What Canelo's Next Opponent Might Tell Us

So yeah, there's currently a lot of criticism out there for Mr. Canelo Alvarez. It's understandable, too. Reason away things all you want, fans have a right to see the best fight the best in a timely fashion...and pushing off a Canelo-GGG fight until at least next year is going to rightfully put off fans. Strange how boxing is the only sport I know of where the fans take a back seat (why is the UFC growing in popularity, you ask?).

At any rate, I have no idea what Canelo or his promoter Oscar De La Hoya are truly thinking, so I'm going to hold off criticizing these men outright. It's important to be fair, after all, especially in this age of click bait and knee jerk reactions. With that in mind, though, I feel Canelo's next choice of opponent might speak volumes regarding what his and Oscar's future plans are.

Should Canelo indeed surprise the world and face GGG next, well then all will - or should - be forgiven. Few think that will happen, though, so let's see what the other options are. There's challenging middleweights and junior middleweights out there like David Lemieux, Erislandy Lara and even Andy Lee. Should Canelo face men such as these, there may be good reason to believe the guy seriously wants to challenge himself...perhaps even in prep for a GGG showdown.

Should Canelo go the route of  Danny Garcia, however - or, worse yet, the route of Adonis Stevenson, then we know the parties' over, that he's a guy who is just cashing in while hoping GGG will decline through age or simply go away. Let's hope we don't hear a name from left field mentioned as the man's opponent this time around.

Then, of course, there's the save face move, otherwise known as Billy Joe Saunders. Saunders is a belt holder at middleweight, and like Canelo, has arguably appeared skittish of GGG. Since Saunders isn't seen as too much of a threat, at least in comparison to Golovkin, this may be the guy Oscar and Canelo try to get in the ring. Saunders seems like he may - "may" being the operative word here -  be a modern, risk averse fighter, though so he might simply have no genuine interest in a Canelo challenge.

So, in summations: none of us know where everyone's favorite red haired warrior is headed at this point, but by mid to late summer, the direction may indeed be clear.

Like It Or Not, Personality Matters In Boxing

I have to admit I'm uncomfortable writing this piece. Those of us who are essentially unassuming types always feel like we're runners up in the great race of life - even when we win - because it's the bombastic or showy or glittery types who seem to get all the attention and love. Indeed, the shining personalities are the ones that draw in attention and interest. It just is what it is.

And it's all particularly true in boxing. In an era of the UFC, an age of strangleholding, headbashing love and adoration, Floyd Mayweather managed to rule supreme, even though he was a technical and highly defensive boxer. Why? Because Floyd's personality was stellar as far as marketing goes. He didn't promote his fighting style - he promoted himself - and it paid off handsomely.

The same rings true for heavyweight kingpin Tyson Fury. Let's face it, the man's upset win over Wladimir Klitscko early last winter was a snooze fest. Yet Fury himself is media dynamite. Call him a hater, a Neanderthal or just plain crazy, the man draws in the kind of attention his considerable fighting skills are just unable to.

All of which brings us to Mr. Canelo Alvarez. Oscar De La Hoya seems to feel that letting a fight between Canelo and GGG marinate indefinitely will torture fans enough to bring about a Mayweather-Pacquiao sized payday. After all, it worked out pretty good for Floyd and Manny, didn't it?

Sure it did - but Canelo's not Floyd. He's kind of unassuming, like the rest of us. Add in the fact that he's not as good a fighter as Floyd and Manny were and Oscar's move is clearly more risky than he himself may think. Like it or not, personality matters in boxing - and Canelo can't bring in eyeballs on personality alone.

What If Canelo Loses While The GGG Fight "Marinates?"

Things worth pondering

What little interaction I've had with Canelo Alvarez has been impressive. Here, my friends, is a real gentlemen in a world of blowhards and hype jobs. In case you haven't guessed it - I like the guy. I also think he's a lot of fun to watch in the ring. Canelo fights are rarely boring, after all. There's a problem afoot, however, and that problem is called Gennady Golovkin.

Most people, after all, feel Golovkin would essentially beat the hell out of Canelo in the ring. It appears promoter Oscar De La Hoya himself is aware of that distinct possibility, because he keeps trying to push back a fight between the two men, claiming the bout needs to "marinate." For those who aren't up to date on catch phrases, "marinate" is cute-speak for a potential fight becoming more lucrative. Needless to say, marinating is good for Oscar, himself a good guy and solid promoter, but not so good for the fans - or for GGG himself.

Boxing's new breed of fans are entirely in Oscar and Canelo's corner on this, mind you. You can read their comments on boxing websites where they declare that Canelo is the "A-side," and that people who don't like the way things are need to "deal with it, bitch." Thing is, the new breed is, thank heavens, in the minority here. Most fight fans are sports fans, not reality TV fans who live vicariously through the earned wealth of famous figures.

There's something else for Oscar and Canelo to be concerned about, though - what happens if Canelo loses while his fight with GGG marinates? What if Khan somehow shocks the world next month? What if Manny Pacquiao were to somehow miraculously do to Canelo what he did to Oscar years ago? What if David Lemieux were to land a haymaker? What if Miguel Cotto were to have the fight of his life?

What then?

You, I, and everyone else clearly know what the answer is.

Is Boxing About To Become Even MORE Marginalized?

Go figure

I'm a boxing fan to the death. Make no mistake about it. To me, boxing is the single greatest sport on earth - hands down. With that in mind, it's going through some hard times right now, some really hard times. That doesn't mean I believe the sport is going to fall off the face of the earth. Indeed, I feel the sweet science will eventually have its day in the sun again.

With all that in mind, however, I'm starting to wonder if things will get worse before they get better. An analyst I admire the other day essentially stated that some of us knock the sport of boxing too much. Frankly, there's a lot to bitch about. A whole lot. The past few months have been nothing short of a dead zone for televised boxing. That's simply inexcusable.

What's more, it seems like HBO level fights may now appear on pay per view. Mature, reasoned people can give me all the mature, reasoned explanations for this they want - but the fact remains the fans aren't getting what they want. HBO isn't the only issue, however. Oscar De La Hoya speaks of marinating a Canelo-GGG fight as if it were a chicken dinner. What's more, Al Haymon has largely pressed down on the brake pedal when it comes to airing fights on more or less free television - a year or so after he gobbled up a ton air time.

What's this leave fans with? The possibility of all kinds of pay per view events except the ones that they really want. And possibly a lot less boxing on television, to boot. Sure, Showtime has a decent lineup at the moment - but who's to say the network will stay interested in boxing? No one, that's who.

To sum it all up:

Pointless pay per view events may be promoted while legitimate pay per view events indefinitely marinate. Meanwhile, fewer fights may appear on regular television and pay cable. In other words, fans may well be given far less in the near future while being charged hard earned money for even that little bit. Does anyone think this sort of thing, if it happens, will bode well for the sport?

Let's hope a new page is turned sooner rather than later.

Is It Time For Fans To Start Ignoring Pay Per View Cards?

The bigwigs have turned their backs on the fans.

Let's face it, folks, boxing's powers that be don't care much about us.

Maybe they feel they just can't, as they have businesses to run. Fine. But, at the risk of sounding harsh, that's not our problem. Besides, who reading this is bringing down the cash Al Haymon, Bob Arum and Oscar De La Hoya are? I'm not saying these are bad guys, I'm simply saying they're not giving the people what they want. It's that simple. Indeed, boxing is the only business I know of where the power players publicly suggest the consumers "just don't understand."

Oh, we understand, all right.

Let's face it, 2015 was a banner year for those in any way involved with Mayweather-Pacquiao. I almost have to smile wryly when I read the media touting the UFC's buy rate these days. Why? Because May-Pac was that much bigger than anything Dana White has sent the world's way. Conor McGregor brags about earning 10 mil? Manny and Floyd earned HUNDREDS of millions for their 2015 meeting.

Thing is, the success of May-Pac wasn't good for the fans. First off, the lead up was completely overblown (trust me on this, I had to cover and partake in it for publishers). The fight also disappointed people in a lot of ways (though I think we in the media were to blame for that). Here's the thing, though - last year's superfight may now stand as the gold standard for boxing's powers that be. Believe it.

Oscar De La Hoya has referenced May-Pac when speaking of a potential Canelo-GGG match. Indeed, one wonders if Oscar wouldn't mind letting a Saul-Gennady match hold off for a good five years. After all, it then might bring in a similar windfall to what May-Pac did.

What does that do for the fans, though? And what does it do for the sport? Does anyone at this point think May-Pac helped boxing in any significant way? Will "marinating" more interesting fights help anyone besides the power players?

I could be wrong here, but I'm starting to suspect boxing's elite ruling class doesn't want to give the fans much boxing at all. I'm not talking about holding off on superfights, either. I'm talking about holding off on ALL significant fights.

Look, it's past mid March and boxing has been dead since before Christmas. That's a fact. Using the May-Pac method of business, however, this is a perfect way of doing things. The fans salivate, after all, and then jump at any old thing that's thrown their way as if it were surf and turf.

If that's the strategy boxing's power brokers are now employing, it's actually quite brilliant. Or is it? Truth be told, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth getting the Bradley-Pacquiao and Canelo-Khan fights. Sure, they're good fights, but are they Pay Per View worthy at this point?

With news that Bud Crawford will be on Pay Per View against an opponent no one even knows of yet, I'm wondering if Pay Per View may soon be the only way to watch significant boxing at all. It that's the case, it won't be right. So perhaps, just perhaps, it's time to nip this Pay Per View thing in the bud.

As always, though, I could be wrong. Let me know what you think in the comments.

An Objective Look At Oscar De La Hoya, Promoter

This situation may well require a serious look

Oscar De La Hoya was some kind of fighter, let me tell you. Here was a guy who was not only talented and brave - he was game, as well. And by game, I mean willing to fight anyone. Anyone. This here was the real deal, folks. Win. Lose. Didn't matter. Oscar kept plugging along. Oh, and he usually won.

Even when he was past his prime, the guy was great. It still puzzles me why the man stopped jabbing away during his superfight against Floyd Mayweather, a fight De La Hoya was clearly winning in my eyes. Indeed, one could only imagine how things would have turned out had the Golden Boy been in his prime. As far as that final crushing loss to Manny Pacquiao goes, it was simply a bridge too far. Oscar knew it himself and wisely hung up the gloves afterwards. No shame. No damage to his sterling reputation.

Unfortunately, addiction consumed post-ring Oscar and his promotional business, it seems, faltered on account of it. Still, Oscar fought his demons and once again firmly took control of his company, Golden Boy Promotions. Everyone was happy for the guy - and with good reason. What's more, this improved version of Oscar said he wanted to see the best fight the best. As a promoter, he could have said no better words.

Thing is, now fans are starting to wonder. Canelo Alvarez, Oscar's star fighter, is not seeming at first glance like Oscar did in his prime right now. For one thing, Canelo - or his team - are insisting on a catch weight before Canelo faces the fearsome Gennady Golovkin for middleweight supremacy. What's more, that same team seems to be wanting to push back the mandatory matchup with GGG.

The problem here is that Oscar is one of the leading forces behind team Canelo - if not THE leading force. Oscar likes to say a fight with GGG needs to "marinate," but people are wondering if "marinate" means wait until GGG's boyish hair shows signs of gray. That may be unfair of people to consider, but it's what they're wondering nonetheless.

Indeed, fans are feeling something odd is afoot and that's too bad. Oscar, after all, has come a long way to rebuilding his hard earned and stellar reputation. It's also worth keeping in mind that neither Oscar nor Canelo have shown so much as an ounce of fear at the prospect of Canelo fighting GGG. So it may indeed be all about making as much money as possible on a very big matchup, as far as these men are concerned.

Still, fight fans want to see good fights. Unlike the power players that call the shots, they see boxing as a sport first, a business second. Oscar, at least at the moment, doesn't seem to see things the way fans do. His whole approach to Canelo-GGG seems a bit to coy, a bit too smooth, a bit, let's face it, too contemporary. And, in case you haven't guessed it, contemporary boxing practices are far from lauded.

With all that in mind, however, it seems Oscar may ("may" being the operative word here) have been hosed - perhaps not even intentionally - by Richard Schaefer, a Golden Boy honcho who might (again, be mindful of the operative word here - "might") have helped fight guru Al Haymon more than he did Oscar himself. In other words, Oscar's company may now be on shaky ground if its star, Canelo, loses badly.

Like it or not, boxing IS still a business and, yeah, Oscar is a businessman - one with responsibilities and mouths to feed. Then again, it's only fair to claim that boxing is a sport first and a business second. What's more, no one is forced into the promotion game. On top of that, it's Oscar who has been claiming he want to make the best fights.

Indeed, the whole thing might be considered a confusing mess. Even Schaefer might not be a snarling villain in all this. After all, he may well have only been trying to steer a company whose leader was on an extended bender through treacherous waters. It's easy to point fingers at guys like Schaefer without putting ourselves in his shoes at the time first.

The point here is that there's lots to consider when it comes to complex matters. And, yeah, believe it or not, the fight game is a complex matter. Ultimately, however, fans have a right to see the best fight the best. When that doesn't happen, the sport, and especially those power players who run it, fail in their obligations.