Random thoughts: Ramirez-Taylor represents everything right about boxing
Takes on Canelo, Pacquiao, Shakur; Plus: Show and tell
How about some random boxing thoughts?
I’m super pumped for the undisputed junior welterweight championship fight between Jose Ramirez vs. Josh Taylor. If you even remotely like boxing how could you not love the fight? They are universally regarded as the best two 140-pounders in the world. They are both undefeated. They hold all the belts. They are in their prime. They have crowd-pleasing styles. The fight is on basic cable, not PPV. And each man wanted the fight as much as the other guy. No ducking whatsoever. It could be a classic. It’s the kind of fight that represents everything that is right about boxing.
On the other hand… as I’ve said many times, if the outstanding young lightweight foursome of Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney would fight each other their series of bouts could carry boxing for several years. They have potential to make huge events against each other. Unfortunately, other than fighting with each other on social media, not one match between them is even remotely in the offing and I’d bet just about anything none of them will happen this year, and that stinks. I hope I’m wrong.
Canelo Alvarez is the clear No. 1 fighter at super middleweight. Now imagine how he might have fared with other legit great super middleweights: Roy Jones Jr., Joe Calzaghe, James Toney, Andre Ward and Carl Froch, to name a few.
I know Canelo will next fight Billy Joe Saunders to unify three of the 168-pound titles on May 8 and then hopes to face Caleb Plant for the undisputed crown in September. But for pure action, the best fight in the division is Canelo against David Benavidez.
Paging Deontay Wilder.
You know what woulda been a can’t-miss rumble? Miguel Cotto vs. Fernando Vargas. They missed each other by a few years but that would have been a legit great fight.
I watched the Ring City USA card that took place in Puerto Rico on Thursday night. There was an interview with Puerto Rican great Ivan “Iron Boy” Calderon, the former strawweight and junior flyweight champion, on the broadcast, which got me thinking that I don’t say this enough: He belongs in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, hands down. His election is overdue. For years, the saying was “death, taxes and Calderon by lopsided decision.” He’s the third greatest strawweight ever behind Ricardo Lopez and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and one of the greatest pure boxers in history.
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Chris Arreola is probably a fun, sloppy fight. But as a pay-per-view main event? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!
It has always annoyed me that Lennox Lewis and Michael Moorer never fought.
Even more annoying is that Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez never fought. It’s the one match that never happened among the great foursome that also included Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Speaking of Pacquiao, I’ve been hearing renewed rumblings that he’s next likely to face Mikey Garcia. It’s not the biggest fight ever but would probably be a fun promotion and a decent fight.
I hope the title eliminator between heavyweights Filip Hrgovic and Michael Hunter gets made. Good, meaningful fight.
I was happy when the camps of light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol and contender Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez told me they are working on a fight between them for later in the year. That’s an excellent, meaningful match.
Please, Showtime, let’s get that Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire bantamweight title fight rescheduled ASAP.
You know what would be a good fight? Oscar Valdez vs. Joseph Diaz Jr.
Who wants to bet that in the next few years Shakur Stevenson and Jaron Ennis will be fixtures on the pound-for-pound list?
There are a number of excellent trainers out there but is there any doubt that No. 1 right now is Eddy Reynoso?
Errol Spence Jr. turned 31 this week. Terence Crawford is 33. What the hell are they waiting for?
Happy birthday to the legendary Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who turned 61 on Friday.
Show and tell
Oscar De La Hoya would win 10 world titles in six weight classes during his glorious Hall of Fame career. He won the first of those belts by stopping Jimmi Bredahl in the 10th round to claim a junior lightweight title in front of a hometown crowd at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. The fight was 27 years ago on Friday. Here’s a mint thin cardboard site poster in my collection. This is the “rainbow” version. There is also an all-yellow version.
More show and tell
Canelo Alvarez is the pound-for-pound king, has won world titles in four divisions from junior middleweight to light heavyweight and is the biggest star in boxing. But that was by no means a foregone conclusion when he began his championship run. He won his first world title with a shutout decision over Matthew Hatton on March 5, 2011 – 10 years ago on Friday. Here’s a mint HBO poster from the fight in my collection.
The Show & Tell was a reminder of the bum decision Ponce de Leon got against Broner & Canelo being handed his first title gift wrapped with a nice little bow. Hatton's brother came up in weight to fight for a vacant belt. If I remember correctly it was a division he had never campaigned in.
"Paging Deontay wilder" 😂😂😂😂
Love it Dan,keep up the good work! 🥊🥊
"Ain't got nothing bad to say about boxing, but love it!"