The sport of boxing can be the ultimate “build it up, just to tear it down” sport.  The build up and tear down can be somewhat justified given the stakes and buzz of an event that either lives up to the hype, or doesn’t. Sometimes, the buildup and tear downs can come from some of the most unnecessary people (fighters, media, fans, etc) for reasons other than to fulfill a narrative that, like all sports, can be shot down and debunked. They’ll throw out unnecessary terms like “duck”, “stall out”, and “washed” to describe fighters and events.

Building it up

The most recent one pertains to the unnecessary buzz across the boxing circles over the past year has been the fans pushing hard for a showdown between multi division champions Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, a crazed fantasy fight where both fighters are separated by at least two weight classes. Most pushing for this fight are coming from Canelo fans, who are unnecessarily and wrongfully offended at personal levels so they can tear down the character and career of Terence Crawford and his fans. Some are coming from Crawford fans who use some of the common claims like “duck” without any legitimate merit because they are bodus. Some from “boxing media members” who use blatant bias to fulfill a certain narrative for personal gain and benefit, even if it’s a gross mismatch. 

Tearing it down

Problem here is everyone is gushing over a ridiculous narrative, whichever side you take, due to many reasons. It’s beyond understandable that you want to see a fight between two pound for pound stars, but when you talk about these two fighters, their two weight classes apart (Crawford at 154, Canelo at 168), meaning someone would have to go way above and beyond to make this happen.

Crawford would have to make a jump to weight class he has never fought in, and would have to bring his skills with him to a higher weight class. That part is questionable at age 37, especially after looking less than good in winning a “belt” from Israil Madrimov at 154. He’s a fighter who relies on skill and ring generalship in the ring, but whether he would be able to bring those skills against a naturally bigger fighter like Alvarez, who brings his own unique skill set with this size in this mythical matchup.

The business side

We have the business side of this, and this is where there are giant differences in the two. Both are generational talents, no doubt, but Canelo, given his grotesque obsession of wanting only to fight on Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day (and nowhere else for whatever reason), draws revenue and business every time he steps in the ring.  Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it isn’t, but it’s each to their own.  He knows what sells, and he knows the opponents to get in the ring to help sell the events to make the excessive dollars he desires.  As a result, he can cherry pick anyone he wants, whether his detractors like it or not, because he knows how to sell.  Something Crawford, as great he is, cannot do.

Who should they each face next?

Both fighters have multiple options in their respective weight classes. Crawford has a Vergil Ortiz, Sebastian Fundora and Boots Ennis (should Ennis come up to 154 at some point) in his own weight class. Canelo can move up to face the Dmitri Bivol-Artur Beterviev winner October 12, or he can wait if David Benavidez would stop making cheap excuses and actually move down to 168 and fight Canelo in what could be a giantic showdown on Cinco De Mayo 2025 (should Benavidez quit ducking and step up).  Both fighters have options and business to handle in their own weight classes and can have successful careers without having to reach out to extremes to make an unrealistic fight happen.

Though it’s understood that everyone wants to see these two pound-for-pound standouts go at it in an ultimate “generational” mega fight, everyone for both fighters need to part ways and concentrate on the options they have and not push for a senseless narrative that isn’t worth even talking about. It’s a waste of time. 

For now, everyone should just enjoy what boxing has in the near future and just put this bogus narrative to rest.   

Photo Credit; Boxing News, Athlon Sports, Sky Sports