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.

Canelo's Reputation Takes A Major Hit

Look, I don't know what's in Canelo Alvarez' heart. I also have to come clean and admit I'm not a professional fighter. That pretty much means I'm in no position to charge someone who takes punches for a living of cowardice. In other words, I have no interest in being a keyboard warrior. I just want to be fair and call it like I see it.

And here's how I see it now that Canelo has given up his WBC title:

The man's reputation has taken a serious hit. It doesn't matter if he did the smart thing, the savvy thing or the strategic thing...he looks bad right now. Will the man's reputation be able to survive this? I don't know, but I can't imagine this sort of stain washing off too easy.

Canelo has given up his title freely, after all, so that a man who wants to fight him can have it without a fight. What's more, this comes after Canelo literally knocked a pumped up welterweight senseless less than two weeks ago. It doesn't look good, my friends, It just doesn't look good at all.

Again, I don't know what's in Canelo's heart. I'm not criticizing Canelo's decision here, nor am I criticizing his team. I'm simply analyzing the public fallout from that decision. Needless to say, that fallout is fairly harsh.

Perhaps Canelo will end up fighting GGG in September. That could end up being a reputation savior. Indeed, it would pretty much be the only way to wipe out the memory of what's just transpired.

Let's Face It: Canelo-Khan Should Have Never Happened

Canelo Alvarez looked terrific against Amir Khan. He walked down a fast and very skilled opponent who had been frustrating him and laid him out in a fashion that will be long remember and replayed on countless video clips. Impressive stuff. There's a problem afoot here, though, one that needs to be mentioned:

This fight should have never happened.

Nope. Canelo should have fought the fearsome Gennady Golovkin, not a naturally smaller man from two divisions south of middleweight. At the very least Canelo should have faced a solid middleweight. This wasn't about matchmaking, though, so much as it was about sharp marketing. The goal was to have Canelo bring in money without really facing someone scary. So a top level welterweight was brought in to legitimize the proceedings.

And everyone went along with it - myself included. Oh, we let it be known that our eyebrows were raised, that we knew what the whole thing was really all about - but we still watched it, we still talked about it and, yeah, guys like me got a lot of clicks writing about it. And then we all sat there for a moment on Saturday night wondering if Khan would be able to get up. Something to think about.

It's understandable that we all bought into this - but from here on in we need to know better.

Why Canelo Has A Big Decision To Make

Canelo has things to ponder

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Canelo Alvarez is good for boxing. He's exciting, he's a decent guy (at least he was when we briefly spoke) and he brings some much needed attention to the sweet science here in the post Mayweather-Pacquiao era. With that in mind, however, Canelo has a big decision to make - provided he bests Amir Khan this weekend, as many suspect he will.

Yup, Canelo has to decide whether he wants to try to be a great fighter or if he'd rather be merely a lucrative fighter. There's a big difference between these two categories and only few are able to be both lucrative AND legitimately great. Canelo has certainly made a lot of money. What he hasn't done, however, is achieved greatness. At least not yet.

In order for him to do that, Canelo will either have to face Gennady Golovkin in the ring or give up his middleweight title and challenge himself at a weight he's more comfortable at. It really is that simple. While people will forgive Canelo for fighting the very skilled Amir Khan, the fact that Khan has never fought higher than welterweight has raised some eyebrows.

And while Canelo-Khan may well be a successful and popular fight, people will start losing respect, REALLY start losing respect, for Canelo if he continues to not face Golovkin while insisting he can keep the middleweight title. If he emerges from this weekend victorious, Canelo will indeed find himself entering a new chapter in his life with all eyes upon him.

Frankly, I'd like to see him face Golovkin. If he simply abandons the middleweight title, however, I can live with it. If Canelo wants to have his cake and eat it too, however, if he decides he wants to be king of the middleweights without fighting the number one contender, then he'll have lost me. Again, no matter what Canelo does, he can remain a hugely popular and lucrative athlete. There's big, relatively easy fights for him to make out there, after all.

In order to be great, however; in order for him to be more than a showcase fighter, he's going to have to do the uncomfortable thing. It's what greatness requires.

Why Boxing Is In Desperate Need Of Fighters With Confidence

Be on the lookout

There once was a time not so long ago at all where I felt both Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz had a chance to beat Guillermo Rigondeaux. Sadly, it appears I had more faith in both men's ability than they themselves did. Why? Because they've both gone out of their way to avoid poor Rigo in order to face each other. To make matters worse, both men are being applauded for facing one another. More on that later.

Right now let's focus on Frampton and Santa Cruz. You can say both men are ignoring Rigo for financial reasons. You can say both men are avoiding Rigo in order to move on to greener pastures. You can't say, however, that both men are exuding confidence. I don't believe that for a second and neither do you. Nope, there's more afoot here than smart career maneuvers. There is obviously a distinct lack of confidence at play when it comes to these men keeping away from Guillermo Rigondeaux.

In this, however, they are not alone. Canelo Alvarez seems to lack confidence when it comes to the prospect of facing Gennady Golovkin. Or at least his handlers do. Angel Garcia essentially asked aloud why a fighter should challenge himself when he didn't have to. Perhaps if Angel had more confidence in his son Danny's ability he wouldn't be asking questions like that. And let's not even get started on Adonis Stevenson.

Here's the truth - boxers aren't cowards. Modern boxers, however - at least those of note - tend to lack confidence. If they didn't, well, we'd see the best fight the best. And we're just not seeing that. At least not on a regular basis. Men who are willing to risk life and limb in the ring are shying away at the prospect of being underdogs. They also apparently believe they can't save their respective careers from damaging losses, even though men like Tim Bradley and Alvarez himself clearly indicate otherwise.

There's something else concerning in all this, however - and that's the role we modern fight fans play in this sad state of affairs. As I mentioned earlier, lots of people are thrilled at the prospect of Frampton fighting Santa Cruz. Great fight, they say. Besides, they argue, Rigo is boring. Who needs him?

Ask yourself this - could you imagine your average football, soccer, baseball, basketball or tennis fan employing the same mentality? Of course not. And that's why boxing's fan base is so much smaller than it could be. There's no real drama at play anymore, no way to find out who's the best, At this rate, boxing may someday be reduced to a pro bowling sized fan base.

And we fans will have no one to blame but ourselves.

How Long Can A Boxer Ride The Hype Train For?

After a point, one has to look reality dead in the eye

First things first, I'm a boxing writer, not an MMA writer. I've been asked to write about MMA before, but have politely refused as it's just not in my wheelhouse. Having said that, I think it's a legit and interesting sport. In other words, I'm not one of those boxing hipsters who bashes the damned thing. I think MMA is great - I simply think boxing is better.

With that in mind, this whole Conor McGregor brouhaha has piqued my interest, Why? Because it reminds me a lot of boxing, that's why. Here we have a young guy hyped beyond all rational thought, a man who we were told could essentially beat anyone, anytime, anywhere. Except of course, he couldn't. And now he's publicly making waves.

You MMA experts out there are free to call me out on this, but McGregor looks like he may be a decent enough fighter who was hyped to be a great fighter...and is now lashing out because he suddenly realizes his own limitations. In a sense, he reminds me of boxers over the years who endured such humiliation.

For example, Primo Canera is largely said to have been a mob hype job. Sure, he attained the heavyweight championship of the world, but when he finally had to face a serious threat in Max Baer, the results were as brutal as they were humbling.

Adrien Broner is a more modern example of the hype job. The sad thing about Broner, of course, is he probably could have been so much more. But frankly, that's on him. As it stands, the fight world was left with a very talented fighter who was sold as the heir to Floyd Mayweather - even thought the evidence clearly suggested otherwise.

It took a run-in with Marcos Maidana for the world to see the truth - that when you let your skill level plateau, you become more show than go. And that makes you a hype job. Perhaps like McGregor, people mistook real talent and brashness for greatness. Both guys have emulated Mayweather. Unlike Mayweather, however, neither has been able to back up his self-promotion.

All of this, oddly enough, points to one Canelo Alvarez. Although Canelo is a far more likable individual than Broner or McGregor, fans are starting to wonder if the man is now riding on a bit of hype. Make no mistake about it, Canelo is  VERY good boxer. Why isn't he facing Gennady Golovkin, however? Why the avoidance?

Popularity and earning potential is great, but it doesn't equal greatness. The history of boxing has been littered with the names of amazing athletes who were conveniently pushed aside. Fighters used to be able to avoid menacing competition by saying they wouldn't fight someone of another skin color. Now fighters due the same thing by pointing out a threatening opponent's lack of popularity or potential earnings.

It's all very white collar these days - and all very much complete bullshit.

So, how far can can a boxer ride the hype train for? If the above examples are any indication, not very far. Team Canelo, however, may be trying to push the envelope. Let's see how long the ride lasts. Who knows? Canelo may ultimately end up living up to the hype. What a treat that would be...a guy who could back up all the talk without resorting to being a big mouth like McGregor or Broner.

Here's hoping.

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.

Are Today's Top Young Boxers Entitled Millennials?

Some just want to get rich while taking it easy

Back when I was in my twenties, my friends and I didn't see ourselves as being  members of Generation X. Oh, we fit the demographic by birth, but there was something about the image of a typical slacker - some mope who had no interest in taking part in the general workings of society -  that rubbed us the wrong way. Looking back on it now I see that, in a lot of ways,  my friends and I were - you guessed it - typical  Generation X slackers.

Enough of me and my generation, though, let's talk about today's youth, the much maligned Millennials. As an associate professor at a local university, I see these kids all the time. And guess what? I like 'em. A lot. Sure the most whiny, and tisky ones of the bunch get on the news, but by and far these kids are all right. Indeed, they're far more empathetic and  moral than Gen X was in it's day. Believe it.

Still, there are some generalizations that ring true with this group as a whole. And just like my friends and I were typical Gen Xers without even realizing it, a many young people in today's Western World are acting like entitled millennials in a lot of ways. And that includes top young boxers.

Current middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, for instance, won't defend his title at the middleweight limit. Like a student in a differentiated classroom, Canelo wants exceptions to be made for him. The same goes for middleweight Billy Joe Saunders who, legend has it, came right out and said he wasn't ready for Gennady Golovkin, even though both men are champions in the same weight division.

Indeed, it's accepted as fact that some highly paid young fighters don't feel like they have to go out and actually earn the big bucks when they can be well compensated for easy bouts. You know, entitlement. Things like opponent avoidance, catchweights and difficult negotiations have probably been around as long as the fight game, of course. Never before, though, have they been as prominent. And that suggests a generational attitude change.

Let's hope some of these kids grow up quick.

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...

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.

Why The Thurman-Porter Fiasco Pretty Much Sums Up Boxing Right Now

At least Saint Paddy's Day is right around the corner

Ever read Waiting for Godot? It's a terrific play about two tramps who wait by the side of the road for a guy who never shows up. That's it. Boxing is kind of like Waiting for Godot right now in that fans are waiting and waiting for major events that just aren't happening. Seriously. We're now at the point where Frampton-Quigg,  a battle between  B-plus level small fighters, is all the rage. You say Leo Santa Cruz awaits the winner? Who gives a s--t????

Honestly, is anyone really happy with all this?

My old man bought us some very nice seats recently to check out the Thurman-Porter fight right up the highway from where I live. That fight won't be happening, though, as Thurman was injured in a car accident. The undercard, however, is still going to proceed right on schedule. Yup, the Thurman-Porter card is going down without Thurman or Porter. If that doesn't sum up boxing right now, I honestly don't know what does.

Perhaps we can just let the entire sport marinate straight through til spring. That way we can all be good and eager to see how Amir Khan will most likely lose to Canelo Alvarez. Will Amir get knocked out as expected, or will Amir box smartly and be robbed by the judges? Inquiring minds want to know! I mentioned earlier how boxing at the moment is a lot like Waiting for Godot. Well, here's one way where boxing isn't like Waiting for Godot at all - it pretty much sucks right now.

Honestly people, we haven't had a legitimately significant bout since Klitschko-Fury last Christmas time. The only marinating thing here is our brains.

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.

What If GGG Isn't Allowed To Unify The Middleweight Titles?

There's a lot of talk out there that a Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin fight won't happen this year. There's even talk that it won't ever happen at all. Yup, people are feeling that team Canelo wants absolutely nothing to do with GGG, at least not in his current, prime, menacing state. GGG's team seems to be suspicious of team Canelo as well, at this point, as it's been suggested that Golovkin would be willing to take Canelo's WBC title should Canelo not wish to face him.

Here's the thing, though:

Who's to say the WBC would EVER give Canelo's belt to Golovkin? Sure, the "rules" apparently make it clear that Canelo (or Amir Khan, should he beat Canelo) have to agree to fight GGG at a certain time or give up the belt, but since when did things like rules, sportsmanship and fairness have much of anything to do with the sport of boxing?

Here's something we all need to wrap our heads around - GGG may never unify the middleweight titles simply because the current champions will be allowed to avoid him. It's that simple, really. And no, it isn't cynical to think this way - it's realistic. I'm not saying GGG WON'T ever unify the titles, but I am saying there's a real chance he won't even be able to try to. Indeed,  the odds may be stacked against Golovkin getting the opportunities he desires in boxing's current landscape.

What, then, is GGG to do? Why, keep fighting the best out there who he's able to fight, of course. That's all the man CAN do. There's something we as fans can do, however, and that's stop caring about titles and championships. Look, I'm as drawn to official recognition as much as anyone else, but right now titles are seen as tools of corrupt individuals, and have therefore completely lost their value as anything other than marketing chips.

Ironically enough, the sooner we push titles out of the conversation, the sooner they may again gain value. And the sooner GGG will get the recognition he deserves as king of the middleweight division - provided, of course, that no other fighter of note wants to challenge him for that claim.

PS: I've always liked Canelo and am still holding out hope he does the right thing here, as the sportsman he's thus far proven himself to be.