by Fox Doucette When last we left our series, the WBC and Don King found themselves casualties of a crusading Congressman, and the WBA issued an edict demanding unification fights in every weight class. Most of these fights actually happened eventually in the prime timeline, either as unifications or because public demand for the fight was so high that promoters with dollar … [Read more...]
Historical Fight Night: Tony Canzoneri vs. Julio Cesar Chavez
by Fox Doucette Tonight, for episode 2 of Historical Fight Night, we've got a doozy of a main event, as a man renowned for being able to fight any style anywhere any time, the man regarded by many boxing historians as the greatest lightweight ever to lace up the gloves, Tony Canzoneri takes on the guy who best exemplifies the old-school Mexican slugger's approach to the Sweet … [Read more...]
What If: One Champ Per Weight, Part 1: Death of the WBC
by Fox Doucette We're all familiar as modern fight fans with the problem of four major sanctioning bodies recognizing as many as three different “world champions” across 17 weight divisions---at any given moment, there may be as many as a hundred fighters calling themselves the champion of the world. Contrast the old days, when you had at most two competing organizations (the … [Read more...]
What Sort Of Man Watches Boxing?
by Fox Doucette Back in the early Seventies, Playboy magazine, looking to fill the space between the naked pictures, sold itself to advertisers with a campaign called “What Sort of Man Reads Playboy?” A Don Draper-looking fellow was pictured jet-setting, buying cars, and generally making the best use of his “over $10,000 household income” (those were the days, huh?) on luxury … [Read more...]
What If Bernard Hopkins Quit After One Fight?
by Fox Doucette Bernard Hopkins is the ultimate example of how taking the first professional loss can set a fighter free from the pressure that often accompanies a gaudy undefeated record. After all, if you lose your first pro fight, you never have that pressure in the first place---you can regroup, come back, and go on to become a legend. But what if B-Hop never fought … [Read more...]