Alvarez Proves Why There Are Weight Classes In Dominant Victory Over Charlo

 

The hype that preceded the encounter between Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and former Undisputed Jr. Middleweight world champion Jermell Charlo was largely based on the fact that for the first time in modern Boxing history, two fighters, who were undisputed world champions in their respective weight classes at the same time, would face each other as one would move up significantly in weight to challenge the other for his crown. There was however, the small wrinkle in that once Jermell Charlo entered the ring at the T-Mobile Arena on September 30th to face Alvarez, his status as an undisputed champion would no longer be current as it had been known in the weeks prior to the fight that the World Boxing Organization (WBO) would be stripping Charlo of it’s world championship in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division for failing to defend its championship against undefeated number one contender Tim Tszyu. A fight that was supposed to take place, but one that would not be due to Charlo opting to take a high-risk, high-reward gamble by moving up fourteen pounds and two weight divisions to challenge Alvarez.

While it is never good to see an undisputed world championship broken up for any reason, much less the business elements that be in the sport of Boxing, one could make what would be a persuasive argument that economically as things stand in the sport, the fight with Alvarez was the more financially rewarding of the two fights, despite the fact that Tszyu, much like his father, the Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, is rapidly becoming a star on the rise in the sport in routinely drawing massive crowds in his native Australia. Nevertheless, whenever a fighter makes a leap up the weight scale as Charlo was attempting in this fight with Alvarez, it is intriguing because of the obvious challenge that it presents in facing a fighter who theoretically is naturally bigger, and stronger at a heavier weight.

Although Alvarez has spent the majority of the last several years fighting either in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division or briefly at the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, he was once a Jr. Middleweight much like Charlo, so it was conceivable at least on paper, that Charlo may be able to move up and be competitive with Alvarez if not be as dominant as he had been at 154lbs. Alvarez would show from the opening bell that he is a fighter who is truly in rare company in having the ability to move up in weight and be dominant and in doing so, also show that it is something that is not an easy accomplishment to achieve. The Super-Middleweight champion of the world immediately put Charlo on the defensive in landing short, but thudding punches and in the process applying consistent pressure. 

What impressed me about this fight was Alvarez’ ability to not only apply pressure on Charlo, who tried to use lateral movement to be elusive and offset that pressure, but more specifically, the way he was able to cut off the ring. This limited Charlo’s ability to move and also established a clear pattern for which the fight would be fought. Alvarez, pushing Charlo back, landing hard punches and controlling the tempo of the combat from start to finish. A pattern that also limited Charlo’s offensive output. In some ways, Alvarez’ approach in this fight brought back memories of a legendary world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. in terms of how Alvarez looked to gradually break Charlo down. It seemed as though similar to so many opponents that Chavez fought over his Hall of Fame career, that Alvarez was on the verge of doing that in the seventh round when he connected with a right hand that forced Charlo to take a knee.

To Charlo’s credit, he was able to survive and as the fight progressed did try to land something in an attempt to turn the ebb and flow in his favor. It just was not Charlo’s night as Alvarez would close out the fight to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to retain his Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world. 

Ultimately, this proved to be a fight that can be summed up as a bigger fighter besting a smaller fighter. In terms of his performance, it is arguable that in addition to moving up fourteen pounds for this fight that inactivity in addition to time needed to recover from a broken hand, likely worked against Charlo in this fight. Jermell Charlo can hold his head up high however, for performing well and going the distance under circumstances where some may have been discouraged to the point where they might not have wanted to finish the fight. Charlo is still a unified world champion in the Jr. Middleweight division holding the world championships of the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), and International Boxing Federation (IBF). Coming out of this fight, Charlo has stated that he intends to move back down to 154lbs. and the obvious fight to make would be with Tim Tszyu, who is now recognized as the WBO’s Jr. Welterweight world champion in what would be an opportunity for Charlo to fully unify the division twice, something that has not been done in the history of the sport. 

When that potential fight could take place will depend on two things. The most obvious among them is Tszyu is scheduled to make his first title defense on October 14th against current WBO number two rated contender Brian Mendoza in Broadbeach, Australia. Charlo will obviously have to wait for the outcome of that fight before any potential plans could be set in motion for a fight between him and Tszyu. The second and perhaps more serious issue depending on one’s perspective might be the current state of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters, whom Charlo currently fights under. It is no secret to those that follow the sport that several fighters who have fought under the PBC banner for several years have begun to seek opportunities fighting under different promoters and different television and streaming networks that currently do not have broadcast deals with the PBC. This in addition to what has been an increasingly sporadic list of dates for the PBC to stage cards through its existing broadcast deal with United States premium cable network Showtime as well as persistent speculation that the network’s parent company Paramount Global is intending to exit the sport of Boxing at the conclusion of 2023, in a similar way as former longtime rival and one of the sport’s prominent players HBO had done at the conclusion of 2018 following a significant merger and restructuring of its then parent company AT&T and WarnerMedia. Paramount has been undergoing a significant restructuring of itself and its properties including Showtime over the course of 2023 and if a decision has indeed been made to back out of Boxing as many have speculated, it will likely put the PBC in a dire situation after previously losing its broadcast deal with Fox Sports here in the United States, who subsequently did not broadcast any Boxing programming either on Fox television stations throughout the country or on Fox Sports branded cable networks throughout 2023.  While if indeed Paramount does pull the plug on Showtime’s thirty-seven year involvement in the sport, and such a decision could likely be tied to an overuse as well as overpricing of the outdated pay-per-view model, in terms of the immediate impact on the fighters such as Charlo, who are affiliated with the PBC, it may lead to even more sporadic in ring activity, which has already proved to have at best mixed results for fighters who have sought opportunities under different promoters and networks.

As for Saul Alvarez, his victory over Jermell Charlo was the first in a three-fight agreement with the PBC and if the PBC group of promoters do indeed lose their broadcast deal with Showtime, it will be interesting to see if Alvarez attempts to return to digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, who have broadcast many of his bouts since December 2018 either as part of its subscription service or on a pay-per-view basis, and perhaps if that previous working relationship might lead to the PBC seeking a deal with the network or at least as a means of fulfilling the remaining two fights in its deal with Alvarez. While obviously, we do not know currently who those potential fights will be against, Alvarez for his part says he just wants to fight and it is likely given that Alvarez is the undisputed champion of the Super-Middleweight division that he will spend his next few fights fulfilling his mandatory defense obligations of the various titles he holds. After previously scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over previous WBO number one contender John Ryder earlier this year, that would leave Alvarez with three defenses to fulfill obligations to the IBF, WBC, and WBA, before the process refreshes for a new slate of mandatory challengers. Who those fights will be against and on what broadcast/streaming platform is obviously up in the air.

Although as of this writing there is no word as to how successful the Alvarez-Charlo bout did in terms of pay-per-view buys at an $85 price point through Showtime Pay-Per-View here in the United States, with another longtime television network that overall has been good for Boxing appearing to be nearing an exit, Boxing’s Pay-Per-View problem and what appears to be an unwillingness of some promoters and maybe even some fighters, who have been conditioned to the belief that pay-per-view is the only way to earn additional revenue, even as evidence of the need to change continues to become more clear, remains an issue for the sport as 2024 nears. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on the following Social Media Platforms:

X: (Formerly Twitter) www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeauDenison1    

Threads: www.threads.net/@BeauDenison1  

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/BeauDenison1 

A Boxing Wishlist For 2023

It is the beginning of a new year. What that means for readers here on The Boxing Truth® is it is time for this observer to share his annual “Boxing Wishlist” regarding some of the things that I would like to see in the sport during the upcoming year. While yours truly is writing this year’s edition of his “Boxing Wishlist” in the latter days of 2022 ahead of its scheduled release, I feel it important to state for anyone who may be reading what has become an annual tradition for me at the beginning of a calendar year that this list does not feature a formal list from 1 to 10 for example as one would see in a countdown-like television show, but rather you will see this observer list an item and go into an explanation as to why it is on the list and hopefully a brief explanation or as brief as I can make it within the context of a single column as to my feelings on the subject. As tends to also be the case with each passing year, there will be items that have been featured in previous years lists that will unfortunately remain on the list as circumstances warrant it. Now that I have explained the structure/criteria for new readers and hopefully a bit of clarity for longtime readers who may have wondered what goes into my process, it is time to get on with the task at hand. Unlike previous years however, I will be highlighting each item rather than simply going from one item to the next in an effort to make it easier for the reader.

“A Boxing Wishlist For 2023”

To See A Clear Distinction Between “Influencer Boxing” And Professional Boxing:

In recent years, the sport has seen the introduction of what is referred to as “Influencer Boxing.” Although I have stated in previous columns discussing the subject that it is twist of sorts on a “Celebrity Boxing” concept that we have seen on and off over previous decades, I feel that the genre if you will of what is “ Influencer Boxing” needs to be clearly defined as to not be confused with Professional Boxing and to be more specific, needs to be clarified to the casual sports fan for which the concept is clearly targeted towards in terms of demographics.

While some Boxing purists would probably call the “Influencer” concept more of an intrusion than to the sport’s benefit, I do see it as a benefit in the sense that it does generate interest, particularly amongst those who have either never been exposed to Boxing before or for whom the sport is of only a casual interest. Where I feel there needs to be a distinction between what is “Influencer Boxing” and what is Professional Boxing is in the fact that most of those who are influencers are not professional fighters and, despite the boasts of some of those who have generated interest, you are not likely to see one known as an influencer competing against pro boxers that are either contenders or world champions simply because they are not taking a route into the sport that amateur fighters take upon turning professional and though many influencers have proven to be good promoters, the structure of the sport needs to be respected and if an influencer truly wants to compete against boxers, they should go the same route as every other fighter that enters the sport.

 If however, influencers are only interested in facing others on a similar level it needs to be defined clearly as different from Professional Boxing particularly since we have seen influencers pushed in main event positions on pay-per-view cards without facing professional boxers. If nothing else, it should be defined for consumers as well. Although I have said that any influencer/celebrity that enters the ring will get a fair shake from me as long as the sport is respected, which will continue, the difference between what is “Influencer Boxing” and what is “Professional Boxing” needs to be clearly defined.

To See An “Exhibition Circuit” Established In The Sport:

While some might argue that this and “Influencer Boxing” go hand and hand, there has also been an influx of Exhibition Boxing that has surfaced over the last two years. Some may recall the exhibition that took place on Thanksgiving weekend 2020 at the venue previously known as the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA where Boxing Hall of Famers Mike Tyson and Roy Jones boxed an eight round exhibition in a fanless environment due to the COVID-19 global epidemic. The event, which was broadcast on pay-per-view was a humanitarian effort by Tyson and Jones in a charitable gesture to the first responders of an epidemic that as we enter 2023 continues.

Both Tyson and Jones should be praised for the initiative they took, but in an inadvertent way, that event, which was done for a cause, has given way to an unofficial circuit where retired fighters like Tyson and Jones engage in exhibitions. Sometimes those exhibitions are between former fighters, while other times it may be a former fighter going against a badly overmatched celebrity/influencer. It is important for me to say before I go further that I am not against the idea of fighters staging exhibitions especially when it is for a charitable cause, which was one reason beyond curiosity that I was happy to cover the Tyson-Jones exhibition in 2020. Having said that, one thing that I as someone who truly cares about Boxing that I do have an issue with is when exhibitions are staged not for a charitable cause, but as an attempt by some to secure lucrative offers to participate in clear mismatches that ultimately have no benefit to anyone, least of which the sport of Boxing.

With this in mind, if former fighters are truly interested in partaking in exhibitions rather than actively competing in the sport, I think it would be wise to establish an “Exhibition Circuit” within the sport, but there also should be some guidelines if such a thing were formally established. The first and perhaps most obvious among them should be to ensure that any boxer partaking in an exhibition goes through the same thorough medical screenings and neurological testing that all boxers should be subject to prior to getting licensed to fight. Some may recall the regrettable exhibition, which took place in September 2021 between the fifty-nine year old Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield and former MMA world champion Vitor Belfort. An exhibition that was moved to South Florida due to the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) refusing to clear Holyfield for the event citing his age, many years of inactivity, and the punishment he had sustained over a long career prior to retirement.

While the CSAC should be applauded for trying to prevent what could have been a tragedy, a clearly compromised Holyfield was allowed to get into the ring and was quickly overwhelmed by Belfort before Referee Sam Burgos did what the Florida State Athletic Commission apparently would not do and protected Holyfield against himself and from possibly permanent damage if not worse. If this were not a bad enough black eye for the sport, it should also not be unnoticed that the fight was listed as an official professional fight prior to the event, but was changed to an exhibition afterwards, perhaps in response to the subsequent backlash. Although I made my feelings on that shameful night clear in my coverage of that event, I am still embarrassed for the sport that something like that, despite clear evidence that one of the participants should not have been in a ring, was allowed to go on. Especially, after one state commission refused to license said fighter citing concern for his health.

Therefore, under an “Exhibition Circuit” all participants should be put through as thorough screenings and neurological testing that currently exists. Furthermore, no participant should be cleared unless it is clear by testing/screening that they would be licensed by just about any state or international regulatory board one could name. It may be true that you cannot completely eliminate the potential for accidents inside the ring, but at least if such protocols were in place under an exhibition concept as they should be in active competition, the risks should at minimum be reduced.

While not likely in the present time we live in, it would also be nice if an “Exhibition Circuit” were in place to see a standard set that such exhibitions are to be staged to benefit a cause. Whether that be for things like relief efforts or circumstances like those of COVID-19 will obviously depend on the circumstances at a given time, but I personally would like to see some of these exhibitions used to raise funds to assist retired fighters and others who have been involved in the sport both financially and with healthcare. Exhibitions are a great way to spread good will and for charitable causes, but it would also be nice if it were also used as a way for the sport to help care for it’s own and give back to those who gave so much to Boxing.

To See The Push Towards Undisputed Continue Throughout The Entire Sport:

One of the regular additions on the “Boxing Wishlist” seemingly every year is the desire of yours truly to see one undisputed world champion be crowned per weight class throughout the sport's seventeen weight divisions. A wish that as I have pointed out in the past is truly easier said than done with five recognized world sanctioning organizations with each having their own respective ratings per division and policies in terms of regulation.

Despite this, it is one consistent item on the “Boxing Wishlist” that as years have gone by has actually seen gradual progress being made not just in regard to the men competing in the sport, but for Women’s Boxing as well. With undefeated Heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk appearing to be the next fight in the pipeline that will determine an undisputed world champion in the Heavyweight division for the first time since 1987 when Mike Tyson scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Tony Tucker for what was then an undisputed world championship with the crowns of the WBC, WBA, and IBF being on the line in that bout, the yet to be announced unification bout between Fury and Usyk will be the first in history where all five recognized world championships will be on the line in a single fight with the WBO and IBO, two organizations that were not established in 1987, now being included in the process of determining an undisputed world champion. 

Although unfortunately any process towards determining an undisputed world champion will have its obstacles and complications regardless of weight class, only with rare exceptions, my hope/wish is to see the progress that has been made in recent years continue. With fighters below the Heavyweight division either moving up or down in weight depending on whatever opportunity might be available to them, which includes some fighters who are able to become undisputed champions in a given division, the idea of seeing one undisputed world champion per weight division at any time may seem impossible. The progress that has been made however is something that cannot be ignored and given the amount of progress being made in just a few years time, there should be cautious optimism, but it is certainly not complete and should be viewed as an ongoing process.

To See The International Olympic Committee Institute A Permanent Boxing Taskforce For All Future Olympic Tournaments:

One subject that I have been keeping an eye on over the last year or so is the one regarding the potential that Boxing may not be included in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics. Anyone who follows Boxing closely including the amateur ranks knows that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been at odds with the Amateur Boxing Association, now known as the IBA, due to numerous issues involving alleged corruption in previous Olympic tournaments. While that subject is one that would frankly probably require yours truly to write a series of columns to cover the whole scope of the long-standing issues between the IOC and the IBA, it were those issues that led to the IOC implementing the use of a “Boxing Taskforce” to oversee the delayed 2020 tournament as part of the 2020 Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan in the summer of 2021, which had no involvement from the IBA.

Although an Olympic tournament is truly a marathon over sixteen days of competition and thus is nearly impossible to insulate from potential controversy, I personally felt as someone who with the exception of the 2012 London games, has covered every Olympic Boxing tournament since the 2000 Olympics in some form, that the delayed 2020 tournament was a significant step in the right direction if the goal is ultimately to ensure the credibility and integrity of the tournament.

As much as I feel it was a step forward, the IOC, does not appear willing to keep the taskforce that they put in place going forward and with the committee’s ongoing issues with the IBA continuing, have threatened to remove Boxing from the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. Without going into specific incidents that led to accusations of corruption against the organization now known as the IBA, the issues of possible corporation is something that unfortunately goes back decades and while I applaud the IOC for attempting to address the issues that be in an effort to both hold the association accountable and restore integrity in the tournament, I feel threatening to remove Boxing from the Olympics is going too far.

While I make no secret of the fact that I look forward to covering the Olympic Boxing tournament every four years, and keeping in mind that I detest corruption in the sport on any level, removing the tournament while on the surface seems as though it would be punishing the alleged wrong doings of an association that is supposed to oversee and regulate Amateur Boxing, the only ones who will be truly punished are the fighters around the world who aim to conclude their amateur careers by attempting to win Olympic Gold before setting their sights on the professional ranks.

 If there were to be a removal of Boxing from the Olympics, I feel that a situation will emerge where fighters will be forced to turn professional simply because the pinnacle of Amateur Boxing competing in the Olympics will have been taken from them through no fault of their own. Unlike a scenario where an individual country might boycott the Olympics as the United States did in 1980, this would be on a global scale and may ultimately result in Amateur Boxing needing to be completely reformatted, which could take many years before the sport is able to be a part of Olympic competition again.

While some may feel a complete restructuring of Amateur Boxing is needed and I do not necessarily disagree with such a view, there has to be and should be a more sensible way to both hold accountable and ensure the integrity of the tournament is upheld without doing away with the tournament and the sport’s participation in the Olympics altogether. It is my hope that the IOC reconsiders it's stance and tries to build on what they were able to accomplish in 2021 with it’s Boxing Taskforce. Until the IBA can demonstrate over several years that it has addressed the issues of corruption and therefore can be trusted to oversee the tournament again, the IOC should keep it's taskforce in place. The solution is not to punish kids, who simply want to compete in the Olympics, by taking the opportunity away from them.

To See Fights Of Significant Interest Made In A Timely Manner:

This item may truly be easier said or let me rephrase, easier “Wished For” than done. One of the biggest drawbacks that I hear on a more frequent basis then I would like to admit particularly among those who criticize Boxing is that it takes often too long for a fight that has significant interest to be made. This is something that you are likely to hear either from those who are casual fans or from those who are primarily fans of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), who often cite that fights that have significant demand from the public often occur in a much more timely manner in that sport than is the case in Boxing. To be more specific, fights made between stars of the sport, which occur when the fighters are at or near their physical prime.

This is something that frankly is hard to argue against simply because there is plenty of evidence with regard to Boxing that shows that such fights often occur well past the time where both fighters are at their competitive best. Rather then list an endless log of examples, what are the reasons for this? More often than not, the philosophy that I have heard used is by delaying a fight from being made in a timely manner and continuing to let anticipation build as two star fighters continue to meet and presumably defeat other opposition, it allows for promoters, managers, and networks an opportunity to try and maximize potential revenues that could be gained when a fight is finally made. The obvious flaw with that argument/philosophy is such tactics often benefit outside interests like those aforementioned aspects more than it does the fighters involved.

As time has gone on, we see more an emphasis or so it would appear that what is more beneficial for a promoter or network and the vested interests therein often take priority over what is in the best interests of the fighters and more importantly the sport in terms of giving the Boxing fans the fights they want to see on a consistent basis. While the last couple of years has seen improvements overall for the sport, even in the midst of an ongoing epidemic, there is still much more that can be done and progress to be made. A good starting point might be if there is sufficient demand for a fight between two fighters, maybe the best thing a fan can do is take their arguments as to why a fight should happen directly to the promoters and networks involved. In the age we live in where social media is a source of communication for many, there may be no better way for the fan to get their point across, short of choosing not to continue supporting the sport financially and otherwise, than to go straight to the source. Which coincidentally leads this observer to the final addition on this year’s “Boxing Wishlist.”

To See The Pay-Per-View Model Either Significantly Revamped Or Done Away With In The Best Interest Of The Sport And The Fans That Support It:

As a longtime critic of the pay-per-view model, it should surprise no one that the conclusion of this year’s “Boxing Wishlist” features perhaps the one singular item that has been featured year after year with very little variation. To see the pay-per-view model either done away with completely or to see a significant revamp. What do I mean by “Revamp?” It is really simple, a reduction of both the amount of events/cards that are considered to be “Pay-Per-View Level” as well as what the price points are to the consumer. 

Although I do not want to delve into the past too deeply for the purposes of this column and at the risk of showing my age, when I was growing up in the 1980’s and to a certain point in the 1990’s prior to when I began my journey writing about and covering combat sports with Boxing as my primary, the pay-per-view model was one that was used sparingly, and for the most part, was only used for the “Big Fights,” the “SuperFights” to use a term that this observer has used more than once to illustrate a point whenever this topic is discussed.

 Furthermore, even the biggest fights of that era were affordable to the consumer with many not exceeding $40 in most cases. While I can sit all day and often all night talking about the ills of the pay-per-view model and how it does more damage to Boxing than it does to benefit the sport, as 2023 begins, we have regressed slightly in the implementation of reasonably priced subscription-based models, which could ultimately replace what is often hoped for, but rarely achieved in terms of pay-per-view revenue.

How has the sport regressed? I think a major reason why you have seen digital subscription-based streaming networks like DAZN, which marketed themselves heavily as an alternative to the pay-per-view model, reverting to use the model on what they insist is an occasional basis, can be in some ways directly attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. DAZN much like many sports networks and sports leagues was severely impacted by what was a months-long pause in sports in 2020 and the circumstances of what may be a global economic recession also plays into the need if one wants to call it that, for them to use the pay-per-view model.

As someone who has been very vocal in supporting what digital streaming networks like DAZN and ESPN+ have done in terms of offering a viable alternative to the inflated, overpriced, and undervalued model of pay-per-view via reasonably priced subscription plans, I would not be objective or honest with the reader if I said I were in favor of using the model, even on an occasional basis. When one looks at the competitors to subscription-based streaming networks, using only here in the United States as an example as these are the platforms I personally have access to, you have premium cable network Showtime and Fox Sports. Each have produced pay-per-view cards in recent years promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters that more often than not start at a near $75 price point before taxes and additional fees are added into the equation. Not surprisingly, many of those events have failed to be profitable, which I believe is a case of both an overuse of the model and more specifically the price points.

It should also be pointed out that a reason given for DAZN’s implementation of the pay-per-view model was that it was the “Only way” for some fights to be made and to draw certain fighters to the negotiating table. If one views this objectively, there may be some merit to that claim. After all, fighters are often promised additional money from the pay-per-view model and as such, much to the determent of the sport, some fighters per those promises feel that the model is a requirement for them.

Before I go further, let me state that it is not my intention to criticize fighters with my previous statement. Boxing is after all a combat sport and fighters should be able to make as much money as they can, while they can because a career can end almost as quickly as one begins. Having said that, if pay-per-view cards at inflated price points fail to draw significant numbers in terms of buys where it is profitable for all involved, network, promoter, cable/satellite providers, streaming platforms, and finally the fighters, things need to change.

One such approach that I have suggested is for a network like DAZN, who is still a subscription-based platform that has for lack of a better term been forced to implement what is an outdated model for the time being is to say to fighters and promoters if pay-per-view is a requirement for you, we expect to hit x amount of buys not as a break even point, but for profit. Failure to meet that number, we will not do pay-per-view going forward. As I have also pointed out before, if a network were to impose that kind of standard, it does put the onus on the fighter and the promoters to ensure everything is being done on their end to make an event successful. The reality that a lot of these fighters and promoters need to realize is as 2023 now begins, pay-per-view as a source of revenue may still work on an occasional basis, but the key word is “Occasional.” Furthermore, when the market is predominantly focused on reasonably priced streaming networks and subscription-based options therein, many will not be willing to pay $70 to $80 a pop regardless of who might be on the card. Promoters who have also criticized the pricing model of pay-per-view, but still use the model and also charge the same inflated price points that they criticize also need to be held accountable.

The solution from the standpoint of what is good for the sport is a simple one and was already firmly established prior to the COVID-19 global crisis by networks like DAZN and ESPN+. Subscription-based alternatives that are reasonably priced for the consumer. As for how that might get over with fighters who have been conditioned to think that pay-per-view is the only way to achieve additional revenue, I believe a solution to that might be giving a percentage of subscription revenue, especially if certain milestones are met based on a fighter’s appearance on a network/platform. I would also feel confident that additional revenues can be found in the advertising/sponsorship area. 

It is a matter of getting the fighters and promoters to see that what they think is being generated by pay-per-view in terms of revenue is not matching reality and thus the need to adapt to change is necessary both for promoters to survive and for fighters to make what they can, while they can. The solution to continued declining numbers at inflated prices is not doing more of the same. It is time for Boxing as a whole to embrace change rather than segments of the sport continuing to fight against it.

Conclusion:

As 2023 now begins these are the main things that I as a proud Boxing Lifer, would like to see over the course of the year. Whether or not we will see continued progress in any of these areas remains to be seen, but someone who truly has the best interest of the sport can at least hope.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Was Holiday Boxing A Wise Decision For The PBC?

 

Brief introduction By Beau Denison: It is time for this observer to share his belated thoughts in the form of a feature column that was originally scheduled to begin our 2022 schedule here on The Boxing Truth® discussing two Boxing cards that closed out 2021 taking place on Christmas day and New Year’s day respectively. As the bulk of this column was written in advance of an unexpected delay in the column’s release to readers, what follows is the column as it was written. Towards the end of this column both due to the time between when the material was written as well as what has occurred in the days since what was to be the original release date, the column will be updated to hopefully provide as current information as possible. We thank readers for your patience and hope you enjoy reading.

 

The year 2020 for several reasons, all of which are not necessarily good, was a year that broke a lot of norms both in regard to everyday life as well as in the world of sports. For the sport of Boxing, at least as far as the United States was concerned, Boxing Day 2020 was one that saw a televised Boxing card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters. In all the years, this observer has covered combat sports, specifically Boxing, I could not recall a time previously where I saw a Boxing card take place here in the United States on Boxing Day or in the days that occur between Christmas and New Year’s Day. In fairness, I did look at the 2020 Boxing Day event that the PBC promoted as something that likely would not have taken place if it were not for the impacts of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic in that almost half of a year was largely lost in Boxing due to the almost universal shutdown of the sport that occurred during the first six months of 2020, and on that basis it was understandable that promoters, and to be specific those who had broadcast agreements with television networks across traditional and streaming platforms would want to get as much content as possible produced when the sport began resuming activity in the summer of 2020 largely in closed-door settings.

 

As 2021 drew to a close, I was surprised to see the PBC and one of it’s television partners here in the United States Fox Sports opt to produce cards on both Christmas night and New Year’s day, with the latter of the two being a pay-per-view card.  It surprised me because I had always had the impression going back to long before my journey in covering the sport began in the 1990's that the primary sports that would take place over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are typically team sports that occur during the time of year where the Christmas and New Year’s holidays take place, namely National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and College Football bowl games. It were those reasons why I was not critical as much as I was curious as to why the PBC and Fox Sports would choose to put on two cards, with one being a pay-per-view event with frankly minimal promotion and questionable interest that would be debatable as to whether it would appeal to casual observers as well as those for whom Boxing is a lifelong passion.

 

While it is during this holiday period that more often than not, I as a Boxing lifer and someone who covers the sport fulltime during a calendar year, usually take a pause to enjoy the holidays and recharge my batteries for the coming year, during this holiday break, I did make a point of it to observe these two cards even though I would not be covering them as they took place. What was of interest to me was not only how these two events would fare both in terms of crowd attendance given that it took place over the holidays as well as how it would fare in terms of ratings and buys for the New Year’s day pay-per-view card, in addition to obviously what would occur inside the ring.

 

First, it would be the Christmas night event that took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, that was broadcast on the national Fox Network in here in the United States. Headlining this card was nineteen year old Welterweight prospect Vito Mielnicki, who faced veteran Nicholas DeLomba in a ten round bout. This bout showcased Mielnicki’s skillset as well as his disciplined approach in gradually breaking down DeLomba over nine rounds before finally breaking through with a barrage of punches highlighted by a flush right hand to earn a stoppage in the tenth and final round.  The thing that stood out to me was the disciplined approach that Mielnicki used throughout this fight. In particular, how well he was able to control the tempo of the combat with his jab, which is something that you do not always see with regard to a young fighter. What was also noticeable was how he simply bided his time and waited for the opportunity to get the stoppage win rather than trying to force the issue too much, which is something that even seasoned veterans do not always do when they are in control of a bout to such degree that they could probably end things when they choose to.

 

Although some might say that Mielnicki could have been a bit more aggressive and if he were then he may have been able to get an earlier stoppage, it is important to keep in mind that this was only the eleventh professional bout for the nineteen year old native of Roseland, NJ. While it is indeed true that a prospect that is able to score head turning knockouts more often than not generates more attention, there is something to be said about the development of a young fighter and the fact that Mielnicki was able to not only go into the tenth round, but do so in a way where he pretty much controlled the bout from the opening bell is something that will likely serve him better than a quick knockout might have in terms of the long-term picture as he progresses in his career.  The only loss for Mielnicki thus far in his career came in dropping an eight round majority decision to James Martin in April 2021. With two victories since that setback, each coming via stoppage, the future looks bright for Mielnicki going into 2022 and the question that might be asked is whether or not he may be ready for a bit of a test in his next fight to see where he fits in what is usually a talent-deep 147lb. Welterweight division.

 

The future also looks bright for undefeated Middleweight prospect Joey Spencer, who also appeared on this card in scoring a fifth round stoppage of veteran Limberth Ponce.  This was a fight that could be described as a systematic breakdown of an opponent as much like Mielnicki did in the main event of the card, the twenty-one year old Spencer gradually wore Ponce down. Spencer did this by implementing a tactical approach that had an emphasis on maintaining distance, but also allowed him to pick his shots in spurts to the body and head, which kept Ponce off balance and unable to do much beyond trying to defend against what Spencer was throwing. The combination of well-timed and executed offense to the body and head eventually created the opening where Spencer was able to stagger Ponce with a left hook to the head and follow that with a right hand that sent Ponce down on his back midway through the fifth round resulting in a stoppage of the fight without a count from the referee.

 

Although Spencer was able to get to his opponent in a quicker fashion than Mielnicki was able to in his bout, the approach both fighters used was similar in it’s execution and both fighters were able to get the impressive victories they needed heading into 2022. For Spencer, the stoppage win over Limberth Ponce was his fourteenth professional victory and his tenth knockout. The similarities between Spencer and Mielnicki will continue going into this year as much like Mielnicki, the question for Spencer will be whether or not he is ready for a test to see where he fits into the 160lb. Middleweight division and hopefully an attempt to move him into the top thirty rankings of Boxing’s five recognized world sanctioning organizations the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Boxing Organization (WBO), and finally, the International Boxing Organization (IBO).  While the PBC’s decision to broadcast a Boxing card on Christmas night proved to be a surprising success with over two million viewers tuning in to watch what was the highest rated Boxing card broadcast by Fox in 2021, it led to the pay-per-view event that took place on New Year’s day at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.

 

A Heavyweight-themed event that featured five bouts with the sales pitch being priced at a $39.99 price point, much lower than the $60-$80 price points, which despite the consistently dwindling returns for pay-per-view cards over the last several years, remains the norm. This PBC Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card did however, feature an interesting main event that pitted former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin against former two-time world title challenger and longtime Heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz.  A bout that was billed as an elimination bout in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Heavyweight ratings that perhaps because I was observing this card during some downtime that I had an impression was a final eliminator to determine the next IBF mandatory challenger that would theoretically face the winner of the presumed rematch between undefeated IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, which might take place later this year. The elements of the business side of the sport as it relates to the IBF aside for the time being, this was nevertheless a fight between two fighters who have been at or near the top of the division for several years.

 

Although the forty-two year old Ortiz is known for his ability to score quick knockouts, I wondered how he would respond to a fighter in Martin, whom like himself, is a crafty southpaw, who had not been known for his punching power, but did have the ability to score knockouts should the opportunity arise in scoring knockouts in twenty-five of his twenty-eight career victories. Martin also came into the bout on a five fight winning streak and one might argue that he had more momentum coming into the bout than Ortiz, who was coming off of a victory in his last fight following his second stoppage loss to then WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder in November 2019.

 

The thing that stood out to me when the fight began was the measured approach in which Martin chose to pursue Ortiz. While Ortiz seemed to be the busier of the two fighters, Martin chose a calculated approach focusing on making the most of his openings rather than trying to outwork Ortiz. It was this approach that resulted in an unexpected knockdown when Martin connected with a short left hook that seemed to land behind Ortiz’ ear that sent him down in the first round. Although this was what is often referred to as a “Flash Knockdown” in that Ortiz was caught off balance and was subsequently knocked down rather than it being a case where he was badly stunned/hurt, Martin was able to show that he could exploit openings that Ortiz would leave him and this in my view gave him what some might have viewed as an unlikely advantage as the fight progressed. It also stood out to me that Ortiz’ apparent issues with his balance may not have been a case of an effective fight plan by the former world champion Martin, but also perhaps an indication that at Fort total years old that Ortiz may be at the point where he may not be able to maintain his balance as well as he has done previously throughout his career and that in addition to elements such as age and TBE physical wear and tear that comes with being a competitor in combat sports is something that might become an increasing issue as Ortiz continues on in his career.

 

Martin would follow the knockdown he was able to score in round one with a second knockdown of Ortiz in the closing seconds of round four. Much like the first knockdown in round one, Ortiz was caught off balance, but this time, it was a jab that knocked Ortiz off his feet. While some may not think much of knockdown a that occur in this way due simply to more often than not, the fighter being knocked down not being hurt, the fact that knockdowns are scored can have a crucial role in how a fight is scored. In this case, particularly because this was a bout between two southpaws that were able to counter each other's offense effectively in spots as this fight progressed.

 

In this observer's view, the two knockdowns Martin was able to score as well as the general measured approach he implemented for a large portion of the bout was enough to give him the advantage. Despite my view, when Ortiz was able to connect with his offense, he did seem to have more power behind his punches compared to Martin. This kept Ortiz not just in the fight, but also extremely dangerous. The question that developed in my mind was whether or not Ortiz would be able to catch Martin, who had proved to be elusive and almost sniper like with his tactics in setting up his punches.

 

As can sometimes happen in Boxing and in particular the Heavyweight division, fights can change in the blink of an eye. This is essentially what would happen in this fight. As Martin appeared at least in my eyes to be building a lead on the scorecards based largely on the strength of the two knockdowns he had scored, Ortiz would turn things in his favor in sudden and dramatic fashion. In round six, Ortiz would connect with a flush overhand left that landed on Martin's temple that more or less froze the former world champion on his feet. This set off a brutal barrage of punches that ultimately sent Martin down. Some might say that at this point, Martin was able to benefit from a break of sorts in that because one of his gloves got tied in the first and second ropes as he went down, the referee Frank Santore Jr. opted to stop the count at around the count of seven to unhook Martin's glove. Despite momentarily getting crucial seconds to try and clear his head once the count was stopped, Ortiz sensing he had his opponent in serious trouble, pressed forward with a near relentless assault of punches resulting in Martin being dropped for a second time. This time even though Martin was able beat the count, Santore did not like what he saw in Martin's eye and body language and stopped the fight.

 

Although this was as impressive a come from behind victory for Luis Ortiz as one could draw up, more questions emerged from this fight regarding Ortiz than there were questions answered. To be specific, given both his age as well as the balance problems that were clearly evident in this fight, just how much longer will he continue on with his career? Despite emerging victorious in what was billed as an IBF elimination bout, an indication that perhaps Ortiz may not have been100% going into the fight with Martin became known in the days that followed the fight as Ortiz withdrew from an ordered IBF elimination bout against undefeated top contender Filip Hrgovic citing an undisclosed injury that would prevent a bout, which would determine a new mandatory challenger in the IBF Heavyweight ratings to face the winner of the upcoming rematch later this year between undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk and former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. Taking Ortiz' place in the planned IBF elimination bout will be top contender Tony Yoka of France, who had a scheduled bout this month cancelled due to the French government imposing restrictions in regard to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. As has been the case for many things over the last two years regarding COVID-19 virus, it may be best to wait and see what happens regarding the ongoing crisis before discussing when those two bouts, the Usyk-Joshua rematch as well as this planned IBF elimination bout will take place beyond saying hopefully, they will both occur during the course of 2022.

 

There were also four other Heavyweight bouts that occurred on the undercard of Luis Ortiz’ stoppage of Charles Martin that will be touched upon here before sharing some closing thoughts. Unbeaten Heavyweight prospect Frank Sanchez had to overcome circumstances, which unfortunately because of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic have become an issue throughout the entire sport. A change of opponent due to an originally scheduled opponent due to contracting COVID-19. In this case, Sanchez’ original opponent was to be Carlos Negron, who was forced to withdraw from the bout in the days prior to the card due to contracting the COVID-19 virus. Longtime Heavyweight contender Christian Hammer stepped in on limited notice and was able to last the full ten round distance against Sanchez in losing a unanimous decision.

 

It was a workmanlike performance by Sanchez who simply did what he needed to do over the ten rounds to earn the victory. While there was not much in the way of highlights to speak of regarding this bout, the reality is under the current circumstances the world is in because of the COVID-19 crisis, fights like this are as much an adjustment for the fighter who had to have a change in opponent as much as it is for the fighter stepping into the bout on what is often times limited notice. While as of this writing there is no word as to whether there will be an attempt to reschedule Sanchez to face Negron down the line, but it was as good a performance as one could expect under such a scenario against a durable opponent in Christian Hammer that was able to hang in there and did his best.

 

Ali Demirezen also saw action on this card in scoring the most notable win in his career thus far in stopping former world title challenger Gerald Washington in eight rounds. The veteran Washington was able to have some sporadic success early on in this fight, but Demirezen gradually was able to take control and midway through the eighth round with their fighter seeming badly fatigued and suffering significant punishment, Washington’s corner stopped the fight. Although Washington had some success throughout particularly when he was able to work behind his jab, he simply did not let his hands go with consistency to be effective for a sustainable period of time. Whether or not this was due to the pressure Demirezen was able to put on him, the effect of Demirezen’s power, or the fact that Washington is thirty-nine years old and has suffered some punishment throughout his twenty-six bout career is only something that he can answer, but for Demirezen, who entered the bout with a record of 14-1, with 11 Knockouts, these are the type of tests that a prospect is often faced with as they look to progress towards an eventual challenge of a world championship. This observer is not quite ready to say that Demirezen is ready for the upper class of the Heavyweight division, but the fact that he was able to stop a former world title challenger is something that should be viewed as a positive as he looks to progress forward in the new year.

 

This card also featured a rematch as veteran Johnnie Rice scored a lopsided and uneventful ten round unanimous decision over Michael Coffee. Similar to Frank Sanchez’ victory over Christian Hammer, there is simply not much to say about this fight beyond the simple description of one fighter besting the other. Unlike their first encounter in July of last year where Rice entered as an unknown opponent for the then unbeaten Coffee and was not thought to be much of a test for him in entering with a record of 14-6-1, with 9 Knockouts compared to Coffee’s 12-0, with 9 Knockouts, a fight where Rice surprised many in stopping Coffee in five rounds, the rematch was a slow methodical bout that Rice was able to control from the outset to earn a convincing victory on the scorecards. While it is hard to say that Rice is a potential contender at this stage, two consecutive victories over a previously unbeaten prospect is definitely something to take notice of and at minimum Rice has earned status as a potential spoiler for prospects on the rise and fringe contenders for now. As for Michael Coffee, a problem many prospects throughout the entire sport face as they move up towards world contender status, particular those who are able to score several knockouts on their rise up is the issue of what happens when they are tested by fighters that may not be household names, but are capable of giving a prospect a tough fight and possibly a surprise. Two losses to one fighter is certainly not an indication that a fighter does not have potential to be a contender or even a world champion at some point in their career, but for Michael Coffee, it will be a question of whether these two losses were a case of a fighter in Johnnie Rice being under the radar and being a more dangerous opponent than his record may have suggested, or if it was simply a bad clash of styles for Coffee. For now, the two losses should be viewed as something that Coffee should take time to digest, learn from, and see what adjustments can be made in the gym before he attempts to resume his career.

 

Perhaps the most entertaining bout on this pay-per-view card was it’s opening bout between unbeaten Heavyweight Viktor Faust who scored an exciting and somewhat controversial second round stoppage of veteran Iago Kiladze. A bout that can be best described as “Rock Em’, Sock Em’ the two fighters exchanged multiple knockdowns in the round and a half that they were in the ring together and this can be attributed to both fighters willingness to stand and trade punches with little regard for defense. For Faust, who came into the fight having scored knockouts of six of his previous eight opponents and was heavily favored over Kiladze, this proved to be a significant test that was not anticipated. Faust quickly dropped Kiladze with a short left hook in the opening seconds of round one. Kiladze responded just as quickly as Faust pressed forward following the knockdown and dropped Faust with a counter right hand to the jaw moments later. Not to be outdone, Faust would score a second knockdown of Kiladze later in the first round with another left hook to the head. 

 

The wild encounter would continue in the second round with Kiladze dropping Faust for the second time with a flush counter right hook to the jaw. Faust was able to get up and later in the round he would respond by dropping Kiladze with a right hand that seemed to land behind the ear. After what was the fifth knockdown of the fight between the two in a little over four minutes of action, Kiladze got up once more. This time on unsteady legs when asked by Referee Sam Burgos whether he wanted to continue Kiladze did not appear to give a clear response prompting Burgos to stop the fight. An enraged Kiladze responded by throwing a right hand that landed on the arm of Burgos. Burgos understandably angry, responded with some explicit language that in essence he asked Kiladze “What is wrong with you?!” before saying the fight is over and pointing Kiladze to his corner. Kiladze was clearly irate at the stoppage and threw his gloves out to the spectators in attendance before leaving the ring in utter disgust.

 

It is not often that one can say on any level of the sport of Boxing that you see a total of five knockdowns exchanged between two fighters in such a short period of time. Although some may criticize Referee Sam Burgos for stopping this fight and see it as a controversial move, it is important to remember that Burgos was the third man in the ring in September of last year when the ill advised bout between Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield and former UFC world champion Vitor Belfort took place in the same venue. Burgos should be credited as this observer said in covering that sad moment in the sport, for saving the fifty-nine year old Holyfield from himself and quickly stopping the fight following a knockdown and a follow up barrage in which it was clear that Holyfield no longer belonged in the ring as a fighter. That sad night in the sport’s history aside, which this observer simply asked in the days following the event in his coverage “What’s Wrong With Boxing?,” the fact was that Sam Burgos did what the Florida State Athletic Commission refused to do in protecting a man from himself in allowing the event to take place when the state of California, which was originally slated to host the event, refused to license Holyfield citing his age as well as the punishment he had taken throughout his career as well as being many years removed from active competition. In this case, Burgos again proved to be a competent referee and once he did not get a clear response to the question of can you continue from Kiladze, he promptly stopped the fight.

 

If there is a controversy to point to however, it is in how Kiladze responded to the stoppage. A referee’s primarily responsibility is to ensure the safety of the fighters that compete in addition to ensuring rules and regulations are followed. While it is certainly understandable Kiladze’s anger at the stoppage in what was an exciting fight, putting his hands on the referee crossed the line, and no matter what one thinks of the stoppage should be viewed as unacceptable.

 

While it is unclear as of this writing as to whether or not Kiladze will face action from the Florida State Athletic Commission (FSAC) for his actions following the stoppage, the bout between him and Viktor Faust was exciting and definitely deserves a rematch just based on the action that took place. Whether or not a rematch will take place will probably come down to whatever repercussions Kiladze faces for assaulting Burgos after the fight was stopped.

 

As for whether this Heavyweight pay-per-view was successful, yours truly has heard estimates citing by others within the sport claiming that the event drew under 25,000 buys. While I will not speculate on the claims as they are not numbers that have been released by the PBC or Fox Sports, if the numbers were in that range, perhaps it is an indication that doing a pay-per-view card on New Year’s day against a wide range of college football games was maybe not the best idea though if the PBC continues to insist on using the pay-per-view model as they will be in a scheduled February 5^th Fox Sports Pay-Per-View card headlined by a twelve round Welterweight bout between former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios, perhaps they should keep the price point at a reasonable range as this card was.

 

Was the decision to stage Boxing cards on Christmas night and New Year’s day by the PBC and Fox Sports a wise decision? This observer believes, despite the high ratings that the Christmas night card was able to generate on the national Fox network, probably not. It is a fact that was even pointed out by Fox Sports during the Christmas night broadcast that the last Boxing card to have taken place on Christmas in the United States before Christmas 2021 was in the 1960’s. While I could not personally verify when the last card to have taken place on New Year’s day here in the United States was before 2022 began, I would feel safe in suggesting that there have not been too many. While it is important to keep in mind the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 global crisis and that the main priority for all promoters in the sport including the PBC is to try to be as active as possible and to try to keep their fighters that they promote as active as they can in such circumstances, maybe by the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in 2022 roll around, we might see a more strategic approach in scheduling Boxing cards around the holidays.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

 

 

 

Thoughts On Alvarez-Plant And What’s Next

 

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has spent the last year of his career doing something extremely rare. While much had been publicized about the fall out with his former promoter Oscar De La Hoya and for a time global digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, a situation this observer chronicled as it played out, inside the ring, Alvarez was attempting to fully unify the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. While it is not uncommon to see fighters attempt similar feats throughout the sport, it is important to keep in mind that Alvarez was not a recognized world champion in the weight class at this time last year but did hold an interim/regular championship designation in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Super-Middleweight ratings, which gave him a mandatory challenge of former world champion Callum Smith.

 

As most know, Alvarez began his march towards history by scoring a twelve round unanimous decision over Smith last December. A fight that saw him win the previously unbeaten Smith’s WBA crown, but also the vacant WBC world championship in the division giving him status as a unified world champion. Alvarez would then score a third round stoppage of WBC mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim in February of this year. This would then lead to the next step on the unification path as he would score an eighth round stoppage of previously unbeaten WBO world champion Billy Joe Saunders in May of this year, which served as the set up for his bout with undefeated IBF world champion Caleb Plant on November 6^th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The round to becoming undisputed world champion’s final destination.

 

In previewing this bout, this observer talked about the various business elements that surrounded this fight, which unfortunately were more of the story going into the bout than the encounter itself, including, but not limited to the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC)’s insistence that this bout take place on their platform via pay-per-view as opposed to the digital subscription model, which Alvarez has been a focal point in driving home the value for consumers for the last three years. While this observer’s stance regarding the pay-per-view model and such tactics should be well known to readers as well as those who know me personally, which will be addressed further later in this column, the shame of such elements that overshadowed this fight is the obvious in that it took the focus away from the bout itself and the fact that it was to determine a true rarity in the sport. An Undisputed world champion, the first in the history of the Super-Middleweight division. What made this even more rare was the timeframe in which it took Alvarez to go from holding a mandatory challenger position in an organization’s ratings, to unified world champion, to now being one step away from being the one and only world champion.

 

For Caleb Plant, the focus on the business elements also took away from what was the biggest fight of his career in facing Boxing’s top drawing card in a fight where if he were successful, he would instantly become one of the biggest stars in the sport. As a world champion who had defended his crown four times against relatively non-descript opposition with the exception of former IBF world champion Caleb Truax, whom he defeated in his last bout going into this fight, this was the equivalent of having a chance to hit the lottery for Plant in addition to the career high payday of $10 Million he earned for facing Alvarez.

 

There are two sayings that yours truly firmly believes in however, as it relates to the sport of Boxing and all of combat sports that can be applied in regard to this fight. One is “Styles Make Fights” and the other “There are levels to the fight game.” Despite Caleb Plant’s solid Boxing and athletic ability, I felt as I said in previewing this fight that the story of the fight would be whether Plant would be able to use his attributes against a fighter of Alvarez’ caliber. Something that has proven to be easier said than done for even the highest level of competition Alvarez had faced in four different weight divisions.

 

It would prove to be as difficult for Plant. From the outset, Alvarez applied consistent pressure on Plant. This resulted in Plant backing up for the majority of the fight. Although Plant threw a consistent jab throughout and had sporadic success in landing counter punches, he simply could not land anything to stop Alvarez from coming forward. What was most noticeable in my eyes was that even though Alvarez had difficulty for a period of time landing his offense, he was the one that pressed the action and when he did land, he was landing the cleaner, more effective blows. This resulted in my scoring seven of the first eight rounds in Alvarez’ favor.

 

While it is indisputable that Plant was very defensively sound, he simply did not land enough offense consistently to win the rounds, in my opinion. The main attribute that Plant executed well in this fight beyond his jab was his movement. Despite being forced consistently to fight moving backward, there were periods throughout where his movement made it difficult for Alvarez to get his punches off. This did not result however, in Plant being able to land punches that were effective in the sense of being able to hurt or momentarily halt Alvarez’ from coming forward and with Alvarez forcing the combat, it was very difficult to score rounds in Plant’s favor.

 

While Alvarez was not overwhelming with his offense, He did succeed in making the most out of what punches he did throw and that may have made the difference in the eyes of some who felt that several of the rounds in this fight were close. From my perspective, I saw Alvarez implementing an attack to the body of Plant similar to that in which he has used against previous opponents. He did not land every time he went to Plant’s body, but you saw a consistent trend of body shots, which opened opportunities for Alvarez to land to the head of Plant particularly with his right hand. As the fight went on, you could also see this tactical approach gradually beginning to slow Plant’s movement down. An old adage that this observer believes in that can be interpreted in Boxing terms is if you hit a tree at its base enough times eventually the head will fall. 

 

In Boxing terms, some refer to the implantation of a consistent body attack as taking the air out of the tires, in other words, taking the ability of an opponent to use their legs/movement to evade away from them as a fight progresses. The stalking approach that Alvarez has implemented in recent fights including this one reminded yours truly of the approach that Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. used throughout his legendary career. One aspect that I saw in this particular fight that I felt worked well for Alvarez was that he would throw a left hook to Plant’s body and regardless of whether that punch landed, he would follow it with a left hook to the head in addition to finding a home for his right hands.

 

Although Chavez and Alvarez are not similar in terms of style in my view, the similar approach Alvarez has implemented recently in his career and did implement here against Plant had similar results to that which Chavez made his Hall of Fame career on. The gradual breaking down of an opponent in a systematic and calculated fashion. As I watched this fight during the first half of the bout, I began to sense that Alvarez might get to Plant around the seventh round based on what I saw from his approach. This did not occur, despite the pattern of the fight not changing in that Alvarez continued to walk Plant down. The one change in this pattern came in round seven where Alvarez chose to briefly lean against the ropes and motioned to Plant to come forward almost as if he were challenging the IBF world champion.  While this did not last a significant period of time, I felt Plant did enough in that round to win it on my unofficial scorecard. I also felt Plant did enough to win the ninth round of the bout.

 

It may have been a case of Alvarez not being as aggressive or effective in those two particular rounds and/or a case of him trying to pace himself, but nevertheless, despite Plant winning those two rounds clearly in my view, he could not change the pattern of the fight for long enough to have sustainable success. While my sense that Alvarez might get to Plant by the middle rounds did not occur, by the late rounds, I did wonder if Plant would be able to make it to the final bell.

 

This was due largely to his slowing down as the fight progressed as a result of Alvarez’ body attack. Caleb Plant deserves all the credit for being able to hang in against such an attack, which can be attributed to his solid defense throughout the fight. Even the best defense however, can at times break. Alvarez would find his breakthrough moment in the eleventh round. A left hook to the head of Plant set up a flush right uppercut to the head that sent Plant down for the first time in his career. Although this knockdown came from head shots, it was the accumulative effect of the body work Alvarez had done throughout the entire fight, which created this opening as Plant was not able to evade what Alvarez was throwing as had been the case periodically throughout the bout. The effects of the body work was also noticeable in Plant getting up from the knockdown on unsteady legs, but being allowed to continue. Sensing he had his opponent compromised, Alvarez went in for the finish pouncing on Plant with a series of unanswered blows that would ultimately send him down for a second time and result in the fight being stopped.

 

It was as impressive a victory for Alvarez as he could have envisioned going into this fight, but more importantly, it was also mission accomplished in being the first fighter in this observer’s memory to have won a world championship and gone on to successfully unify an entire division in the span of one year. When one considers the various political elements that be in the sport, which as I have said numerous times more often than not serve the interest of various entities that surround the business of Boxing as opposed to benefiting the sport, it is a significant accomplishment.  Now the question becomes what’s next?

 

This is where unfortunately, this observer must again bring up the various business aspects that surrounded this fight going in and where things might stand now coming out of Alvarez’ victory over Caleb Plant. First, Alvarez retains his position in holding the power in any negotiation involving his career, both due to his drawing power as well as the fact that he continues to win. What does this mean? Well, although this observer remains firm in his stance that the subscription-based model in which Alvarez has been able to market effectively over the last three years due to his association with DAZN is a better model both in terms of what is offered and in terms of value for the price for a subscription for consumers, the possibility definitely exists that Premier Boxing Champions, and it’s television partners Showtime/ViacomCBS and Fox Sports could make Alvarez an offer to continue to fight under their banner, which would unfortunately mean more pay-per-view offered to the consumer at inflated prices as both ViacomCBS and Fox are reluctant to venture into the digital streaming market in terms of trying to compete with streaming networks like DAZN and ESPN+, despite the fact that ViacomCBS has invested significantly recently in acquiring sports rights for it’s digital subscription streaming network Paramount+ (Formerly CBS All Access.), which has including moving it’s weekly Inside The NFL series from Showtime to Paramount+.

 

While yours truly has said for a good while in conversation with those who know me, colleagues who also cover the sport, and those readers who reach out to me on social media platforms that ViacomCBS does have the platform through Paramount+ to move Showtime’s Boxing content including what would be pay-per-view offerings to that network and to do something along the lines of “Showtime Boxing on Paramount+”, which would then in addition to all the other sports content they are offering would put them in a better position to compete in the streaming realm with DAZN and ESPN+, it does not seem like that is their intention at this point. You would think however, given the network’s struggles recently with ratings for Boxing cards that air on the premium Showtime network as well as the average of 200,000 buys for many recent pay-per-view cards, which are normally priced at $70 or above that Showtime and maybe even those at the PBC would be looking for a viable alternative rather than trying to fight against the changing landscape of television.

 

Although the possibility also exists that Alvarez might be interested in a potential offer to fight on ESPN’s streaming network, yours truly believes the logical option would be for him to return to DAZN where prior to this fight, he has maintained a working relationship with the network, despite the bump in the road that occurred due largely to his split from his former promoter Oscar De La Hoya more so than issues with the network itself. In addition to continuing to fight on DAZN’s network for his previous three bouts prior to facing Plant, Alvarez has also enjoyed a working relationship with promoter Eddie Hearn, which in addition to those three bouts has seen Alvarez also in position as a co-promoter along with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing on cards staged in Mexico. With one such card scheduled to take place in Mexico later in the month of November, it makes all the sense that Alvarez would want to continue that relationship, particularly if the pay-per-view returns on his fight with Caleb Plant do not deliver what is to be expected once he gets his portion of revenue.

 

As for what this means for Alvarez free agent status as far as promotional entities are concerned, there is certainly nothing saying that fighters who are currently aligned with the PBC, or with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc., who has a broadcast agreement with ESPN, shouldn’t be able to fight on DAZN or other platforms if a lucrative opportunity presents itself.  The primary thing Alvarez has demonstrated clearly was that he wanted to make history by becoming the first Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion by facing Caleb Plant. Although clearly the PBC felt they had more leverage, despite what they might admit publicly due to the fact that Plant was the only world champion left standing in the division that Alvarez had not beaten, Alvarez chose to take a risk by returning to pay-per-view in order for that fight to happen, when theoretically, Plant may have made more money by facing Alvarez under the DAZN banner than the estimated $10 million he received. While this is as much an indictment on the business practices in the sport that more often than not put their interest ahead of the fighters interests, Alvarez still did what he needed to do to make the fight happen and accomplished his goal.

 

Will other fighters who have seen their careers primarily relegated to fighting under the PBC banner due to the PBC’s unwillingness to work with outside promoters and networks on a consistent basis follow Alvarez’ example by being willing to face fighters regardless of promotional /network ties? This observer believes it would be in those fighters best interest to do so even though that may not be what the PBC or it’s TV partners necessarily want to hear. It is important to keep in mind that a lot of the reason why many people did not give Caleb Plant much of a chance against Alvarez was due to the fact that he has fought exclusively within the PBC realm, and as such, despite being a world champion who had four successful title defenses going into the fight with Alvarez, had a lower profile as compared to that of his opponent and was not particularly known amongst the casual fan. While it should not be overlooked that some cards in which Plant has headlined that were broadcasts on the main Fox network in the United States did much higher numbers than anything on pay-per-view, he was not facing opponents who were known to the casual observer and that I believe hurt him in terms of his name recognition going into this fight. Although the fighter cannot be blamed for that, it points out an obvious flaw in the thinking some promoters and apparently the PBC seem to have that certain fights have to take place under their banner and on their terms, which is one reason, perhaps the primary reason why the business of Boxing more often than not stands in the way of significant progress for the sport.

 

Despite losing to Alvarez, Caleb Plant certainly has nothing to be ashamed of and showed his mettle in defeat. It would be nice however, to see opportunities be opened for him beyond the PBC realm that will allow him to increase his profile going forward beyond being known as the opponent in which Saul Alvarez defeated to become an undisputed champion. Plant does have the skills where he could certainly be in line to fight for a world championship again either at Super-Middleweight or potentially the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. It may only be a question of whether or not he will be allowed to fight a fighter or world champion if the opportunity presents itself if it is not under the PBC banner.

 

As for Alvarez, he has fought more frequently than any fighter on the elite level of the sport recently. While he definitely deserves a rest before resuming his career, there is one fight out there that frankly needs to happen. This fight would be the long awaited third encounter with Gennady Golovkin in which Alvarez has both a disputed draw and victory over in two fights in 2017 and 2018 respectively where they fought for Golovkin’s unified Middleweight world championship.

 

Golovkin has gone on to regain unified world champion status in the 160lb. Middleweight division and will be facing WBA world champion Ryota Murata in Tokyo, Japan in December. If Golovkin, the current IBF/IBO Middleweight world champion should defeat Murata, it would make sense for him to move up eight pounds to challenge Alvarez for his undisputed world championship given both have a working relationship with DAZN and it is a fight where honestly there is unfinished business and one that the public has been demanding. Although the possibility also exists that Golovkin could attempt to fully unify the Middleweight division, something he appeared to be close to doing before he faced Alvarez, at almost forty years old, a third encounter with Alvarez is something that will not be available forever and is the most lucrative option on the table for Golovkin should he beat Murata. From a business perspective, it would also be a win for DAZN that has faced some struggles and criticism from some whether fairly or unfairly in not delivering a fight like this to it’s network, which has been an alternative to the pay-per-view model, seeing as the first two times Alvarez and Golovkin fought, each bout did over a million buys on pay-per-view, proving to be a rare exception over the last decade and a half by producing a significantly higher buy number than the norm. A fight like this for the network would also likely boost subscriber numbers in the sense of bringing new eyes to the network as well as seeing some who may have unsubscribed return. If Golovkin gets by Murata, it makes sense that in May 2022, when Alvarez says he wants to return to the ring, the fighter standing across from him would be Gennady Golovkin.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison