So far, 2010 has been pretty lousy in terms of big fights. Pac/Clottey and Mayweather/Mosley proved to be anti-climatic as everyone wants the real thing, and there have been a handful of other painful postponements. So, what needs to happen the second half of the year to redeem it? 1. Mayweather/Pacquiao, though I don't think it's a great fight, will be an event to justify all others. This fight has to happen, just to get it over with. 2. Competitive bouts between Froch/Abraham and Ward/Dirrell in the Super 6. Anything with Green in it is a waste of time. 3. Dawson/Pascal needs to be as good a scrap as I think it will. 4. Something meaningful needs to happen with Bute and Pavlik, and someone needs to step up and fight Sergio Martinez. 5. The various young contenders need to fight tougher opponents. Gamboa/Cabellero would have been great, or Khan/Maidana. Just a few ideas. What else?
I hope these fights save the rest of the year, look at what shitty fights they atre talking about.. Casamayor vs Guerrero, Ortiz vs Vivian Harris, Barrera vs Soto, Spadafora vs Morales....see anything in common here? recycled fighters....
The worst part is that the fights that were seriously discussed are better than the ones that have happened or are scheduled: Mayweather/Pac Gamboa/Callallero Khan/Maidana Berto/Mosley Bradley/Maidana Darchiniyan/Donaire Haye/Klitschko Plus Dawson hasn't fought this year, Pavlik may fight only once, Martinez only once. There are three Saturday nights of boxing this month, but it's these matches: Lopez/Concepion, Bradley/Abreju and Marquez/Diaz PPV. None of those three is worthy, although I'm going to buy the PPV for what is a good card overall. Still, HBO should have lots of money to schedule good fights the rest of the year.
It seems to me like boxing just took the World Cup month off and didn't even try to compete for an audience. Add in the little break during the Olympics (like anybody watches slap boxing) and it's been a slow year. I know tv revenue dictates everything, but this year has been ridiculous.
Exactly, we had a lousy start with almost no boxing in the winter months...then a huge stretch of meaningful fights in the spring and almost nothing again in the summer. The problem is that most of those HBO Spring fights weren't that great, some decent stuff but no great fights. The two marquee PPVs also were lacklsuter.
The biggest problem...BY FAR...is the inactivity of fighters. Instead of the promoters bitching and whining about HBO/Showtime TV slots, they should you know...PROMOTE fights. Geez. It would be funny if HBO and Showtime give up on boxing, it would be better for the sport. Look at Berto, what a pampered phony champion, whose best accomplishment was losing to Collazo, is getting the royal treatment from HBO.
Juanma and Concepcion is gonna be v.good and Nonito is a pleasure to watch even if he is just t-ing off on someone.