Forever Fighting

Tag: news

  • A New Dawn Ahead

    Today a huge announcement for the sport of boxing came from Turki Al-Sheikh and Dana White. The two titans of fight promotion have come together to form a boxing organization with a UFC model. In theory this is the ultimate dream for fight fans however the road to glory will be a long and bumpy one. Boxing unlike MMA has no dominant brand like the UFC.

    Dana White as achieved a model with the UFC similar to that of the NFL. What I mean by this is that no fighter or player is bigger than the brand of the league. On top of this amazing promotional strategy, Dana requires his fighters to fight for one belt. Providing the fans with a clear understanding of who is Champion. Boxing currently with its four belt system is alphabet soup. Getting boxers to compete for one belt isnt only more impactful for the fighters legacy but also for fanfare.

    Implementing this into the sport of Boxing is another story. Roadblocks that will have to be navigated are plentiful, Such as how to draw the top fighters away from current promotional deals and maintain a pay rate that is attractive. The UFC pay rate which is well structured is much more shrewd for fighters that are not global stars. As Dana has said in the past, Boxing events are going out of sale events, where all of the revenue generated is dispersed amongst promotions, sanctioning bodies and the headliners of the event. No money is typically left over to reinvest into a “brand” or “league”.

    All that being said, If there are any individuals to get us to the promised land it is certainly Dana White. A man who has already achieved this model within MMA. Now with the partnership with Turki they will be a formidable force in Boxing.

  • All Roads Lead to Canelo

    All Roads Lead to Canelo

    The highly anticipated rematch between Beterbiev and Bivol, scheduled for February 22nd, is certain to provide boxing fans with a high-level chess match. The first fight, which was highly competitive and technical, ended with Beterbiev getting his hand raised. I expect another razor-close fight in the rematch, which would lead you to believe a trilogy is imminent. However, I do not believe an immediate third fight is at all what will happen.

    David Benavidez must face the winner to keep the division moving and provide casual fans with a new face in championship fights. Ultimately, the promotional minds behind boxing must be planning for an eventual blockbuster fight with Canelo reentering the shark tank at 175. In the near future, Canelo will be busy with a chance to become undisputed again at super middleweight against William Scull on May 3rd. Not long after that, Canelo is scheduled to fight Terence Crawford in September, which will complete two fights under his four-fight deal with Riyadh Season.

    Who will his final two fights be under the Riyadh Season contract, you may ask? I am willing to bet Turki Al Alshikh is envisioning a 175 lb undisputed fight involving Canelo in 2026—an opportunity to become the first to unify at 168 and 175 in the four-belt era, further cementing his legacy.

  • One more war for “Del Boy”

    Derek Chisora put on a classic performance against Otto Wallin, extending his win streak to three in a row. The 41 year olds efforts have earned him the right of being the mandatory for the IBF title.

    Time for Chisora to kick his feet up and watch closely as Dubois and Joseph Parker fight for the IBF title on February 22nd. As the IBF title eliminator winner, Chisora should, in theory, challenge the winner for the championship. However, the current heavyweight king, Oleksandr Usyk, will also be standing by, watching as he analyzes the next challenger to his throne. Unfortunately for Derek, I cannot see a world in which the winner of Dubois vs. Parker fights anyone other than Usyk for the undisputed title.

    This leads me to believe that logical match up for Chisora is Anthony Joshua. Two British boxing stars collide in this fight, giving Joshua a chance to rebound after his defeat to Dubois while also providing Chisora with one last blockbuster payday—and with a win, just maybe one more war for Del Boy, for all the marbles.