These are unhappy days for America boxing, women and gents.
The place does one even start to chronicle the utter suckiness of the home boxing product in the US for the time being?
We are able to begin with, arguably, our all-around greatest fighter, Terence Crawford, who appears to be pouting for a big-money Canelo Alvarez struggle in the identical manner that he pouted for a big-money Errol Spence struggle. This time round, although, there’s no High Rank in his life to drive him to get within the ring.
Crawford’s Saudi sugar daddy, Turki Alalshikh, not too long ago informed UK reporter Charlie Parsons that “Bud” is just all in favour of a Canelo struggle and isn’t on board with Vergil Ortiz or Jaron Ennis bouts. This sounds completely in character for a personality who, as soon as incomes prime canine standing at 147, has finished unto others (in a foul manner) what he felt was finished unto him.
With out the slightest pause, trace of self-awareness, or recognition of irony, Crawford has develop into the business-first, danger vs. reward participant he’s so bitterly lamented through the years. And that’s nice. Let him soul search his approach to emotional maturity at his personal pace. However whereas he tantrums over anyone else denying him a payday he feels he deserves, he’s additionally preserving his respectable in-ring awesomeness away from followers and away from a US boxing scene that is probably not really supporting him with their shopper greenback, however can nonetheless be energized by his work.
Then there’s Gervonta Davis, who DOES have the star potential that Crawford doesn’t have, however is nearly equally detached about giving followers what they need.
Certain, dropping a proposed big-ticket bout later this yr with Vasiliy Lomachenko was fully the fault of a Lomachenko who wasn’t “within the temper” to struggle Davis. However that doesn’t wipe away 98% of the remainder of Davis’ profession, the place his matchmaking has been virtually aggressively antagonistic in the direction of the fights that followers really wish to see from him.
As attainable Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson fights fade into the gap, Tank appears nice with disappearing indefinitely till the most secure struggle for probably the most cash presents itself. Good for him, dangerous for US boxing.
In the meantime…
The red-hot nature of Shakur Stevenson’s promotional free company is usually the results of gradual information cycles as media struggling for content material regurgitated headline-friendly quotes about Stevenson from Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn.
The reality is that anybody signing Shakur to a promotional contract might be going to lose cash on him, long-term. The one in-the-black choices for the less-than-electrifying safety-first stylist would in all probability be one-off bouts with Tank Davis and, perhaps, Vasiliy Lomachenko. A rumored Saudi-funded bout with William Zepeda can be attention-grabbing, however it could solely occur as a result of the Saudis don’t actually care about dropping cash (or about sacrificing a promotional accomplice’s home fighters).
All in all, although, Stevenson is nothingness to the US boxing scene, simply an excellent boxer with virtually no business up facet. Plus, he’s so fucking annoying.
And, talking of annoying…
Ryan Garcia might be, still– embarrassingly– the closest factor the American boxing scene has to a crossover star. Even by way of the PEDs pop and all of the goofy and vile shit he’s mentioned on-line, he has star energy and an precise willingness to get within the ring. Too dangerous he’s serving a yr suspension and inching in the direction of a spectacularly ugly psychological breakdown.
Garcia sufferer Devin Haney, in the meantime, not too long ago vowed a comeback (as a result of “the sport ain’t been the identical” with out him), then promptly received caught on video sucker-punching some man at a good someplace, precipitating a 5-on-1 beatdown.
Reality be informed, I don’t care if Haney ever really comes again and most followers in all probability really feel the identical manner I do. Though his loss to Garcia received became a No Contest due to Garcia popping soiled, the efficiency nonetheless carried the large stench of an “L.” No person can un-see the best way an unfocused, semi-trained, and admittedly booze and weed-addled Garcia buckled him each time he landed. That was a legit ass-whupping and it’s going to stay on him.
Let’s not even speak all that a lot concerning the American heavyweight scene, the place “the following nice American heavyweight” Jared Anderson received completely starched by Martin Bakole and the following greatest US huge men– Jarrell Miller and Andy Ruiz– appear to be entrants in a scorching canine consuming contest.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis will, apparently, be tied up with a compulsory IBF protection towards Karen Chukhadzhian, in a rematch of his worst and least-inspiring efficiency. After that, I’ve zero religion that new promoter Eddie Hearn will get him any opponents past the Euro-cans Hearn digs up from his again yard.
David Benavidez will relaxation in mild heavyweight limbo indefinitely, ready on the winner of Bivol-Beterbiev in considerably the identical manner he “limboed” at tremendous middleweight, ready on Canelo Alvarez.
And don’t you dare look to the latest previous for American excellence.
Errol Spence retains dragging and dragging with regards to a return to the ring and that might lead one to imagine that even he doubts the probability of a fruitful comeback. The Charlo twins have melted down. Deontay Wilder is completely finished. Teofimo Lopez– with one major stage-worthy efficiency (versus a completely light Josh Taylor) in about 4 years– has “takeover’d” his manner into irrelevance.
All we’ve got is “Bam” Rodriguez at this level.
Sure, these are unhappy days, America. Unhappy days the place Golden Boy and High Rank have offered themselves into “partnerships” with the Saudis and the place American followers at an American venue have been not too long ago pressured to face and pay respects to the Saudi nationwide anthem. And don’t anticipate PBC to avoid wasting the day with their once-a-quarter pay-per-views or their eternally pushed-back, however eternally promised “free exhibits.”
American boxing is cooked.
I’ve no witty closing retort for this one. We suck.
Bought one thing for Magno? Ship it right here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com
