The fans clamored for more non-stop action and the boxing Gods listened. En route to bigger fights in their respective careers, two of the worlds top pugilists will do battle with worthy competition.
Recently it was announced that two-division world champion Saul Canelo Alvarez will face Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The event is sure to be a historic showdown purely due to the history of Mexicos proud boxing lineage. The event will happen on May 6th and will be on HBO PPV.
Also, British Heavyweight sensation Anthony Joshua will face Wladimir Klitschko for a title unification bout of epic proportions on April 29th in Wembley Arena in London. Joshua is the current IBF World Heavyweight champion and will face the former four-time world champion for the vacant WBA and IBO titles.
The events mark a decided turn from HBOs stale offerings as of late. Last year saw HBO as the mismatch broadcast king with pairings of Canelo vs. Amir Khan and Golovkin vs. Kell Brook tipping the scales of preposterousness. With fights like Canelo vs. Golovkin being clamored for, the booking of these weight class mismatches were viewed purely for their carnival feeling.
Even Anthony Joshua vs. Dominic Breazeale was a stretch. If Josua isnt fighting Deontay Wilder, then let it be a Wladimir Klitschko, who even at 40 years old was dominating the division since 2004 until he met Tyson Fury in 2015.
Disappointment started when HBO first announced its scheduling of James Kirkland vs. Miguel Cotto for next month on pay-per-view as many see the fight as truly irrelevant. After a horrible showing against Canelo Alvarez, Kirkland seemed in dire need of some therapy.
With five-time world champion Cotto now 36-years old, the better fights would be with Terence Crawford at light welterweight or re-enter the shark tank that is the welterweight division. After all why, waste time at the downslide of your career?
HBO has now stepped up in quarter two with quality offerings. The fans spoke and the boxing Gods have definitely listened!
