The BoxingScene writers have thought lengthy and laborious to carry you their takeout from 2024 that will not be shared by all…
What’s your unpopular take of 2024?
Kieran Mulvaney: Boxing goes to deeply remorse prostituting itself to Turki Alalshikh. It is unhealthy sufficient that the game has managed to justify its involvement with a person Jamal Khashoggi recognized earlier than his homicide as one of many Saudi regime’s chief thugs. However the sheer focus of energy within the fingers of anyone entity, murderous or in any other case, will show a spectacularly short-sighted piece of money-grubbing even by the requirements of a spectacularly short-sighted and money-grubbing enterprise.
Lucas Ketelle: Is consolidating boxing good for the game? We get the fights we wish, however will fighters who fall out of favor, or just do not get together with powerbrokers, haven’t any different possibility than to combat regionally? It appears boxing is nearer than ever to having a UFC mannequin with one individual in management. Solely time will inform if if that’s good or unhealthy
Owen Lewis: That parts of the boxing world got here down more durable on Devin Haney than Ryan Garcia after Garcia’s failed medicine check and actually loathsome conduct at occasions this 12 months is symptomatic of a diseased sport past rehabilitation.
Matt Christie: The game remains to be not doing practically sufficient to assist its fallen heroes. Ringside Charitable Belief, a registered charity with the only real goal of serving to ex-boxers in want, has been struggling for consideration for greater than 5 years. With all of this cash being thrown at boxing, and sure powerbrokers having fun with eye-watering earnings, why is Ringside Charitable Belief not seeing a single cent of it? It is just a matter of time earlier than the skin world notices the dearth of care and begins asking some damning questions.
Declan Warrington: That Ryan Garcia testing constructive for ostarine masked Invoice Haney’s damaging complacency round Devin Haney-Garcia. Fairly rightly, Garcia has been punished, however simply because he shouldn’t have been within the ring doesn’t imply Invoice Haney, Devin’s father, coach and supervisor, didn’t make mistake after mistake. Devin Haney had maybe the perfect 2023 of any fighter, when he defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko – deservedly – and Regis Prograis. Matching him with Garcia was a cynical transfer designed to capitalise on Garcia’s profile at a time when Garcia was clearly struggling together with his psychological well being. The Haneys then spent combat week trying to bully Garcia, which given these struggles was in unhealthy style, and had been so overconfident that they not solely agreed to combat an chubby opponent, however appeared to try to bully him within the ring, too. Devin Haney, usually, is sound defensively, however he appeared amateurishly underprepared for Garcia’s left hand; it additionally defied logic that he didn’t combat extra on the again foot. He might properly have misplaced a combat that later turned a no contest, however he didn’t must lose in any respect – and his undefeated report remaining intact doesn’t imply his psyche is.
Jason Langendorf: America is not the middle of the boxing universe – and that assumes it ever was. Terence Crawford, Gervonta Davis, Jesse Rodriguez and Jaron Ennis are terrific fighters, however they’re a part of a small (and shrinking) contingent of U.S. boxers on the high of the game. Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles stay attracts for the largest fights, however the heartbeat of the game lies in cities akin to Tijuana, Manchester and Tokyo, and areas akin to Kazakhstan, Quebec and Puerto Rico. Somebody flow into the memo to Tim Bradley.
Lance Pugmire: A essential remark doesn’t imply somebody hates you, or has it out for you. Many individuals on this sport – from promoters to fighters to managers to publicity individuals – are far too delicate and big grudge holders. Whereas it’s our job as reporters to talk our reality, that doesn’t imply we don’t want you success in your very subsequent endeavor. If there’s a mistake, a slip, a loss, God forbid, we’re alleged to report on it and our readers/viewers anticipate nothing much less. Too many on this enterprise assume that the neighborhood YouTuber or the reporter who won’t ever converse in poor health of a Saudi powerbroker or favourite promotion are the way in which issues work on this enterprise. Flawed. These individuals would have been laughed out of the business 20 years in the past. We’re not right here to kiss ass. We’re right here to do our job, so please improve the professionalism.
Tris Dixon: Apart from the heavyweights and Beterbiev-Bivol (each terrific), the perfect haven’t been combating the perfect as we so usually hear. Nonetheless, present me Tank-Shakur, Canelo-Benavidez, Crawford-Ennis and I’ll subscribe to the identical ideas.
Eric Raskin: Apparently, that Ford-Kholmatov was the Struggle of the Yr. Additionally, {that a} potential eventual Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney rematch isn’t going to promote half as properly on pay-per-view as individuals assume. Controversy sells, however not once you’re as grossed out by an individual as numerous followers are actually by Garcia.
Elliot Worsell: Failed drug assessments stay an inconvenience for just about everyone within the sport and nonetheless it’s tough to observe nice accomplishments and never ponder whether the winner simply acquired away with it that point. Sadly, this makes the expertise of watching a giant combat not not like that of celebrating a objective in a soccer/soccer recreation and ready for VAR to verify it and probably spoil the enjoyable.
