Anaheim – There is much controversy going into Saturday night?s bout between Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez and Matthew Hatton – centering on the legitimacy of the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior middleweight ?championship? to be contested.
My thoughts regarding the bout, to be contested at the Honda Center and televised within the United States via HBO, are clear ? regardless of the winner, neither man could be considered a world champ, even if measured against the diluted context of boxing?s four sanctioning organizations and seventeen weight division alignment.
But, you, the reader, should not believe me, or take my thoughts to be fistic law. Instead review the facts relating to Alvarez vs. Hatton and make your own judgement.
FACT: Saul Alvarez is ranked number one by the World Boxing Council within the 154 pound weight division. Though he is ranked number one, he has not beaten any fighter ranked within the WBC?s top fifteen fighters for the junior middleweight class.
FACT: Alvarez?s opponent, Hatton, was not ranked within the World Boxing Council?s rankings for the 154 pound weight division, but still somehow landed an opportunity to fight for the vacant title.
FACT: Though fighting for a 154 pound championship, Alvarez – Hatton was negotiated at a contracted weight of 150 pounds.
FACT: Most sports books have Alvarez at -1800 to defeat Hatton, meaning that he is such a favorite one would have to wage $1,800 dollars to win $100.
Keeping those four simple facts in perspective, and ignoring any hype being produced by Golden Boy Promotions regarding their young Mexican star Alvarez and the enormously, undeserved push he is receiving from HBO, make your own decision.
As for me, if Alvarez or, the unlikely possibility that Hatton win, both are worthy of being labeled paper champs.
