Howdy buddies, readers, and undercover haters. We’re going scattershot once more this week as a result of there’s simply not that a lot occurring that deserves a full column’s consideration. So, let’s go.
– WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson went public with an eye catching grievance geared toward Saudi figurehead Turki Alalshikh on Saturday afternoon.
Oscar De La Hoya got here again from an extended social media layoff to assert that Stevenson pulled out of the long-promised, many-times obstacled bout together with his fighter William Zepeda. This, in fact, is after De La Hoya and Zepeda had pulled away from a Stevenson battle on at the very least two, and arguably three, separate events.
Stevenson would fireplace again with this:
“[Four Teary-Laughing Emojis] is that what they informed you?? Turki promised me a quantity and now he going approach again on that quantity that he promised me and sending his Towel boys to run me the data as a substitute telling me straight up what he tryna do.. Ion bow right down to no person Mr De la Hoya now let’s negotiate!”
He’d go on to say that he completely does nonetheless need the Zepeda battle and that he and Oscar can do enterprise exterior of Turki’s attain to get a deal achieved.
If Shakur was certainly low-balled (he claimed on Twitter that “these dudes wish to make the most of me by giving me approach much less then I bought for [Josh] Padley”), it appears to be a fairly shitty and cynical enterprise transfer from Turki and his folks. I imply, how terrible IS it that occasion organizers who helped diminish a fighter’s marketability, at the moment are punishing him for having diminished marketability?
Then once more, Stevenson is a grown man who consciously made the choice to signal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, nudged into the deal by the promise of working with the Saudis who, supposedly, weren’t involved about shedding cash and who had been throwing money round like a sexy divorcee at a Tijuana strip membership.
However, severely, in what sort of fantasy world did he count on an limitless stream of high-end paydays after cratering his personal star energy by combating on low-selling PPV undercards, in entrance of detached followers, on the opposite facet of the world? Duh.
No one likes to lose cash, even these with a seemingly limitless provide of it– typically, ESPECIALLY these with a seemingly limitless provide of it. It was solely a matter of time earlier than Turki started to scale down the expenditures on issues shedding him cash and, maybe extra precisely, issues he doesn’t know spin into money-making ventures.
Then once more, this might all be manufactured BS– the sort Turki and his gobblers have turn out to be recognized for– since Turki’s Ring Journal shared this “beef” through their social media feeds shortly after it came about. It must be well-known by now that the self-proclaimed new face of boxing has zero tolerance for issues that don’t paint him in the perfect gentle, simply ask that child he had sentenced to 19 years in a Saudi jail for an insulting tweet.
At any charge, Shakur would shut out the subject by reaffirming how a lot he actually desires the Zepeda bout and the way, as a mandated WBC title battle, he might merely wait on the purse bid.
Oh yeah, and he additionally fired this all-caps missile, apparently geared toward Turki and his folks:
“REAL MEN STAND UP NEVER BOW DOWN TO NOBODY BUT THE CREATOR.”
– Talking of bowing down, ESPN’s Mike Coppinger announced– appropriately sufficient, on April Idiot’s Day– that he was leaving the monster sports activities platform for the musky embrace of Turki Alalshikh’s Ring Journal.
The transfer was really a fairly poorly stored secret amongst media members, who had been speaking about it (and sending the information to me) for weeks earlier than it was made official. Apparently, Turki actually, actually preferred the best way “Copp” took the cash shot to his face again in February, when he helped move alongside Turki’s “strategic” marketing campaign of lies forward of his Canelo Alvarez signing (some say “Copp” was proverbially spooning with Turki even earlier than that take a look at of affection).
Any journalist who will be happy-faced duped like that’s no journalist at all– and that makes Coppinger excellent for “New Period” Ring Journal, which has assembled an absolute all-star group of toe-suckers and handy idiots. One assumes that the final remaining respectable, trustworthy writers over there might be weeded out quickly sufficient.
– An fascinating and amusing perception into the “all should obey, all should present deference” ambiance swirling round all issues Turki was posted by @dantheboxingman on Twitter over the weekend, showcasing a pair of Teofimo Lopez social media feedback that featured an abrupt and complete change of tone concerning the Saudi bossman and the Might 2 Ring Journal occasion Lopez might be co-headlining.
“…The promotion you guys been doing on our card has been [shit emoji] @turkialalshik @ringmagazine,” Teofimo commented through Instagram.
That publish was, apparently, deleted and changed with a remark stating the precise reverse.
“Might 2nd goes to be a brilliant stardom evening of boxing. Nice job everybody & HE [His Excellency] @ringmagazine @turkialalshik,” the remark learn.
The awkward phrasing [“A super stardom night of boxing?”] means that perhaps, presumably somebody with restricted English made the remark, utilizing Teofimo’s account. Or, perhaps, Teo’s bought a bizarre approach of writing to associate with his willingness to have two completely reverse viewpoints on the identical situation.
– Tim Tszyu bought his first win since October of 2023 over the weekend, battering the gorgeous pedestrian Joey Spencer in 4 rounds and forcing a white towel give up from Spencer’s nook.
It was an anticipated dominant efficiency by the Australian, who was using a two-fight shedding streak coming into the Newcastle-hosted junior middleweight bout. If he hadn’t been capable of beat Spencer, it might’ve been time to hold up the gloves and do one thing else together with his life.
However the second era fighter did what he was alleged to do, in the best way he was alleged to do it and confirmed that there’s loads of life nonetheless in him.
A bout with Keith Thurman would nonetheless make for a surprisingly large occasion and an eventual rematch with Sebastian Fundora, who beat him in March of final 12 months in a detailed, bloody affair, would even be a significant present.
Nonetheless, he’s nonetheless the fighter who was blown out in three rounds by Bakhram Murtazaliev and who was thrown into relative passivity by the minimize suffered in a Fundora battle he was profitable up till the blood began flowing.
Tszyu is an thrilling, partaking fighter, however there are nonetheless loads of inquiries to be answered.
– Heavyweight Richard Torrez can also be an thrilling, partaking fighter, however there’s a low ceiling relating to his future. As demonstrated as soon as once more in his unanimous choice victory over Guido Vianello this previous Saturday in Las Vegas, he doesn’t appear to have the expertise or the ability to succeed on the elite degree of the division.
Vianello represented the stiffest take a look at to date in Torrez’s three-year professional profession and Torrez did effectively sufficient. There’s simply not an entire lot there, past grit and wishful pondering from Prime Rank and followers.
Hopefully, I’m improper. The US boxing scene might undoubtedly use a legit high heavyweight contender.
Obtained one thing for Magno? Ship it right here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com
