LAST week I lamented on this column about how we boxing followers have little or no to look ahead to within the upcoming schedule. Fortunately, that’s already modified. Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia each took to social media to announce that every little thing is agreed for the pair to face one another subsequent yr.
No official date or venue was confirmed, although it was revealed that each would participate in separate tune-up bouts in January. What’s fascinating concerning the announcement is how these concerned appeared to defer to the large followings Garcia and Davis each have on social media – theirs have been the accounts which shared the information first.
In line with experiences – and tweets from execs at each firms – DAZN and Showtime collaborated on the deal for what appears to be like to be a shared PPV. It’s at all times a trigger for celebration when direct rivals, explicit broadcasters, can work collectively to create large fights.
It additionally appears to be like as if we’re edging nearer to a different wonderful light-weight conflict: Devin Haney in opposition to Vasily Lomachenko. Prime Rank boss Bob Arum instructed BoxingScene that each side are on board and talks are progressing effectively. He additionally spoke about how he hopes to air the battle on ESPN, moderately than PPV.
“My hope is to do as few fights on pay-per-view as potential,” he stated.
“I actually imagine that placing these fights on pay-per-view just isn’t a clever factor to do. Now, different folks would possibly discover issue on this. It’s not a clever factor to do as a result of folks aren’t shopping for the pay-per-views. And it prices some huge cash to do it. Even when the fighters don’t take ensures, they hate you afterwards as a result of they haven’t made cash.”
He cited piracy and the truth that fewer individuals are inviting teams of buddies over to observe PPVs collectively as the principle causes behind the decline in viewing figures for these reveals. He’s referring to the US market the place the worth of a single PPV sits across the $80 mark.
It’s encouraging to listen to such a robust determine within the sport communicate out in opposition to the fixed rise within the variety of PPV occasions staged every year, and the way he hopes to current large fights to as huge of an viewers as potential.
After all, we’ve got heard all this earlier than from varied totally different folks inside boxing. There may be, clearly, a spot for PPV occasions inside boxing however there must be some management over simply what number of reveals are positioned behind such a paywall every year.
Broadcasts
All that being stated, it was fantastic to see that Artur Beterbiev will defend his light-heavyweight title in opposition to Anthony Yarde in London subsequent yr, with BT Sport opting to not have the battle on its PPV channel. That’s to be each admired and recommended.
On this present boxing local weather it wouldn’t have been misplaced for this battle to go on PPV – in truth many even anticipated it to. It does really feel a little bit unusual to be praising a significant sports activities broadcaster for principally doing the naked minimal and never charging us further for a battle that doesn’t warrant it, however right here we’re.
Sadly it was one other disappointing weekend of motion from DAZN. There was one more YouTuber boxing card on the streaming service, which featured some offensively unhealthy makes an attempt at boxing (clips of which went viral) in addition to Hasim Rahman Jnr getting stopped in the principle occasion by a mixed-martial artist who weighed in 94lbs heavier than him.
Nonetheless it was the principle occasion on a distinct DAZN card that drew probably the most criticism. Jaime Munguia pummelled the grossly overmatched Gonzalo Coria inside three rounds, then known as out Gennadiy Golovkin.
The entire thing was a colossal waste of time. Who at DAZN signed off on this as a principal occasion? DAZN’s schedule has come underneath fireplace just lately and among the criticism has been a little bit exaggerated – DAZN have aired some actually good playing cards and have some fascinating ones within the pipeline, however Munguia-Coria is indefensible.
There isn’t any means this battle ought to have been headlining a card on a significant broadcaster. Promoters Golden Boy have inquiries to reply, too. Additional nonetheless, Munguia has been coasting in his profession for some time now, regardless of being an thrilling expertise who continues to enhance. Fights like this are a disservice to him and the followers.
Terence Crawford sat down with Max Kellerman for the “Max On Boxing” present on ESPN to debate his profession and his “legacy” inside the sport. The 35-year-old claimed that not combating welterweight rival Errol Spence Jnr earlier than he retires won’t injury his legacy.
That’s uncertain at greatest. Crawford is an outstanding expertise and has achieved nice issues in boxing, however his profession lacks a really defining win. Whereas he has beforehand conquered different divisions, he can not make a declare to be one of the best 147lber on the planet till he fights Spence.
Crawford didn’t attempt to downplay the importance of a battle with Spence, however he did cite different large fights that by no means occurred. Kellerman neatly countered that these Crawford talked about, together with Sugar Ray Leonard, took half in different huge fights apart from those that fell by means of.
What was additionally worrying about Crawford’s feedback was how last they appeared. He appeared like a person who has accepted that he won’t ever battle Spence, which might be an actual disgrace for the game and likewise speaks to how ineffective the methods in place inside boxing actually are in the case of facilitating the largest contests.
Boxing on the Field
November 25
Harlem Eubank-Tom Farrell
Channel 5
Protection begins at 9pm
November 26
Dillian Whyte-Jermaine Franklin
DAZN
Protection begins at 7pm
Zach Parker-John Ryder
BT Sport 1
Protection begins at 7pm
November 27
Regis Prograis-Jose Zepeda
FITETV
Protection begins at 2am
Mikail Lawal-David Jamieson
Sky Sports activities Area
Protection begins at 3pm
