At this point that it?ll take tranquilizer darts and a giant butterfly net to ever get Pacquiao in the same ring with Crawford?
Over at my other writing gig, I said that I?ve seen videos of old ladies being mugged on security cam videos that were about as competitive as Errol Spence?s one-round blowout of Carlos Ocampo Saturday night. I meant it.
Ocampo lacked even the hint of any sort of skill or ability that would?ve given him a shot against a prime Spence. In private messages, I flat-out told friends that I think the kid will go down with the first solid punch landed?and I was almost right.
If the feds cared to notice, the behind-the-scenes maneuverings that led to the 22-year-old Ocampo becoming the IBF?s mandatory challenger?with no real wins of note and a clearly underdeveloped skillset?might be dubious enough to spark up another FBI probe into the Jersey-based sanctioning body?s business dealings.
But, while voicing my frustration over what I felt was a wasted night in the life of a special fighter, I had a moment of clarity. Then, a touch of serenity. Everything was going to be ok.
I?d love to have all the big fights now and it would make lots of sense at 147 to not wait too long before putting them together. Errol Spence and Terence Crawford really do need to meet each other. Both are just bursting with star potential and the only way to get to that next level of stardom is through the other in a true Fight of the Year battle.
In the meantime, though, while waiting on Spence-Crawford, there?s a lot worth watching at welterweight.
Shawn Porter vs. Danny Garcia for the vacant WBC belt in August is going to be a damn good fight. Manny Pacquiao vs. Lucas Matthysse for Matthysse?s paper WBA title should also be pretty interesting. There are also a lot of second tier and third tier fights to be made in the division. And, who knows, maybe one day we?ll see Keith Thurman back in the ring.
Spence kinda, sorta called out Jessie Vargas after Saturday?s light snack and that fight wouldn?t be too bad if the plan is to then move on to the winner of Porter-Garcia. Beyond Vargas, Porter, and Garcia, there are still fight options for ?The Truth? in the deep PBC talent pool. Nobody would be too worked up over Spence beating on Omar Figueroa, Devon Alexander, Victor Ortiz, or Andre Berto, but all are bankable options.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the boxing street, it looks like the new WBO champ, Crawford, is being lined up to face the talented, but inexperienced Jose Benavidez. The genuine bad blood between the two may make up for it being a fairly one-sided affair. Beyond Benavidez, things get iffy for ?Bud.? It?s clear at this point that it?ll take tranquilizer darts and a giant butterfly net to ever get Pacquiao in the same ring with Crawford, but if Golden Boy?s Matthysse can somehow beat the Filipino icon, there may be a shot at a Crawford-Matthysse bout in early 2019.
Again, the big one is Spence-Crawford and it?s not that much of an exaggeration to say that it could very well be an essential fight to make when it comes to a flat-lining American boxing scene.
Without a Mayweather or a Pacquiao willing to pass the torch to the next generation, the welterweight division is having to build its next big star from scratch. Luckily enough, there are two uniquely talented fighters, in their primes, tearing things up at the right time and place. And those two fighters are surrounded by at least a half-dozen solid contenders to the throne, who could rise up and become the undisputed king of the historically glamorous 147 lb. class should the top two falter.
But while we wait for common sense and the (hopefully) tireless pull of history to bring Errol Spence and Terence Crawford together, it?s not like there won?t be anything to entertain us.
So, sit back and enjoy the next 18 months or so. Unless boxing royally fucks up, the welterweight division should be white hot.
