Page 4 - Boxing News Magazine (January 2020)

EDITOR’S LETTER

Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ANDREW COULDRIDGE
Coming
FINE RETURN:
Fury and Wilder are next time
set to go again in
February l WE sit down
with Kalle
Sauerland
to discuss
the latest
developments
with the World
Boxing Super
Cover photography Series.
HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES

l JAIME
MUNGUIA takes
aim at the
middleweight
division when
he takes on
Gary ‘Spike’
O’Sullivan in
Texas while
BRILLIANT START Jesse Hart and
Joe Smith Jnr
collide at 175lbs
in Atlantic City.
But imagine how much bigger Wilder-Fury II would be if it was for the undisputed title
l WELSH hero
Colin Jones
N the first issue of while doing so. It’s an infuriating process out who was the No. 1 the moment it talks us through
the year, Boxing albeit one that fans begrudgingly accept became clear they were the top two; if the a career that
I News identifies 10 while moaning amongst themselves. man facing Tyson Fury in February was the fail in brave
saw him twice
undisputed king.
However, we can be guilty of getting
fights that should
1980s bids for
Bob Arum last week made the point
be made over the
a sport that will always be full of them.
coming 12 months. too caught up in the imperfections of to the BBC’s Mike Costello that, while world titles.
For the third year After all, those faults often spring pleasant he expects Wilder-Fury II to pull in 2m
in a row, a scrap surprises: A consequence of the perennial box office viewers in the USA alone, it l AVAILABLE to
between Deontay Joshua-Wilder standoff was each of them will not draw widespread interest like download from
Wilder and Anthony engaging in bouts that spawned rivalries Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier achieved January 14 and
Joshua sits atop the worthy of the highest stage. Wilder in 1971. His reasoning? There is not a the print edition
wish list, simply accepted the challenge of Tyson Fury in human interest storyline like Ali’s refusal is in stores on
because we want a December 2018 while Joshua turned his to join the Vietnam War to heighten January 16.
true heavyweight attention to Andy Ruiz Jnr six months its appeal beyond the sporting world.
Matt leader to be later. That neither Wilder nor Joshua won Some may argue that the real allure of On the
Christie established. said plenty about waiting too long for Frazier-Ali was that they were unbeaten website
@MattCBoxingNews It’s barmy and a the perfect match but also spoke to the and unquestionably the best two
Editor little sad that the intrigue and talent that exists outside of heavyweights in the world. One should l MONTE
sport has been the heavyweight top two. also consider that there wasn’t another BARRETT on
incapable of delivering that for so long. Wilder’s controversial draw with Fury ‘world heavyweight title fight’ taking place Wilder-Fury II.
Over the past decade boxing has was dramatic and engrossing while Ruiz two months beforehand involving two
succeeded only twice in staging the upsetting Joshua in New York birthed the completely different boxers, thus making l HOW does it
year’s most desirable bout and you could following year’s biggest story. Joshua-Ruiz the whole picture very hard to follow. feel to be hit
argue that on both occasions – Floyd II being a disappointment will be a moot I accept that rivalries need some kind with loaded
Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao in 2015 point if – as we expect – the February 22 of run-up (consider how much bigger the gloves?
and Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez in return between Wilder and Fury delivers. unification showdown between Mike
2017 – the fights came too late. Two out With Wilder-Fury II in place we enter a Tyson and Tony Tucker in 1987 would l EACH of the
of 10 is a rubbish score, whichever way calendar boxing year in a rare position have been if Tucker had beforehand BN team name
you look at it. – with a fight that all fans want to see notched an impressive IBF title defence their highs and
It’s a pattern that’s unlikely to change. already secured. It may not be the fight, or two, for example). But until a true king lows of 2019.
Promoters wait until a fight will make the but it’s certainly a huge improvement on is crowned – there hasn’t been a single l THE 2020
most money (or they run out of other the status quo of recent years. world heavyweight title bout since Lennox return of Boxing
options) before they pull out all the But imagine how much more appealing Lewis’ retirement where the winner could News At Five.
stops. The boxers, too, must share the Wilder-Fury II would be if there wasn’t a claim true dominance of the division
blame. They ultimately hold the power in constant elephant in the room (Joshua – contests like Wilder-Fury, and more
negotiations so if they were to dig in their and Wilder blight each other’s events pertinently the sport as whole, will not
heels and demand that these contests simply by not being the opponent). fulfil its true potential.
occur, they would. Instead they brush Imagine how much more appealing every
Follow us and keep up to date
the fights into the future, content to wait world heavyweight title contest would
and be paid well against lesser opponents now be if Wilder and Joshua had sorted @BoxingNewsED BoxingNewsOnline

4 l BOXING NEWS l JANUARY 9, 2020 w w w . b o x i n g n e w s o n l i n e . n e t