Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack: Jake Paul, Tank Davis, Haney-Norman, Max Kellerman

Welcome friends, readers, and dedicated haters to another Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack, hosted temporarily (?) here at The Boxing Tribune. So, cinch up that plastic poncho and brace yourself for another gooey, salty load of boxing truth. This week, we have comments/question regarding Jake Paul’s ranking, Haney-Norman, Tank Davis’ future, the return of Max Kellerman.

Jake Paul, Ranked

Hey Paul.

I’ve been a reader for years and yours is probably one of only a small handful of media voices I trust to give me the unvarnished truth (and you’ve pissed me off more times than I can mention because of it, haha). So, tell me what to make of the WBA ranking Jake Paul #14 at cruiserweight. I think we can both agree that it is absurd bordering on criminal, but is this the final and indisputable sign that the alphabets are hopelessly unsalvageable? If so, what can we do to find some sort of sanctioning body that actually has the sport’s best interest in mind. One thing for certain is that Dana White/TKO/Saudi Arabia is not the answer.

Thanks for all you’ve done over the years. I will follow you no matter where you turn up.

– John

Hey John.

Thanks for the kind words.

This ranking decision doesn’t change my opinion of the WBA one bit. This is a pure money move and I’d expect nothing less. And I’m sure they’ll fast track Jake Paul to a title shot, too, so they can get that hefty 3% of a Paul purse which will dwarf anything they could normally get from a regular cruiserweight title fight.

I hate that some might interpret my objection to a Saudi/TKO Group takeover as support for the current sanctioning bodies. It’s most definitely not. I just believe that a wrong answer is not a solution to another wrong answer and that the Saudis/TKO present more long-term harm to the sport than the scumbag alphabets.

Honestly, I don’t think there’s any solution to this. I think the best we can hope for is common sense among the fan base and perspective injected into the public discourse whenever the alphabets pull off some bull shit.

Haney-Norman

Hi Paul.

I’m stoked by the announcement of Brian Norman vs. Devin Haney. It’s a true clash of styles and a 50-50 for me. If I had to choose, I’d take Norman because of his power, but if Haney goes on the bicycle anything can happen. How do you see this one playing out?

– Luis from Texas

Hey Luis.

It would be nicer if this fight were actually in a place where fans could go see it and/or watch it at a reasonable hour for them (without having to scale a paywall).

Obviously, Haney has skills, but he’s also benefited greatly from being a weight bully, able to enter lightweight and junior welterweight bouts as a rehydrated super middlweight. That advantage will slowly dissipate as he moves on to bigger opposition, as we already saw against Ryan Garcia and, to some extent, Jose Ramirez.

When reality settles in, we’ll see that a closer-to-actual-size Haney is still a good boxer, but also chinny and lacking in one-punch power, as well as reluctant to get his hands dirty in actual combat.

I think less highly of Norman than many apparently do, but his power is for real, as is his ring confidence. I think at some point he clips Haney and that will be the beginning of the end. My pick is Norman by TKO or decision, if Haney can remain upright through his first scare.

Next Moves For Tank Davis

Hi Paul.

Gervonta Davis has the Lamont Roach rematch coming up, but where can he go from there without having to sign a deal with Turki, who has all the big stars around his weight class, like Shakur, Keyshawn, Devin locked up? Is this an instance of having to sign a deal with the devil or simply walk away from boxing?

– Dangerous Danny

Hey Danny.

If Tank wants to keep boxing– and I’m not so sure that he does– something will always pop up or be manufactured. Right now, the biggest fights do seem to require some affiliation with the Saudis, but the right deal could also be made to bring some of these guys to the table in the US, without Turki affiliation. I’m not so sure he wants that, though. I don’t know what to think right now. There are few fighters as explosive or as compelling or as pleasing to the boxing sensibilities as Tank Davis, but his seeming indifference to the sport is really off-putting.

Max Kellerman is Back!

I am hyped that Max Kellerman is back and going to commentate for the Canelo-Crawford Netflix fight. Great move by Turki bringing back the broadcast greats to boxing!

– R.

Hey R.

Fuck Max Kellerman and fuck anyone who takes the Saudi blood money. If his Turki-gobbling hard-selling at the Canelo-Crawford press conference is any indication of what Kellerman will be like the rest of the way, then he’ll just be another shill looking for a pay check. I hope he does as well as Jim Lampley did in his comeback under the thobe of Saudi influence– which is not well at all. Notice how nobody’s calling for another gig for “Lamps,” right?

Got a question (or hate mail) for Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack? The best of the best gets included in the weekly mailbag segment right here. Send your stuff here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com.