DrDuke wrote: ↑19 Nov 2021, 05:00
Enlightened-One wrote: ↑19 Nov 2021, 04:51
DrDuke wrote: ↑19 Nov 2021, 04:32
Those dreams about good matchups are pointless. Many best-vs-best bouts could be made with the rational politics of boxing, but few of them will take place with the actual politics.
I kind of agree with you there, but isn’t it strange that Canelo is criticised for facing Ilunga Makabu next, because most of the media and fight fans want him to face either David Benavidez or Artur Beterbiev?
But no one seems to criticise the likes of David Benavidez and Artur Beterbiev for facing terribly poor opposition, such as Kyrone Davis and Adam Deines.
It’s kind of weird though, is that the onus is seemingly on Canelo to face all of his rivals, rather than his rivals facing each other to earn the right to fight Canelo?
The media and fans shouldn’t be praising the following match-ups whilst also lambasting Canelo for facing Ilunga Makabu:
• Artur Beterbiev -> Adam Deines
• Dmitry Bivol -> Craig Richards
• David Benavidez -> Kyrone Davis
• Jermall Charlo -> Juan Macias Montiel
• Demetrius Andrade -> Liam Williams
• Gennadiy Golovkin -> Kamil Szeremeta
How can anyone claim Canelo is ducking these guys when you review their most recent wins?
What are they doing to earn the right to engage in marquee bouts? As far as I can tell, absolutely nothing!
Canelo deserves both praise and critics. Yes, it's very good, that he fights often and against the top opposition, but not against the very best, to be fair. Look, he fought Kovalev instead of Bert and Bivol. He unified at the SMW against the likes of Saunders, Plant and Smith, other than in at the MW against the likes of Golovkin and Charlo, or at the LHW against Bivol and Bert again. He chose Makabu for the CW challenge instead of Briedis or Okolie. So, it's possible to blame the likes of Charlo, Bivol, Beterbiev and Golovkin for fighting the lesser opposition and waiting for the Canelo payday, but it's also possible to blame Canelo for giving paydays to good, but not the very best fighters.
In terms of your general sentiments, I pretty much agree with you, but if I was to nit-pick, there’s one small thing we don’t see eye-to-eye on.
So I guess the conundrum we face is this, when a fighter makes their debut in a new weight class and faces a top three/four world-rated opponent and world champion, should we criticise them for not facing the very best immediately?
I think that’s the only thing we disagree on.
If we review Canelo’s career progression, he has a tendency of testing the waters against top-ten opposition prior to facing the very best in each weight class he’s competed in.
He gradually cleaned-out and became the top-dog at 154lbs, 160lbs and 168lbs. He beat the very best in each of those weight classes, but climbed his way to the top, rather than being dropped off by a helicopter at the very top of the mountain.
Canelo tested the waters at 168lbs against a secondary title holder and top-ten world-rated opponent, Rocky Fielding. And then went on to unify the division.
Canelo has already tested the waters at 175lbs against a legitimate world titleholder and a top-three world-rated opponent, Sergey Kovalev.
Canelo is now testing the waters against a legitimate world titleholder at cruiserweight and another top-three world-rated opponent, Illunga Mukabu.
I think Canelo will make a permanent return to 175lbs and clean out that division, to emulate his feats from 154lbs, 160lbs & 168lbs. He will beat Bivol, Beterbiev and Smith Jr. None of them are better fighters than the guys Canelo has already beaten.
I also feel that people often like to mention names, without considering timelines, because:
• When Canelo engaged in the Daniel Jacobs bout, the Mexican’s final outing at 160lbs, the Miracle Man held a legitimate world title and was universally rated above Charlo (as per The RING, ESPN & TBRB)… and Jermall didn’t even have a title back then. Did you see the Jacobs-Charlo face-off in the corridor?
• David Benavidez has never been considered the best fighter at 168lbs and he also threw away his title twice before Canelo even attempted to unify the division. Benavidez has risen to the top due to a process of elimination, because he hasn’t beaten a single notable name since he was stripped of his titles.
