“It’s lofty praise, of course,” Mannix said on his channel, reacting to Bob Arum’s comment about Mason being the next Sugar Ray Leonard. “I think it’s very premature. Sugar Ray was an Olympic gold medalist before doing all the things he did in the pros. Abdullah Mason was a good fighter in the amateurs. Didn’t have anywhere near the accolades.”

Mannix pointed to Mason’s tendency to lean in on his punches and leave himself open for counters, saying those habits would prove costly against elite opposition.

“The mistakes Abdullah Mason makes, they’re going to cost him against a good counter puncher,” Mannix said. “There’s so much he’s got to clean up before we can start talking about him on that kind of level.”

Mannix’s caution is understandable.

Although Mason showed tremendous resolve by rallying to stop Bell, he also spent much of the fight getting outboxed by a replacement opponent. Mannix said Bell deserved five of the first six rounds and criticized the judges who had the fight even after six.

The Bell fight wasn’t the first time Mason has shown vulnerabilities. He was dropped twice by Yohan Vasquez before scoring a stoppage victory, had difficult moments against Sam Noakes, and again had to rely on his power and determination to turn the tide against Bell.

Those are not the type of performances that drew comparisons to Leonard early in his career.

Leonard looked like a future superstar almost from the moment he turned professional. While he was still facing developmental opposition at the same age, he consistently dominated rounds with his speed, footwork, defense and ring IQ. Mason has shown championship heart and legitimate punching power, but he has also displayed defensive lapses that elite lightweights are likely to exploit.

Mason has plenty of time to improve at just 22 years old. But based on what he has shown so far, Mannix’s advice to slow down the Sugar Ray Leonard comparisons appears well founded.

The debate has become increasingly common as Usyk continues adding to one of the most accomplished resumes in modern boxing. The unbeaten Ukrainian has twice become the undisputed heavyweight champion after defeating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, while previously cleaning out the cruiserweight division as its undisputed champion.

“Muhammad Ali,” said Canelo when asked by the Daily Mail to choose the winner in a fight between a prime Ali and Usyk.

Canelo offered no further explanation, but the choice reflects the enormous respect Ali still commands more than four decades after his retirement. Ali won the heavyweight title three times during his legendary career and produced iconic victories over Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston and Ken Norton.

Usyk has inevitably drawn comparisons to Ali because of his movement, footwork and ability to overcome naturally bigger opponents. The Ukrainian weighed just 221 pounds when he first captured the heavyweight championship, putting him in a weight range similar to Ali’s during much of his prime.

Fantasy matchups between heavyweight greats have become more frequent as Usyk’s legacy has grown, although opinions remain divided on how fighters from different eras would fare against one another.

Canelo isn’t the first former champion to weigh in on the matchup. Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who shared the ring with Ali during the final years of his career, also recently gave his opinion on how a fight between Ali and Usyk would play out.

The Australian veteran officially joined Zuffa Boxing this week after winning his last two fights to work his way back into world title contention. Rather than focus on the uncertainty surrounding the promotion, Moloney said he came away convinced he had made the right career move after traveling to Las Vegas to meet with Zuffa officials before signing his contract.

“I love what Zuffa are doing with the sport and the changes they’re trying to make,” Moloney said to The Punch podcast. “They’re great operators, mate, and great people.

“When you see the way they operate and the guys that are involved in Zuffa, I just feel like there’s no way this isn’t going to be a success.”

Moloney revealed he agreed to a five-fight deal and hopes to fight three times a year, with his goal remaining another world championship before considering a run at Zuffa’s own title.

The 35-year-old admitted the biggest unknown is how the sanctioning bodies will treat fighters signed to Zuffa. He currently holds high rankings with several organizations and hopes the promotion’s fighters will continue receiving world title opportunities.

“My focus has been to win one of those four big belts,” Moloney said. “I’ve obviously done that with winning the WBO world title and obviously want to become champion again.

“I hope there’s not too much pushback or too many hurdles with signing with Zuffa, but we’ll just have to see what happens. I’ll do my job and keep winning.”

If those opportunities become unavailable, Moloney said he would gladly pursue the Zuffa championship instead, believing it could eventually become one of boxing’s most respected titles.

“I believe in what they’re producing,” Moloney said. “I think that’s going to be a belt that’s pretty sought after in the years to come.”

Moloney also disclosed that Zuffa plans to stage events in Australia and expects to make his promotional debut before the end of the year, with September or October his preferred timetable.