BOXING FANS BETTER BUCKLE UP

As much as boxing has marvelled, they have certainly disappointed over the years.

In recent times, the sport has failed to deliver the fights the fans want and need to see. However, to its credit, boxing has given fans fights that could go a long way to defining an era. In the coming few weeks, boxing has again delivered fights that could well define this era of boxing.

Its a reality

I had already written an article about Davis vs Garcia. However, then it was just speculation. This came about following a Twitter post that simply read “done deal” from Ryan Garcia.

It was hope then, but now, two years in the making, it is reality, as these two unbeaten mega stars will collide on April 22nd, in what promises to be a fight for the ages.

It is refreshing to see two young, talented and unbeaten fighters with large followings and even bigger reputations, prepared to put their unbeaten records on the line in a legacy fight. I hope it sets a precedent for fighters in the future.

Do I still got it?

On 10th June, Madison Square Garden will bare witness to another very intriguing encounter.

Former undisputed light welterweight champion, Scotland’s Josh Taylor, will fight former undisputed lightweight champion, Honduran American Teofimo Lopez, for Taylor’s WBO and Ring magazine light welterweight titles.

This is a huge fight for so many reasons. Taylor is no longer the undisputed champion. He allegedly vacated the WBA & IBF, and WBC belts, after refusing WBA’s mandatory fight against Dominican Rep’s Alberto Puello.

Instead, he wanted the Jack Catterall rematch. A fight he controversially won, which everyone knows Catterall got robbed. However, the rematch never materialised, and although Taylor won, that win and performance will always hang over his head until he puts it right.

But a win against former undisputed lightweight champion Lopez will be huge to get his respect back. Lopez was the former youngest fighter to become undisputed champion before Devin Haney broke that in a matter of months.

After shocking everyone to beat Vasily Lomachenko, it looked as though he would dominate the division.

But he lost his titles the very night fight, 13 months later, to George Kambosos Jr in a disappointing display.

A stoppage win and an unconvincing points victory against two below-par level boxers since, has everyone wondering if he was just another overhyped flash in the pan.

So it sets it up perfectly, in the perfect setting of Madison Square Garden, with two unlikely fighters who fought their way to the very top of the sport.

Only to lose it as quickly and unexpectedly as they won it. Fireworks are expected as they put their reputations and futures on the line in a fight neither dare lose, and both will fight tooth a nail not to.

The big little men

A fight that is coming up on July 25th, originally due for May, has largely gone under the radar. Two fighters that are small in stature, but a fight that will be huge.

Naoya Inoue, who unified the bantamweight division by beating Nonito Donaire for the WBC belt in June, then took Paul Butlers’s WBO belt in December.

He did not even bother to defend his undisputed title, as he has moved up to super bantamweight to challenge Stephen Fulton for his WBC and WBO belts.

Inoue is nicknamed the monster and has a fearsome reputation for being pound for pound, one of the hardest punchers in the sport. He boasts a record of 21 knockouts from 24 fights. He not only hits hard but his footwork and movement are equally scary.

The way he dispatched slick Filipino Nonito Donaire in two rounds sent a message to everyone.

However, though that message was met with trepidation by other fighters, it was an encouragement to Fulton, who, on his way to capturing his two belts, boasts a record of 21 wins and is known as a tough, durable, all action fighter who takes no back steps.

It is the typical, age-old cliched fight of the irresistible force against the irremovable object, that is bound to be a brutal battle.

Will Inoue move up and instantly capture two world titles? Or will Fulton show everyone his worth and demonstrate that there are weight classes for a reason, and there are levels to this game?