What If Khan Beats Canelo?

If you're like most fight fans, you take it as a matter of fact that Canelo Alvarez is pretty much going to walk down Amir Khan this May and turn him into a punching bag. It's easy to understand why. Canelo fights a significant number of pounds higher than Khan has up until now. What's more, Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya seems a bit skittish about having his man face GGG. It only stands to reason fans would therefore suspect that Oscar would match his star carefully against other opponents, as well.

What many of us are forgetting, however, is that Khan is an exceedingly skilled fighter. He unquestionably has his weaknesses, but Khan's ability in the ring is nothing short of impressive when he's at his best. It might also be worth keeping in mind that although Canelo may be popular, popularity does not go hand in hand with great ability. In other words, the man hasn't really shown signs of greatness in the ring - at least not yet.

Of course, there's also the small fact that boxing plays its favorites and it may be hard to imagine Canelo ever losing to Khan on the judge's scorecards in Vegas. Since Khan likely can't knock Canelo out at 155, it simply might not seem likely that he can walk away with the win under any circumstances.

Unless, of course, he really takes Canelo to school, like Mayweather did. No, Scratch that. Canelo still got a draw from one of the judges after Floyd made an easy night of him. Khan might have to do an even BETTER job than Floyd did against Canelo if he were to somehow even hope to move the judge's needle in his favor.

What if he were to do that, though? What if Khan were to surprise the world by fighting Canelo so efficiently that the judges absolutely, positively could NOT rule against him out of fear of getting the CJ Ross treatment? What if, in an even greater surprise, Khan were simply to get the better of Canelo and the judges ruled fairly?

Hey, it's not ENTIRELY out of the realm of possibility, is it?

So, what happens if Khan finds himself being the toast of the fight world? Well, for one thing, Khan would have gone from laughing stock to hero in the amount of time it takes to go through hedge fund money on a boxing series. The world would surely be his.

What would he do, though? Rematch Canelo? Go back down to welterweight? What if he were to stay at middleweight? Would he keep GGG at bay? Some would argue Khan is fine with keeping big fights from happening if they don't suit him. Just ask Kell Brook supporters. Will a new mega-bout be in order (between Khan and GGG) or will a planned mega bout (between Canelo and GGG) simply have died because of Canelo's insistence on marinating things to death, in the process leaving fans with nothing?

I find these questions fascinating. I may be getting ahead of myself here, of course. Then again...

The Top In-Your-Face Fighters In History

None of these guys are your man on the street type

The world is filled with fighters that are cocky, swaggering, and in-your-face. Some love this sort of thing. Some can't stand it. One thing is certain - these types of individuals are DIFFERENT. For they not only shoot off their mouths when the rest of us remain silent - they back those big words up. With no further adieu then, let's take a look at the upper echelon of the In Your Face Crowd, from the 1800s to the present.

1. John L Sullivan: The original. This strutting Irish American ruled the post Civil War fight scene like no other. Boastful and hard drinking, he was also as brave as they came and - yeah - appears to have been one hell of a fighter, whether it was with gloves or with bare knuckles. A true one of a kind.
2.  Jack Johnson: The first African American heavyweight champion of the world was also a first class mouth. Hated for his skin color, Johnson doesn't seem to have been interested in winning over the ignorant. Indeed, he was all about taunting and flashing an expensive lifestyle. Controversy sells, and Johnson - the first old time fighter who might well hold his own today - was living proof of that fact. 
3. Muhammad Ali: Interesting in that he was a combination of the social, the political and the athletic. In short, the man transcended not only boxing, but all of sports. And he did it all while shooting off his mouth in a way that could be as much wink-and-a-smile as in your face. In sense, he perfected the craft.  
4. Floyd Mayweather: You didn't think this list would skip Floyd, did you? In a sense, the guy was a strange combination of Sullivan and Johnson in that he boasted of his skills while openly indulging in his financial success. Unlike Sullivan and Johnson, however, no one was able to beat Floyd throughout his career. And if he remains retired, Floyd will have backed up the talk all the way through to the end. 
5. Tyson Fury: Behold, the class of 2016. Outspoken, and obnoxious, this walking master class of bullying as psychological warfare stunned the dominant Wladimir Klitschko late in 2015...and has yet to be shut up by anyone. 

Why I'm Not Sold On Luis Ortiz - Yet

Hard to impress?

Make no mistake about it. Luis Ortiz is a solid, and destructive heavyweight. I dunno, though, there's something about the guy that gives me pause - something that makes me reluctant to jump on the bandwagon which currently sings his praises. The skill is there. So, obviously, is the strength. Something seems to be missing, though. Perhaps it's just me.

Then again...

Take last week's bout against Tony Thompson. There were moments there halfway through the fight where Ortiz did - nothing. There Thompson was, actually mocking the guy, and Ortiz was simply inert. Was he even moving his feet? Look, it's clear Ortiz had nothing to worry about. It's also clear that a guy in his late thirties doesn't want to exert too much energy in the ring. Still, I couldn't picture any heavyweight of note just letting time pass like Ortiz did at that moment.

And while I'm sure greater minds than my own would be happy to tell me I have it all wrong, that Ortiz was masterful and doing what anyone who really knows anything about boxing would expect of him, I'm no so sure that's true. None of this is to say that I might not be in error here. It's just that I'm not entirely convinced this is a man who can best the likes of Fury, or Wilder (though I could see his style possibly giving Klitschko problems).

One thing is certain, Ortiz is worthy of attention. Whether or not he's worthy of high accolades, however,  remains to be see. Maybe I'm simply being too critical. Perhaps growing up in the 70s and 80s before savoring the 90s heavyweight scene has spoiled me.

Then again...

Bring On Lomachenko-Walters

Look me in the eye and tell me this wouldn't be a great matchup.

It's time for Lomachenko-Walters. You know it and so do I. Bob Arum says he's trying to make the fight, so let's hope it happens. Publicly if we have to. Social media is a powerful outlet for we little people. Good fights need to be made and these guys seem to be willing to face off. So, while Frampton and Santa Cruz wonder if it's worth risking their precious zeros to face each other, let's have a chance to sit down and watch some real competitors.

I was watching both Walters and Loma in action again last night and was intrigued. Lomachenko is indeed a skilled and masterful fighter. Indeed, he's a wonder to watch work. The man's footwork, speed and timing are impeccable. Walters, though, Walters has power. serious, fight ending power. We saw what a wildly and unfairly pumped up Salido did to Lomachenko - imagine what a legit strong man can do to the Ukranian.

What's more, Walters is sparing with his energy and knows how to cut off the ring. Don't expect him to chase Loma around  in hopeless pursuit. Oh and Walters has an impressive skill set of his own. Maybe it isn't as sharp and awe inspiring as Loma's is, but it's damn good. That's something worth remembering.

In the end, of course, the odds will favor Loma, should the two men actually meet. That's understandable, but on a personal level I'm not so sure. Again, timing and strength can sap a fighter. Could Walters be the man to legitimately best Loma (the Salido fight was crap)? Or will Loma show just how much better he is than the rest of the competition?

Either way, it's time to find out.

Why Quality Should Come First In Boxing

Cherry picking excites no one

So the other night a strange thing happened - I found myself watching a UFC match. Boxing had just had a pretty good night for itself, it was late, and I wasn't ready for bed (my wife was finishing up a movie), so I decided to check out McGregor-Diaz. And guess what? It was really entertaining. Sure, it was a bit sloppy for my sophisticated boxing taste (I'm so high end, don't ya know?) , but - hey - it was exiting as hell.

To my point - McGregor, the darling of the media - got beaten down by the far less heralded Diaz. It was nice to see since, from my largely objective viewpoint, McGregor is the kind of white, mouthy fighter the UFC has been building up lately for an adoring media. My suspicions were somewhat confirmed later in the weekend when I saw a clip of Diaz on camera saying that McGregor had pretty much gotten special treatment from the UFC.

The takeaway - MMA, which one would think from listening to people is the savior of combat sports,  is a lot like boxing in some regards. Yet there's another takeaway here, one that differentiates MMA - or at least the UFC - from boxing: popular MMA fighters like McGregor, whether they receive favored treatment or not, challenge themselves. McGregor supposedly moved up in weight for this fight, what's more, he fights all the time. Could the same be said of Canelo Alvarez?

Keep in mind that these words are being written by a boxing writer, not an MMA writer. Not only that, they're being written by someone who doesn't even want to write about MMA unless it pertains to boxing. In short, they're coming from a boxing fan, not an MMA fan. Yet the truth is the truth, and
the truth is this:

Marketing trumps sportsmanship when it comes to boxing.

And that's not a good thing.

I just read this morning that Billy Joe Saunders is about to face an opponent no one's heard of. He could have faced Gennady Golovkin for tons of money. Billy Joe knows, however, where more steady income can be found. The same may go for Canelo, who, let's face it, seems to want, at the very least, to cash in some more before facing Golovkin in the ring.

This sort of thing hurts the sport, my friends. Sure, McGregor, despite his boasting, won't be earning what Canelo will, but there's something unseemly about easy - or, rather, easier - money. At least that's true when it comes to professional athletes.

Look, boxing is neither dead nor dying. It's not in a great place, though. The modern world, with it's current technology, makes cherry picking harder and harder to do. What's more, the technology is only going to improve, so market based sporting careers are only going to continue to take heat.

And that, frankly, is the good part about all this.

The Top Five Heavyweight Champs Of All Time

These guys simply rise above the rest

Let's face it, the heavyweight division is getting hot again - finally. So, during this transition period, I've decided to look back and think about just who the greatest heavyweight champs were. You may not like the list, but that's fine. Comment and tell me where I'm wrong.

The truth is, guys like Corbett, Johnson and Dempsey, great as they were, probably wouldn't do to well against the guys on this list. Boxing, frankly, simply moved on beyond their skill sets. Then again, you won't find names like Klitschko and Fury on this list, either. They may be big, but just imagine them facing the Tyson who faced Michael Spinks.

1. Muhammad Ali - Hey, they called him The Greatest for a reason. Liston. Frazier. Foreman. Spinks. He beat them all. That's saying something. What's particularly great about the man is he didn't rely on an undefeated record. When defeated, he would simply come back and win. Admirable stuff.
2. Larry Holmes - Surprised?You shouldn't be. The man was that good. Yeah, he's known as the guy who held the belt in between the reigns of Ali and Tyson, but ask yourself this - would the Holmes who fought Cooney have lost to a prime Ali and Tyson? Maybe. But then again...
3. Lennox Lewis - Here's a man who had the misfortune of never fighting Tyson or Holyfield in their primes. That's too bad, because I wouldn't write him off against either of those two. In fact, I'd favor him against both. And their both on this list.
4. Mike Tyson - If you want to know why Iron Mike's on this list, then with all do respect, you don't know boxing all that well. Pure dominance. Dempsey on steroids (no, not literally). Too tough to swing with, too fast to run from. Truly the baddest man on the planet. 
5. Evander Holyfield - My favorite fighter of all time is still a tough sell on his list. Riddick Bowe won two out of three against the man. What's more, it's hard to figure out if Holyfield could have beaten Joe Louis if both men were at their best. Regardless. Some fighters just have other fighter's numbers. It's been said, for instance, that Ken Norton had Ali's number. Yet Norton truly doesn't belong on this list. Bottom line: Bowe never went on to achieve what Holyfield did. And yeah, prime Evander could probably have bested prime Louis.

Why Has Canelo Alvarez Become Boxing's New Bad Guy?

At the rate he's going, Canelo may soon start playing smaller venues

So no, Canelo Alvarez does not consider himself a middleweight - but he's going to hold on to the middleweight title. And while Gennady Golovkin is indeed a true middleweight, Canelo won't fight him unless GGG loses weight, possibly weakening himself in the process. Oh, and Canelo's in no big hurry to fight GGG, either. Just in case you want to know. Or not. Frankly, Canelo has made it clear he's not too interested in what most boxing fans think.

Indeed, Canelo has become a villain...and it seems to be a role he's embracing. Why, though? Why is this former warrior, this bright star in a dark night of boxing, taking such a turn?

Well, I could be wrong here. but I suspect he doesn't have much of a choice. See, Canelo's making a ton of cash these days facing the likes of Amir Khan and Miguel Cotto, terrific fighters who he should be able to beat. GGG, though, is another story entirely. I used to give Canelo a good chance against Golovkin, but now I feel either he or his team know the Kazakh cannot only beat the red haired slugger star, he can beat him out of stardom.

And then what happens? Where will all that pay per view money go? Canelo knows that fans will still pay to see him if he continues to avoid GGG - at least for a while. Eventually, of course, he'll be turned on, just like Julio Caesar Chavez Jr was. As a rule, fight fans can't abide divas. Until then, though, Canelo can still cash in. If he were to fight GGG soon, however, he wouldn't be able to cash in at all.

Canelo, simply put, is in a Catch 22 situation. He can continue making money while angering fans, or he can get his lights punched out in front of millions. And make no mistake about it, a loss to GGG most likely wouldn't be like Canelo's loss to Mayweather. No, it might well be more like Hatton's loss to Pacquiao.

And so there we have it.

I could, of course, be all wrong about this.