Canelo Alvarez on Tuesday announced that he’ll fight an American on May 4, but he didn’t reveal who it is?
Who is Canelo Alvarez going to fight on May 4? You can keep guessing, although now you have a clue.
Alvarez confirmed Tuesday on TV Azteca that he will return to the ring on Cinco de Mayo weekend, when he has typically fought. He didn’t reveal his opponent, saying only that he will be fighting an American.
That could mean that he’ll defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against 160-pound beltholder Jermall Charlo, who reportedly has been the leading candidate for some time.
It could also mean that 168-pound contender David Benavidez — the opponent most fans seem to be backing — or 147-pound champ Terence Crawford remain in the running to win boxing’s version of the lottery, although they appear to be longshots.
Alvarez hasn’t shown much interest in facing Benavidez, who many believe is his most significant threat in the division. And it seems unlikely that Crawford, who is No. 1 pound-for-pound, will move up three divisions to face one of the best fighters of the era.
Jermell Charlo, Jermall’s twin brother, jumped two divisions to face Alvarez and was overmatched in a unanimous-decision loss in September.
Alvarez and all three of the aforementioned potential opponents work with the managerial company Premier Boxing Champions, which limits obstacles in negotiations.
Alvarez’s comments also evidently mean that fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia, another top 168-pound contender, is out as a potential opponent for now.
Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) returned from a 2½-year layoff on Nov. 25, when he defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by a one-sided decision in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez on Tuesday announced that he’ll fight an American on May 4, but he didn’t reveal who it is?
Who is Canelo Alvarez going to fight on May 4? You can keep guessing, although now you have a clue.
Alvarez confirmed Tuesday on TV Azteca that he will return to the ring on Cinco de Mayo weekend, when he has typically fought. He didn’t reveal his opponent, saying only that he will be fighting an American.
That could mean that he’ll defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against 160-pound beltholder Jermall Charlo, who reportedly has been the leading candidate for some time.
It could also mean that 168-pound contender David Benavidez — the opponent most fans seem to be backing — or 147-pound champ Terence Crawford remain in the running to win boxing’s version of the lottery, although they appear to be longshots.
Alvarez hasn’t shown much interest in facing Benavidez, who many believe is his most significant threat in the division. And it seems unlikely that Crawford, who is No. 1 pound-for-pound, will move up three divisions to face one of the best fighters of the era.
Jermell Charlo, Jermall’s twin brother, jumped two divisions to face Alvarez and was overmatched in a unanimous-decision loss in September.
Alvarez and all three of the aforementioned potential opponents work with the managerial company Premier Boxing Champions, which limits obstacles in negotiations.
Alvarez’s comments also evidently mean that fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia, another top 168-pound contender, is out as a potential opponent for now.
Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) returned from a 2½-year layoff on Nov. 25, when he defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by a one-sided decision in Las Vegas.
Fighter of the Year: Terence Crawford made the decision process easy with his monumental knockout of Errol Spence Jr.
Many people seem to believe that a boxer must have multiple fights to be considered for Fighter of the Year.
Not us. Sometimes a single victory is so monumental that it carries more weight than even two or three important wins by rivals. That was the case when we selected our award winner for 2023.
Naoya Inoue had a hell of year, knocking out Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales to become undisputed champion in a second division. Devin Haney outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis. David Benavidez dominated two excellent boxers, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. And Gervonta Davis KO’d two unbeaten Garcias, Hector Luis and Ryan.
Those stars all had solid credentials for Fighter of the Year. However, their accomplishments didn’t add up to what Terence Crawford did on July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Crawford fought Errol Spence Jr. in the most significant matchup of the year, a meeting of two unbeaten pound-for-pounders – Crawford No. 1 and Spence No. 4 on Boxing Junkie’s list – for the undisputed welterweight championship.
It brought back memories of great 147-pound matchups of the past, including Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns and Felix Trinidad vs. Oscar De La Hoya. It was historic.
In the end, however, it wasn’t competitive as Crawford turned a 50-50 matchup on paper into a stunning mismatch in the ring.
Crawford was nothing short of spectacular, putting Spence down three times, breaking him down and taking him out in the ninth round of what was arguably his coronation as the best fighter in the post-Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao era.
He also became the first undisputed welterweight champion in the four-belt era and the first man to win all four major belts in a second division, adding to the weight of his achievement.
See why Crawford was an obvious choice for 2023 Fighter of the Year?
“Man, I’m so blessed,” Crawford said in the ring after his victory. “I swear, I swear, like I said before, I always dreamed of being a world champion. I’m an overachiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up.
“I made everybody a believer.”
Indeed, he did. And it started in the second round.
That’s when, with about 20 seconds to go, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) put Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) down with a right jab that resembled a power punch. Spence got to his feet and wasn’t hurt badly, but Crawford was just getting started.
From then on, the winner was in complete control, coldly, methodically destroying an opponent many believed was his equal going into the highly anticipated showdown.
The fight was already slipping away from Spence in Round 7, during which Crawford put him down twice, first by a counter right about a minute into the round and then by a right hook in the final seconds. The end, it seemed, was near.
Crawford stung Spence midway through Round 9 and then unloaded as vicious an assault as you’ll ever see in the ring. Spence somehow remained on his feet but he took terrible punishment, enough to convince referee Harvey Dock to end the slaughter.
It was a performance for the ages given the perception of Spence at the time, the stakes and Crawford’s complete dominance. No one else could match his accomplishment.
Fighter of the Year: Terence Crawford made the decision process easy with his monumental knockout of Errol Spence Jr.
Many people seem to believe that a boxer must have multiple fights to be considered for Fighter of the Year.
Not us. Sometimes a single victory is so monumental that it carries more weight than even two or three important wins by rivals. That was the case when we selected our award winner for 2023.
Naoya Inoue had a hell of year, knocking out Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales to become undisputed champion in a second division. Devin Haney outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis. David Benavidez dominated two excellent boxers, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. And Gervonta Davis KO’d two unbeaten Garcias, Hector Luis and Ryan.
Those stars all had solid credentials for Fighter of the Year. However, their accomplishments didn’t add up to what Terence Crawford did on July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Crawford fought Errol Spence Jr. in the most significant matchup of the year, a meeting of two unbeaten pound-for-pounders – Crawford No. 1 and Spence No. 4 on Boxing Junkie’s list – for the undisputed welterweight championship.
It brought back memories of great 147-pound matchups of the past, including Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns and Felix Trinidad vs. Oscar De La Hoya. It was historic.
In the end, however, it wasn’t competitive as Crawford turned a 50-50 matchup on paper into a stunning mismatch in the ring.
Crawford was nothing short of spectacular, putting Spence down three times, breaking him down and taking him out in the ninth round of what was arguably his coronation as the best fighter in the post-Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao era.
He also became the first undisputed welterweight champion in the four-belt era and the first man to win all four major belts in a second division, adding to the weight of his achievement.
See why Crawford was an obvious choice for 2023 Fighter of the Year?
“Man, I’m so blessed,” Crawford said in the ring after his victory. “I swear, I swear, like I said before, I always dreamed of being a world champion. I’m an overachiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up.
“I made everybody a believer.”
Indeed, he did. And it started in the second round.
That’s when, with about 20 seconds to go, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) put Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) down with a right jab that resembled a power punch. Spence got to his feet and wasn’t hurt badly, but Crawford was just getting started.
From then on, the winner was in complete control, coldly, methodically destroying an opponent many believed was his equal going into the highly anticipated showdown.
The fight was already slipping away from Spence in Round 7, during which Crawford put him down twice, first by a counter right about a minute into the round and then by a right hook in the final seconds. The end, it seemed, was near.
Crawford stung Spence midway through Round 9 and then unloaded as vicious an assault as you’ll ever see in the ring. Spence somehow remained on his feet but he took terrible punishment, enough to convince referee Harvey Dock to end the slaughter.
It was a performance for the ages given the perception of Spence at the time, the stakes and Crawford’s complete dominance. No one else could match his accomplishment.
Weekend Review: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, only 23, appears to be on a path to greatness after his knockout of Sunny Edwads on Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez
Consider what Rodriguez has accomplished the past 22 months. He moved up from 112 pounds to 115 and took down mainstays Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, easily outpointed Israel Gonzalez, fought through a broken jaw to outpoint Cristian Gonzalez back at 112 and obliterated a supposed boxing wizard – Sunny Edwards – to unify two titles in his final fight at the weight Saturday. And he’s only 23. This is crazy stuff. Rodriguez’s performance against Edwards was sensational. He patiently, methodically broke down the second best flyweight, beat him up, made his face look like a war zone, put him down and finally forced Edwards’ trainer to save him from further punishment after nine rounds. A compelling matchup on paper was a rout in the ring. Of course, Rodriguez’s biggest challenges could lie ahead. He called out future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada, a 115-pound titleholder. And the great Chocolatito Gonzalez lurks. If Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) gets and wins those fights? We could be talking about a truly great fighter.
BIGGEST LOSER
Sunny Edwards
Sunny Edwards took a terrible beating in the end. Christian Petersen / Getty Images
Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) had a chance to become a superstar in his country. Instead, he’ll have to begin a rebuilding process. The Londoner’s undeniable technical ability proved too much for his first 20 opponents, who had trouble winning a round against him. His problem was that those 20 couldn’t compare to Rodriguez, whose combination of skill and power presented a challenge he couldn’t overcome. Edwards did well for a few rounds but was worn down by Rodriguez’s relentless attack and heavy blows, which set up the ninth-round knockdown and the end of what became a brutal beat down. Edwards is known as a defensive wizard yet Rodriguez landed 62.1% of his power punches. It was that kind of night for Edwards. Of course, the 27-year-old remains an elite boxer. He’ll go back to beating good opponents not named “Bam” and probably win another world title or two. However, the opportunity to become the face of boxing south of the heavyweight division in the United Kingdom probably came and went on Saturday.
The 168-pound contender’s second-round knockout of Sena Agbeko in Minneapolis proved next to nothing because of Agbeko’s limitations but it still was a special night for the Cuban. He can always say he delivered a stoppage on the final fight on Showtime. His parents were able to travel from Cuba to see him fight in person for the first time, which obviously meant a great deal to him. And it gave him the platform to call out the man he has been chasing – David Benavidez – one more time, which is part of the process of making fights happen. I don’t know when – or even if – Morrell will lure Benavidez into the ring but I do believe the former amateur star would be handful for his young rival and undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez because of his all-around ability. Find me an obvious weakness. Agbeko isn’t an elite fighter but he’s a solid one. And Morrell toyed with him before deciding to lower the boom less than five minutes into the fight. This guy is a genuine beast. Maybe he’ll get his chance to prove that beyond doubt in the coming year.
BIGGEST WINNER III
Jake Paul
Say what you want about Paul – and you will – you have to acknowledge that he has a flair for the dramatic. The right uppercut that ended his fight against Andre August in the first round Friday night was another viral moment for him. His wave goodbye as August lay on his back was good theater. And so was the moment he looked directly into the TV camera and made a shushing gesture, his way of telling his critics to shut up. How could you not love a knockout artist with a big personality? Does that mean he’ll realize his stated goal of becoming a world champion? Nah. He can now say he took down an experienced boxer but the obscure August seemed to be overwhelmed by the moment, which made him a sitting duck. Paul seems to have legitimate power but his skill set is still raw. He lost a decision to Tommy Fury. It’s difficult to imagine him developing to a point where he could beat legitimate champions. To be fair, though, Paul’s story already is improbable. Who really knows what this guy will accomplish when all is said and done?
RABBIT PUNCHES
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IHv90bT4XCE
Former 122-pound unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev bounced back from his split decision loss to Marlon Tapales in impressive fashion, breaking down and knocking out previously unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Akhmadaliev (12-1 (9 KOs) put Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs) down three times, twice in Round 6 and once more in Round 8 before the referee finally stopped the slaughter. No one in the division is going to beat superstar Naoya Inoue, who is scheduled to face Tapales for the undisputed championship on Dec. 26. However, Akhmadaliev demonstrated that he might be a more legitimate threat than anyone else. …
Talented 112-pound contender Galal Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) earned a one-sided decision over Rocco Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs), also on the Rodriguez-Edwards card. The 2020 Olympic champion’s combination of boxing ability and high work rate is formidable. However, the 31-year-old from England would have to be more responsible defensively to beat the top fighters in and near his weight class. He’s easy to hit. I’m guessing that’s something he and his team will work on going forward. … One of the more unlikely knockouts of the year occurred directly before the Yafai-Santomauro fight. Talented 122-pound contender Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) was outclassing Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) – who went down twice – when the Briton got caught with a right hook that put him down and out in the fifth round. That’s how a break-out performance instantaneously turns into a disaster. …
Jose Valenzuela couldn’t have been more impressive in his rematch with Chris Colbert, who defeated him by a disputed decision in March. He put Colbert (17-2, 6 KOs) down in the first round – as he did in the first fight – but this time he didn’t allow his slick opponent to get into a rhythm afterward on the Morrell-Agbeko card. Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) kept the pressure on Colbert, consistently landed hard shots and finally landed the game-ender, a huge right hand in the sixth round. I doubt Valenzuela could hang with the man he called out after his victory, Gervonta Davis, but he’s an improving boxer with legitimate power. Who knows? … The fight between Robert Guerrero (38-6-1, 20 KOs) and Andre Berto (32-6, 24 KOs) on the Morrell-Agbeko card had the feel of a baseball old-timers ago, which makes sense given the fact both men are 40 and hadn’t been active. I support anyone’s decision to fight if he or she passes rigorous physicals beforehand, including these two. At the same time a good-spirited, if dull scrap would be a good way for both men to say goodbye. Oh yeah, Guerrero won a decision. …
Franchon Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2 KOs) deserves credit. She lost her undisputed 168-pound championship to Savannah Marshall by a majority decision in July but bounced back to easily outpoint previously unbeaten Shadasia Green (13-1, 11 KOs) on the Paul-August card, winning back a vacant belt in the process. That was made possible when the WBC designated the injured Marshall its “champion in recess.” I have a question, though: How does a fighter who loses what should’ve been a unanimous decision – against Marshall – get a title shot in her next fight? Is the talent pool that shallow? … First HBO, now Showtime. The latter premium network showcased many of the most important fights for almost four decades, making it difficult to believe it’s over. Sad day. HBO and Showtime were the windows to the boxing world for three generations of Americans, particularly before the emergence of internet streaming. Now they’re part of history. Of course, the fans think about the countless thrills and brilliant commentators when they think about Showtime. I also think about the talented people behind the scenes whose paths I’ve had the privilege to cross. Farewell. …
Weekend Review: Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, only 23, appears to be on a path to greatness after his knockout of Sunny Edwads on Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez
Consider what Rodriguez has accomplished the past 22 months. He moved up from 112 pounds to 115 and took down mainstays Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, easily outpointed Israel Gonzalez, fought through a broken jaw to outpoint Cristian Gonzalez back at 112 and obliterated a supposed boxing wizard – Sunny Edwards – to unify two titles in his final fight at the weight Saturday. And he’s only 23. This is crazy stuff. Rodriguez’s performance against Edwards was sensational. He patiently, methodically broke down the second best flyweight, beat him up, made his face look like a war zone, put him down and finally forced Edwards’ trainer to save him from further punishment after nine rounds. A compelling matchup on paper was a rout in the ring. Of course, Rodriguez’s biggest challenges could lie ahead. He called out future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada, a 115-pound titleholder. And the great Chocolatito Gonzalez lurks. If Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) gets and wins those fights? We could be talking about a truly great fighter.
BIGGEST LOSER
Sunny Edwards
Sunny Edwards took a terrible beating in the end. Christian Petersen / Getty Images
Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) had a chance to become a superstar in his country. Instead, he’ll have to begin a rebuilding process. The Londoner’s undeniable technical ability proved too much for his first 20 opponents, who had trouble winning a round against him. His problem was that those 20 couldn’t compare to Rodriguez, whose combination of skill and power presented a challenge he couldn’t overcome. Edwards did well for a few rounds but was worn down by Rodriguez’s relentless attack and heavy blows, which set up the ninth-round knockdown and the end of what became a brutal beat down. Edwards is known as a defensive wizard yet Rodriguez landed 62.1% of his power punches. It was that kind of night for Edwards. Of course, the 27-year-old remains an elite boxer. He’ll go back to beating good opponents not named “Bam” and probably win another world title or two. However, the opportunity to become the face of boxing south of the heavyweight division in the United Kingdom probably came and went on Saturday.
The 168-pound contender’s second-round knockout of Sena Agbeko in Minneapolis proved next to nothing because of Agbeko’s limitations but it still was a special night for the Cuban. He can always say he delivered a stoppage on the final fight on Showtime. His parents were able to travel from Cuba to see him fight in person for the first time, which obviously meant a great deal to him. And it gave him the platform to call out the man he has been chasing – David Benavidez – one more time, which is part of the process of making fights happen. I don’t know when – or even if – Morrell will lure Benavidez into the ring but I do believe the former amateur star would be handful for his young rival and undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez because of his all-around ability. Find me an obvious weakness. Agbeko isn’t an elite fighter but he’s a solid one. And Morrell toyed with him before deciding to lower the boom less than five minutes into the fight. This guy is a genuine beast. Maybe he’ll get his chance to prove that beyond doubt in the coming year.
BIGGEST WINNER III
Jake Paul
Say what you want about Paul – and you will – you have to acknowledge that he has a flair for the dramatic. The right uppercut that ended his fight against Andre August in the first round Friday night was another viral moment for him. His wave goodbye as August lay on his back was good theater. And so was the moment he looked directly into the TV camera and made a shushing gesture, his way of telling his critics to shut up. How could you not love a knockout artist with a big personality? Does that mean he’ll realize his stated goal of becoming a world champion? Nah. He can now say he took down an experienced boxer but the obscure August seemed to be overwhelmed by the moment, which made him a sitting duck. Paul seems to have legitimate power but his skill set is still raw. He lost a decision to Tommy Fury. It’s difficult to imagine him developing to a point where he could beat legitimate champions. To be fair, though, Paul’s story already is improbable. Who really knows what this guy will accomplish when all is said and done?
RABBIT PUNCHES
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IHv90bT4XCE
Former 122-pound unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev bounced back from his split decision loss to Marlon Tapales in impressive fashion, breaking down and knocking out previously unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez in the eighth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Akhmadaliev (12-1 (9 KOs) put Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs) down three times, twice in Round 6 and once more in Round 8 before the referee finally stopped the slaughter. No one in the division is going to beat superstar Naoya Inoue, who is scheduled to face Tapales for the undisputed championship on Dec. 26. However, Akhmadaliev demonstrated that he might be a more legitimate threat than anyone else. …
Talented 112-pound contender Galal Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) earned a one-sided decision over Rocco Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs), also on the Rodriguez-Edwards card. The 2020 Olympic champion’s combination of boxing ability and high work rate is formidable. However, the 31-year-old from England would have to be more responsible defensively to beat the top fighters in and near his weight class. He’s easy to hit. I’m guessing that’s something he and his team will work on going forward. … One of the more unlikely knockouts of the year occurred directly before the Yafai-Santomauro fight. Talented 122-pound contender Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) was outclassing Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) – who went down twice – when the Briton got caught with a right hook that put him down and out in the fifth round. That’s how a break-out performance instantaneously turns into a disaster. …
Jose Valenzuela couldn’t have been more impressive in his rematch with Chris Colbert, who defeated him by a disputed decision in March. He put Colbert (17-2, 6 KOs) down in the first round – as he did in the first fight – but this time he didn’t allow his slick opponent to get into a rhythm afterward on the Morrell-Agbeko card. Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) kept the pressure on Colbert, consistently landed hard shots and finally landed the game-ender, a huge right hand in the sixth round. I doubt Valenzuela could hang with the man he called out after his victory, Gervonta Davis, but he’s an improving boxer with legitimate power. Who knows? … The fight between Robert Guerrero (38-6-1, 20 KOs) and Andre Berto (32-6, 24 KOs) on the Morrell-Agbeko card had the feel of a baseball old-timers ago, which makes sense given the fact both men are 40 and hadn’t been active. I support anyone’s decision to fight if he or she passes rigorous physicals beforehand, including these two. At the same time a good-spirited, if dull scrap would be a good way for both men to say goodbye. Oh yeah, Guerrero won a decision. …
Franchon Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2 KOs) deserves credit. She lost her undisputed 168-pound championship to Savannah Marshall by a majority decision in July but bounced back to easily outpoint previously unbeaten Shadasia Green (13-1, 11 KOs) on the Paul-August card, winning back a vacant belt in the process. That was made possible when the WBC designated the injured Marshall its “champion in recess.” I have a question, though: How does a fighter who loses what should’ve been a unanimous decision – against Marshall – get a title shot in her next fight? Is the talent pool that shallow? … First HBO, now Showtime. The latter premium network showcased many of the most important fights for almost four decades, making it difficult to believe it’s over. Sad day. HBO and Showtime were the windows to the boxing world for three generations of Americans, particularly before the emergence of internet streaming. Now they’re part of history. Of course, the fans think about the countless thrills and brilliant commentators when they think about Showtime. I also think about the talented people behind the scenes whose paths I’ve had the privilege to cross. Farewell. …
Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list of the best fighters in the world.
Devin Haney turned in the best performance of his career Saturday in his hometown of San Francisco, shutting out overmatched 140-pound champ Regis Prograis to win a major title in a second division.
If there was any doubt about Haney’s place among the best fighters in the world beforehand, there isn’t now.
The question we faced was whether his impressive victory merited an upgrade on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list (Top 15 plus five Honorable Mentions).
We feel it did.
Haney entered the fight ranked No. 14, one spot behind fellow young star Shakur Stevenson.
We normally wouldn’t bump a fighter up more than one or two notches after a victory over an opponent who wasn’t on the pound-for-pound list going into the fight. However, this case is unusual.
Consider three things:
One, Haney didn’t simply defeat Prograis, he embarrassed him. He dropped him and won every round on all three scorecards.
Two, he moved up in weight and directly into a world championship fight.
And, three, Prograis was no easy mark. He was a respected, once-beaten, two-time titleholder.
Yes, it was a special night for Haney.
As a result, he moves up to No. 10, which knocks previous No. 10 Errol Spence Jr., No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and Stevenson down one spot each.
Note: Spence and Lomachenko are coming off losses – Spence to Terence Crawford and Lomachenko to Haney – and Stevenson gave a shaky performance in his unanimous decision victory over Edwin De Los Santos.
Beterbiev, 38, can bounce back up the list depending on how he performs against Callum Smith on Jan. 13
Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable mentions Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards will face off on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney – No fight scheduled.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).
Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list of the best fighters in the world.
Devin Haney turned in the best performance of his career Saturday in his hometown of San Francisco, shutting out overmatched 140-pound champ Regis Prograis to win a major title in a second division.
If there was any doubt about Haney’s place among the best fighters in the world beforehand, there isn’t now.
The question we faced was whether his impressive victory merited an upgrade on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list (Top 15 plus five Honorable Mentions).
We feel it did.
Haney entered the fight ranked No. 14, one spot behind fellow young star Shakur Stevenson.
We normally wouldn’t bump a fighter up more than one or two notches after a victory over an opponent who wasn’t on the pound-for-pound list going into the fight. However, this case is unusual.
Consider three things:
One, Haney didn’t simply defeat Prograis, he embarrassed him. He dropped him and won every round on all three scorecards.
Two, he moved up in weight and directly into a world championship fight.
And, three, Prograis was no easy mark. He was a respected, once-beaten, two-time titleholder.
Yes, it was a special night for Haney.
As a result, he moves up to No. 10, which knocks previous No. 10 Errol Spence Jr., No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and Stevenson down one spot each.
Note: Spence and Lomachenko are coming off losses – Spence to Terence Crawford and Lomachenko to Haney – and Stevenson gave a shaky performance in his unanimous decision victory over Edwin De Los Santos.
Beterbiev, 38, can bounce back up the list depending on how he performs against Callum Smith on Jan. 13
Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable mentions Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards will face off on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Devin Haney – No fight scheduled.
Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).
Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement in his knockout victory over Demetrius Andrade.
Well, this is easy.
David Benavidez turned in a special performance last Saturday night in Las Vegas, where he beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten Demetrius Andrade after six rounds of a scheduled 12-rounder.
That made him a no-brainer for Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for November.
The former two-time 168-pound titleholder’s performance was breathtaking. It took him a few rounds to adjust to his talented opponent’s tricky tactics. However, once he did, he delivered a brutal beating.
The final two rounds amounted to a demolition, as Benavidez pounded Andrade relentlessly and received little in return even though Andrade tried to stay in the fight.
Benavidez landed 74 power punches in Rounds 5 and 6 (to 18 for Andrade), according to CompuBox. That was enough for the loser’s corner to see; they saved their man from undue punishment by stopping the beat down before the start of Round 7.
The winner couldn’t have made a stronger statement.
“For Canelo and everybody else, it just shows I’m not f—ing around,” he said.
Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) mentioned Canelo Alvarez because that’s the man he has been chasing the past few years.
The top challenger hopes his sensational victory over Andrade will finally convince the undisputed super middleweight champion and future Hall of Famer to give him his coveted opportunity, perhaps next Cinco de Mayo weekend.
“I’ve been winning the fights I’m supposed to win in fantastic fashion,” Benavidez said. “[Alvarez] has nobody else to fight.”
Then we would know with certainty whether Benavidez is as good as he appears to be.
Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement in his knockout victory over Demetrius Andrade.
Well, this is easy.
David Benavidez turned in a special performance last Saturday night in Las Vegas, where he beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten Demetrius Andrade after six rounds of a scheduled 12-rounder.
That made him a no-brainer for Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for November.
The former two-time 168-pound titleholder’s performance was breathtaking. It took him a few rounds to adjust to his talented opponent’s tricky tactics. However, once he did, he delivered a brutal beating.
The final two rounds amounted to a demolition, as Benavidez pounded Andrade relentlessly and received little in return even though Andrade tried to stay in the fight.
Benavidez landed 74 power punches in Rounds 5 and 6 (to 18 for Andrade), according to CompuBox. That was enough for the loser’s corner to see; they saved their man from undue punishment by stopping the beat down before the start of Round 7.
The winner couldn’t have made a stronger statement.
“For Canelo and everybody else, it just shows I’m not f—ing around,” he said.
Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) mentioned Canelo Alvarez because that’s the man he has been chasing the past few years.
The top challenger hopes his sensational victory over Andrade will finally convince the undisputed super middleweight champion and future Hall of Famer to give him his coveted opportunity, perhaps next Cinco de Mayo weekend.
“I’ve been winning the fights I’m supposed to win in fantastic fashion,” Benavidez said. “[Alvarez] has nobody else to fight.”
Then we would know with certainty whether Benavidez is as good as he appears to be.
