By Richard Gough: Let’s all be honest, the Super Middleweight tournament has generated so much talk and hype prior to the first bouts, that it got us all interested in a rich and deep division.
And after the first two fights, more talk, controversy, decisions, a knock out and more to look forward to with the anticipated Ward v Kessler bout.
But what if boxing fans united to demand a Welterweight super 6? Unfortunately, it’ll never happen. And the reason for this is simple, Money! Everyone involved would want their unfair share of the cake. Definitely a dream too far, so we will have to sit back and see Welterweights pick easy fights, discuss catch weights and generally avoif the best the division has to offer.
But dream with me fans of the sweet science, imagine if the tournament was set up, imagine HBO coughed up enough money to put together this tournament. Imagine Mayweather not “Ducking” a genuine Welterweight, imagine Pacquiao not forcing a catch weight, imagine and dream of a Cotto Margarito re-match, imagine that Moseley would get his career defining fight against either Pacquiao or Mayweather. Dream a little dream.
To be fair, it would be a shame to limit the tournament to just six participants. Seeing as we’re dreaming, lets make it eight.
The eight split into two mini leagues of four. The first four compromising of Money Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito (minus hand wraps) and Andre Berto. The second four consisting of Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey, Paul Williams and Shane Mosley.
Try picking a winner of the mini divisions, and then argue for the winner of the whole tournament. I’d guess everyones favourite would be Mayweather, love him or hate him, you can’t deny his sheer brilliance. But you could make a case for almost anyone. Clottey’s chin would stand him good, remember how he schooled Zab Judah, Mosley showing Margarito how to box, Margarito breaking down (however dubiously) Cotto, Williams beating Margarito by UD, Cotto with a major cut beating Clottey.
Considering Mayweather is widely considered the best this division has to offer, where has he beaten one of the top contenders to earn this title? No wins over any of the above mentioned guys. He wont face Moseley because of the tit for tat battle for once being denied a fight with Mosley. He wont face Williams, well lets be honest, who will? Williams cannot prove how great he his or can be, because no one will face him.
Everyone can only dream of this tournament, we can dream, and make cases for this fighter or the the other fighter. But sadly and brilliantly, we can and will never know who is truly the greatest Welterweight of this era, it wouldn’t be boxing if we didn’t have something to disagree and talk about.
Still, the most asked question in boxing is “Who is the greatest Heavyweight of all time”. A question which will should soon be rivaled by who is the greatest welterweight of all time.
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