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Normally, world champions are supposed to do one thing. Well, there’s a list of things they typically do. They remain relevant in the public eye, they call for the best matchups, they constantly work on their craft, and most importantly, they fight.
The cupboard is somewhat bare at 147 pounds for Terence Crawford. Sure he could stick around and take on a few former champs such as Keith Thurman and Yordenis Ugas - or even an up-and-coming star such as Jaron Ennis, but neither of those options make a ton of sense in his opinion.
Jermell Charlo has always been both a visualizer and a planner. Before actually becoming an undisputed champion, the 33-year-old visualized it constantly. He thought about it before he went to bed at night and first thing in the morning. Eventually, with knockout wins over Tony Harrison, Brian Castano, and Jeison Rosario - those visions became a reality.
Shakur Stevenson may smile when the cameras are rolling but the former Olympic silver medalist loves a good scrap. After winning his first world title at 126 pounds, then moving up in weight to pilfer more trinkets at 130, Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) believed that the lightweight division would be his home for an incredibly long time.
Francis Ngannou could have gone about business and done just fine financially. At the time, the former UFC heavyweight champion was cashing fairly hefty checks and scoring highlight-reel-level knockouts. Yet, when his UFC deal expired, instead of resigning, Ngannou pivoted.
Jermell Charlo stood on the shore as the Canelo Alvarez boat passed him by. Although they both fought in the junior middleweight division at one point, a matchup between them became more and more unlikely as Alvarez began moving up in weight.
On most occasions, Derrick James is the cool guy in the room. He sits back, barely says a single word, and doesn’t go out seeking the spotlight. Even when confronted, the 2022 Trainer of the Year doesn’t sweat it. For much of the build-up between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., James remained in character. However, during one particular press conference, James found himself screaming at the top of his lungs in a heated debate with opposing coach, Brian “Bomac” McIntyre.
The junior middleweight division wasn’t exactly the long-term landing spot that Jose Benavidez Jr. was hoping for. After failing to pick up a single win in two appearances, Benavidez decided that sticking around wasn’t worth the taxing weight cuts.
Manny Pacquiao is another fighter that doesn’t know when to walk away. The 44-year-old former eight-division champ recently announced that he’s making a full comeback in 2024. What’s difficult to some, however, was a walk in the park for Mikey Garcia. Although he was entangled in long stretches of inactivity at times, Garcia put together the sort of career that most can only dream of.
Despite being out of the ring for roughly two years, Jesse Hart looked sharp during his return. On August 12th, at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, Hart made it look incredibly easy against Elio Heraldo Trosch, stopping him in the second round.