Manny Pacquiao would be making an enormous mistake if he decides to move up to middleweight to face Gennadiy Golovkin.
Boxing people – including fans – sometimes latch onto a stupid idea and won’t let go.
One example is the notion that 53-year-old Mike Tyson should take on legitimate, active heavyweights because he looked good in a video. Not going to happen. Tyson is too smart to allow that, smarter than those who would have him get eaten alive by the likes of Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder.
Another example: The idea that Manny Pacquiao fighting Gennadiy Golovkin somehow makes sense.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, threw out that concept during an off-the-cuff conversation with DAZN commentator Chris Mannix but soon retracted it, saying it wouldn’t be wise move. Too late. The train was out of the station.
Now people, even some of those who should know better, are running with the notion. Here’s the reality: The idea of Pacquiao fighting Golovkin is ludicrous.
Those who seem to be entertaining the concept will point to Pacquiao’s past to defend their position. He went up from junior lightweight to welterweight in the span of two fights to take on superstar Oscar De La Hoya and scored a knockout, after all.
A few years later the one-time junior flyweight moved up to junior middleweight and easily outpointed rugged Antonio Margarito. 160 is only six pounds more than 154.
And the advocates will point to Golovkin’s advanced age (38) and his most recent fight, a give-and-take struggle against Sergey Derevyanchenko that they contend revealed wear and tear that has eroded Triple-G’s skills.
Here’s the thing. Pacquiao was about to turn 30 and 32 when he fought De La Hoya and Margarito; he’s 41 now, three years older than Golovkin. Also, history tells us that De La Hoya was in fact a shell of what he’d been. He looked almost shot in his previous fight against Steve Forbes. Margarito was never the same after he was knocked out by Shane Mosley two fights earlier, after which the Mexican was out of boxing for almost a year and half.
Golovkin? Thirty-eight is 38. He obviously isn’t as good as he was at 28. That said, since when does one tough fight against an excellent opponent — which is what Derevyanchenko is — turn a pound-for-pounder into a has been overnight?
Triple-G fought Canelo Alvarez on even terms less than two years ago, for God’s sake. And mark my words: If he gets Alvarez into the ring anytime soon, he’ll give the Mexican superstar a much better fight than many believe he will.
Most critical in my opposition to this potential mismatch: Pacquiao is a natural 140-pounder while Golovkin is a natural 160-pounder. Bottom line: A 41-year-old small welterweight has no business in the ring with a legitimate middleweight, especially one as capable as Golovkin remains. Pacquiao might not walk out of the ring under his own power.
On top of everything else, Pacquiao fights in a division rich in talent. Why pick on someone so much bigger than him when he has Terence Crawford, Mikey Garcia and other well-known, marketable fighters resided at his current weight class?
None of this makes sense.
Now, for the record, I have to mention something. I thought Pacquiao had almost no chance to beat Keith Thurman last July. Pacquiao proved me wrong, leading me to say with great conviction that I will never, ever put anything past the second greatest fighter of his generation.
Golovkin is simply a bridge too far. Roach knows it. And I’m sure Pacquiao knows it.
DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss a potential matchup between Manny Pacquiao and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach recently floated the idea of welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao facing middleweight titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin, although he has since advised against it.
Is it a good idea?
Perhaps Pacman and Triple-G could meet somewhere between 154 pounds — at which Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito — and 160. Or would that be asking too much of Pacquiao, who is a natural 140-pounder and 41 years old?
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix, to whom Roach made his original comments, and Sergio Mora discuss that potential matchup.
Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez said Gennadiy Golovkin is not an option for Canelo Alvarez’s next fight.
The boxing world has been waiting for a third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin. It now seems as if it will have to wait a little longer.
What originally was teased as a possibility before the end of 2020 is likely to be pushed back to next year after the president of Golden Boy Promotions, Eric Gomez, said that a group of five or six fighters are being weighed by Alvarez and none of those options is Golovkin.
“There are five or six opponents, the names that always come out, and we are not ruling anyone out, but there is not one that sounds better than the other,” Gomez told ESPN Deportes. “There are several that have been mentioned, but Saul is going to decide who he wants to fight with.”
Gomez didn’t name any fighters in particular, but the three-division world champion has been linked to Billy Joe Saunders, Sergey Derevyanchenko, Anthony Dirrell and Callum Smith.
“We are looking at opponents, but there are no offers,” Gomez said. “We saw that some notes came out, but they are not true, there is no one, there are no offers, they are the same opponents, the best in the world, some of them champions. The difference is that the borders are not open, and people cannot travel freely as they would before, and that is another aspect that we have to look at.”
The Alvarez-Golovkin fight will not happen behind closed doors because of the money that would be sacrificed.
“Not with Golovkin,” said Gomez. “Economically, it is not convenient to do it without an audience. The two fights [between Canelo and GGG] produced very large gates in Las Vegas, and it would not be convenient to do that fight without an audience. But we will see when it can be done with the public. Both of them are open to fight, but it may not be until 2021.”
Gomez went on: “[Alvarez] is open to the idea [of fighting in an empty arena]. It is not yet confirmed, he has not confirmed that, we are just talking about the idea of fighting without an audience. We will see. He is open to it.
“But he wants to see all the details. In the next few weeks we will meet to discuss all the details, so he feels safe, that it’s going to be a safe place. He wants to know about the protocols. We will see in the coming weeks.”
Freddie Roach acknowledged rumors of a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Mikey Garcia but said that Pacquiao might want to aim higher.
Manny Pacquiao may be 41 years old, but his trainer, Freddie Roach, doesn’t think the Filipino senator is done fighting at the highest levels of the sport.
“One thing about Manny: He doesn’t just want to beat anybody, he wants to beat the best out there,” Roach said on DAZN’s “Boxing with Chris Mannix.”
“He wants to fight the top guys.”
Roach acknowledged a potential fight with Mikey Garcia, who called out Pacquiao back in April but said that Pacquiao might want to look to take on someone with a higher status, like Gennadiy Golovkin. Whether or not that’s a realistic possibility, the fact that Roach thinks Pacquiao still wants to fight at that level is notable.
“Pacquiao still desires to be the best there is,” Roach said.
Mannix asked whether Roach would consider Pacquiao fighting at 160 pounds to match Golovkin, to which Roach laughed and said no.
“But putting him at 147 was a risk at one point in time,” Roach reminded Mannix. “And it worked out really good for us.”
Roach also addressed Pacquiao’s political career and the possibility of him running for president of the Philippines in the future.
“He wants to make his country better, and he wants to improve everything,” Roach said. “… He works hard and he’ll do the best he can for everybody out there. I think he’s good for the country, and I think he’d be a great president. I’d vote for him.”
You can watch the full Mannix interview with Roach on DAZN.
Boxing Junkie takes a look at 28 active stars and gauges their chances of being elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame changed some of its rules before voting for its Class of 2020.
The retirement threshold was changed from five to three years, meaning a fighter had to be out of boxing for three years. And the number of inductees was no longer limited to three. A fourth or more could win election into the Hall if they’re on at least 80 percent of the ballots.
The result has been a glut of retired fighters who arguably have legitimate Hall of Fame credentials but are in competition with too many equal or more accomplished fighters.
For example, last year, Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley were the top three vote getters. No one else was on at least 80 percent of the ballots. That left fighters like Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez, among other noteable candidates, out in the cold.
And with a new group of eligible fighters for 2021, they’re chances of induction dwindle.
With all that in mind, we selected 28 active fighters for whom we believe a case could made they belong in the Hall and tried to gauge their chances of earning the required votes to be inducted.
We break them down on a scale of 1-5, 5 meaning they are almost certain to be inducted and 1 the opposite.
5
Canelo Alvarez (left, against James Kirkland) could retire now and be elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Scott Halleran / Getty Images
Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) – Say what you want about whether he’s currently No. 1 pound-for-pound. The Mexican superstar has been willing to fight everyone – sometimes out of his natural weight class – and he’s lost to only one, Floyd Mayweather, the best fighter of his generation. And Alvarez is still in his prime. He already has Hall of Fame credentials as you read this. He’s only going to add to them from here on out.
Roman Gonzalez (49-2, 41 KOs) – The former No. 1 pound-for-pounder dominated the lowest weight classes like few in modern history. The Nicaraguan not only won titles in four divisions, he did it dominating fashion: 41 knockouts in 49 victories. He hit a bump by losing twice to Srisasket Sor Rungvisai but bounced back to regain a title by stopping Kal Yafai, adding to his legacy at 32.
Vasiliy Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) – The only possible knock on the boxing wizard from Ukraine is a small sample of professional fights. However, the two-time Olympic champion has made the most of his 15 bouts, winning titles in three divisions and beating Gary Russell Jr., Roman Martinez, Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Jorge Linares and Luke Campbell. He also climbed to No. 1 on many pound-for-pound lists, which is a plus. And, 32, he’s still rolling.
Manny Pacquiao – Do we really need to discuss it? The Filipino icon has been at the top of the sport for two decades, building one of the richest resumes in modern history and providing countless thrills along the way. He went 6-2-1 against his great Mexican rivals Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez – all Hall of Famers – alone. The list of other notable victims is long. And, remarkably, he’s still going strong at 41.
Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) – His middleweight title run was spectacular even if he didn’t face many top-tier opponents. Few wanted to fight him for obvious reasons. Triple-G was champion for more than eight years, during which he had a remarkable streak of 23 consecutive knockouts. That’s crazy. Plus, most people think he beat Canelo Alvarez in their first fight. A victory (instead of a draw) would’ve added considerably to his legacy. All that makes Golovkin a near shoe-in.
***
4
Terence Crawford has passed the eye test many times but still lacks a defining victory on his record. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Terence Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) – This is a tough one. On one hand, he has been so dominating that he has won titles in three divisions and reached the pinnacle of the sport as its No. 1 fighter on some pound-for-pound lists. On the other hand, what’s his defining victory? Yuriorkis Gamboa? Viktor Postol? Amir Khan? Ouch. Crawford simply doesn’t have the kind of victories that catch a voter’s eye. Of course, he’ll probably get in even if he never gets that special victory. And, at 32, he still has time to add to his legacy.
Nonito Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs) – Donaire probably clinched his induction with his performance against Naoya Inoue, the Japanese sensation who was pushed to the limit by the Filipino-American. Among Donarie’s credentials: titles in four divisions, huge puncher, spectacular victories over Vic Darchinyan (twice), Moruti Mthalane, Fernando Montiel and Jorge Arce, Fighter of the Year in 2012. Losses to Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nicholas Walters, Jessie Magdaleno and Carl Frampton don’t help but he has probably accomplished enough.
Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) – Fury might get elected if he decided to retire today. One, he’s a two-time heavyweight champion who has proved to be the best heavyweight since Wladimir Klitschko was in his prime. And, two, he has the kind of defining victories that get your attention: a dominating decision over Klitschko and a seventh-round KO of Deontay Wilder. He also has one of the better comeback stories in recent history, which doesn’t hurt. Why isn’t he a 5 here? He doesn’t have much beyond the Klitschko and Wilder victories. Another win over Wilder and one or two over Joshua would make him a legend.
Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) – Few fighters have reached his level of respect – which means a lot – but he probably needs more time. He has only 19 fights. Like Lomachenko, though, he’s crammed a lot into a relatively small sample. He’s already won titles in three divisions and has generally done it in spectacular fashion. Great athlete, great boxer, great power. He has it all. He didn’t look great against Donaire but he fought through injuries against a naturally bigger veteran to have his hand raised. That arguably added to his legacy.
Mikey Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs) – Garcia didn’t do himself any favors by agreeing to fight Errol Spence Jr., who shut him out, but his willingness to challenge himself against a bigger man, especially one as talented as Spence, was laudable. A close look at Garcia’s resume reveals solid credentials: titles in four divisions, victories over the likes of Orlando Salido, Juan Manuel Lopez, Roman Martinez, Adrien Broner and Robert Easter. A title in a fifth division and a few more big victories could be enough to get him over the hump.
Okelsandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) – The gifted Ukrainian might get in regardless of how he fares as a heavyweight. He won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 and was the best cruiserweight of his era, with victories over Krzysztof Glowacki, Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Tony Bellew. That’s impressive stuff. And who knows? He might succeed as a heavyweight. If he wins a title or even records some notable victories, that could clinch his election to the Hall of Fame. The fact he has relatively few fights could work against him.
***
3
Juan Francisco Estrada (center) is still on top of his game and adding to his legacy. Dale de la Rey / AFP via Getty Images
Juan Francisco Estrada (40-3, 27 KOs) – Estrada is still building a Hall of Fame career. At the moment, he has titles in two divisions and has beaten Brian Viloria, Milan Melindo, Giovani Segura, Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (after losing to him earlier). And he gave a prime Roman Gonzalez problems in defeat. He probably hasn’t done enough to win election but, at 30, the Mexican remains at the top of his game. He could fight both Sor Rungvisai and Gonzalez again. Victories over those beasts and perhaps a few more could put him over the top.
Kazuto Ioka (25-2, 14 KOs) – Ioka is an under-the-radar candidate with solid Hall of Fame credentials. He has won titles in two divisions (four if count the ridiculous WBA “regular” title) and has beaten many of the best little men of his era, including Akira Yaegashi, Amnat Ruenroeng, Juan Carlos Reveco (twice) and McWilliams Arroyo. And, at 31, he currently holds a junior bantamweight title and could have more important victories in his future.
Anthony Joshua (23-1) – Joshua seemed to be on his way to first-ballot entry in the Hall of Fame when he ran into a chubby Mexican-American named Andy Ruiz Jr., who stopped him in seven rounds. Joshua bounced back to outpoint Ruiz in the rematch but he isn’t seen quite the same way after the initial setback. Joshua has victories over Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin, which is impressive. And he’s only 30. If he faces Tyson Fury and beats him, people will forget all about the Ruiz debacle and he’ll march triumphantly into the Hall. Another Ruiz-like setback or a blowout loss to Fury could have the opposite effect.
Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) – Santa Cruz could be on his way but he has more work to do. He has won titles in three divisions, beating the likes of Eric Morel, Viktor Terrazas, Abner Mares (twice) and Carl Frampton (after losing their first fight) along the way. He needs to do more than that, though. A title in another division and a victory or two over potential opponents like Gervonta Davis and Gary Russell Jr. could put him over the top.
Guillermo Rigondeux (20-1, 13 KOs) – Laszlo Papp was a great amateur fighter who didn’t have a great pro career. Still, he’s in the Hall of Fame. That bodes well for Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic champion. And the sublimely gifted Cuban has had a good pro career. He’s a former junior featherweight titleholder with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire and Joseph Agbeko. He was KO’d by Vasiliy Lomachenko but should be applauded for moving up in weight to face such an opponent. Rigo might need one or two more notable wins to get in. He’s 39.
Errol Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) –Spence is a Hall of Famer in the making. He has been a welterweight titleholder for three years, has victories over Kell Brook, Lamont Peterson, Mikey Garcia and Shawn Porter, and has climbed onto pound-for-pound lists. Yet, even at 30, his best might be yet to come if he has fully recovered from his car accident in October. He could prove to be a 4 or 5 here in the coming years.
Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) – Another tough one. On one hand, he was undefeated the first 11-plus years of his career, reigned as heavyweight champion for more than five years and knocked out all but one of men he faced. That was a special run. On the other hand, his skill set has always been questioned and the knockout loss to Tyson Fury looked bad, as if Wilder’s limitations were finally exposed. Consider this, though: It took a special heavyweight to do it. And, of course, he’s not finished. He can still add to legacy. The feeling here is that he will get into the Hall.
***
2
Danny Garcia (coming off a victory over Ivan Redkach, right) is a borderline Hall of Famer but still young enough to improve his credentials. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Danny Garcia – The two-division titleholder is just a few points away from a 40-0 record and no-brainer Hall of Fame status but, in fact, he lost close decisions to Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter. And his fate remains up in the air. He had an underappreciated run early in his career. He beat, in order, Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Morales again, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Mauricio Herrera, Rod Salka, Lamont Peterson, Pauli Malignaggi and Robert Guerrero. Who does that? And he’s not finished. If he can win a few more big fights, maybe regain a belt, he could get in.
Erislandy Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) – The ability is there. The resume might not be, in part because of bad luck. The one-time amateur star from Cuba has some impressive victories – Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Ishe Smith, Vanes Martirosyan and Terrell Gausha. His setbacks are more notable – Paul Williams (MD), Canelo Alvarez (SD), Jarrett Hurd (SD). Here’s the thing, though: Lara arguably did enough to win all three of those fights. Imagine what impact victories over Williams and Alvarez would’ve had on his legacy. As it is, Lara is a borderline Hall of Famer at best.
Jean Pascal (35-6-1, 20 KOs) – Pascal probably had little chance of election to the Hall going into 2019. He had had mixed results in recent fights and was approaching his late 30s. Then, last year, he beat Marcus Browne and Badou Jack. Add those late-career victories to wins over Chad Dawson and Lucian Bute, as well as a draw and close loss to Bernard Hopkins, and one could argue Pascal deserves consideration. Losses to Sergey Kovalev (twice), Eleider Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol don’t help his cause. Maybe he needs one or two more significant wins to get in. He better work fast. He’s 37.
Gary Russell Jr. (31-1, 18 KOs) – Russell has Hall of Fame ability but perhaps not the resume. He is currently one of the longest reigning titleholders – having been a titleholder for five years – and has some memorable victories, including those over Jhonny Gonzalez, Oscar Escandon, Joseph Diaz Jr., Kiko Martinez and, most recently, Tugstsogt Nyambayar. On the downside, he has been more inactive than most champions and still doesn’t have a defining victory. Russell, 31, is still near the top of his game. He needs to make the most of his ability while he can.
Keith Thurman (29-1, 22 KOs) – Thurman has a strong record, with a long reign as a welterweight titleholder and victories over Diego Chaves, Julio Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Luis Collazo, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia. Those are solid credentials. The problem is that Thurman has struggled with injuries the past several years, had a so-so performance in a victory over Josesito Lopez in a comeback fight and then lost to 40-year-old Manny Pacquiao. Whether he can return to full health and win more big fights could determine his fate.
Shawn Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) – Porter is roughly in the same class as rivals Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman. He has been a major player for about a decade, is a two-time welterweight titleholder and has collected a number of important wins, including those over Julio Diaz, Devon Alexander, Paulie Malignaggi, Adrien Broner, Andre Berto, Garcia and Yordenis Ugas. And he’s never been blown out. He could’ve had his hand raised in his losses to Kell Brook, Thurman and Errol Spence Jr. His setback against Spence in a wild fight certainly didn’t hurt his legacy.
***
1
Sergey Kovalev has had some fine performances but might not have the resume to enter the Hall of Fame. AP Photo / Anton Basanaev
Sergey Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) – The best we can say here is that “Krusher” is probably underappreciated. He has some notable victories – Bernard Hopkins and Pascal (twice), for example. And some people thought he beat Andre Ward in their first fight, which will work in his favor. He also was high on pound-for-pound lists. Things went downhill beginning with the second Ward fight, in which he was stopped. He was KO’d by Eleider Alvarez, although he won the rematch. And Canelo Alvarez took him out. He’s borderline in the old system. In the new one, he could miss out.
Abner Mares (31-3-1, 15 KOs) – Mares probably has better credentials than some might think. He’s won titles in three divisions and has beaten such fighters as Vic Darchinyan, Joseph Agbeko (twice), Eric Morel, Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce de Leon. That’s a nice run. He also was stopped in one round by Jhonny Gonzalez and has two losses against Leo Santa Cruz. Mares is probably on the outside looking in at the moment. And recent comments by him seem to indicate that he won’t be around much longer.
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-5-1, 41 KOs) – The two-time junior bantamweight titleholder is an interesting case. He has two huge victories over Roman Gonzalez, the second a brutal knockout. He’ll probably be remembered for those fights. And he is 1-1 against Juan Francisco Estrada. His knockout percentage also is eye-catching. That said, he has relatively few important victories compared to some of his contemporaries. And some believe Sor Rungvisai caught Gonzalez on the decline. At 33, he has more in the tank and some big fights ahead of him. Perhaps two or three more notable victories will win over voters.
Moruti Mthalane (39-2, 26 KOs) – One of the best African fighters of his era has had two reigns as flyweight champ that total around six years, which is impressive. He also has wins over Zolani Tete, John Riel Casimero and, in his last fight, Akira Yaegashi in defense of his 112-pound title. Has he done enough? He’s borderline at best. He’d have to extend his reign and record one or two more big victories to have a chance. He’s 37.
Canelo Alvarez’s decision over Gennadiy Golovkin in their second fight is seen by some as a defining victory. That followed a disputed draw in their first fight. Now, according to reports, the rivals could meet one last time in December or perhaps …
Canelo Alvarez’s decision over Gennadiy Golovkin in their second fight is seen by some as a defining victory.
That followed a disputed draw in their first fight. Now, according to reports, the rivals could meet one last time in December or perhaps May of next year depending on coronavirus restrictions.
Of course, Golovkin, 38, would like one more chance to beat his nemesis and earn a big payday. But does Canelo need the fight? The superstar can command great sums of money against a number of opponents. And he already defeated Golovkin. Does he need to beat him again for his legacy?
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora give their thoughts on that topic.
We wanted to remind you who comprises our Great Eight and present the single fighter we believe is the biggest threat to each man.
Who are the best boxers in each of the original eight weight classes? Check out Boxing Junkie’s new “Great Eight” feature.
***
Welcome back to the Great Eight, the best fighters in each of the original eight weight classes – heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.
Our list has been frozen for lack of action as a result of the coronavirus pandemic but the boxing gears are turning and the sport is expected to restart next month.
With that in mind, we wanted to remind you who comprises our Great Eight and – for the purposes of this post – present the single fighter we believe is the biggest threat to each man on our elite-of-the-elite list.
Remember: The heavyweight division includes cruiserweights, light heavyweight includes super middleweights, middleweight includes junior middleweights … all the way down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweights and strawweights.
Here we go.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Anthony Joshua had reason to be pleased with himself after embarrassing Andy Ruiz Jr. in their rematch. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Champion: Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs)
Biggest threat: Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs). The emphatic nature of Fury’s seventh-round knockout victory over Deontay Wilder in February seems to have eliminated Wilder as a serious threat, although one never knows because of his punching power. That leaves fellow Briton Anthony Joshua as the only man who could challenge Fury. Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the world by stopping Joshua last June, raising questions about his toughness, but Joshua bounced back to easily outpoint Ruiz in their rematch in December. We would favor Fury to beat Joshua but the latter has the tools to give our champion some trouble. Oleksandr Usyk? Too small.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Dmitriy Bivol (left, against Lenin Castillo) could give Artur Beterbiev all kinds of trouble. Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA
Champion: Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs)
Biggest threat: Dmitry Bivol (17-0, 11 KOs). Beterbiev proved in his 10th-round knockout of Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October that his combination of ability and strength is likely to overwhelm even an elite opponent. The potential problem here is that Bivol seems to be better Gvozdyk. Beterbiev’s fellow Russian doesn’t have tremendous punching power but he has baffled one opponent after another with his special skill set. If he can handle Beterbiev’s unusual strength and ability to hurt his opponents – a big “if” – he might be able to take down the most dominating fighter among 175- and 168-pounders.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Canelo Alvarez (left) would be favored to beat Gennadiy Golovkin if they met a third time. Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports
Champion: Canelo Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs)
Biggest threat: Gennadiy Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs). Triple-G might the only threat to Alvarez here. It’s difficult to imagine the Mexican star fighting anyone else at 160 pounds, as he seems to be transitioning into a super middleweight. And who knows? Even a third fight between them could take place at a catch weight between 160 and 168. Let’s assume that they’ll meet a third time at 160, though. Most knowledgeable observers say Golovkin is in decline at 38, an opinion based on so-so performances against Steve Rolls and Sergey Derevyanchenko. We would favor the younger, fresher Alvarez, too. However, we’re not willing to write off an old warrior who will be motivated to demonstrate that he remains formidable. Triple-G is a real threat.
WELTERWEIGHT
A fight between Errol Spence Jr. (right, against Shawn Porter) and Terence Crawford is necessary to determine the best welterweight. AP Photo / Ringo H.W. Chiu
Champion: Terence Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs)
Biggest threat: Errol Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs). Will we ever see the dream welterweight matchup? The feeling here is that Crawford is the slightly better, more-dynamic fighter of the two but Spence makes up for that infinitesimal disadvantage with an edge in natural size, although Crawford might be stronger than many realize. This is essentially a 50-50 fight, meaning Spence would be a bona fide threat to Crawford’s position here. We can only hope that it happens soon. For the record: Others in a deep division – including Shawn Porter and Manny Pacquiao – also are a threat to Crawford, just not to the extent Spence is.
LIGHTWEIGHT
Teofimo Lopez (right, against Richard Commey) has the ability to push the great Vasiliy Lomachenko. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Champion: Vasiliy Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs)
Biggest threat: Teofimo Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs). The beauty of this entry is that Lomachenko and Lopez are en route to a meeting before the end of the year. Lomachenko (our No. 1 fighter pound-for-pound) is the best boxer in the world. And while the Ukrainian has had only 15 pro fights, he had a zillion as a decorated amateur. That means he’d have an advantage over Lopez in terms of experience, too. The Honduran-American shouldn’t be overlooked, though. He has an impressive skill set built on his own solid amateur foundation, is an excellent athlete, has one-punch knockout power and has a killer’s mentality. He’s a genuine threat to the 32-year-old Lomachenko.
FEATHERWEIGHT
Does Shakur Stevenson have enough seasoning to challenge Gary Russell Jr.? Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Champion: Gary Russell Jr. (30-1, 18 KOs)
Biggest threat: Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs). Russell hasn’t had what might be described as a defining victory even though he turns 32 on June 5, but we have a good idea of what he brings to the ring. The 2008 U.S. Olympic has a sound fundamental foundation and possibly the fastest hands in the sport, which can overwhelm his opponents. We’d favor Russell to beat anyone between 122 and 126 pounds. Stevenson might push him, though. He, too, is quick, athletic and a former U.S. Olympian. He won a silver medal in 2016. Stevenson’s obvious deficiency is a lack of experience. He’s only 22 and has never faced anyone near Russell’s level. We’d learn a great deal about Stevenson if this fight happened. Leo Santa Cruz? We think he’s finished at 126.
BANTAMWEIGHT
Juan Francisco Estrada (left, against Victor Mendez) is a threat to Naoya Inoue if he can handle his strength. John McCoy / Getty Images
Champion: Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs)
Biggest threat: Juan Francisco Estrada (40-3, 27 KOs). Nonito Donaire proved in defeat that the gifted Inoue is human, although he battled through injuries to beat the tough veteran by a unanimous decision in November and preserve his place among the best in the sport. Fellow 118-pounders Guillermo Rigondeaux and John Riel Casimero might have the ability to push Inoue but his biggest threat currently fights at 115. Estrada is a superb all-around boxer who has proven himself over and over again against elite opposition on big stages. He definitely has the ability to threaten Inoue. The question would be size. Could the Mexican move up to 118 and handle a beast like Inoue? That could determine the winner.
FLYWEIGHT
Moruti Mthalane (right, against Masayuki Kuroda) still has the goods at 37. Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images
Champion: Kosei Tanaka (15-0, 9 KOs)
Biggest threat: Moruti Mthalane (39-2, 26 KOs). Tanaka announced that he plans to move up to 115 pounds, which means he isn’t likely to fight again in our flyweight-junior flyweight-strawweight division. However, we’re going to wait for him to sign a contract to fight at 115 before removing him. The next best – and certainly the most proven – at 112 and below is Mthalane, the 37-year-old South African. Mthalane hasn’t lost since he was stopped by a prime Nonito Donaire 2008 and seems to be as good as ever even at an advanced age. We’d favor a gifted young fighter like Tanaka over Mthalane but one never knows when it comes to a crafty veteran. One could also make a case for unbeaten junior flyweight Ken Shiro as the best of the bunch.
DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora give their thoughts on Canelo Alvarez’s plans to fight twice before the end of the year.
Canelo Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, has said his fighter wants to fight twice before the end of the year.
Alvarez could face Billy Joe Saunders or another super middleweight titleholder in September and fight again in December, possibly against rival Gennadiy Golovkin a third time.
Of course, the coronavirus pandemic complicates things. Alvarez might fight behind closed doors in September but would hope to have fans in the seats in December, especially if he faces Golovkin in a high-profile fight that would generate a large live gate.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora give their thoughts on Alvarez’s plans.
Promoter Eddie Hearn laid out a mini-tournament that would lead to a third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Canelo Alvarez’s trainer recently said that he expects the Mexican star to fight twice before the end of the year, in September and again in December. Eddie Hearn, who co-promotes Gennadiy Golovkin, likes the sound of that.
Hearn laid out a mini-tournament on the “Boxing with Chris Mannix” podcast that would lead to the fight many fans want to see.
According to Hearn’s plan, Golovkin would defend his middleweight title against Kamil Szeremeta in August and Alvarez would fight super middleweight beltholder Billy Joe Saunders in September. The winners – presumably Golovkin and Alvarez – would then meet in December, although the parties would have to settle upon a weight.
Of course, it’s not that simple.
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Alvarez was tentatively set to challenge Saunders on May 2 but the fight was postponed amid the coronavirus threat and there are no guarantees that Saunders will get the fight in September. Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s trainer, said a number of fighters are under consideration.
If Alvarez and Golovkin win their interim fights, then the rest could fall into place.
DAZN, which paid big money under the assumption that Alvarez and Golovkin would fight a third time, certainly wants the fight. Alvarez, who once said he was finished with Triple-G, has come around to the idea of meeting his rival again. Golovkin would like one more chance to defeat Alvarez. They drew in their first fight and Alvarez won the rematch by decision.
“The Canelo fight is the absolute defining moment of Gennadiy’s career,” Hearn told Mannix. “He has to get that right. He has to win that fight. But there are obligations that are going to need to be taken care of, but everybody needs to be moving in the right direction to provide the best [fights possible].”
And, obviously, organizers would want a live audience at Alvarez-Golovkin III because of a potentially huge gate. That could be possible in December, although everyone is at the mercy of the pandemic.
Then there’s the weight. Alvarez is likely to fight a 168-pound titleholder in September, whether that’s Saunders, Callum Smith, Caleb Plant or David Benavidez. Golovkin will fight Szeremeta at 160. That would have to be worked out.
Golovkin might’ve been in play as a possible opponent for Alvarez in September, but he made it clear he wanted to defend his title against his mandatory challenger, Szeremeta, first.
Triple-G wanted the third fight with Alvarez this past September and then, when that didn’t happen, on that May 2 date. When Alvarez wouldn’t bite either time, Golovkin went a different direction.
“They actually avoided this fight in September,” Golovkin told Sports Illustrated. “They didn’t want to fight in May of 2020. So I went my way. I have my own career, and I figured: How long should I wait?”
Said Hearn: “[Golovkin] already had a signed contract with Szeremeta. He already feels he’s been messed around once so he got a new plan, signed that and now he’s told, ‘No, you have to fight Canelo in September.’”
If Hearn’s plan pans out, it could finally happen before the end of the year.
Eddy Reynoso, Canelo Alvarez’s longtime trainer, told Box Azteca that Alvarez wants to fight twice before the end of 2020.
Canelo Alvarez evidently plans to make the most of the rest of this year.
Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s longtime trainer, told Box Azteca that Alvarez wants to fight twice before the end of 2020. One bout would take place in September (Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16) and another in December.
Alvarez had been negotiating to fight super middleweight titleholder Billy Joe Saunders but, according to Reynoso, no opponents have been selected for one of the sport’s biggest stars.
“We realistically want two fights this year,” Reynoso told the Mexican outlet. “We couldn’t fight in May, so we are looking at September and December. We’re talking about [potential opponents] like Billy Joe Saunders. There’s also [super middleweight beltholder] Caleb Plant and the WBC world titleholder at 168 pounds (David Benavidez). There are several [possibilities].”
Middleweight titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin is an option for December.
Alvarez and Golovkin fought to a draw in September 2017, and Alvarez won the rematch by a majority decision a year later. Golovkin, who turned 38 years old in April, is planning to face mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta when coronavirus restrictions allow it.
“Golovkin could be the fight for December,” Reynoso said. “His people have already said that he doesn’t want to fight Canelo until after the [Szeremeta] fight.”
