Boxing has seen its fare share of ludicrous and irresponsible match-ups in the past but recently the outrage has become the norm. One mainstream title is being passed around without any regard of rankings, weight limits and boxers’ safety. Money can’t buy health.
The WBC middleweight title has become the black sheep of boxing. It is an illustration of the turmoil and disorder in the industry.
One big fight ends, another even bigger fight starts being made. The fight we all want, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin, should, and actually could, happen later this year. This fight, a guaranteed blockbuster, has been in the works for months now, but for one reason or another (the critics pointing Canlo’s way as far as these reasons for it not happening) it has not been agreed upon quite yet.
The devastating punch Mexican star Saul Canelo Alvarez knocked out Amir Khan with last night in Las Vegas was a stark reminder of how dangerous the sport of boxing is and of how brave the fighters have to be. Khan was left flat on his back from the right hand of the year, disturbingly motionless for agonising seconds and it was if reality had returned with a brutal thud. Nothing mattered now apart from Khan’s wellbeing. The fight was all hype – and it lived up to a fair share of it – but now the health of a stricken fighter was all that mattered.
In what has to be looked at as a pretty classless move, IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook wasted no time at all in taking to Twitter to call out Amir Khan. Yes, the same brave but ultimately outgunned Khan who was brutally knocked out by Saul Alvarez in Las Vegas a few hours ago. Brook, who no doubt watched the fight, sent his Tweet at just before 5 A.M UK time; not too long at all after the fight had ended so devastatingly.
“I’m here all British showdown @amirkingkhan,” he wrote.
Former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (35-3, 32 KOs) dominated against Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-3, 15 KOs) with a technical knockout in the fourth of 10 scheduled rounds to claim the vacant NABO Middleweight Title. In the fourth round, Lemieux knocked Tapia down hard to the canvas, giving the fighter his first career knockdown. Tapia jumped up quickly, but his corner waved off the fight, leaving him pleading with them not to stop it.
All eyes were on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 7 asWBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Álvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) successfully defended his titles in a brilliant performance with a vicious knockout of former two-time world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-4, 19 KOs) in the sixth of 12 scheduled rounds.
In the beginning, Khan’s speed proved to be tricky for Canelo, as he unleashed his famous ‘punches in bunches’ in rounds one and two.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez KO 6 Amir Khan – Canelo Alvarez: “He is a fast fighter, and I knew things would be complicated in beginning, but I knew they would come to my favor as the fight went on. People have known me only for my power. I have many more qualities in the ring and I showed that. I think people saw more of me tonight. Someone that comes in to box gives you more trouble and someone that comes right in is a little easier to fight.”
Anthony Crolla scored a stunning 7th round stoppage over Ismael Barroso to retain his WBA Lightweight title at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The bout headlined a seven bout telecast on AWE.
Barroso raced out and set a fast pace over the first four rounds. Crolla was biding his time landing some good shots on the the middle of the ring and he started to take over on a fading Barroso towards the end of round five. In round six, Crolla began to hurt Barroso and the Venezuelan challenger started to break down and seemed spent as he walked to his corner. Crolla jumped on Barroso and landed a tremendous flurry of punches that put Barroso on the canvas for the ten count.
Retired heavyweight great Lennox Lewis, who had his very last fight against a Klitschko, in Vitali, is an interested observer going into the rematch between Tyson Fury and Vitali’s younger brother, Wladimir. Fury upset Klitschko as we know, but a lot of things have happened since last November. Firstly, and most notably, Fury piled on a ton of weight (weight he is currently shifting during training camp for the July 9th rematch), and secondly, Klitschko has vowed to be “mentally there” this time and KO Fury.
British boxing could see another champion crowned tonight in Las Vegas, and at the end of the month, on the 29th, still another Brit could win a world title. Amir Khan goes up against the formidable Saul Canelo Alvarez tonight, in what is arguably the biggest fight of the year. And on May 29th in his native Liverpool, Tony Bellew goes in with another formidable, if less known foe in rock-hard and tricky southpaw Ilunga “Junior” Makabu.