The great boxing writer Hugh McIlvanney referred to boxing as ‘The Hardest Game’, and so it is. It never ceases to amaze me how boxing regenerates itself, and produces new crops of contenders, champions, and stars every ten years. But boxing at the elite level cannot operate in a vacuum. It depends upon healthy boxing programs across the globe for that rejuvenation, and their production of men with skills and character to test the best. Eventually, those who survive to create the elite congregate in America, seeking fame and the resultant financial rewards.
So how is the current state of the game worldwide? I have tried to shed some light on this subject with a synopsis of 13 (unlucky for some) nations, and their current situation. In general, the outlook is positive. If boxing can find a heavyweight to ignite the imagination of casual sports fans, the fantastic talent in the lower weight classes could sustain those new fans for decades.
United States – The dawn of the new millennium has seen the super trifecta (and money making machines) of Oscar, Evander, and Roy knocked down and out with frightening regularity. Our nation is still in search of a heavyweight savior, and Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, Monte Barrett, and James Toney are all flawed entrants. The future is no more promising with Dominick Guinn, Joe Mesi, and Malik Scott all revealing gaping holes in their armor. When Calvin Brock seems like a strong option, there are little options. Star personalities like Antonio Tarver, Bernard Hopkins, and Arturo Gatti are getting old, while Fernando Vargas’ health concerns have kept him inactive. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has the ability to be a star in any generation, but his personality and attitude would have gotten him killed a few generations ago. The staggeringly underrated Cory Spinks has a personality reminiscent of Kostya Tszyu, which is to say he is classy, but unfit for mass consumption in an American society dominated by loud mouths with nothing to say. There is hope on the horizon with youngsters Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Rocky Juarez, Jermain Taylor, and Roberto Guerrero’s work ethics capitalizing upon their skill. Other youngsters like Demetrius Hopkins, Paul Malignaggi, Paul Williams, Kelly Pavlik, Felix Cora, and Anthony Hanshaw should pop up and create thrills on the world stage from time to time. Boxers like Diego Corrales, Fernando Vargas, and Zab Judah are in the middle of their careers, and should produce excitement while the youngsters grow into their roles. The continually rapid growth, as well as the monetary and social influence of the Hispanic population in America promises to raise the importance of boxing. A very good sign! Now, if only Juan Diaz could put on 100 pounds and win the world heavyweight title!
United Kingdom – For years, the British boxing scene has been the private playground of promoter Frank Warren. That is still the case, with the exception of Audley Harrison. The English boxing industry seems to be coasting along smoothly, especially considering heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis’ and money making champ Naseem Hamed’s recent forms of retirement. Olympic Gold medallist Audley Harrison is the youngest old man (at 33 years of age, two years older than Danny Williams) the heavyweight division has seen since Sonny Liston. Audley has allowed 37-year-old unrefined punching sensation Matt Skelton steal his fire and press lately. Tyson conqueror Danny Williams should lose to Vitali Klitschko, and return to wreak havoc upon the local heavyweights. The rest of the Island’s heavyweights look like a miserably average lot. Welshman Joe Calzaghe is the best in his weight class, and I would like to see him move up to challenge the winner of Tarver vs. Johnson for a career defining bout. Scott Harrison, Ricky Hatton, Michael Brodie, Junior Witter, and Howard Eastman can compete with anyone on the world stage. Nicky Cook and Alex Arthur need to make up their minds, and fight on a higher level to go beyond prospect to contender level. Further down the talent pipeline, Carl Johanneson, Lee Haskins, Martin Power, Willie Limond, Carl Froch, and Willie Mitchell are a good bunch that have showed well against mid level opposition. Don’t give up on cruiserweight prospect David Haye, whose ambitions overreached his still maturing skill level in a loss to Carl Thompson earlier this year.
Germany – The boxing renaissance that began with Henry Maske in the early 1990’s has evolved into a Golden Age for Teutonic fight fans. It is a sign of the nation’s boxing strength that the retirement of a long reigning world champion who never tasted defeat only caused small ripples through its boxing hierarchy. Instead, Sven Ottke’s retirement served to speed up the ascension of Mario Veit and Markus Beyer to super middleweight thrones. So the beat goes on, and in general the whole German boxing scene seems to be on a continued upswing. The strong support of national television that broadcasts fights during prime time viewing hours is immeasurable. Germany can also claim partial ownership of boxing’s greatest prize, since world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s rise to prominence and dominance was staged from its shores. Germany draws much of it’s strength from adopted talent from Eastern European countries, much as America has from Mexico in the past. Homegrown talent like Thomas Ulrich, Robert Stieglitz, Kai Kurzawa, and Arthur Abraham are ready to be elevated to the world level as Felix Sturm was this year. Further down the line Rene Dettweiler, Marco Schulze, Konni Konrad, Cengiz Koc, and Mark Hendem are being groomed in the same successful pattern as the last generation of boxers. A winning formula seems to have taken hold and been masterminded in Germany.
Mexico – No one knows the name of the next great Mexican superstar, as he rises from poverty every ten years to capture the hearts of boxing fans all over the world. He is not the creation of an American hype machine, or the finely tuned European strategy of moving a fighter into a position of strength through matchmaking that creates skilled boxers. That is just how it works south of the border, where a fighter comes seemingly out of nowhere to stamp his name alongside legends like Chavez, Zarate, Canto, Olivares, or even flashing comets like Cuevas, Pintor, or Zamora. Currently, Morales, Barrera, and the Marquez brothers reign supreme below 135 pounds. At lightweight, no one relishes the idea of bumping into Jose Luis Castillo. Successful trial runs into the upper weight classes are being made by boxers like Julio Gonzalez, Librado Andrade, and Jorge Kahwagi. Any Mexican that dons boxing gloves from minimumweight through junior feather is a world title holder or threat to take the title, such as Jorge Arce, Isaac Bustos, Jose Antonio Aguirre, and Fernando Montiel opponents will testify. The glorious past of Mexican boxing seems to spawn a new generation of great boxers every five years. The first Mexican heavyweight champion will be a star!
Argentina – While the Mexican legacy continues, the Argentine lineage of greats has been broken. What started with Firpo and continued through the reigns of Pascual Perez, Nicolino Loche, the fiercely elegant Carlos Monzon, and brutally tough Victor Galindez has run dry in the past ten years. The Argentine public would welcome a long running, but undistinguished reign like Julio Cesar Vasquez’s right now. Currently, only flyweight Omar Narvaez holds a title, and that is of the spurious WBO variety. The recent dearth of talent is hard to account for, since boxing cards are as abundant as good steaks in Argentina. Sure, Jorge Barrios, Aldo Rios, and Sergio Martinez have made admirable appearances on the world stage recently, but there should be more from this proud fistic nation. Welterweights Carlos Baldomir and Sebastian Lujan will have the opportunity to redeem some of Argentina’s luster in the coming months, but no great savior seems on it’s way. Julio Roque Ler, Cesar Cuenca, and Sergio Mediana are the only young talents of note. Let’s hope this hiatus from the world stage is creating another Monzon, only that would be worth the wait for Argentine fans.
Denmark – The Danish boxing industry, like a 25 year old Mikkel Kessler who was described to me as the Danish De La Hoya six years ago, is on an upswing. Kessler won the WBA super middleweight title last week, and only Dingaan Thobela has lasted the distance with him since 2001. I would give Kessler a good shot at retaining his title against anyone in a talent pool that is underrated at 168. As a whole, the Danish boxing industry is looking good. This in the face of long serving Johnny Bredahl retiring as a respectable belt holder, and gate attraction Brian Nielsen doing the same. Thomas Damgaard, Reda Zam Zam, and Spend Abazi are looking to copy Kessler’s success on the world stage. The strong promotional ability of the Palle family guarantees them, and the likes of Lasse Johansen, Martin Nielsen, Soren Engelbrecht, and Fawaz Nasir in the pipeline of Danish boxing talent, future world title shots.
France – The future of French boxing is in the hands of former Olympic Gold medal hero Brahim Asloum, who defeated former champ Noel Arambulet to put himself at the front of the line for a shot at WBA flyweight champion Lorenzo Parra. The success of Asloum makes me wonder why new talent like Olympian Willy Blain is migrating to Germany, when the long serving and competent Arcaries brothers promotional team can do a good job? At the other end of the weight scale, 29 year old heavyweight Cyril Seror does not look strong enough to dispose of a European level champ, while WBA cruiserweight champ Jean-Marc Mormeck is trying to get a breakthrough fight with Wayne Braithwaite off the drawing board and into the ring. 35 year old Fabrice Tiozzo refuses to go away, and will get another big payday when he faces Dariusz Michalczewski in February. The French elite is aging, with only Asloum and Jackson Chanet having serious title aspirations beyond 2007. The rest of France’s elite are in their late 20’s or early 30’s, and have already faltered on the world stage. An influx of young talent is needed badly; only wine seems to age gracefully in France.
Nigeria – The Nigerians have threatened to produce a world heavyweight champion for the past ten years, so it seems strange that a nation that has produced the rarest of commodities has yet to do so in the smaller weight classes. The could-have-been Nigerian heavyweight champions range from Ike Ibeabuchi and Henry Akinwande to Duncan Dokiwari. Samuel Peter is trying to break the mold and actually win a title. Peter’s boring dance with Jovo Pudar makes me doubt him, and I am picking Jeremy Williams to expose and defeat Peter as David DeFiagbon recently was. New York prospect Ehinomen Ehikhamenor should stay at cruiserweight, as his six foot frame is more suited for that division. At 31, Kingsley Ikeke is worth keeping an eye on at middleweight, but there is nothing else worth noting below 168 except perhaps Ajose Olusegun at welterweight.
South Africa – I always wondered why this fistically adept nation never produced a balanced heavyweight? You had a tough guy like Frans Botha, fast guys like Corrie Sanders and Kallie Knoetze, and a power puncher like Gerrie Coetzee. You can even throw in an underachiever like Courage Tshabalala. Oh well, let’s turn to the positives that continue to appear at the lower weights. Mzukisi Sikali gets an IBF junior bantamweight title shot against Luis Perez this week, and Silence Mabuza has similarly earned a shot at any bantamweight champion. Gabula Vabaza, Cassius Baloyi, and Isaac Hlatshwayo have also done enough to merit world title challenges. It is hard to identify the next generation of young boxers in South Africa, but the intense competition helps to elevate a new crop of capable contenders every three or four years. The problem is spelling their names correctly.
Puerto Rico – What a talented Island! This nation produces great boxers and fine rum in equal proportions. How sad is it then that John Ruiz’s ugly mauling tactics are associated with the island as their first heavyweight champion, even though he was born in Massachusetts. The other notable Puerto Rican star in the higher weight classes, Manny Siaca, just had his title lifted by Mikkel Kessler. But from middleweight down, where Felix Trinidad just made a triumphant return, talent fuses with charisma to create intense flavors for boxing fans. It starts with Trinidad, and will be handed down to Miguel Cotto in the near future. Kermit Cintron looks to be an Americanized version of Cotto, while Daniel Seda is capable of more than the occasional flashes of brilliance he has shown. Ivan Calderon already posses boxing brilliance, but a lack of firepower will relegate him to Cotto undercards for the remainder of his career. Jose Nieves could mature into a champion, and at the very least will be an exciting TV fighter.
Japan and Thailand – It is pretty easy to dissect these two nations, since you do not need to look above junior welterweight for serious threats to world titles. Thailand is predictable in it’s ability to produce physically strong and persistent champions, who falter on the world stage when they are moved outside of their borders, while Japan entices lower weight champions from around the world to their cities for title defenses that most win. Thailand’s Eagle Kyowa fights out of Japan, and at 25 looks hard to unseat at minimumweight. A unification clash with Japan’s Yutaka Nida is a natural that needs to be made. The junior bantamweight to minimum weight classes are filled with capable Thai and Japanese boxers, all equal in skill and fault since none can remain undefeated, or hold onto titles for any length of time. The exception is underrated Thai Veeraphol Sahaprom (45-1-2) who has not lost since 1996, when Nana Konadu defeated him in only his fifth fight as a pro.
Australia – It is odd that the face of Australian boxing is Russian, which is something that could have changed when Kostya Tszyu was forced out of action for two years by injuries. The future of Aussie boxing looks to be at 175 pounds where Paul Briggs, Anthony Mundine, Danny Green, and Glen Kelly could produce a domestic version of Leonard, Hagler, Duran, and Hearns in a round robin battle royal. A similar battle could appear around lightweight, where Robbie Peden, Michael Katsidis, and Ben Cruz should fight it out for supremacy. All look capable of some success at the world stage as well, but if any could defeat two of the others they would surely be more battle hardened tests for the champions.
So, that it is it. 13 nations with only Argentina and Nigeria nearing anything close to a boxing recession. But as Manny Pacquiao, Carlos Hernandez, or Acelino Freitas have shown, it only takes one great personality fused with skill to elevate the entire country’s patriotic stock. The talents are out there, it only takes someone like a Brendan Ingle or Emanuel Steward to find and refine it. Maybe today was the first time the next Ali, Marciano, Chavez, Monzon, Duran, Pep, or Tyson has hit the heavybag.
