In this week’s mailbag, Stephen “Breadman” Edwards covers another variety of topics, including analysis of Saul Alvarez-Terence Crawford, Anthony Joshua-Andre Ward and Moses Itauma-Dillian Whyte, and of the potential fighter of the decade
Bread,
I am sure you are getting a lot of mail about the Canelo v Crawford fight, but I am writing to get your thoughts on the fight that is happening the day after Canelo-Bud. I am a huge “Monster” Inoue fan and think he is already an ATG and first ballot hall of famer. But, his fight next month vs MJ is a dangerous one. As great as Inoue is, there has been some slippage, and his lapses in defense could prove problematic against an awkward, hard-punching opponent like Akhmadaliev. There is a part of me that thinks Inoue will employ the same strategy he did vs Stephen Fulton – box early, then crank it up in the middle rounds, but he will need to be careful. I am still leaning towards Inoue by decision in front of his hometown fans, but what is your take? Is MJ a significant threat?
Reid, Atlanta, GA
Bread’s response: I think Inoue is a special fighter. He’s building a strong case for being the best fighter ever who has competed at 122lbs or less. That’s how good he is. But I agree about his slippage. Violent, high-impact fighters get hit with big shots once they start slipping. Inoue has been hit with huge left hands recently and they have shown their effects. That’s where slippage starts in a game of inches. That split-second reaction time where he could avoid the incoming shots are now shots he’s being hit and dropped with. I still feel that Inoue is one of the best fighters in the world. I still feel he’s right there with Usyk and Crawford. But I definitely have seen a little bit of paint chipping off of the wall.
That being said, I still like Inoue to beat MJ. I just feel like Inoue is the better fighter and better athlete. And just because Inoue may have slipped slightly it doesn’t mean he can’t turn in an A+ performance. It just means he’s slightly more vulnerable right now. I think Inoue will be too fast and vicious. I like him to stop MJ late or run away with a wide UD.
Sup Bread,
Pretty much like there is a new trend of calling Harry Greb the GOAT, some people have started saying that Lennox Lewis is the most unbeatable boxer in mythical match-ups. They say due to the combination of his size and athleticism, he will be a favorite over everyone, including Ali. I neither agree with the assessment that Greb is the GOAT, nor do I think Lewis should be a favorite against any fighter in history. I personally consider Holmes the most nightmare match-up for him. I would have said Norton is the most nightmare match-up for Lewis but due to his not so strong chin, I give Lewis a slight edge. How do you think Lewis will do against Ali, Holmes, Frazier, Joe Louis, and Sonny Liston?
Regards, Saurabh
Bread’s response: I personally think Lennox Lewis is a super tough head to head historic match up. Meaning he could have a logical case for beating any heavyweight in history. But I don’t believe he would be the favorite over any heavyweight in history. There is a difference. Much like Tommy Hearns, Lewis is a very tough match up. But it doesn’t make him unbeatable. He was beaten twice via KO by far lesser fighters than himself.
I disagree about Holmes, however. Holmes is also a tough head-to-head match-up, but Holmes has shown more vulnerable spots than Lewis. Holmes was knocked down hard by several lesser fighters with right hands. He also struggled with several tight decisions during his reign vs Ken Norton, Tim Witherspoon and Carl Williams. And a smaller Michael Spinks jumped right from light heavyweight and beat him. I can’t imagine Spinks beating any version of Lewis… If we are being honest, when Roy Jones jumped from light heavyweight to heavyweight he chose John Ruiz because he knew how tough a fight v Lewis would be. Let’s say Jones and Spinks are about even as fighters; Spinks chances vs Holmes were greater than Jones’ vs Lewis, logically.
I think Holmes is a wonderful fighter. He wasn’t perfect but he was the total package. He may have been better than Lewis. It’s a close call. But Lewis was bigger – a bigger puncher – and he was more physically imposing. Holmes had better recovery skills and better stamina with an enormous heart, but if I was training a fighter I think I would rather face Holmes before Lewis. This is different to saying who the better fighter is. I know Holmes was never KO’d against fighters like Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall and that is something to factor in. But I still think Lewis is the harder fight overall for a field of fighters.
Out of the five fighters you named I can honestly see a day where Lewis could beat each one and I can see a day where they can all beat him. It’s what makes Lewis so fascinating to analyze.
Rest in peace Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa. That had to be said first. What has to be said second is that the solution to deaths in boxing is very simple. It’s time for the men’s side of the sport to adapt the women’s rules for two-minute rounds. In my research, I can’t find a single instance of a professional women’s boxer who has passed away from injuries sustained in the ring. I can only find an example of one woman who passed during a sanctioned amateur event. Rest in peace, Becky Zerlentes. The reason for this is because two-minute rounds help prevent a long, consistent beating to the brain. That is what causes these deaths. Two-minute rounds with the same minute break means a safer event. I think it’s time to make that rule universal. Do you agree, or am I possibly being a bit too emotional in reaction to a tragedy?
Bread’s Response: I disagree wholeheartedly. If boxing went to two-minute rounds for men, I wouldn’t watch it anymore. Boxing has gone from 15 rounds to 12. From same day weigh-ins, to day before weigh-ins. The gloves used to all be horse hair with soft leather. Now we have different types of micro fiber and cushion. They also instruct referees to basically do a DUI field sobriety test when a fighter is hurt. Fights are stopped much quicker in this era than before. No disrespect but I don’t know what else you would want as far as safety. We don’t have a perfect sport but going to two-minute rounds would be horrible in my opinion and I would no longer want to be associated with it.
Hello Stephen,
With the Crawford-Alvarez fight approaching, it got me thinking about all the hype back in the day with Mayweather and GGG. Not sure if Mayweather was really serious but it got social media going crazy for a time there. So I’m asking for your opinion on how that match-up would have played out. Also, do you see Crawford-Alvarez being similar in any way to what would have happened with Mayweather-GGG?
Thanks, Steven
Bread’s response: I don’t remember there ever being serious talk of Mayweather vs GGG. I don’t want to even guess how it would’ve gone because Floyd was not a middleweight. He never fought above 151lbs. And the 2012-15 version of GGG was a serial killer. I don’t know if any ex-junior lightweight in history could’ve beaten him. That’s a really hard fight for a man who used to make 130lbs comfortably. People don't realize this isn't a hypothetical thought of who's better pound for pound. Floyd is better – I can say that without hesitation. But you're talking about a real fight, which is different.
I see Crawford vs Canelo being similar to Leonard vs Hagler. A fight that actually did happen.
Bread,
Off the top of your head, who are the top-10 122lbs fighters in history? Are any of them in your top 10 P4P?
Thanks, Jeremy
Bread’s response: I’m sure I will miss some Asian and Latino fighters who racked up great career numbers in this weight division but weren't exposed to the US market. But I will do my best despite not having the analytical acumen.
– Wilfredo Gomez
– Marco Antonio Barrera
– Erik Morales
– “Monster” Inoue
– Jeff Fenech
– Manny Pacquiao
– Wilfredo Vazquez
– Israel Vazquez
– Vuyani Bungu
– Kennedy McKinney
Being from Omaha, I really hope Bud wins. And I know this fight has been dissected ad nauseam, but I haven’t heard a lot about Canelo’s upper-body movement. I’ve always thought his best offense came as a result of his defense; creating angles, like a young Mike Tyson. Do you think that could be a factor that has been overlooked or have I just missed that analysis? When will the judges be announced? If “10-2 Byrd” is one of them, Bud might as well stay here at home.
I’ve always been a huge Manny Steward fan. I read that he trained 41 world champions. Do you know if that is a modern-day record? Do you know what active trainer has the most today? How many world champions have you trained? Forty-one just seems to be an incredible number, especially when there weren’t so many world championship belts back when Manny started his career. Do you think he is the greatest trainer of all-time?
Thank you, Curt, Omaha
Bread’s response: Canelo has great head movement but it’s not like Mike Tyson’s. It’s more like Julio Cesar Chavez’s with a modern twist of urban rhythm. Obviously defense can be a factor. Let’s see what happens. I am very intrigued by who the judges will be in the Canelo vs Crawford match-up...
When I hear that a trainer has trained a certain number of world champions I often wonder if the trainer was in the corner on the night the champion won the title or if he trained the champion while they were champion. Or if he trained him at another time of their career. There is a huge difference. For example, Emanuel Steward worked with Matthew Saad Muhammad. There is video of Saad in camp sparring Michael Moorer. There is also video of Emanuel Steward training Adonis Stevenson and Tyson Fury before they became champions. I don’t know if any of those fighters are counted as “champions trained”. Context is important.
It’s hard to say who the GOAT is among trainers. It’s more than just champions trained or fight results. I believe you also have to consider who got the most out of their fighters; who took fighters the furthest from various starting points; who had the most success as the underdog trainer and who responded to losses the best. There are many variables.
In my opinion Emanuel Steward checks the most boxes. He started out several young fighters at the Kronk gym and took them to world titles. Tommy Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Jimmy Paul, Milton McCrory and Duane Thomas all became world champions by starting out at the Kronk. Then he produced a gold medalist in Steve McCrory, so he had great success as an amateur trainer. Then he had success fixing already elite fighters like Wladimir Klitshcko, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Oscar De La Hoya. And he won big fights as the underdog with Oliver McCall over Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield over Riddick Bowe.
So even without knowing the exact amount of world champions Steward trained in context, I do know he checks the most boxes out of the modern trainers. So for me, I have no problem acknowledging Emanuel Steward as the GOAT.
Hi Mr Edwards,
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I think the key to beating Canelo is using an effective jab combined with footwork. If you can keep Canelo off-balance with your jab and footwork, like Floyd and Bivol both did so masterfully, then you can back him up and control the pace of the fight. Golovkin used his jab well, but Canelo had the hand-speed advantage and he was able to land power punches despite Golovkin’s jab success. I think Golovkin did well and possibly could have gotten the decision in at least one of the first two bouts, but he wasn’t capable of using footwork and hand speed to seize control of the pace and direction of the fight like Floyd and Bivol. So my question is: I’ve never seen Crawford control a fight with his jab and footwork in the same manner as Floyd and Bivol. He instead seems to be a fighter who figures out how to land damaging power shots as the fight goes on and uses his power hand as his lead hand a large part of the time. Not a criticism, just an observation. Do you think Crawford is capable of — and will be satisfied with— controlling Canelo with his jab and footwork and hand-speed advantages and of winning a wide decision? Or will the dog in him lead to him becoming more aggressive as the fight goes on? Even though Canelo is past his prime, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone getting the best of him in a full-on firefight, given his combination of timing, power and punch resistance.
Sincerely, Kevin G
Bread’s response: I think Crawford has a great jab. Often times when a fighter does many things well, some of his subtle gifts get overlooked. In this instance I think you’re overlooking Crawford’s jab. In Crawford’s finest performance vs Errol Spence he used his jab over time. I think Crawford is one of those fighters who can do whatever he has to do to win.
Hi Bread,
I appreciate your take on Usyk. You don't overvalue him, but you appreciate his impressive accomplishments. Personally, I find it refreshing to see a family man performing at the highest level in this sport while seemingly respecting his family. After your last mailbag I watched Qawi-Holyfield. Incredible fight. I had Holyfield winning, though his head kept getting popped up by Qawi's excellent jab. I will watch the rematch this weekend. But here's why I wanted to write in… I was hoping for your take on Jack Dempsey's importance to the sport of boxing today. Earlier this year I read A Flame of Pure Fire by Roger Khan. It is a story of Jack Dempsey’s life. Very interesting that Dempsey came from a time in which modern boxing was being created. One anecdote that blew my mind was that newspapers used to determine winners in some circumstances. That's crazy to think about! As to Dempsey outside of the ring, no doubt he was a larger-than-life figure. He was rubbing shoulders with everybody who was somebody. It even is reported that Dempsey told Al Capone not to interfere with the Tunney fight. But I can see how his boxing legacy has an asterisk, like all sports in our country at the time. We know for sure that he did not fight Sam Langford or Harry Wills. But there is some question as to whether this was because he made this choice or that his promoters drew the color line. There is evidence that he was not, himself, bigoted. But unfortunately, we just don't know. Without those fights, maybe there is a question mark about his level of greatness in boxing.
All this wind-up brings me to my questions… No doubt in the ring Dempsey had heart and skill. And he was a pretty high-IQ fighter. After all, he wrote a book on boxing. Question one: should fighters today study Dempsey? I suspect one elite fighter’s positive assessment of another is evidence, but not proof, of greatness. For example, I remember Mike Tyson, who – like Bud Crawford, RJJ, and Andre Ward – is a scholar of boxing, said that he studied and appreciated Dempsey.
Question two: could Dempsey beat any of the following? Dempsey v Usyk; Dempsey v Frazier; Dempsey v Holyfield (note that I'm picking 190lbs for Dempsey, which is the weight he fought Carpentier at in 1921, when he was 27 years old and was probably still in his prime)
Question three: how do you think about Jack Dempsey's boxing legacy? Any insight on this would be appreciated. Your mailbag is a gift to those of us who appreciate forensic analysis. Thanks for shooting it straight.
Best, Christian Smith-Bishop
Bread’s response: I think Jack Dempsey was a great fighter. I also think his popularity is one of the reasons why he’s so revered. I think a certain style of fighter can study Dempsey. He was a terror attacker with fast, hard hands. I can see why Mike Tyson studied him. They fight similarly. Dempsey had something beyond skill; he had tenacity and determination. So while some may say his style was not refined, that style is very hard to deal with if you don’t have fortitude. Dempsey is a tough fight for any man near his size. Period.
It’s difficult to say what weight division he would fight in today – that’s why it’s hard to match eras. I actually don’t mind matching eras for, say, a fighter in the 1970s like Roberto Duran to a fighter in the 1990s like, say, Pernell Whitaker. But Dempsey fought in the 1920s. That’s tough, because we don’t know, if he fought today, if he would dry out down to light heavyweight or build himself up and be a small heavyweight. It’s too hard for me to say and I don’t have the capacity to do the mental gymnastics. What I do know is Jack Dempsey was a great fighter.
But, like many great fighters once they reach a certain point, they lose their thirst to be great. I think Dempsey’s title reign hurts his case among the Mount Rushmore of greats. If Dempsey could have defended his title more frequently and also defended against the best black fighters of his era, his legacy would be greater. I don’t know who is at fault for Dempsey not fighting black fighters but, nevertheless, Dempsey himself is responsible because it’s his legacy. It hurts his legacy. Especially because other great fighters in his era fought black fighters. Mickey Walker, Harry Greb and Stanley Ketchel were all great fighters in Dempsey’s era. They all fought some of the best available black fighters.
In analyzing a great fighter’s legacy, we have to take the good with the bad and factor everything in context. Jack Dempsey was no doubt a great fighter and a terror for any man on his best day. But because he became inactive, once he became a champion and because he didn’t fight black fighters, I rate him a little lower than most historians. In context, although Dempsey looks more dynamic, I rate Rocky Marciano above him. While Dempsey fought the best available white challengers, Marciano fought the best available challengers.
Who are you taking in Anthony Joshua vs Andre Ward? I saw a poll on X and almost 50 per cent of the people polled think Ward will win. Can you break it down and give us your pick?
Bread’s response: I don’t have a prediction just yet. It’s way too early. But I do have some observations. I have personally never seen a fighter of Anthony Joshua’s size (250-plus pounds), pedigree (Olympic gold medalist) and high knockout percentage get called out so much. It’s interesting that Andre Ward and Jake Paul would both be willing to fight him. They must see something in Joshua. It doesn’t mean they’re right but I definitely believe they see something. I can’t say what they see, but I will say what I see.
I see a very good fighter in Joshua. He has a good jab, a big right hand, nice uppercut and hook. He punches hard and he has fast hands for a big guy. But I also see a fighter who seems confused at times as to what style he should employ. I see a fighter who doesn’t check the A+ box for durability and stamina. I see a fighter who Andy Ruiz really took it to in their first fight. Ruiz is not a big puncher or a very big heavyweight, despite what the scale says. Ruiz is most likely 6’2 or shorter. He doesn’t have super long arms. And he’s not particularly dynamic. But he stepped to Joshua with a jab to the chest, and he forced Joshua to exchange with him and stopped him. That’s something that Ward could try to emulate. At his best Andre Ward is a better fighter than Andy Ruiz.
However, before I make a pick, Joshua and Ward would have to come to terms and agree to fight. I would also have to factor in how long Ward would get to train. I assume he needs a few months to get ready. Then I would have to see how Ward carries the weight. I’ve never seen him fight over 175lbs and that does matter. Ward has been off eight years. That’s a very long time. I assume he lives a clean life but rust still collects on clean athletes. I would also have to assess how Ward does with his sparring. He would have to grow accustomed to being hit by 250lbs men. That’s also a real thing.
I would also factor in where Joshua is at the moment. Remember, he was just brutally KO’d by Daniel Dubois in his past fight. So while Ward may be rusty, Joshua may be damaged.
Right now, I’m going to say I don’t believe Ward is completely upside down but there are too many variables to consider before I can make a pick on a fight like this that has not been signed yet.
Slow boxing month, after a hot summer. Who's your fighter of the decade? Right now it's a toss up between Usyk and Crawford for me. Usyk's run has been so good I think even if Crawford beats Canelo it's still dead even. That dude did some special stuff at cruiserweight. I think he is top-30 all time. If he beats Parker and Kabayel he goes to top-five heavyweights ever for me. Too bad Bivol has a back injury, but I'm kind of glad because fighting the same opponent three times in a row is unnecessary. I like a fight or two in between to reset, but I understand Beterbiev’s frustration. Those guys are dead even as fighters and it's time for them to challenge Benavidez in 2026. Sometimes Turki forces these match-ups and it’s unnecessary – like Eubank-Benn II. Not a smart fight at all.
I met Floyd Schofield at a bar this weekend in Texas. Cool cat, he respected my boxing knowledge and how I wasn't overly being a groupie or fan boy. I told him take his time on fighting Shakur and Abdullah Mason and grow more, and he respected it. If Bud beats Canelo and Thurman wins his next fight would you like to see them fight or is it time to move on? The PBC stable isn't as active these days. No Spence; Charlo; Tank. Lubin inactive, and it's disappointing.
Anyway, stay blessed, brother.
Bread’s response: I don’t have a fighter of the decade just yet. We are only in year six of the decade. I want you to note that the decade started in 2020. So, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and now we are in 2025. I think it’s still up for grabs.
“Monster” Inoue is younger than Usyk and Crawford. As is Bam Rodriguez. I think we have to be patient with this. If you ask me right now who is the front runner of FOD, I would say Usyk, Crawford and Inoue, with their statuses being fluid. For example, what if Crawford stops Canelo and then gets another huge win over a young champion? What if Inoue beats Nakatani and then moves up to featherweight and unifies? What if Bam unifies at 115lbs and then moves all the way up to 126lbs by the end of the decade?
There are too many moving parts right now to consider after only five years and seven months of a decade. I have to factor in who won the most fighter-of-the-year awards in the decade? Who has the best yearly performances? Who was the top rated pound-for-pound fighter the longest? Who accomplished the most? If the decade ended today I would probably give it to Usyk but I want to add something in context – you can’t use his cruiserweight reign because that happened in the past decade. He moved up to heavyweight in 2019 and he hasn’t fought at aruiserweight this decade.
I would like to see Benavidez get a crack at Bivol or Beterbiev…
I’m glad Floyd Schofield didn’t take offense to your comments and was cool. That shows humility. I’m sure you were respectful but it can be overwhelming for people to approach public figures and tell them what they should or shouldn’t do…
I have no idea who Bud will fight if he beats Canelo. But I only see him fighting one or two more times win, lose or draw.
Yes, the PBC stable does look thin at this moment. They still have David Benavidez, “Tank” Davis and Sebastian Fundora. But I feel like they have hidden gems like Gary Antuanne Russell, but they don’t have the dates to showcase everyone. A fighter in the PBC stable I’m keeping my eye on is Jesus Ramos. Ramos should be fighting for a title by now….
Hey Breadman,
Thanks, as always. A quick one in case no one asks about this weekend’s boxing. Who do you have for Itauma-Whyte? Whyte looks in good shape but that probably won't stop him getting KO’d by an uppercut. What about Nick Ball against Sam Goodman? I don't know much about Goodman except he fumbled an Inoue payday twice and moved up in weight. Finally, Hrgovic v Adeleye? Skills and experience favour Hrgovic but he takes a punch awkwardly and made harder work of Joyce than I thought necessary.
Darns, London
Bread’s response: I don’t know both contestants in the last two fights. But I’m picking Moses Itauma to KO Dillian Whyte. I don’t know what round but I feel like Itauma gets off too quick and he’s going to hit Whyte with something he doesn’t see and can’t recover from.
Hey Breadman,
I just read that Sebastian Fundora is going to defend his title against Keith Thurman in October. Any early predictions or thoughts about the match-up? I think Keith Thurman has a decent shot at an upset if he can keep up with Sebastian.
Thanks.
Bread’s response: For some reason I like this fight. I feel like it will be entertaining. I think Thurman throws some hard loopy punches off the move and he could potentially run Fundora into something. But I like Fundora to win. I just think he’s in a groove right now and he may be able to make Thurman expend more energy than he wants to on the end of those long levers that Fundora uses for arms.
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