Connect with us

Boxing

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez reveals his top three fighters without division by weight class

Published

on


Perhaps the only thing more pointless than making a top 10 pound-for-pound list is arguing about a top 10 pound-for-pound list. Ultimately, doing so will produce no winner, will yield no reward, and will ultimately only serve to highlight the impossibility of understanding what exactly the pound-for-pound list represents.

As for what it supposedly represents, it means, like most things, different things to different people. Ultimately, however, a pound-for-pound list is only good for wasting time and generating debate. It serves no greater purpose than that, and certainly has no bearing on any particular fighter’s legacy or status in the sport.

That said, for those interested in such things, here are the top three without a pound-by-pound breakdown according to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez: “For me, (Oleksandr) Usyk is number one, (Naoya) Inoue is number two, and (Terence) Crawford is number three. Usyk is the undisputed heavyweight champion; there’s nothing better”. As for the overall value of the list without a pound breakdown, Rodriguez, 19-0 (12), said: “At first, honestly, I never cared about it (the list). But once I was put on the list without a pound breakdown, it was more of a shock than anything else. From then on, I wanted to stay on that list and be listed among the best players in that top ten. Getting on the list is something I want, and this fight will move me even higher if I win.”

Already, having not defeated Juan Francisco Estrada, his opponent on Saturday (June 29), Jesse Rodriguez is considered one of the best fighters without division into weight classes in this sport. But with a victory on Saturday, the Texan will know that he will not only join the elite – that is, move up the list without division by weight class – but will achieve more at the age of 24 than most fighters can imagine. In fact, just being on a list like this at this age, whether he’s 10 or at the top, is a testament to both his talent and the rate at which he’s developing.

Rodriguez taunts and defeats Shining Edwards in December (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

But in the end, it’s the wins that matter, not the fans’ opinions. That’s why it was witty to watch the passionate reaction of Turki Alalshikh, one of the most powerful men in the sport, after he came across a specific list without weight division last month. Alalshikh, recent to the game, posted this top 10 list on social media and wrote under it: “(Naoya) Inoue is a great boxer, but (Terence) Crawford is number one regardless of weight class. I don’t know how the rankings work or if there are clear criteria, but there seems to be some personal opinions and inconsistencies involved. I believe that boxing needs one entity that will judge with transparency and credibility. I will soon support a project on this matter.”

A post too good to ignore, it’s difficult to know exactly where to start. First, if there’s one place where personal opinions have no bearing on the pound-for-pound lists – or their rankings at all – it’s BoxRec.com, where, of course, everything is computer-generated and done on points. system. This doesn’t mean their rankings are perfect, quite the contrary, but any accusations of bias are basically moot when it comes to this site.

Secondly, the idea that BoxRec.com’s pound-for-pound list should be an impetus for change in an unruly sport like boxing is bizarre in the extreme. Moreover, the notion that sport needs a single “crystal clear and credible judging entity” becomes equally absurd when you consider the types of people involved in providing so-called ratings, transparency and credibility. Ideally, everything in the sport would be better regulated and streamlined, but to think that something like that is the future of boxing is a bit quixotic to say the least.

Moreover, despite talk of “personal opinions and inaccuracies”, Alalshikh’s response to BoxRec.com’s pound-for-pound list comes from exactly the same place, no doubt inspired by the fact that he is currently working with Terence Crawford, a man whom says. And by the way, that’s fine too, because Alalshikh’s view that Crawford is number one in terms of price to pound ratio is neither ridiculous nor his view alone. In fact, it’s a view shared by many, reinforced even more after Crawford’s stunning 2023 victory over welterweight rival and fellow pound-for-pound title challenger Errol Spence.

Terence Crawford stops Errol Spence in July (Getty Images)

Maybe Alalshikh is just excited, that’s all. Maybe as a newcomer and shaker in the sport, he’s testing the limits of his power and seeing how far he can go. Maybe, with Naoya Inoue recently adding a great performance to his legacy against Luis Nery, and Oleksandr Usyk doing the same with a win over Tyson Fury, the pound-for-pound debate is becoming a worthy topic of conversation; or at least as worthy as it can be. Maybe next month, when Crawford fights Israil Madrimov, we’ll have an even clearer picture of where these three (Crawford, Inoue, and Usyk) fall on a list that really doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Indeed, the best that can be said about it is this: the sport, in terms of top-level talent, is in good shape. That is to say, in Crawford, Inoue and Usyk we have three men whose skills would probably have allowed them to flourish in any previous era in boxing history. These are not simply three men who are world champions in their weight classes and are now enjoying long, unbeaten streaks. Rather, they are three of the most talented we have ever seen in the sport, and they just happen to have reached their peaks at roughly the same time.

Usyk defeats Fury (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

This trio is so good that it’s difficult to guess which one will stumble first; that is, they will give way in a race in which they do not even realize they are competing. There have been almost no signs so far. Inoue, it’s true, was knocked down for the first time in his professional career against Nery, but the way he turned the tide in that fight only added credibility to his claim to be number one. Similarly, Usyk, despite being somewhat handicapped as a relatively miniature heavyweight, is now achieving feats that the likes of Inoue and Crawford are unable to achieve by virtue of fighting opponents who weigh as much as they do. In the fight for number one without a pound division, this is definitely a must-have.

Which of course it does. Like the list itself, being a heavyweight means both everything and nothing to Usyk. It means the Ukrainian’s accomplishments will always have an x-factor that those of Crawford and Inoue lack, and it also means that the pound-for-pound list becomes even more meaningless than it does when we only rank fighters whose legacies are built against opponents who weigh as much as they do.

Already, one could argue that these three – Usyk, Crawford and Inoue – are overreacting. Usyk, chasing the massive heavyweight dogs, overdoes it every time he competes, while Crawford and Inoue, whether for money or pound-for-pound supremacy, are forever associated with fights that are only realistic to a certain type of fan. In this case, that means Canelo Alvarez for Crawford and Gervonta Davis for Inoue, which on the one hand excites, but on the other hand makes you question not only the sanity of those involved in the sport, but from time to time the health of the sport itself.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

Published

on

Rocha vs Curiel

In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).

The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00

“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”

Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.

“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.

Continue Reading

Boxing

George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

Published

on

George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.

Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.

The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.

Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.

The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.

“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.

“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.

“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”

Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.

“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].

Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.

“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.

Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.

“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

Published

on

Mike Tyson comeback black

One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.

WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.

“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.

“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”

Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.

Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.

Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending