They struggle with who they have on the world championship level, but as long as Canelo is relevant - they are going to be fine.
I think they have a lot of very talented young mainly Mexican and Mexican-American, fighters that will make an impact within 2-3 years and now with ESPN - they have opportunity to build them up.
They are not going to be the powerhouse like Top Rank and Haymon, but they will be fine and hey... their relationship with HBO is great, they get their guys on - but they have to be in tough and it makes for great nights of boxing.
I wouldn't mind - but I don't think it happens, there are better options for both I think. I'd pick Barrera to outbox him, but you have to give Joe his puncher's chance - we already know that.
I like Joe Smith vs Sean Monaghan as co-feature to next Verdejo's appearance in New York - I think it's also very likely - probably best option for Joe Risk/Reward-wise and will be good for ticket sales from Top Rank perspective.
As for Sully, I think Main Event should be able to get him anotehr opportunity on HBO also - I'd really like to see him against Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
LAtest WBC ratings:
1. Eleider(Fights Adonis in April if he gets past Bute)
2. Joe Smith Jr.
3. Betterbiev(More likely to go IBF route)
4. Gvozdyk
5. Shabranskyy(Sullivan should take his spot now).
If Gvozdyk and Barrera fight in first quarter of next year, I think it should be WBC final elimnator. Put it on Ward vs Kovalev II card(Targeted for April now that Pacquiao is going to be out until June).
Fonfara has a glass chin? Dude went 12 rounds with Stevenson. Joe landed helluve shot on him,
Those are interesting fights, I was quite impressed with Cota when he bullied the Cuban fighter, he's definitely a step-up for Lubin.
Fonfara and Dawson is good cross-roads fight as well.
Hardly spectacular, but with that main event, it's not that important.
I thought it was 154 for a while, but with J-Rock failing to prove himself(still very good fighter that will win a title sooner or later, but I was disappointed) and Canelo and J-Rock moving up.. I'm really not sure.
It's between 175, 154, 147, 130 and 115...
126 is probably slightly overrated.
I think it's probably about who you like as a fighter... Morales is my all time favorite, nothing beats his bad-ass move in the 12-th round of first Pacquiao fight. One of the greatest rounds in boxing history if you ask me.
If Estrada that fought in Macau shows up, I'd pick him to win based on better fundamentals and ring IQ than Inoue - but he seem to stagnate a little bit, has hands issues and Inoue is great all around athlethe.
Would be great, but if Estrada didn't want to fight Ioka, then I don't think he'll travel to Japan for Inoue either.
Someone who can stand his ground, not let Golovkin push him around the ring - I think strong counterpunchers like Canelo and Jermall Charlo certainly have a good shot. I'd pick Charlo to win, actually.
Abraham was short, but he was built like a powerlifted. I also heard quite a lot about him really struggling to make 160 in late stages...
Quick google search:
http://www.boxingscene.com/huck-vs-brudov-on-1-24-abrahams-weight-issues-more--16218
"Bild Zeitung brings today a story on IBF middle champ Arthur Abraham and his struggle to make 160 on Friday afternoon. There are three kilos/six lbs left. Abraham is likely to make the weight but is a big middleweight and seems to be headed for super middleweight in a not too distant future."
He was better at MW than he was at 168, but he wasn't a great fighter. Like most German champions, he fought mostly second-tier contenders, struggled with guys like Ian Gardner, Eastman, Miranda - yeah they were tricky, Miranda dangerous, but not world beaters.
You talk like he's B-Hop old ... Stevenson started boxing late and wisely haven't "over fight" since he destroyed Dawson... The guy has the shape of a 30 y/o still, and was never really shook up in the last 3 years... Probably near the top of the list for best fitted animal at LHW...
He "looks good", but so did Evander Holyfield when he lost to Tank Williams.
You can't judge what's left from his reflex, speed and power by the way he looks and his recent level of opposition make it really hard to judge how much he slipped... He hasn't fought anyone top 10 in years now.
History shows that you can hide that you're past prime if you fight lower level opposition(He still looked really bad against Bika and Williams Jr. imo). I think when he steps up again, it will all show up.
I think Joe Smith Jr. probably beats him.
Square fighters who like to block fighters on their guard usually don't do too well against southpaw with sharp and powerful left hand, they tend to have very tough time to block it...
Prime for prime Adonis knocks Badou out, but right now? It's completely unknown to me, pick em. Adonis should fight Eleider first, winner against Badou is great fight.
He looked bad against Williams Jr ? I think he adapted pretty fast once he knew that Jr couldn't hurt him bad. He showed speed, power and a long gone and almost forgotten inside game that even me as a fan was impressed of ... Oh and Jr was ranked 8th for the WBC at that time ... Didn't make him an A opponent, but hey it was what it was... ;)
I guess it depends how you rate Williams Jr... I don't think elite fighter should catch that number of ridiculously clean shots on that level.
Of course you gotta give Adonis credit for proving he's tough and his chin is top notch(Which was quite surprising to me, I always had that Boone ko in mind) - but can you say it was good performance when you have to dig deep and go to war with second-tier contender?
I'd compare it to Sweet Pea vs Diosbelys Hurtado. Yeah he knocked that guy out, but it surely made De la Hoya feel even better about his chances.
I think the fighters who will look at that fight and say - he's easily to hit - yeah he broke Williams Jr. down but so did freakin shot Campillo - he's not getting away with those mistake against me.
Time will tell and Adonis might surprise, but my prediction is he probably loses next relevant(Eleider, Jack) or even half relevant(Smith Jr.) fight.
Can you direct me to that quote, post a link please?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhoGd6Ylpyw
Here, about 3:00.
Loeffler now said rumours are not true... I wonder maybe Cotto... in Puerto Rico?
Or maybe.. Khurtsidze in Tbilisi ;).
I think with 4 "world" titles considred equal, we don't need to water down the competition within divisions we already have.. Way too much opportunities for fighters to maneuver and pick easier opportunities.
With 1 champion/division, though - I wouldn't necessary mind what Issac Clarke suggested:
Lower CW back to 190lb and stick another division 190-210/215.
Jump from 175-200 is indeed quite a big one. 175->190->205 would probably be more fair, giving some fighters opportunity to compete in best weight-division for his body frame.
..but, again - not with the stupid 4 belts system that is in place.
Its IBF eliminator invitation and the fight take place in USA
They were oredered to fight by IBF last year too, but Yvon Michel didn't want it in US so Barrera had to back off.. Then as Beterbiev got injured they made Murat vs Sully..
Oleksandr Gvozdyk is next in line by the way... Either one of those two makes for amazing match-up with Artur.
Unfortunetely I expect both those fights to fall apart....
#9 is Stieglitz - he's not taking it...
#10 is Trent Broadhurst and that's who they might end up with.
I was thinking that too, but then I heard Billy saying that he'll get paid 5 times more than he'd get for Eubank Jr. rematch... It has to be Golovkin, Top Rank won't pay that much for Billy Joe to fight in China.
Who would have won? I'd lean slightly towards BJ, if he's on his game, but it would be close like every fight Saunders has with half-decent opponent. Murata is slightly disappointing as a pro. Strong, but pushes his punches, his defence is not very effective and he had struggled with journeymen (That kid from New Zealand he fought in US, also against one young fighter from Mexico - that one was in Japan).
Tim is a Hall of Famer, but I agree... It is disappointing to see all those young lions mixing up and Tim, who still has a lot to offer, not being involved..
He said he started training though and he's "itching" to get back in the ring. I think he will have a final run, but what's there for him if he doesn't mix with PBC guys? I think there's a chance he might fight Brook in UK, I'd be super excited for that one.
Huge jump from Euro to world level and Bundu didn't really look level above Purdy or Gavin... I think Thurman walks through him, I'd be very surprised if it goes the distance.
Escandon was digging a body all night and while Cave was throwing his slapping combinations, he would land single punch out of all that at best and it's not like it was hurting Escandon.
Reckless talking from Atlas like usual, right man won.
I thought he was matched perfectly to be honest. Sure he's been kept busy with mainly overmatched opposition, but still in his first year as a pro he fought underrated journeyman Lartey, who then was in 50/50 fight with another prospect with way more experience in Felix Diaz.
In his second year as a pro he fought another really good journeyman - Ronald Cruz, who was never dominated despite fighting solid fringe-contenders type.
He had 15 fights in 2 years and went 10 rounds already. People are just demanding more these days because of Lomachenko, Rigo and Japanese talents, but welterweight is way tougher division to conquer so you need to take your time a bit more.
He's right where he should be.
Jezreel looked way better against Rodriguez than Fortuna had - just saying. If Fortuna was willing to travel to Japan the fight would've happend and obviously they weren't able to make a good offer for Takashi to go to US, as he stated he wants to have a big fight overseas this year - whether it's with Fortuna, or Walters. It was Fortuna's promoter who said he won't send Fortuna to Japan after what happend to Moreno(vs Yamanaka).
Then as for Lomachenko, I was hoping they will get the fight done and while I think Martinez fight is completely pointless, I acknowledge that it has nothing to do with avoiding tough fight, but it's just the fact that they can sell it in New York due to where Martinez is from.
Maybe Fortuna vs Walters, Pedraza or Gamboa could happen? All great match-ups to make.
IBF is doing a great job and all of you should be paying more attention before criticising them.
People look at Brook and who he's been fighting, as well as Golovkin and Wade, but what you must realise is:
A) You ALWAYS can get an exception to fight in unification before mandatory. Golovkin could've fought BJ or Canelo - had they accepted the fight. Brook could've fought in unification, if him and Hearn were willing to take a risk. Nothing to do with IBF.
B) You have a 9 montsh window where you can fight anyone you want, each year. Golovkin could've had another fight sooner after Lemieux, but he was waiting for Canelo and that's why he lost 6 months and has to fight Wade now. Same with Brook, who got injured after Gavin. When you're active, mandatory once a year is not a big deal.
C) People probably don't remember that Porter, Khan, Bradley, Alexander, Chaves - all were offered a spot in final eliminator before Bizier and that Ghanian kid and all turned it down. IBF is doing right thing by going down their ratings in those instances and giving a shot to those who actually want it. Not their fault those guys would rather chose safer route.
If you think their ratings are that horrible, compare it to WBO and WBA - it's night and day. WBC probably has the best ratings, being fair with them - especially since Mauricio took over, but IBF is very legit as well.
IBF, with how clear their rules are, enables boxers to get a clear, straight route to a title, which is what this sport is lacking. You have to get through other ranked fighters to one of two highest positions(you can get eliminator to #2 spot as well, just make a fight with other high ranked fighter), then you know eliminator will be ordered. If your opponent doesn't accept it, you move down the list to another one and you will get a chance to get your shot one way or the other.
It's great, if all organisations were so clear with their rules boxing would be so much better. You wouldn't see Quigg or Jacobs being able to avoid real champions yet holding their belts.
Educate yourself, sir!
From all the Middleweights from 2000 to now, other than Hopkins - I indeed believe Pavlik was the toughest match for Golovkin.
Pavlik was limited in many ways, but he was big, strong, his chin was rock solid and he was fearless... He would just take it to Golovkin like he had to Miranda, behind stiff straight punches. I don't think GGG can box on the back foot effectively enough and I don't think he could hurt Pavlik going backwards either.
Seems like Golovkin can take a good shot - so I don't know about KO, but my pick would be Pavlik by close decision in a war.
It would have to be that hungry Pavlik from Miranda and Taylor I fights tho.
Inoue is suppose to fight Narvaez next in pointless rematch, then he will have another mandatory (Butler-Petchbarngborn winner). He's not going to fight Gonzalez in September and it would be stupid fight to make now, at least before Naoya makes his US debut as planned, probably on Top Rank card. He just struggled a bit against very poor fighter, he needs more seasoning anyway. That fight can be great one and a big one, but not just yet.
I don't think he struggles to make weight - window isn't as small as some here suggest. I heard he walks around 125, which is not much - remember he was able to make 108 not long ago. From what I read he's not planning to move up any time soon - only person claiming otherwise is Frank Warren, but it's probably jush wishful thinking as he wants a vacant title for Butler and Conlan.