As the sport
of Boxing looks to continue trying to resume under the circumstances of the
COVID-19 epidemic, some might ask when we might see fights that had significant
public interest prior to the epidemic and under what conditions would such
bouts take place. A conundrum that many world champions and top contenders
throughout the sport will have to deal with as the epidemic continues is
whether or not they want to compete. A decision that many athletes throughout
all of sports are contemplating. For fighters throughout combat sports there is
both a question of potential risk to their health due to the potential exposure
to the virus as well as the risk every fighter takes each time they compete.
There is also a second question that is asked. Whether competing under such
circumstances is more of a risk in terms of a fighter’s position in the sport
as well as financially than there is a reward by competing.
After all,
it is logical for a fan, those who cover the sport like yours truly, and others
to question how many top level fights can be made under circumstances such as
an epidemic where numbers have not yet indicated a legitimate decline. What is
underestimated however, is the opportunity this can present fighters. It cannot
be overlooked that the COVID-19 crisis has had a severe impact on just about
every aspect of everyday life. For many fighters who are not fortunate enough
to command multi-million dollar paydays each time they compete, the crisis has
also resulted in potential opportunities being taken away simply because the
sport has not been active. With the sport attempting to resume behind closed
doors, it does open up opportunities for several fighters to not only earn
income, but also potentially move themselves into position for more lucrative
paydays down the line depending on when life including spectators going to
sporting events may return to something akin to normal.
What this
crisis has also done is present an opportunity of a different sort for world
champions who are looking to stay active. While it might not be realistic to
expect many fighters who are considered to be the top stars in the sport to
resume active competition when they may not be able to earn as much money from
both purses as well as from live gate revenue seeing as everything for the
foreseeable future will be closed to the public, a problem many top fighters
and world champions will have will be by being inactive it might have an effect
on a fighter’s skills over time. Two world champions have however, shown that
there are benefits to staying active even if it comes under circumstances such
as COVID-19. I am referring of course to WBO Featherweight world champion Shakur
Stevenson, who competed on June 9th as part of the first Boxing card to take
place in the United States since March in defeating Felix Caraballo in a
non-title bout held in the Jr. Lightweight division.
Current WBO
Jr. Featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete took a similar approach as
he returned to the ring on June 20th to face a veteran Uriel Lopez in a non-title
bout in Mexico City, Mexico. The bout, which like all the bouts we have seen
that have taken place in Las Vegas and in Mexico, took place behind closed
doors without spectators. Much like Stevenson’s bout against Caraballo,
Navarrette moved up one weight class to the Featherweight division for this
fight.
Although one
should never go into a fight with a preconceived idea of what will take place
as anything can happen at any time, this was a fight for Navarrette to test the
waters of a new weight class against a “Game”, but ultimately over matched
opponent. For six rounds, Navarrette used his complete skill set to dictate how
the fight was fought and dominate the action.
What was
particularly impressive about Navarrette’s approach was how he balanced his
attack to the head and body of Lopez, as well as showing his patience in taking
his time. In the fifth round, Navarrette dropped Lopez with a left hook to the
body. Although Lopez, who entered the fight with an even record of 13-13-1,
with 6 Knockouts, had all the appearance of a fighter who was thought to be a
mere opponent, he did get up and did attempt to fight on. A second knockdown
from another left hook to the body of Lopez in round six however, would end
matters.
While there
may be some criticism of this fight based on the record Lopez compared to
Navarrette, who entered with a record of 31-1, with 27 Knockouts, it is
important to remember that it was not uncommon for many years to see world
champions take fights in between title defenses as a method to both stay busy
as well as test the waters of a new division against fighters who are thought
to be below their level. For many reasons the least of which being economic,
this has been something that world champions have gone away from in recent
years.
The COVID-19
epidemic however, has made such fights a necessity for those fighters both
world champions and contenders, who want to stay active under the current
conditions. As things remain uncertain both in terms of the crisis and Boxing’s
ability to operate both efficiently and effectively under the circumstances, no
one can really say with a degree of certainty as to what the future plans for
any fighter might be until the circumstances of the COVID-19 virus can be
something that can be controlled. In the meantime, for fighters like Emanuel
Navarrete, the goal should be to stay busy as opportunities present itself.
“And That’s The
Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing
Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
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