What do Leo Santa Cruz, Danny Garcia and Adonis Stevenson have in common - aside from the fact that each one is an "Al Haymon fighter?" If you answered each one has disappointed fans lately, you'd be exactly right. The question, of course, is why? Does it all have to do with their mysterious adviser, Haymon?
It's hard to say with any certainty. Floyd Mayweather is a Haymon fighter, after all, and he finally silenced the (reasonable) critics by agreeing to face Manny Pacquiao. Keith Thurman, too, is a Haymon fighter, but he comes across as someone who's chomping at the bit to face major competition.
On the other hand, De La Cruz has been maddening in his avoidance of the talented Guillermo Rigondeaux, Stevenson has been maddening in his avoidance of Sergey Kovalev and Danny Garcia has been maddening in his overall lineup of less than stellar opposition. So what gives? You can say you do things "for the fans" until you're blue in the face, but if you're not actually pleasing those fans, you're going to get called out for it.
Not so long ago I was informed (by who escapes me) that Haymon does what his fighters want him to do. In other words, if a Haymon fighter wants to risk it all in a dangerous fight, Haymon will work to make that fight happen. On the other hand, if a fighter wants to play it safe and take the easy way out, Haymon will work to make that happen, too.
If that's the truth, then Haymon has nothing to do with these fighters disappointing the fans, other than simply granting his boxers their wishes. If it's not true, however, then perhaps ("perhaps" being the operative word here) Haymon does indeed have something to do with with the less than stellar recent resumes of these men. Either way, when all is said and done, it's Santa Cruz, Garcia and Stevenson who have to answer to the boxing public.
Or not.
It's up to them, really. In at least one sense, they can do with their reputations what they please.
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