By C. Noriega: One of the most exciting divisions of our time, it’s without a doubt the welterweight division. For the casual fan, this division is a comfy home-base where mainstream boxing icons share a common floor and glory; for the hardcore fan, on the other hand, this division is a chessboard where fights take place not only on the ring but also on the media. In this article I’ll summarize current title holders and upcoming fights.
1. International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Last weekend we saw an interesting match between Kell “Special K” Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) and an adamant Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 26 Kos) which ended in a decision for the British boxer. For many of the observers the fight was closer than it appeared to be, but the truth is Porter couldn’t do enough to keep Brook out of balance; while Porter’s power was present during every round, Brook’s boxing skills were present as well. Clinching is something worth mentioning in this match, yes, this match was full of clinching ignited by Brook which reminds me of Amir Khan’s last fight against a frustrated Collazo. The point of view varies from a judge to another, and from fan to fan; at the end of the day we have a new monarch with potential upcoming fights against the likes of Rios, Berto, López and Guerrero (according to his promoter). Who do you think Brook should fight?
2. World Boxing Organization (WBO).
Today’s WBO title holder is Philippines’ Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs), the man who got his belt back from a struggling Timothy Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs) earlier this year. Manny has a resumé of bloody fights, stunning knock-outs and fast hands; if you like boxing, whether you are a casual or hardcore fan, you’ve heard of this man and his achievements and why not? His biggest defeat against Juan Manuel Márquez. By the end of the year “Pacman” will be facing current WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) who’s coming from a decision against the powerful Ruslan Provodnikov from whom he took the belt. Algieri is little known in the mainstream media and he’s attempting to fill that gap by scoring a great victory against the favorite Manny Pacquiao in a bout celebrated in Macau, China. While this is no the fight many people wanted, Pacquiao’s promoter believes this is a great match up to get Manny back on the winning path and later look for bigger fights against the likes of… Who? I don’t know. I truly believe there’s something still left in Pacquiao’s repertoire but there’s little to choose from in Top Rank recycling company for a welterweight champion in these era.
3. World Boxing Association (WBA) & World Boxing Council (WBC).
This is another name you cannot easily miss, I’m talking about Floyd “Money” Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs). Today’s highest paid athlete is facing Marcos Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) in a rematch in Las Vegas, the boxing mecca next month. First of all, I’ll highlight a WBC policy which does not allow the title holder to celebrate a championship while holding a WBC belt. This means that one cannot unify titles while holding a WBC belt; also one cannot be champion in two or more divisions either; well, forget about all I just said! Floyd Mayweather Jr. is allowed to do this and many other things because of his status in boxing and the audience he draws to his fights. Mayweather’s defensive style has put him on the top of the ranking lists for many years now and many believe he’ll retire without facing a single defeat. While this is totally possible, I wouldn’t under estimate the opposition he’s facing. Maidana is not a highly skilled boxer but we saw an interesting approach a few months ago when he had Floyd against the ropes in many occasions. If it isn’t Maidana, Thurman is the other name which pops in as he’s the current mandatory challenger for the WBA title (spoiler alert: not likely to happen) and he holds great power in both hands but I’d say not comparable boxing IQ. On the other hand I see a Maidana vs Thurman fight like a great match up for this winter or early 2015. Who should Mayweather fight after his September bout? Thurman? Khan? Brook? Pacquiao? Porter? The newly reborn Mike Jokes? Mayweather has options but all the roads will point to Pacquiao, an impossible match.
The media is a big factor in matching fighters against each other. Why? Because it is the people who pay money who make fights happen. Yes, promotion companies, television and the boxers also take a cut on these decisions but make yourself a favor and remember boxing is not only a sport, but a business. Keeping that in mind, we encourage a fighter to walk through the hostile valley of the welterweight division and ask a second one he founds there standing “how much for risking your life for a belt?”
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