By Allen Hmiel: Sure every boxer aspires to be a champion and have that beautiful belt and all the accolades and glory and fame that come with the title. The opportunity to make the big dollars and reap the benefits and notoriety that is associated with being called a Boxing Champion is usually the driving force for every young fighter entering the boxing profession. But after losing fights and getting old some fighters just become opponents with no real chance of ever getting that Championship belt around their waste. When boxing skills decline and the reflexes are weakened and the punch loses its pop a fighter becomes an Opponent.
Look at fighters like Mosley-Darchinyan-Cotto-Abraham-Paulie Mag-Jab Judah-David Price-Chisora-Macklin-Magee-Rees-Mormeck and especially the retired Matt Hatton. All have been relegated to just an opponent status and usually a win for the new fighters coming along or the current champion who needs an easy fight and a sure win. Sure I put Cotto in the list of sure wins for any champ wanting an easy fight. Cotto is a shell of a once promising fighter.
Darchinyan is just a punching bag for the younger faster Boxers needing a win. Abraham the same way just a beaten up older slower fighter who just doesn’t have it anymore but a nice win for the record. Look at Shane Mosley collecting checks along with losses and being paid well and never in any of the big fights. Tony Thompson was just supposed to be that type of easy opponent for David Price and a sure win. Okay Tony KO’d the weak Price. But boxing has a collection of sure win fighters to be used to help pad a fighters record.
When fighters reach that point in their career when winning isn’t really an option anymore, as their skills have eroded and the losses mount up they become an opponent.
But putting on a good show will come with a nice paycheck along with the loss. Being a good opponent is important in boxing as most champions do not want every fight to be a tough scrap. Cotto is being offered $10 million to fight Canelo. Why? Because Cotto cannot beat Canelo at this stage of Cotto’s slumping career. How about Donaire fighting Darchinyan? Think Donaire is worried about a loss? No way?
Fighters realize inside when they do not have it anymore and just hang on for the paydays. Roy Jones Jr. is another example of a payday collecting fighter and not an aspiring title contender. Not a bad way to make a living as being just an opponent for the boxing stars. Is It? Heck, Tony Thompson is still wanting another opponent for the check.
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