Boxing
Hearn Frigid v Canelo v Eubank Jr., pushes for Berlanga fight
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaMatchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is sceptical about the idea of Canelo Alvarez defending his undisputed super middleweight title against Chris Eubank Jr. in September.
Hearn’s Case for Berlanga
Hearn doesn’t like the fight for Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) and wants him to fight WBA 168-pound mandatory Edgar Berlanga, whom he promotes. He believes a fight between Canelo and Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) would sell well in the U.S. because of the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry.
Hearn fails to see the problem that Berlanga has fought only lower-level opponents throughout his career and is unknown outside of the die-hard fan community.
Many die-hard fans believe Berlanga is just an advertisement with no real substance, and Hearn’s careful selection of fighters for the Recent Yorker has not helped since signing him.
If Canelo fought Berlanga, he would be criticized in the States all the time and it wouldn’t be worth fighting him because it would never end. Hearn isn’t aware of that because he lives in the UK, but that’s the chilly, brutal reality.
When Hearn signed Berlanga, he should have paired him with these fighters to boost his popularity in the US:
-David Morrell
-Caleb Plant
-David Benavides
-Christian Mbilli
-Diego Pacheco
Instead of putting Berlanga in the fight with those fighters, Hearn gave him two effortless fights against British fighters Padraig McCrory and Jason Quigley, which did nothing to improve his popularity in the U.S.
Wrong assessment
“I don’t think it would be in the UK. It would be in the US, but I don’t know,” Eddie Hearn told Charlie Parsons Youtube channel, reacting to reports of a potential Canelo Alvarez vs. Chris Eubank Jr. fight in September.
“No, not really,” Hearn said when asked if he thought Canelo vs. Eubank Jr. would be a “substantial” fight in the U.S. “Eubank got stopped by Liam Smith. He came back. For me, Conor Benn, welterweight, vs. Chris Eubank Jr. is a 50-50 fight.”
Canelo needs an opponent to toasty up to for his next fight in September to prepare for his fight with Terence Crawford in early 2025. While Hearn thinks Berlanga is a great idea, he fights nothing like Crawford and looks like a airy heavyweight after rehydrating for his 168 fights.
The fight with Berlanga would be preparation for the fight with David Benavidez, but even in this case he would be a feeble opponent because he is average.
“Chris Eubank Jr. against 168-pound Canelo Alvarez is not. So I think I understand that, but no. I prefer Edgar Berlanga. He is [WBA 168-lb] mandatory challenger. He’s a substantial, robust 168-pounder who can really pack a punch Mexico vs. Puerto Rico. It’s a substantial fight that puts in substantial numbers,” Hearn said.
Canelo-Berlanga wouldn’t do much in the US, as Berlanga is known on the East Coast in Recent York, and even there he’s popular in parts, not the entire state. That’s not enough to make a fight between them a huge deal.
“Only with a hat,” Hearn said when asked where he was with Edgar Berlanga. “You’ve got [Jermall] Charlo. You’ve got Berlanga. You’ve got Eubank, if I understand correctly, so we’ll see. No, not really. He’s been inactive and not competitive. What’s the point?” Hearn said when asked if Jermall would be a good fight for Canelo.
A better path for Berlanga
Hearn should match Berlanga with David Morrell to improve his popularity. If Berlanga gets wiped out by Morrell, Hearn should end his contract with the Recent Yorker, return to match him with the low-level fighters he paired him with, and wash his hands of his experiment.
“Ultimately he’ll make a decision and it’ll be a decision based on money and who he wants to fight. I think he would enjoy the fight with Edgar Berlanga because Edgar Berlanga would get in front of him, trade with him and make it stimulating. So yeah, that would be the right choice,” Hearn said of who Canelo should fight in September.
Whoever Canelo fights in September will be criticized, unless he faces someone tough like Morrell or airy heavyweight David Benavidez. If he fights Benavidez, someone will have to meet his $200 million asking price, and he will have to strictly limit his hydration to 10 pounds.
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
8 hours agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
2 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
1 week agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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