The fight news never stops coming. We have Sergey Kovalev’s next move, PBC finalizing an important deal, a fun way to watch GGG-Canelo II, and more.
- Alvarez-Kovalev II – First, Sergey Kovalev will be exercising his immediate rematch clause against Eleider Alvarez. The former pound for pound standout was taking his first stuff challenge since his consecutive losses to Andre Ward just a few weeks ago and mostly doing well until suddenly he very much wasn’t. The Monreal based Hatian transplant put Kovalev down three times and finished him in the seventh. Given that Alvarez generally isn’t a puncher and seemed well behind in the fight, this was a shocking result. Sergey was winning the rounds until getting hurt out of no where though, so it stands to reason that the Russian is capable of beating Eleider still and that is the logic likely floating in his head now that The Krusher has activated the rematch clause in the first fight’s contract. Reportedly it must happen by February.
- PBC on TV – Premier Boxing Champions formalized its relationship with Showtime this week, agreeing to a three year deal for a monthly show on the premium network. There weren’t a whole lot of other details announced, but it basically seems like it will be mostly business as usual for the two forces in the sport. More interesting to me is that this is rumored not to be the only deal PBC is about to close. FOX is reportedly about to be on board. Historically PBC has paid FOX in the form of time buys to air on its networks. With the company losing all its UFC content for Fox Sports 1, however, they are reportedly to start paying PBC in a more traditional way for their content. PBC has definitely saved their best stuff for Showtime’s paying airwaves, so what I am interested in is seeing if this changes at all now that FOX is reportedly about to open their wallets. Certainly they will want the most compelling content possible.
- Jermain Taylor – 40 year old former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor is unfortunately back in trouble with the law. Allegedly he choked a female and threatened her with a knife. He has been arrested. This is especially disappointing news given that he seemed to be on the right side of the law the last few years after a difficult stretch in 2013 and 2014. It has been long speculated that Taylor’s brain is not necessarily in a healthy place after taking many concussive blows over the course of his career given his behavior and speech pattern and this will only add fuel to that fire. He last fought in 2011 and is presumably retired for good.
- GGG-Canelo II – Finally, as has become common with the sport’s absolute biggest fights, the much anticipated rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin for the recognized middleweight championship will be available to watch in theaters nationwide courtesey of Fathom Events. I live in rural mountains and don’t have any big theaters nearby, but I did get to experience this once while on in Florida for Mayweather-Ortiz nearly a decade ago. I really enjoyed it. At roughly $20 a ticket, it is cheaper than ordering the PPV too unless you have three others to split it with. Nothing beats a live fight, of course, but being in an audience like this does partially replicate the experience in a pretty economical package. Go if you can.
