Mayweather-Alvarez: Boxing finally shows some sense, proving it's not all about money

 

 

Floyd Mayweather announced to the world today, via Instagram, that he would give boxing fans what they wanted and he would take on Saul Alvarez on September 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

You have to commend Mayweather, as he has taken the most dangerous fighter possible and the man who many feel will eventually take over his crown, as the king of boxing, once “Money” Mayweather decides to hang up the gloves.

But you have to wonder if the decision to take on Alvarez has come too quickly, and if the young star is indeed ready.

Alvarez has certainly done the rounds, that’s no question.

 He is 22 years old, yet has a record of 42-0, which is what happens when you turn professional at the age of 14. Mayweather is 36 and is 44-0.

But Canelo only really has two notable names on his record, Shane Mosley and Austin Trout.  Sure Carlos Baldomir and Lovemore Ndou have been vanquished also, but in my opinion the record still lacks a few more big scalps.

Mayweather has Robert Guerrero, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, etc.

The Mayweather-Alvarez fight is still going to make money and do big business for all involved, but with some patience the fight could have been even bigger.

Alvarez is obviously a star in the world of boxing, but I don’t know how prominent he has become on the radar of casual sports fans. With the boxing world swept up in the whole Mayweather-Pacquiao saga for the last five years, the deeds of the likes of Alvarez have gone unnoticed on the grander scale.  Another couple of notable names on the record of Alvarez and another couple of tidy defences for Mayweather and suddenly the fight is worth that little bit more.

From a business perspective too, it’s strange to see this fight happen now. Mayweather still has five fights remaining on his mega deal with Showtime, and given he has dispatched nearly every credible challenger, who looms on his radar if he does get past Alvarez?

Sure there’s still the Pacquiao fight, but there’s no doubt the question of “who’s better” has already been answered given their recent performances. Juan Manuel Marquez was soundly beaten by Mayweather a few years ago, and Tim Bradley still has things to prove at the elite level.

I thought Mayweather-Alvarez would be one of the final fights in the Showtime deal, that way in a perfect world, assuming Mayweather defeats Alvarez, Mayweather could roll into the sunset having defeated anyone and everyone, whilst Alvarez is showcased to the world, in what would be by that time, a “superfight”, and would become a symbolic passing of the torch, with Alvarez assuming the pound for pound mantle from Mayweather, even in defeat.

But now if Alvarez does fall to Mayweather on September 14, Mayweather will then have to fill three fights, already having beaten the strongest challenger there is out there. Whilst Alvarez comes away from the fight with his marketability dented as well, which for promoters is a loss-loss.

As a boxing fan though, I’m more than happy to see these two go toe-to-toe, with the most dangerous fighter on the planet going up against, simply the best fighter on the planet. Alvarez’s aggression and fast hands, against Mayweather’s defensive gifts and silky skills, is mouth-watering.    

Full credit must be given to Mayweather again for taking the fight at Junior Middleweight. Mayweather was on the record following his defeat of Miguel Cotto that he did not feel entirely comfortable at the weight, preferring to campaign at Welterweight. He felt Cotto was stronger and better suited, and there is no question that that advantage will go to Alvarez in this fight.

Alvarez was impressive in getting past the previously undefeated Austin Trout, who also is a “big” junior middleweight. Mayweather could have dug his heels in and made Alvarez drop to the welterweight limit, or indeed set an agreed weight, but Mayweather is ensuring that there are no reasons for his detractors to criticise.

The perfect scenario for Alvarez and his promoters, Golden Boy is of course an Alvarez win, but as good as he is, I still think at 22, he is still some fights short of being able to beat Mayweather.

Neither fighter has really been in a war, or had that single fight on their resume that defines them. Ali, Frazier, Duran, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, all have a fight you can point to and say it is what made them great.

This could well be the fight that they point too when they discuss the names Mayweather and Alvarez in years to come.

Having seen boxing languish behind promoters marketing fighters and creating “the story”, in order to generate the most revenue from fights, it’s refreshing to see this fight being made.

Future box office earnings may take a hit, but both have come back to what the whole sport is entirely about. Two fighters lacing them up, to find out who is the best.

The two best fighters on the planet will stand in the ring and go toe-to-toe on September 14, with the world watching.

I can’t wait...and that’s how boxing should be.

Adam Santarossa

Follow Adam on Twitter at - @adamsantarossa

Mayweather v Guerrero Preview - "It's May Day for Guerrero"

 

 

Most men who leave jail worry where their next pay cheque will come from, but Floyd “Money” Mayweather is not like most men.

Mayweather walked from a two month spell in prison into a $100 million dollar four fight deal with Showtime, which makes him the highest paid athlete in sports.

The 36-year-old plans for four fights in 30 months before walking off into the sunset to a life of promoting, music producing and whatever else he desires.

But as his long time adversary and once rival for the pound for pound title, Manny Pacquiao knows even the most bulletproof of plans can come unstuck in the world of Boxing.

Cotto, Ortiz, Mosley, Marquez, Hatton and De La Hoya all said they were the fighters who would end the run of Floyd “Money” Mayweather, yet he remains unstopped at 43-0, with Robert Guerrero the latest in line to stop the fastest hands, and mouth in the business.

Guerrero is a five-time World Champion across four weight divisions and has some handy names on his resume. Australia’s own Michael Katsidis, Vicente Escobedo, Joel Casamayor and Andre Berto the biggest, but it will still be a herculean effort to stop Mayweather.

But Guerrero only needs to look at Tim Bradley for evidence that it can be done. Bradley defeated Manny Pacquiao although controversially last year, when everyone thought a Pacquiao win was fait accompli.

Guerrero can bang that’s no question, but laying a glove on Mayweather is another thing all together. The best defensive fighter we’ve seen for a long time, Mayweather may not often leave opponents on their back, but has bludgeoned some of the biggest names of the sport with wide point’s victories. Leaving many wishing he had put them out of their misery far early with a knockout.

Whilst there was clear evidence of Pacquiao slowing in his recent fights with Juan Manuel Marquez, there is no real suggestion that father time is catching up with Mayweather. His jail term doesn’t seem to have had any real impact on his physical health and despite Mayweather admitting he did receive an unnecessary amount of punishment in his last fight against Miguel Cotto, there is reason for this. Cotto is a future hall of famer and was much more accustomed to the Junior Middleweight Weight Limit they fought at.

Guerrero meets Mayweather at Welterweight, where Floyd has done his best work and seems most comfortable. Guerrero has also bounced around the weight divisions, fighting as a lightweight as recently as September 2011. A fighter with a heavy punch and clear knockout power at the lighter weights, that power seems to have been negated through his rise up the weight classes, with Guerrero not possessing a knockout in his last five fights or at all at Welterweight.

Being a Southpaw, Guerrero will come at Mayweather with angles he is not all too familiar having only fought a handful of lefties in his career,  but if Mayweather uses his hand speed and silky skills and fights at a distance, I see no reason it won’t be another victory for Floyd.

Boxing needs a Mayweather victory, now more than ever the sport needs a marquee name on everyone’s lips. A quarter million people will be in town for this fight and it will generate over $100 million dollars in revenue to the city of Las Vegas, and they are all to see one man.

Mayweather will earn $32 million dollars just for lacing up the gloves, and even more money when his slice of the Pay Per View revenue is calculated. Guerrero will earn $3 million, a career high.

With this fight being fight one of a four fight deal, potential opponents are being sought as marquee names continue to drift of the boxing map.

Pacquaio,Cotto, Mosley, Hatton, Margarito, etc are no longer as marketable and the likes of Alvarez, Trout and Bradley don’t yet feel ready to take over Mayweather’s mantle. 

A potential fight with Pacquaio has been hurt given the Pilipino fighter losing his last two fights ( should have been three), and although the fight would still do good business, it would pale in comparison to what it might have been. Looking at it from a Risk v Reward scheme of things, if Mayweather was tentative to take the fight previously when figures of $100 million were offered, both fighters would stand to earn far less if the fight was made now.

Boxing seems to be building to an eventual Floyd Mayweather v Saul Alvarez super fight, but with Alvarez still only 22 and is still yet to have a real “Marquee” name on his kill list, despite looking impressive recently against Austin Trout. Golden Boy Promotions and Boxing may not want to burn their future star before he is ready.

If anything I see a Mayweather v Alvarez fight as the final fight of the four fight deal, but questions remain as to who Mayweather will step in the ring with if he defeats Guerrero.

Tim Bradley, Austin Trout, Juan Manuel Marquez, Amir Khan all should keep the money rolling in and remain credible opponents, but can any really trump Mayweather.

Robert Guerrero stands in the perfect position to send all future plans down the drain with an upset win on Sunday, and stop the search for Boxing’s next superstar, but in a city where the house always wins, sometimes you’re on a hiding to nothing.

Prediction – Mayweather by decision

Follow Adam on Twitter - @adamsantarossa