Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran. The last Golden Age of boxing.
Legendary Boston sports journalist George Kimball wrote the book on it (4 Kings) and he was right. Times have certainly changed a bit in the business of boxing.
While some dirty promoters still exist, the game is getting more interesting as boxers themselves are forging reputable promotion company’s and monetarily taking care of there athletes. De La Hoya promoted his own fights under Golden Boy Promotions and Roy Jones Jr.’s Square Ring Promotions is pumping up his long awaited rematch with Golden Boy partner and headliner Bernard Hopkins on April, 3.
The one thing that really Hasn’t”t changed is the definition of a true champion . Without a doubt the heavyweight division is lacking the excitement it once had but most boxers are still working as hard as ever.
Nothing lasts forever and it appears that the sun may be setting on the next great boxing era.
This time in the form of the welterweight division. Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley are all in the pot and it’s beginning to sound like a very tasty dish.
While the world is most eager to see Pacquiao vs Mayweather, two fighters will tell you that they have bigger tasks ahead of them. On May 1, “Sugar Shane” will take on “Money” Mayweather in Las Vegas for what could be a fight of the year candidate. Mosley is hungry. He is down right starving to eat up his rival Mayweather. Many have criticized Mayweather for having boring fights but lets face it, he has been unbeatable and he has chomped down 40 opponents with very little problems. However he has not faced an amped up Mosley. If Mosley’s performance against Antonio Margarito in 2008 is any indication of what he can do at 38 then we are going to see a a little different style approach from Mayweather.
Many boxing insiders will tell you that the recent chain of events regarding the dropped negotiations between Pacquiao and Mayweather were actually a good thing for fans.
These two need to fight each other, not just for the money, but for boxing history. Either way the Pound 4 Pound champ is going to fight one at least one future hall of famer in late 2010.
So fellow Bostonian boxing fans…. Tell your friends that boxing USN’t dead! Get out to your local sports bars and tell em’ to turn on the fights. Who knows, maybe we will even have the opportunity to see so fights at Fenway Park soon. And I’m not talking UFC.
Give me a call Theo…….
