I believe we will all just about agree that the yr in boxing, 2022 has been about as satisfying as a shart in a Walmart checkout line.
Off the highest of my head and with out double checking on-line, I can’t consider one satisfying main combat all yr. I imply, yeah, there have been good, smaller fights. However blockbusters and even semi-blockbusters? Blockbusters/semi-blockbusters that had me jacked with anticipation and glad after the actual fact? Nope. And the remainder of the yr doesn’t look that scorching both. That is positively not a superb search for a yr the place all of the subscription charges and pay-per-view prices have made being a boxing fan so exceedingly dear.
However, name it hope springing everlasting or, maybe extra appropriately, the sports activities followers equal of battered spouse syndrome, I’ve some hope that my beloved sport can change.
The optimist might take a look at the approaching yr as providing the proper alternative for that change.
2023 already has one massive, fascinating combat tentatively slated for March– David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant. Granted, Benavidez-Plant just isn’t a giant blockbuster, but it surely’s an evenly-matched bout between two legit high-end contenders within the prime of their profession. It’s additionally a bout that has been dangled like a carrot in entrance of combat followers for awhile and, as everyone knows, boxing hardly ever lets the donkeys take a chew of the dangling carrots nowadays.
There are additionally a pair different massive fights that appear doable for the approaching yr.
A Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk four-belt heavyweight title unification bout, regardless of the shortcoming to get it executed this yr and the dangerous phrases tossed about between events, seems like a lock for 2023. Fury and Usyk appear much less prone to beat round bushes and drench themselves in marinade than a lot of their current tense pug colleagues.
Equally, a four-belt mild heavyweight world title unification between Dmitry Bivol (who beat Gilberto Ramirez in spectacular, decisive vogue on Saturday) and Artur Beterbiev appears life like subsequent yr. The 2 Russians appear to each need this legacy combat, which might very nicely be the most important all-Russian world title unification ever.
A battle of prime heavyweight contenders and former world champs in Deontay Wilder vs. Andy Ruiz additionally looks as if a lock for 2023. Each massive males have their flaws, however each are sincere, earnest battlers and legit Prime 5 heavyweights in the intervening time.
Truthfully, with Fury-Usyk, Bivol-Beterbiev, Benavidez-Plant, and Wilder-Ruiz, we might already surpass the highest “identify” fights of this tepid 2022.
There are different “massive” fights on the market for the brand new yr. Canelo Alvarez at all times makes for “massive” and even when his “bigness” for 2023 is on par along with his 2022 Bivol/Golovkin fights, that’s first rate. Truthfully, even a step beneath Bivol/Golovkin can be alright too. Former three-belt champ Anthony Joshua will even be again and, whether or not he wins or continues on his dropping streak, he’s good for some high quality viewing by fanboys in addition to haters. Jermell Charlo and Devin Haney are unified champions of their respective junior middleweight and light-weight divisions and seemingly in line for nothing however massive issues in 2023 (Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora for Charlo and Vasiliy Lomachenko for Haney).
Then, we get to the wishful that borders on being logical at this level.
Errol Spence-Terence Crawford might have capsized, with its half-dead physique washing ashore on the banks of the social media shoreline, however I occur to imagine that this welterweight unification just isn’t useless but. As a matter of reality, I really feel that each side took such a beating after the combat fell aside this yr that each fighters and their respective groups will nearly be shamed into making the bout in 2023 (fingers crossed).
Now, lets get actually optimistic.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan “King Ry” Garcia is beginning to really appear to be it might occur. I’ll preface that, although, by saying that it positively WON’T occur if Garcia’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya retains “selling” animosity between the 2 sides.
I swear to god, there are time when “The Golden Boy” appears to be doing such a horrible job at bridging gaps and constructing bridges with Davis’ workforce that it makes me assume he doesn’t actually need this combat for his man. Then, I remind myself that Oscar is Oscar– the good boxer who’s a not-so-brilliant human being or businessman, however who has the great fortune of getting a superb workforce behind him to proper the GBP ship each time he blunders his approach into nearly wrecking the entire operation.
Golden Boy succeeds DESPITE The Golden Boy and I imagine that would be the case in getting a giant combat for “King Ry,” whether or not or not it’s in opposition to Davis or another massive identify within the 135-140 weight vary.
I simply occur to really feel that Tank Davis and his folks, needing a extremely massive, winnable combat to boost his star profile even larger after a considerably “off” yr, might come to their senses and get this combat made earlier than Garcia will get higher or retires himself.
So, there you’ve it. My stab at optimism. 2023 may very well be a superb boxing yr. At any price, it couldn’t be any worse than 2022, proper?
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