I’d argue the last five years have been about as good as it has been in Boxing for a very long time.
This year alone already looks like delivering Fury vs Usyk, Haney vs Loma, Tank vs Davis and Ortiz, Bud, Spence and Boots are going to have to see each other at some stage. Teo vs Taylor has been signed as has Inoue vs Fulton. These are all before June.
Beterbiev vs Bivol has a great chance after their mandatories and the Charlo brothers will be in the ring.
Boxing fans have been spoiled. I haven’t even mentioned Canelo who will be in a big fight after Ryder.
And thats exactly why I said champions in my previous post because thats the point im making, UFC just does the big fights while boxers tend to posture more and often they never happen. AJ, Wilder and Fury at the top of the division for last 4 or 5 years and yet we have only seen 3 total fights between them and it was the same 2 guys 3 times in a row.
Volkanovski moved up in weight and UFC almost immediately did an interim belt. Similar with havyweight while Ngannou was out. UFC are pretty clear about keeping the title situation moving.
Conor hasnt been champ since 2016, Jones on and off, Ngannou only had 2 title fights prior to his dispute thats why they werent great examples in relation to what I was saying.
The UFC does a fair share of gimmick fights as well - the BMF belt being just one example.
My point and your point weren’t the same. I’m saying the the Champions in Boxing have been active around COVID as well. Two fights a year (12 months) is standard. My argument could be quality of opponent, but post COVID this has been high.
I named Bud and Spence because they are the exceptions and not the rule.
I could pick apart the AJ, Fury, Wilder argument in depth but I feel I’d be wasting my time.
It’s a poor example as AJ lost his belt by fighting a mandatory - USYK. AJ didn’t have a high ranking in the WBC (top 2) - Wilder fought his mandatory. They fought twice due to not just contracts but demand - the first fight was great.
You can’t call for the best not fighting the best then totally ignore Usyk. AJ, Usyk, Wilder and Fury have fought five times between them in four years. Whyte also fought Fury. As one sided as that fight was, it was 1 vs 2 in the WBC.
It is very likely that Wilder vs AJ gets made. It’s ironic that you’ve called for AJ and Wilder to have fought but they F they did, we’d probably be on a trilogy of that instead of having Usyk and Fury as. Champions.
This indicates that the best are actually fighting the best in the Heavyweight division.
That’s fair. I’m fairly casual on UFC. Gimmick was a poor shout. A fairer call may have been big names get big fights sometimes not on merit. Even Jones walking straight into a heavyweight title fight is questionable even if he is the best.
My call is in reference to big fights. In the UFC those tend to be the championship fights. And the UFC has one champ per weight class as opposed to 4 different belts for the same class in boxing which is a gift and a curse as injury can more easily delay things than when you have numerous champs.
But there are countless examples of other big fights outside of champion vs challenger anyway. Basically every PPV you are getting at least one other big fight alongside a big fight every couple of non PPV cards.
I question this because you suggested that boxers don’t actually fight. Fury and AJ have been in more fights than Ngannou over the past four years.
We agree that the quality of opponent can be higher in UFC although my point is boxing has been as good as ever recently in terms of the best fighting each other.
Ngannou has been in dispute for a couple of those, why not use Usman as your example?
And yes we do agree re quality of opponent. End of the day I just want to see quality fights between the best guys. I don’t have any issue with boxing itself and I like the sport but just want to see more great fights.
Obviously there are major structural differences and the UFC is definitely guilty of terrible pay for fighters despite a massive global brand. I had a mate from my gym who had 4 UFC fights and got paid 12K USD per fight. Wasn’t near enough for him to even train full time and leave his day job.
Yeah its just that Ngannou is specifically a guy in weird situation. Usman is welterweight. I know in boxing heavyweight is kinda the main division at least casually speaking but in the UFC it is probably the weakest division in terms of quality. Outside of Jones there are probably 5 or 6 decent guys and the rest are brawlers who will come out and swing but are not wildly skillful at least in comparison to guys of the same rank in other divisions.
Even at a regional level its a weak division. One of my mates is a heavyweight and it’s near impossible to get fights due to lack of actual opponents available.
I think his intention is to blow out Franklin and make a statement. Looks like maybe his new trainer is going to push him to be bigger and aggressive like in his earlier days
This is PPV! Great battle because Hearn is too deep in the business for a novice like Jordan to spin him on a boxing level, but Jordan is intelligent whilst being direct - he’ll call out any obvious bullshit.