By Matt Muranaka: Before you read on, I like to write my articles to have a little debate in the responses. I’ll lay down what I know so far, and some possible scenarios that i thought of on the spot. You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect all comments. Enjoy the article.

Showtime has ran into devastating problems as of late. With such great promise to boxing fans when announced back in July of 2009, it was a tournament that we hope brought exciting fights, great match ups in all stages, bring new fans to boxing, and add in a fresh breath of boxing goodness. After all there where 6 world class super middleweights, 4 of which where coming into the tournament undefeated and 2 world champion veterans. Add in the WBA, WBC supper middleweight titles and with a total of 163 wins 4 loses 119KO’s, we were in for a ride, or so we thought…

Group stage one of the Super Six World Boxing Classic started with 2 out of 3 fights starting in October 09 and ending in November 09. At the end of group stage one Showtime was able to bring in Allan Green (29-2,20KO’s) to quickly replace Jermain Taylor(28-4-1,17KO’s). Taylor withdrew after losing to Arthur Abraham (31-1,25KO’s) in the first group stage. Citing “..give my body and mind some much needed rest, because I have been boxing for nearly 20 years.” Was Taylor not aware that this was a tournament and that was only the first group stage? Well if you saw the punch that came in the 12th round with less than 11 seconds in the fight, that didn’t hurt that idea to much either. Or seeing “Bad Intentions” laying in the ring motionless with his arms and elbow cocked twitching in the air…

Group stage two started in March an ended in June, and more disaster struck the SSWBC.

With Mikkel Kessler (43-2,2KO’s) out for 9 months suffering from a very acute eye injury. The “Viking Warrior” saw Professor Dr. Gerhard Land stating, “Mikkel said he has been bothered by problems with his vision during the fights with Ward and Froch as well as in the training during the build up to the fights. There is a weakness of the superior oblique muscle of his left eye. To continue boxing, the muscle needs a proper rest, meaning no fighting or sparring for nine months. After this break, we expect a full recovery.” That news broke late in August, so nine months we should see the return of the “Viking Warrior” to face the winner of the Super Six… if we get to see a winner out of this once promising tournament.

So the tournament got shot straight to the semi-finals with 4 fights left in the tournament (semi-finals, consolation, final). We all thought might as well, since Kessler was injured and Allan Green lost his first fight to Andre Ward (22-0,13KO’s) convincingly. We thought no problem, its boxing this stuff happens. Ironically in conversation with friends that day, the same mumbling sentence keep coming up in other ways that could derail this revolutionary tournament that would revitalize the boxing movement; “..unless something happens in the training c..a..m…p…..

It looks like Carl Froch (26-1,20KO’s) hurt his back this past Monday. Ironically Froch goes by “The Cobra”….. and must severely injured it, or trying to rest it because he wasn’t even at the press conference. In fact Mick Hennessey, Froch’s promoter, had to tell the news to Showtime and media. But in all bad news there must be good news, it only needs a few weeks to recover.

And with the Dirrell (19-1,13KO’s), Ward (22-0,13KO’s) fight no where to be even heard of, we wonder who to put the blame on. How could Showtime not have planned where venues where to be taken place, when they already had the brackets laid out last year? Come on Showtime! But they aren’t really the one’s to blame, are they? Its been heard from many boxing sites that Ward and Dirrell, close friends that met in the 2004 Olympic USA boxing team, have not agreed upon a venue and are looking ways to avoid the showdown. Showtime had sent both of their promoters legal action letters of “Breach in contract” if they do not agree to fight in three potential fight nights. What puzzles me is the fact that they knew about this fight back in mid 09. All six of the fighters signed binding contracts to the layout and scheduling of all the fights. Did they think they where going to booth be out by this time or what? I live in Oakland, an am a great fan of the “S.O.G” and would love to see another fight at Oracle Arena. It was already a record having two world title fights in Oakland in back to back years, but three world title fights in two years… Its not fair as much as i would love to see it happen, but to then say have it in Michigan? I disagree with that just because Dirrell comes into; a title fight with the only undefeated fighter left in the tourney and “The Matrix” in a do or die situation. Its only fair that this fight needs to be in a neutral site. So the only two American fighters left looking for a neutral site…… Vegas? ( I realize its close to California but people are very poor in Oakland and only a handful, including myself would travel to see that fight )

So here we are September 2010, 14 months have past. One undefeated fighter is left, one fighter has semi retired, one recovering from a career ending injury, one out on injury, one lack luster fight, the WBC title in the air and us, the fans, standing around with our pants pulled down around our ankles. Word quickly hit the boxing sites that the SSWBC was in jeopardy, and that it was f.u.b.a.r to continue. Not so fast anxious boxing fans!

We could wait for Froch to fully recover before continuing the tournament and in the meanwhile settle where the Matrix and Son of God venue is to be.

Wait till May of 2011 and continue to go on with the full Group Stage 3 fights since Kessler and Froch would both be healed. In the meantime while tournament would be on hold I would love to see Ward get permission by Showtime to go ahead and see the match up I want, er we all want…right? A chance to grab the 3rd Super Middleweight belt, IBF champion Lucian Bute (26-0;21KO’s). Since Showtime couldn’t get “Mr KO” due to contractual terms with HBO, it would be a very amazing PPV event. It is a stupid idea because Showtime would be risking one of the two titles that they tied down for the tournament, but it would be a great buildup for the fight but in the other hand it would make or break the tournament. I can dream can’t I ?

Or Showtime and HBO can strike a deal to bring in Bute to the tournament to fight Green. To save on production cost, have all three fights set in one neutral venue. To end Group stage 3 in one successful swoop.

So I ask the great fans of BoxingNews24, what could happen to salvage anything that’s left in the Super Six World Boxing Classic and save face at the same time?