The Doctors Are Wrong

Nothing will kill boxing and nothing can save it.    — Larry Merchant

The doctors shake their heads as they look over the unconscious patient. No question, he is gravely ill, but precisely what should be done to remedy the various afflictions plaguing him, no one can agree on. Consensus is found on only one notion: the end is near.

Boxing has been written off more times than a bad tax deduction, but just after receiving yet another obituary in the L.A. Times comes news that the rest of 2016 is set to offer us a bumper crop of meaningful fistic action. Yes, boxing fans have plenty to be frustrated about when the most attractive, high-profile match-up the sport can offer, Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo Alvarez, looks like it may never take place, but the simple fact is there have always been great fights that, for one reason or another, didn’t happen. Pugilism tests one’s faith unlike any other sport so it’s important to remember that despair is not just a failing, but a mortal sin. After all, it’s always better to be grateful for what we get, than to ruminate over what the cruel boxing gods deny us.

Could this fight revitalize the sport?
Forget what might have been.

Looking at the situation from that angle, the doctors are clearly wrong. Yes, various ailments torment the patient, but if all goes according to plan, the next few months should see him off life support and maybe even sitting up and taking solid food. At least for a while.

Three recent developments back up this hopeful perspective. First, while some were skeptical that the match would actually ever come to be (and count this writer among those who will not be shocked if something derails it), it now appears a certainty that Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev are going to throw down on November 19. This is, without question, a match between two of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, and while that doesn’t by itself guarantee thrilling action, the build-up and anticipation is going to be huge and only get bigger during the weeks ahead.

“I don’t think it will be an easy fight,” says the Krusher. “It’s the hardest test of my career.”

“Kovalev is the real deal,” says Mr. S.O.G.

kovalev-vs-ward
Kovalev vs Ward: Yeah, we’re stoked.

Second, Top Rank recently announced another showdown between two of the best in the sport, with a Nicholas Walters vs Vasyl Lomachenko showdown set to happen the following week on November 26. “Lomachenko is great,” says Walters, aka “The Axe Man,” “but I always look for a knockout against whomever I fight. If I can do it quick, I will. This is the best fight out there. It will be the Fight of the Year.” Needless to say, there’s some stiff competition.

Again, this match features two of the best fighters on the planet and should have intriguing implications for another division currently loaded with talent, the super-featherweights. Indeed, the 130 pound weight class might be the most competitive and intriguing in the sport, an assertion backed up by the third reason to have faith in boxing right now, a battle between warriors Orlando Salido and Takashi Miura now set for December 17.

axe-man
Hi-Tech vs Axe Man.

Talk about a guaranteed barnburner! As we all know, both Salido and Miura come to do nothing but rumble and this match-up raises the prospect that not one but two of 2016’s Fight of the Year candidates will feature “Siri,” maybe the most exciting slugger in boxing since Arturo Gatti, as Salido’s epic battle with Francisco Vargas last June is most pundits’ current front runner. Salido vs Miura might well give it a run for its money.

That’s three big reasons to believe that boxing isn’t exactly at death’s door. Add the fact that Manny Pacquiao, Anthony Joshua and Artur Beterbiev will all be in action before the year is out, plus there’s even talk that Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs might clash in December, and really, 2016 is proving to be not too shabby at all given what we had to settle for last year.

Could Salido vs Miura outslug Salido vs Vargas?
Could Salido vs Miura out-thrill Salido vs Vargas?

Yes, boxing isn’t what it used to be in terms of mainstream popularity and fight fans still have plenty to complain about in terms of mismatches, bad decisions and so many elite-level boxers showing so little interest in taking on other elite-level fighters. We’re all pissed off that Canelo Alvarez continues to duck Gennady Golovkin, and that so many Al Haymon boxers are content to compete once a year. And now we learn that heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has tested positive for cocaine and will likely be stripped of his titles. But even that development may have an upside given all the chatter about a possible Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko clash, which is easily one of the best fights the big men can offer.

So, no, boxing is not about to die any time soon. It’s suffering and concerned physicians will continue to shake their heads over its plight, but we’ll leave them to do the hand-wringing while we get set to watch the big fights going down over the next couple months. Kovalev vs Ward! Walters vs Lomachenko! Salido vs Miura! The doctors can make all the dire pronouncements they want, but right now, they would appear to be mistaken. Boxing is alive and kickin’.              — Robert Portis 

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2 thoughts on “The Doctors Are Wrong

  • September 30, 2016 at 10:01 pm
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    Boxing is far from dead! The sport is slowly building momentum, more and more great fighters (young and old) are emerging. Great fights all the way from the heavyweight division down to the flyweights are coming in the future. So many questions were being asked about what was going to happen in the post May/Pac era, but I believe there are many great fights that can possibly happen. GGG/Canelo is the most obvious salivating fight for fans. Wilder/Joshua/Ortiz would be great no matter who fought who. I’d love to see a Crawford/Linares (135 or 140) matchup next year. Or even Lomachenko/Linares at lightweight would be spectacular. Frampton/Donaire? Chocolatito vs Inoue is a smaller weight class fight with giant magnitude. 147 still has the deepest pool of talent even with poor matchmaking. GGG could go up to 168 and try to clean out that division. Is Canelo Vs Chavez Jr in our near future? I mean you would buy May/Pac 2 wouldn’t you….? LOL big things coming!

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  • February 9, 2017 at 1:58 pm
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    Great article! And great comment, Jerome. I couldn’t agree more – you can just sense that boxing’s on its way up again, despite still having so many problems. Those problems put me off it for the last 10 years or so, but not anymore. Nothing beats boxing at its best. Nothing. And suddenly there’s enough talent in enough divisions to make it so’s that even if a lot of great match ups never happen, more than enough will to keep the anticipation and fascination going.

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