hasn’t faced anyone like Artur Beterbiev. AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

Rosenthal: Ramirez has a gaudy record, including a reign as a super middleweight titleholder. That’s impressive. However, the lanky Mexican — who has fought only once at 175 pounds — has neither neither the special skill set nor the punching power to cope with a beast like Beterbiev. Ramirez will have some success early but he’ll eventually wilt under the weight of Beterbiev’s punches and not reach the final bell.

Frauenheim: Ramirez, longtime super middleweight champ, has fought only once at light heavyweight. In April, he stopped Tommy Karpency, who came into the ring with seven losses. Ramirez hasn’t fought since. He looked comfortable in his debut. But his long upper-body is a big target for Beterbiev’s lethal right. Beterbiev, middle-round stoppage.

Nam: Ramirez is talented but his inactivity and inexperience at light heavyweight makes him a considerable underdog here. The southpaw is effective at both distance and range, but the latter will quicken his demise. Beterbiev will bully Ramirez en route to a late stoppage.

***

BETERBIEV VS. JACK (22-3-3, 13 KOs)

Badou Jack (right) fought Jean Pascal on even terms but came up short on the cards. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Rosenthal: This could be Beterbiev’s toughest fight among the five here. Jack doesn’t have unusual punching power but he’s a clever boxer with a load of experience at the highest level. He might be good and resilient enough to give Beterbiev problems — for a while. Beterbiev will take firm control in the middle rounds, wear Jack down and win a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Jack is tough. He’s also scarred. He needed about 100 stitches for forehead gash suffered in loss to Browne. There was no rupture of the scar in a subsequent loss to Pascal. But Beterbiev’s right lands at higher velocity and with heavier impact than anything thrown by Pascal. Beterbiev wins a punishing, perhaps bloody decision.

Nam: Jack’s tendency to start slowly and waffle his way to split-decision losses and draws makes him especially vulnerable here. Beterbiev stops Jack before the final bell.

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BETERBIEV VS. ALVAREZ (52-1-2, 36 KOs)

Canelo Alvarez (left) had trouble with Sergey Kovalev for much of their fight and Beterbiev would be a step up in opposition. Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Rosenthal: This fantasy fight would not end well for Alvarez. The Mexican superstar had enough trouble with a faded Kovalev before finally stopping him in the 11th round to win a light heavyweight title. Beterbiev is well-schooled, unusually strong 175-pounder in his prime. Alvarez was smart to move back down in weight. Beterbiev by eighth-round KO.

Frauenheim: A fight the public wants to see. For a while, it also sounded as if it were a fight that Canelo would do. But he quickly backtracked, relinquishing the light heavyweight belt he won by KO over Kovalev. Canelo sees in Beterbiev what everyone else has. Nobody at 175 pounds can beat him right now. Beterbiev, unanimous decision.

Nam: Don’t expect Alvarez to challenge Beterbiev anytime soon. The Russian is a bridge too far. Moreover, Alvarez is not a true light heavyweight despite his stoppage of Sergey Kovalev, who was, of course, washed up. Alvarez’s elite skills will only get him so far before Beterbiev mauls him to the canvas for a late stoppage.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Artur Beterbiev: 14-1 (11 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Juan Francisco Estrada vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Mikey Garcia vs. five potential opponents

Degrees of Separation: Linking Manny Pacquiao to Pancho Villa

Six degrees of separation is a theory that everyone in the world is separated by no more than six social connections. In other words, you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows Queen Elizabeth. …

Six degrees of separation is a theory that everyone in the world is separated by no more than six social connections.

In other words, you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows Queen Elizabeth. Or so the concept goes.

We’re borrowing the six degrees concept – well, sort of loosely – to connect fighters from the past to their more contemporary counterparts in our new occasional feature, “Degrees of Separation.”

Example: Let’s connect Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Super easy; we did it in two steps. Senior fought Grover Wiley, who fought Junior.

In this installment of the Boxing Junkie feature, we decided to feature Manny Pacquiao a second time. Earlier, we linked the future Hall of Famer to Filipino great Flash Elorde. We’re going back farther this time, connecting Pacquaio to the first Filipino to hold a world title, Pancho Villa.

Villa became flyweight champion when he stopped an aging Jimmy Wilde in 1923 and held the title until he died two years later, at only 23. Villa last fought in 1925, 95 years ago. So it took us 13 steps to connect him to Pacquiao.

Check it out:

Pancho Villa fought …

Jimmy McLarnin, who fought …

Lou Ambers, who fought …

Henry Armstrong, who fought …

Ray Robinson, who fought …

Joey Archer, who fought …

Emile Griffith, who fought …

Bennie Briscoe, who fought …

Marvin Hagler, who fought …

Ray Leonard, who fought …

Hector Camacho, who fought …

Oscar De La Hoya, who fought …

Manny Pacquiao

Could you do it in fewer steps? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook. Or you can contact me on Twitter. And please follow us!

Degrees of Separation: Linking Filipino greats Flash Elorde, Manny Pacquiao

Degrees of Separation: Linking Japanese greats Fighting Harada and Naoya Inoue

Degrees of Separation: Linking Tyson Fury to first U.K.-born heavyweight champ

Degrees of Separation: Connecting Canelo Alvarez with Mexican legends

Degrees of Separation: Linking the Mayweathers

Who wins? Mikey Garcia vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next up? No. 10 Mikey Garcia.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Garcia would do against Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. We then tally Garcia’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Garcia was a dominating lightweight and junior welterweight before moving up to welterweight to face Errol Spence Jr., who dominated him en route to a shutout decision in March of last year. The brother of trainer Robert Garcia bounced back by stopping contender Jessie Vargas in February, proving that he can defeat a good 147-pounder.

He reportedly is on the short list to face Pacquiao in the Filipino’s next fight.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 11 Artur Beterbiev.

So here goes: Garcia vs. his five potential opponents.

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GARCIA (40-1, 30 KOs) VS. PACQUIAO (62-7-2, 39 KOs)

Manny Pacquiao (right) demonstrated against Keith Thurman that he still has it. AP Photo / John Locher

Rosenthal: Good matchup. The Pacquiao of five, six years ago probably would’ve controlled this fight with his speed and activity. The 41-year-old version of Pacquiao would have his hands full. The Filipino icon, who now fights only in spurts, would have his moments but Garcia would have more of them. His tight technique, precising punching and measured pressure would earn him the victory by a clear decision.

Frauenheim: A fight that should have happened years ago. Yet, it’s still interesting. Both looked good in their last bouts – Garcia in a unanimous victory over Jessie Vargas and Pacquiao in a split decision over Thurman. Garcia regained confidence he can be a factor at 147 pounds. His youth prevails, allowing him to score late. Garcia, unanimous decision.

Nam: Garcia has a good shot here for two reasons. First, he’s a counterpuncher by nature and counterpunchers have typically done well against Pacquiao. Second, Pacquiao is a small welterweight. Also, Garcia is conceivably much closer to his prime than Pacquiao is at this stage. Garcia wins on points in a mild upset.

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GARCIA VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)

Terence Crawford could be too strong, too good for Mikey Garcia. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Rosenthal: Crawford isn’t a big welterweight but he’s stronger than Garcia, who is a natural 140-pounder. More important, as good as Garcia is skillwise, Crawford is better, more athletic and certainly more dynamic. Crawford would pick Garcia apart, break him down and score a technical knockout late in the fight.

Frauenheim: Garcia’s toughest fight. Garcia has a versatile skill set, one that he employs with great discipline. Crawford’s versatility is complemented by his quicksilver ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw. That figures to be a problem for Garcia in a fight that starts slowly and ends dramatically. Crawford, spit decision.

Nam: Crawford is all wrong for Garcia. They’ll try to outbox each other in the early going, with Garcia landing some nice right hands. But Crawford, one of the better improvisers in the ring, will start imposing himself in the second half of the fight. It’ll be violent. Garcia will get mauled. Crawford by late stoppage.

***

GARCIA VS. PORTER (30-3-1, 17 KOs)

Shawn Porter (right) gave the performance of his career in defeat against Errol Spence Jr.. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images

Rosenthal: This isn’t a good matchup for Garcia, whose relative lack size will be his Achilles’ heel. Think about what Porter did against Spence, who went to hell and back to win a close decision in their fight. Garcia would have much more difficulty coping with the bruising Porter’s relentless aggression. Porter by wide decision.

Frauenheim: Porter is slightly bigger. He’s an inch taller and has an inch-and-a-half advantage in reach. Both advantages appear minimal, but Porter uses them effectively. He’s physical, strong on the inside, which was a factor versus Errol Spence, who beat him by split decision and dominated Garcia. Porter, split decision.

Nam: There are better ways to earn a living than going through the grinder that is Porter. Garcia will have success landing his counter right the way Kell Brook did against Porter many years ago, but he won’t be able to do it for 12 rounds. Eventually Porter’s kitchen sink aggression will wear out the much smaller Garcia. Porter wins late by stoppage.

***

GARCIA VS. D. GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOs)

Danny Garcia (left, against Ivan Redkach) is always competitive. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Rosenthal: The battle of the Garcias would be compelling. Mikey probably is the better boxer but Danny is an excellent, experienced counterpuncher who belongs at welterweight, which will work in his favor. Mikey will attack and have success in the first half of the fight but Danny will take control in the second half and win a close decision.

Frauenheim: A tricky fight. Danny Garcia is a little taller and has a reach advantage over Mikey. So did Jessie Vargas. Danny Garcia isn’t strong enough to wear down Mikey. But there’s lethal speed in his left hand. Is that enough to beat the multi-skilled Mikey? Not over 12 rounds. Mikey Garcia, unanimous decision.

Nam: No one is going to be clamoring to see two natural counterpunchers, but for what it’s worth, both Garcias are decent punchers. In this case, Mikey is a bit more dynamic and is a better puncher at range. Danny is best when he’s in closer and he can unfurl his coveted left hook. Amid all the feinting, expect Mikey to find a home for his overhand right. Mikey by unanimous decision.

***

GARCIA VS. THURMAN (29-1, 22 KOs)

Thurman (right) said his loss to Pacquiao in July has motivated him. AP Photo / John Locher

Rosenthal: Thurman is a big, strong, talented welterweight, which might not bode well for Garcia. The problem for Thurman is that injuries and time off have taken a toll on him, as we saw in his fight with Pacquiao. Thurman at 100 percent probably beats Garcia but we might never see that version of him again. Garcia by close decision.

Frauenheim: A couple of years ago, Thurman wins this fight. He’s strong. His long arms possess some lethal leverage. But injuries are a sign that he’s not quite the same fighter. A lingering injury to his left hand limited him in a narrow loss to Pacquiao. A healthy Thurman has a chance. Garcia, unanimous decision.

Nam: Even with all of his injuries, Thurman is a natural welterweight whose size, length and punching power immediately dwarfs that of Garcia. Thurman can also be somewhat elusive, given the way he tends to flit around the ring. All of which spells bad news for Garcia, who needs to be able to get in close to do any damage. If Thurman is as disciplined as Spence in not allowing Garcia to get comfortable, it’ll be his fight to lose. Thurman on points.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Mikey Garcia: 7-8 (0 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)
Mikey Garcia: 7-8 (0 KOs)

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Juan Francisco Estrada vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

We started the series with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue, No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk and No. 6 Gennady Golovkin, No. 7 Errol Spence Jr. and No. 8 Tyson Fury.

No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada is next up.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Estrada would do against Roman Gonzalez, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Naoya Inoue, Kazuto Ioka and Kosei Tanaka. We then tally Estrada’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Estrada, a two-division champions, has won four consecutive fights since he lost a majority decision to Sor Rungvisai in 2018. That includes a unanimous-decision victory over Sor Rungvisai in a rematch to win a junior bantamweight title.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 10 Mikey Garcia.

So here goes: Estrada vs. his five potential opponents.

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ESTRADA (40-3, 27 KOs) VS. GONZALEZ (49-2, 41 KOs)

Roman Gonzalez (right) resurrected his career as an elite fighter with a victory over Kal Yafai. Amanda Westcott / DAZN

Rosenthal: Gonzalez resurrected his career as an elite fighter by stopping Kal Yafai on Feb. 29, demonstrating to those who had written him off that he has some fight left in him. The problem for Gonzalez is Estrada is much better than Yafai. The Mexican is a superb, resilient boxer who gave Gonzalez hell in their 2012 meeting. This time, the aging Gonzalez will be taken to hell. Estrada by late knockout.

Frauenheim: A rematch has long been on the horizon. Gonzalez won the first one, wining a unanimous decision nearly eight years ago at 108 pounds. A move up the scale to junior bantamweight and possibly bantamweight favors Estrada. Gonzalez was at his best at 112. Estrada, unanimous decision.

Nam: There’s some wind in Gonzalez’s sails after he dominated Kal Yafai last month. Still, the fact is Gonzalez is no longer in his prime and Yafai was something of a fraud, a paper titleholder who fought no one of note during his title reign. Gonzalez won’t be able to pick apart Estrada in the same way. Consider that Estrada gave Gonzalez a pretty spirited fight in 2012. Estrada lost, but he only improved since then. You have to give it to the fresher fighter. Estrada on points.

***

ESTRADA VS. SOR RUNGVISAI (47-5-1, 41 KOs)

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (right) beat Gonzalez in back to back fights in 2017. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II

Rosenthal: A third fight between these two warriors is a no-brainer. Estrada rallied in the first fight to make it close but came up short. Sor Rungvisai, who inexplicably fought mostly from an orthodox stance, did the same in a losing cause in the rematch. Part III? Estrada, 29, has the more-recent victory and momentum while Sor Rungvisai, 33, might have leveled off. Estrada by a close, but clear decision.

Frauenheim: Estrada lost a majority decision to Rungvisai, then beat him by unanimous decision14 months later, both at 115. Estrada learned enough in the first fight to make the right adjustments. In the rematch, he figures to have learned even more. Estrada, unanimous decision.

Nam: Although Sor Rungivsai committed a grave tactical error in their rematch – the decision to go orthodox instead of his natural southpaw stance for more than three quarters of the bout – he ended up giving Estrada a run for his money the last few rounds. The third fight is closer if Sor Rungvisai relies on his natural instincts. Estrada will come out much the same, firing on all cylinders. But the Thai fighter has one of the better chins in the game and eventually he’ll wear out Estrada. Sor Rungvisai by close decision.

***

ESTRADA VS. INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs)

Naoya Inoue made a strong statement by winning the WBSS bantamweight tournament. Toru Hanai / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Estrada is a complete fighter, meaning he’s a handful for anyone. He’ll outbox you, he’ll hurt you and he’ll almost certainly beat you. He’s a 115-pounder, though. He has fought above that weight but not against an elite opponent like Inoue. The guess here is that he’d be at too much of a physical disadvantage against Inoue, who would have trouble in the first half of the fight but slowly break Estrada down and win a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Estrada is a classic boxer-puncher, solid in every way. But he was vulnerable to a busy style, which was what Gonzalez used to beat him by decision. Inoue varies the angles and the rate of his combinations, all done to set up his signature punch — a left hook to the body. Inoue, unanimous decision.

Nam: The most skilled fighter here. He also has an underrated chin, as evidenced in his fights against a prime Roman Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (twice). Not sure it holds up here against Inoue at 118. It’s a competitive bout for most of the fight, but Inoue’s power will take over late, eventually earning him a stoppage.

***

ESTRADA VS. IOKA (25-2, 14 KOs)

Kazuto Ioka has won two in a row since losing a split decision to Donnie Nietes in 2018. Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Rosenthal: Ioka is an excellent all-around fighter and, at 31, has plenty of experience at the elite level. That includes his recent setback against Donnie Nietes, which most observers seem to believe he did enough to win. However, he hasn’t seen someone quite like Estrada, who can match Ioka’s boxing skills and has more power. Estrada by a clear decision.

Frauenheim: Ioka has some power along with foot and hand speed. His also might possess resiliency he’ll need to beat Estrada. He’s 2-0 since losing a debatable split-decision to Donnie Nietes. It’s a close fight, perhaps determined by location, location, location. In Mexico, Estrada wins. In Japan, Ioka wins. At a neutral site, it’s a draw.

Nam: It’s hard to know exactly where exactly Ioka, 31, is in his career. Promotional issues have contributed to some inactivity over the past few years. Moreover, the skilled boxer-puncher has never proven himself against truly elite opposition. That said, he did deserve to win against Donnie Nietes in 2018. Estrada is a bit too talented, too dynamic. Expect Ioka to start fast but for Estrada to catch up before beating the brakes of off Ioka to win a unanimous decision.

***

ESTRADA VS. TANAKA (15-0, 9 KOs)

Kosei Tanaka has stopped nine of his 15 opponents. Behrouz Mehri / AFP via Getty Images

Rosenthal: Tanaka, only 24, is a gifted, dynamic young fighter on the rise. He could be a major player for another decade. That said, this is Estrada’s time. His skill set and experience will be too much for Tanaka at this stage of the game. It will be close for a few rounds and then Estrada will pull away. Estrada by decision.

Frauenheim: Tanaka looks to be an emerging star. He’s 24. He has nine KOs on his 15-0 resume. He won a world title in only his fifth pro bout. He also faces a mandatory challenge for a 112-pound belt from Ioka. He has all of the momentum, enough leverage to keep a bout vs. Estrada in Japan. Tanaka, unanimous decision.

Nam: A potential barnburner. Tanaka, a three-division titleholder at only 24 years of age, has no qualms about mixing it up on the inside. See his terrific tete-a-tete against Sho Kimura in 2018. Not sure how much firepower he has to truly gain Estrada’s respect on the inside. His experience, moreover, is also a concern. Estrada wins a clear decision.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Juan Francisco Estrada: 9-5-1 (1 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Video: Chris Mannix, Sergio Mora on possible Floyd Mayweather comeback

DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss whether Floyd Mayweather should fight again on Jabs with Mannix and Mora.

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Floyd Mayweather, 43, floated the idea that he would return to boxing this year.

That probably won’t happen given the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the sport and Mayweather’s personal tragedies, the death of the mother of his childern and his uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather.

But should he come back at all and risk his perfect 50-0 record?

DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss that topic on Jabs with Mannix and Mora.

Mora says Mayweather should stay retired to preserve his legacy. Mannix supports a Mayweather comeback but only against one of the current pound-for-pound fighters at welterweight.

Listen to what they have to say.

Who wins? Tyson Fury vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next up is No. 8 Tyson Fury.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Fury would do against Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder a third time, Oleksandr Usyk, Dillian Whyte and Andy Ruiz Jr. We then tally Fury’s record in those fights and present our standings.

Fury is coming off his sensational seventh-round stoppage of Wilder in their rematch Feb. 22. He has not faced any of the other four opponents here.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 9 Juan Francisco Estrada.

So here goes: Fury vs. his five potential opponents.

***

FURY (30-0-1, 21 KOs) VS. JOSHUA (23-1, 21 KOs)

Anthony Joshua had reason to be pleased with himself after embarrassing Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

Rosenthal: Joshua reminded us that he can box in his careful victory over Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch but he’s not going to outbox Fury. His only chance is to stop Fury or control the fight by making him uncomfortable with relentless aggression to eke out a decision. That’s hard to imagine after what we saw in the rematch with Ruiz. Fury, better and mentally tougher, will outbox, wear down and then stop Joshua in the late rounds.

Frauenheim: Who is Joshua? Is he the guy Andy Ruiz Jr. upset? Or the guy who beat Ruiz in a rematch? Hard to know. In the rematch he used his jab to great effect. He was careful, and he won. But Fury is good at taking opponents out of their comfort zone. He’ll rattle Joshua early with a punch or distraction. Fury, unanimous decision.

Nam: Joshua needs to recover his offense-first mentality if he stands a chance of beating Fury. He certainly won’t outbox him running around the ring and throwing one-twos. Joshua needs to come forward and set his feet and try to take Fury out. Unfortunately, that version of Joshua may be long gone. Fury hurts Joshua late en route to a clear points win.

***

FURY VS. WILDER (42-1-1, 41 KOs)

Deontay Wilder was overwhelmed by Tyson Fury in their rematch What can he do differently to win their third fight? Al Bello / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Fury now knows not only how to beat Wilder but how to dominate him, as he demonstrated in their rematch. Attack him, keep him on his back foot, don’t give him room to get anything done. And Wilder doesn’t (or at least didn’t) have the ring IQ to make adjustments. He and his team will come up with some sort of plan for the third fight but it won’t be enough. Fury by late KO.

Frauenheim: It’s not clear what Wilder can do without his right. Fury took away the leverage. There was no adjustment from Wilder. Wilder might adjust his wardrobe, ditching the 40-pound comic-book costume. But he’ll need to make adjustments within the ropes to win. Without knowing how to adjust, Fury wins the way he won the last one. Fury, mid-round TKO.

Nam: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Wilder is what he is: a boxing illiterate with game-changing power. Perhaps the one thing in Wilder’s favor during the layoff is that he’ll be more cognizant of Fury’s aggression in the rematch. But that might also be his undoing. There’s no easy answer for Wilder. Barring a colossal mental meltdown from Fury in the forthcoming months, Wilder is looking at a second straight loss. Fury on points.

***

FURY VS. USYK (17-0, 13 KOs)

Oleksandr Usyk (right, against Chazz Witherspoon) is a good boxer but would be dwarfed by Fury. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

Rosenthal: This is the worst style matchup for Usyk. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian’s advantage over most heavyweights is his unusual skill set, quickness and relative athleticism. Fury is a towering 6-9, would have about a 50-pound weight advantage and can box and move about as well as Usyk. How could the smaller man win? He couldn’t. Fury would pick Usyk apart, break him down and likely stop him in the second half of the fight.

Frauenheim: Fury has a six-inch advantage in height. Usyk will have to look up at an angle severe enough to suffer a strained neck. He’ll be lucky if that’s all he suffers. Ever since his jump to heavyweight, there are questions about whether Usyk is big enough. Against some, maybe. Against Fury, no way. Fury, mid-round stoppage.

Nam: This is Usyk’s toughest fight in a tactical sense. Fury’s also taller and bigger, meaning Usyk will have to work extra hard just to get close enough to do some damage. Many of the things Usyk excels at – circling to his right, jabbing – may be rendered moot because of Fury’s herky-jerky mobility. But that’s assuming that Fury decides to play cute in the ring. Should Fury employ a more aggressive approach a la Wilder, he’ll find Usyk hard to find. Usyk by close decision.

***

FURY VS. WHYTE (27-1, 18 KOs)

Dillian Whyte has the bulk but not the skills to beat Fury. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing

Rosenthal: Whyte has the bulk to stand up to Fury and an abundance of bravado but that won’t be nearly enough when they step into the ring. Fury will be able to do as he pleases, keep Whyte at a distance with is long jab, push him onto his back foot with measured aggression as he did against in the Wilder rematch and generally dominate the fight. Fury by KO around Round 8.

Frauenheim: Fury’s unique mobility will frustrate White. Whyte has some power, but he’ll never find Fury, whose agile footwork will leave Whyte lunging and missing throughout 12 rounds. Fury, unanimous decision.

Nam: The weakest challenger on this list for Fury. Whyte’s at his best when he’s facing fellow plodders. Fury’s dexterity and nimble footwork is going to cause all kinds of problems for him. Whyte also tends to fade late in a fight. Fury stops him late.

***

FURY VS. RUIZ (33-2, 22 KOs)

Andy Ruiz (left) ate a lot of food before his rematch with Joshua and a lot of punches in the fight. Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Ruiz at his best is a good, quick-handed boxer with some power, as we saw in his upset of Anthony Joshua and in a close loss to Joseph Parker. At his worst, as we saw in the Joshua rematch, he’s an ineffective blob. Fury is simply too long and too good for either version of Ruiz. It’s difficult to imagine the Mexican-American finding ways to land with any consistency. Fury by wide decision.

Frauenheim: Ruiz is way too small. He’s seven inches shorter than Fury, who is tall enough to be an NBA power forward. Ruiz’s challenge is complicated by Fury’s foot and hand speed. Ruiz has no choice but to walk inside, where he’ll get punished. Fury, mid-round TKO.

Nam: Ruiz has fast hands, but he’ll find it hard for them to reach long-limbed Fury. Fury will outwork Ruiz with the jab and duck and hold whenever Ruiz tries to get close. It’s a stick-and-move game plan for Fury. It won’t look pretty, but he’ll win a clear decision.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Tyson Fury: 14-1 (8 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Errol Spence Jr. vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next up is No. 7 Errol Spence Jr.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Spence would do against Terence Crawford, Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman, Yordenis Ugas and Danny Garcia. We then tally Spence’s record in those fights and present our standings.

For the record, we don’t know whether Spence will be the same after his horrific car accident in October but he says he’s fine and has been training.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 8 Tyson Fury.

So here goes: Spence vs. his five potential opponents.

***

SPENCE (26-0, 21 KOs) VS. CRAWFORD (36-0, 27 KOs)

Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. is the ultimate welterweight matchup. Sarah Stier / USA Today Sports

Rosenthal: Crawford is a better all-around fighter than Spence, quicker, more athletic, more dynamic, more power pound-for-pound. The problem for him is that Spence is almost as good as he is (assuming he has fully recovered from his crash) and the naturally bigger, stronger man, which would determine the winner. They would engage in a competitive, give-and-take fight until Crawford wears down and Spence pulls away. Spence by a close decision.

Frauenheim: It’s the fight everyone wants to see. But it’s getting perilously close to a past-due date. Crawford is 32. Spence hasn’t fought since an auto accident. Is he the same? If he is, it’s a classic. Spence has size, power. Crawford has precision in both hands. His instincts are deadly. Crawford, split decision.

Nam: Much of this depends on whether Spence is the same fighter he was before his hellacious car crash last year. If not, it’s hard to see Spence as the favorite. Crawford has yet to face a top-tier welterweight but the way in which he has dispatched his past several opponents suggests he is a difficult proposition for any elite 147-pounder. His versatility – ability to switch hit, fight off the back point, counter, come forward, finish, et al. – is precisely why Spence, despite his superior size and power at the weight, can’t afford to lose a step. Crawford by unanimous decision.

***

SPENCE VS. PACQUIAO (62-7-2, 39 KOs)

Manny Pacquiao (right) proved against Keith Thurman that he can still fight post-40. AP Photo / John Locher

Rosenthal: This is not a fight Pacquiao should take, assuming Spence is at 100 percent. It’s one thing to beat a rusty Keith Thurman who is coming back from injuries; it’s another to challenge a fighter like Spence. “The Truth” is simply too quick, too big, just too good for a 40-something version of Pacquiao, who can fight only in spurts. Spence will pick Pacquiao apart, break him down and stop him in the late rounds.

Frauenheim: We’re still waiting to see Spence post-accident. If he’s the same fighter, he blows away Pacquiao. He’s big enough to be a middleweight. Pacquiao should be a junior welterweight. Spence is also 11-years younger than the Filipino Senator. Spence, late round stoppage.

Nam: Pacquiao’s speed and aggression will win him the early rounds, but this is a 12-round fight. Pacquiao tends to fade and take rounds off in the second half of his most recent fights (see the Jeff Horn and Keith Thurman bouts). That’s when Spence will start to take over, clobbering Pacquiao with hard body shots. Youth and size will prevail. Spence by unanimous decision.

***

SPENCE VS. THURMAN (29-1, 22 KOs)

Thurman (left) suffered his first loss at the hands of Pacquiao. AP Photo / John Locher

Rosenthal: The time off could do both fighters good. Again, Spence is coming back from the injuries he suffered in his crash. Thurman, it seems, is still healing from multiple injuries. This isn’t a bad fight if they’re at their best. Spence has the tighter technique and is a more-precise puncher, which should be the difference in the fight. Thurman will be game but come up short on the cards.

Frauenheim: An interesting fight a couple of years ago. But Thurman has begun to show some wear and tear. He’s smart enough adjust. But he still lost to a smaller Pacquiao. The bigger Spence wears him out, then hurts him. Spence, late-round TKO.

Nam: Years ago this would have been a 50-50 proposition. Not the case anymore. Thurman will gallivant around the ring trying to potshot his way to a decision. Spence, on the other hand, will put the pressure on, and Thurman won’t like that. If Josesito Lopez was able to rock Thurman just by coming forward, you can bet Spence will have far more success with the same strategy. Spence by stoppage.

***

SPENCE VS. UGAS (25-4, 12)

Yordenis Ugas (left, against Omar Figueroa Jr.) has the skill set to give any welterweight problems. AP Photo / John Locher

Rosenthal: Ugas, weaned in the Cuban amateur system, has the skill set to give any welterweight problems. He demonstrated that in a strong performance against Shawn Porter last year. And he’s hungry, as he has never won a title. It will take time for Spence to figure out Ugas but eventually he’ll take control with precise, hard punches to the body and head. Spence by clear decision.

Frauenheim: Ugas is little bit different than his fellow Cuban fighters. He prefers to plant his feet and throw punches. But he might need some of that slick Cuban footwork and elusiveness if he hopes to have a chance against Spence. Spence catches him, knocks him out mid-round.

Nam: Body punching galore. Both guys love digging to the body, but Spence is more precise, punches harder and is a bit more dynamic. This is a closer fight than most might expect. Spence gets the job done on points.

***

SPENCE VS. GARCIA (36-2, 21 KOs)

Danny Garcia (left) dominated Ivan Redkach in his most-recent fight. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II

Rosenthal: Garcia is the most underrated of this bunch. He has the ability, experience and right style to win this fight. Spence will come to Garcia, which is what a counterpuncher wants. And Garcia has the punching accuracy and power to make Spence pay. That said, Spence, the slicker boxer and harder puncher will adjust to Garcia’s tactics and pull away in the second half of the fight. Spence by close decision.

Frauenheim: It’s easy to underestimate Garcia. He’s good, but wasn’t quite good enough to beat Thurman or Shawn Porter, who lost a split decision to Spence in September. Garcia’s left-hand counter is dangerous. By now, however, Spence knows that. Again, Garcia will be good, but not quite good enough. Spence, unanimous decision.

Nam: In one sense, Spence’s come-forward style is perfect for Garcia, who is at his best when counterpunching. But Spence isn’t just a mere bruiser. He’ll pick his spots early on before he’s able to corner Garcia and unload hard combinations to the body. Garcia will land that left hook counter multiple times, but at welterweight, he simply does not have the power to imperil the elite fighters. Spence will swallow them whole as he continues to break Garcia down and eventually stop him.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Errol Spence Jr.: 13-2 (6 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Gennadiy Golovkin vs. five potential opponents

Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

We started the series Sunday with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and moved down the list to No. 2 Terence Crawford, No. 3 Canelo Alvarez, No. 4 Naoya Inoue and No. 5 Oleksandr Usyk.

Next up: No. 6 Gennady Golovkin.

Triple-G is coming off a shaky performance in a close decision over unheralded Sergey Derevyanchenko last October, raising the notion that he’s slowing down as he approaches his 38th birthday, but he remains a major player at middleweight.

In this installment of Who Wins?, our staffers’ give their takes on how Golovkin would do against Canelo Alvarez in a third fight, Demetrius Andrade, Derevyanchenko in a rematch, Jermall Charlo and Jaime Munguia. We then tally Golovkin’s record in those fights and present our standings.

The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day. That means our featured fighter tomorrow will be No. 7 Errol Spence Jr.

So here goes: Inoue vs. his five potential opponents.

GOLOVKIN (40-1-1, 35 KOs) VS. ALVAREZ (53-1-2, 36 KOs)

Is Canelo Alvarez (right) too good for Gennadiy Golovkin at this stage of their careers? Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Rosenthal: Golovkin isn’t as far gone as some seem to believe. He looked so-so in his last fight, a harder-than-expected unanimous-decision victory over Sergey Derevyanchenko that suggested he might be slipping. The guess here is that he lacked inspiration, which he would have in abundance for third fight with Alvarez. Part III would look like Parts I and II – give and take from beginning to end – but Alvarez, who is peaking now, is better at this stage of the game. He wins a clear decision this time.

Frauenheim: The second encore will be more of what we saw in the first encore. Golovkin is a couple fights past his prime. His durability is not the same. Lack of body punching in the first two is a sign GGG won’t step inside. Canelo, unanimous decision.

Nam: The win and draw Alvarez has against Golovkin will forever have asterisks attached to them. But if these two ever fight again – there is talk that it could happen this fall – Alvarez will be the decided favorite and it has all to do with the fact that he’s in his prime and Golovkin is not. Since their last meeting, Alvarez has outclassed Daniel Jacobs and stopped light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev. Golovkin, meanwhile, went life and death against Sergey Derevyanchenko in a fight he barely edged on the scorecards. Alvarez by convincing unanimous decision.

***

GOLOVKIN VS. ANDRADE (29-0, 18 KOs)

Demetrius Andrade (right, landing against Luke Keeler) has skills that could present problems for Golovkin. Melina Pizano / Matchroom Boxing USA

Rosenthal: Make no mistake: Triple-G would be competitive with any middleweight in the world. This might not be a good matchup for him, though. Andrade’s stick-and-move style would drive this somewhat slower version of Golovkin nuts. The fight wouldn’t necessarily look pretty – unless you like pure boxing – but Andrade would be in control from for most of the fight. Andrade by clear decision.

Frauenheim: Andrade falls into a dreaded category: Most Avoided. His slick defense makes him hard to hit. Hard to beat. Worse, he can make better fighters look bad. GGG has the precision and power to hurt him, especially when he throws wild combos. Fight won’t happen, but if it did: GGG, late-round KO.

Nam: It’s not so much that Andrade is “avoided” by the top fighters in the middleweight division but that he is treated more like an afterthought. And he has only himself to blame. Though Andrade was born and bred in the United States, it’s as if he received his education from the Cuban School of Boxing, an outpost that specializes in the art of playing spoilsport in the ring. Andrade will make this a dreary bout, no doubt, and his physical advantages will make Golovkin look like a plodder. Still, Golovkin should be able to to win rounds by landing the more significant punches in what nonetheless figures to be a low, low output affair. Golovkin by ugly close decision.

***

GOLOVKINS VS. DEREVYANCHENKO (13-2, 10 KOs)

How much did the war between Golovkin (left) and Derevyanchenko take out of Triple-G? Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

Rosenthal: Golovkin will be reticent to exchange punches so freely with this bruiser the second time around. He still has a strong skill set and he’ll use it against Derevyanchenko, who will have more difficulty finding the target in this rematch. Golovkin will pick his shots, land some telling blows and be satisfied to win a more-definitive decision this time around.

Frauenheim: Giving Derevyanchenko another chance might be the last mistake in GGG’s career. GGG won a unanimous decision in October. But it wasn’t decisive. A one-point margin on one card and three points on each of the other two mean it was close. Derevyanchenko makes the adjustments, wins split decision.

Nam: There were immediate calls for a rematch after their first bout, but Golvokin, and his braintrust wanted no part of it. Who can blame them? Derevyanchenko rallied from a cut and early knockdown to dominate nearly three quarters of the fight. Golovkin never looked more vulnerable or slower. For every punch Golovkin landed, Derevyanchenko would respond with a three, four punch sally. Expect the same, just worse in the rematch. Derevyanchenko by decision.

***

GOLOVKIN VS. CHARLO (30-0, 22 KOs)

Jermall Charlo has never faced anyone at the level of Golovkin. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime

Rosenthal: Love this matchup. Charlo is a fiery boxer-puncher who will attack Golovkin with measured aggression, picking his spots but not leaving himself open to Golovkin’s big shots too often. Golovkin will take a similar approach in what will become an entertaining, give-and-take battle that will be taxing for both fighters. Triple-G will have his hand raised afterward, the winner of a close decision.

Frauenheim: Charlo has dangerous power. He’s quicker than GGG, too. But his style, dictated by his aggressive instincts, will put him squarely in the middle’s of GGG’s wheelhouse. GGG will catch him coming in, especially in the later rounds. GGG, late-round TKO.

Nam: A competent boxer-puncher with above-average power, Charlo would appear to have the skill set and explosiveness to trouble Golovkin at this stage of the Kazakhstani‘s career. But it’s hard to honestly assess Charlo at middleweight as he has only fought subpar opposition thus far. It’s a close, tactical matchup with intermittent offensive spurts. Golovkin wins on points.

***

GOLOVKIN VS. MUNGUIA (35-0, 28 KOs)

Jaime Munguia (right, unloading on Gary O’Sullivan) has youth on his side but little else against Golovkin. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

Rosenthal: Munguia, 23, has youth on his side, which gives him hope, but he has too many obstacles to overcome to win this fight. The Mexican is still growing into the 160-pound division and he has the tendency to be reckless, which will play into Triple-G’s hands. He simply can’t slug with Golovkin but knows no other way. This matchup will produce fireworks as long as it lasts but it won’t last long. Golovkin by early KO.

Frauenheim: An interesting fight a couple of years from now. But GGG will be 40 in a couple of years. He’ll be thinking more about retirement than a tough fight against a 25-year-old contender. For now, Mungia has only one fight at middleweight. He’s fun to watch, but his fearlessness will get him knocked out. GGG wins KO.

Nam: There are some signs that Munguia, a former 154-pound titleholder, is improving under new trainer Erik Morales, but the Mexican still remains a rough-hewn project – especially on defense. His inability to keep his hands up, chin tucked and general sloppiness on offense are big red flags against Golovkin, who will dictate the bout with his ramrod jab. Golovkin will find it easier to land his right hand against a relatively slower-moving target in Munguia. Golovkin by late stoppage.

***

THE FINAL TALLY

Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)

***

THE STANDINGS

Canelo Alvarez: 15-0 (6 KOs)
Naoya Inoue: 14-0-1 (5 KOs)
Vassiliy Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)
Terence Crawford: 14-1 (3 KOs)
Oleksandr Usyk: 10-5 (2 KOs)
Gennadiy Golovkin: 9-6 (5 KOs)

Who wins? Terence Crawford vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Canelo Alvarez vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Naoya Inoue vs. five potential opponents

Who wins? Oleksandr Usyk vs. five potential opponents