New York was iconic for boxing at Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Now that’s gone to the Kings and Princes in Saudi Arabia along with the royalties of casinos in Las Vegas. We have reached the midpoint of a year with the Garden and Barclays struggling to secure mega championship fights.
Regardless of the venues, controversy, and despite what skeptics say, boxing is strong and healthy. The mega fights have been a part of the first six months into July, streaming networks dominate the coverage, promoters and their fighters are earning revenue.
However, boxing needs unity and reform. There is a lot wrong because a novice fan and expert have to fact check as to who is the champion and who are the contenders in a confusing column of weight classes. A unified champion in the four-belt title era is rare, and continues to be divided with the almighty dollar which leads to more division among fans and even in the media.
The solution, as I constantly advocate for the well being of the fighters is to call for a national boxing commission for reform and unity among promoters, sanctioning organizations, but this is boxing politics and that will never be a reality.
Perhaps the undercard fighter deserves more of the share, that has always been a trend. But the main event attraction and chief support co-main fight get their fair share as the major alphabet soup sanctioning organizations (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO) continue to dictate who fights who and increase their share of the pot.
This is boxing in 2024, the first half of the calendar. And more to come in the second half with Canelo Alvarez. undisputed and unified super middleweight champion who is scheduled again in September. The so-called face of the sport continues to be a pay-per-view draw and attraction.
Until Alvarez gets dethroned, he will be considered that so-called face of boxing. The only threat to his titles is David Benavidez if and when that fight could be made and that has been difficult to finalize. Benavidez this first half ventured and won his first fight at light heavyweight and seeks to challenge for those titles that will be unified between champions Dmitri Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on October 12th.
And there will always be the controversial Ryan Garcia, a 25-year old mega star, suspended for a year because of steroid use and missed weight that caused him the chance at gaining the 140 lb. title from Devin Haney, a fight he won at the Barclays Center in early April. The fight with hype did not amass huge numbers on DAZN PPV, then again streaming networks are making profit.
Pay-Per-View buys have declined and there are one too many. A boxing fan can’t reach into their pocket at an average price of $70.00 per buy. The lone and only free boxing broadcast comes with a cable package with ESPN/Top Rank Boxing. Last weekend Shakur Stevenson defended the WBC lightweight title and 1,800,000 viewers was the most watched boxing event on the ESPN Network. That number did not include ESPN+ and their other platforms, solid for the industry perhaps an indicator that promoters need to strive more for free boxing on networks, though the cable subscription base has declined and geared more to streaming network platforms.
Matchroom, Golden Boy, and Top Rank are convinced streaming is the route, and Netflix has jumped on board with their billion dollar conglomerate joining the pay-per-view circuit that showcases top fighters with appeal in their venture with the PBC and other promoters. Matchroom and Eddie Hearn continue to sign top fighters in the sport, Stevenson is a free agent after his final fight with Top Rank. Matchroom along with Golden Boy are making their pitch to secure his name on a contract. Saturday in Philadelphia, Matchroom highlighted Jaron “Boots” Ennis their newest and rising star in the sport, ia homecoming of success defending his IBF welterweight title.
Ahead as the year continues, more for Ennis and leading to a possible unification of the titles or a move up in weight next year to 154, challenging Terence Crawford, who steps up in weight. Crawford main events a DAZN PPV card August 3 versus Israil Madrimov, the debut of the Saudi promoters taking their show to the United States.
And watch the next step for Teofimo Lopez, a takeover quest he attempts to continue at 140. Gervonta Davis has options as the marketable fighter under the PBC banner as does Vasily Lomachenko (Top Rank), and William Zepeda (Golden Boy), a part of that lightweight title mix where Stevenson is involved.
My top five fighters follow as we reach the midpoint and are always open to debate because boxing is that subjective sport with decisions and I never have been a fan of rating pound-for-pound best. The divisions that gather attention and will continue to be highlighted are 135 (lightweight), 140 (junior welterweight and perhaps stocked with the mega and young superstars). I am not including Jake Paul, the social media maven who has to prove he is the best, not showing that when opposing easy competition as he does again Saturday night on DAZN. And that spectacle fight with 58-year old Hall of Famer Mike Tyson is just that. That rematch for the unified heavyweight titles, a division that was always a face of the sport is scheduled for December 21 in Saudi Arabia, the champion Oleksandr Usyk defending against Tyson Fury the former champ. Also watch rising and young heavyweight Jared Anderson, former champion Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois (September 21, DAZN).
Top Five: (Open For Opinion) Others in top 10 but for another time at end of year
Canelo Alvarez
Terence Crawford
Gervonta Davis
Naoya Inoue (Japan, junior featherweight champion who deserves more attention with Top Rank but does not fight in the states is a setback)
Oleksandr Usyk
Not included is the female division and Amanda Serrano, perhaps at number one and fighting this weekend as co-main event on the Jake Paul DAZN telecast.
The top five fights at the midpoint (Again my analysis as there have been more than one for consideration). (Leading also to another point that promoters and networks need to schedule accordingly and rid the conflicts of two or three major boxing cards at the same time. Championship fights and stars of the sport lose exposure with conflicts and reform is needed to work in unity, so throw away the competition. Boxing needs proper exposure and draw in the novice to compete with MMA and UFC).
Usyk- Fury Heavyweight title in May
Gervonta Davis 8th rd TKO Frank Martin
Liam Paro upsets Subriel Matias (UD, 140 Lb title)
Emanuel Navarrete split decision loss to Denys Berinxhyk, Junior lightweight title)
Sebastian Fundora split decision Junior middleweight title win over Tim Tszyu, a blood bath reminiscent of the trilogy Gotti-Ward.
As always keep it in the Ring
Rich Mancuso: X @ Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso Watch Keep It In The week weekly hosted by Rich for boxing, MMA, wrestling analysis, and more.
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