Was it the last time we see the TBE? How good is Badou Jack? Did Martinez deserve a draw? Here’re the weekend’s biggest winners and losers.
Biggest Winner-Badou Jack: Not many people can see they won a world title this year against a top 10 fighter in his division and defended it successfully against a top 10 contender. Badou Jack has. I always felt Jack was Mayweather Promotions’ best fighter, and he’s certainly had his bumps in the road. But he clearly outworked Anthony Dirrell and did the same against George Groves. He is on the fast track to comeback fighter of the year and should garner some votes for fighter of the year.
Mayweather-Berto Undercard was a winner: From Martirosyan-Smith to Salido-Martinez, the undercard of Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto certainly delivered with four fan friendly fights.
Biggest Loser-PBC: The whole thing wasn’t a sham because Jermall Charlo defeated Cornelius Bundrage to win a Jr. Middleweight title and we got to see the development of Errol Spence against Chris Van Heerden. But mismatches like Peter Quillin against Michael Zerafa sent Zerafa to the hospital with a concussion. Adonis Stevenson beat Tommy Karpency in another mismatch and celebrated like he did when he stopped Chad Dawson. PBC also riled up shit fighters Vivian Harris and Gabriel Campillo and both were dominated by their opponents Prichard Colon and Marcus Browne.
Listen, I’m all for more boxing but not see overmatch guys get killed. The way some of these match making fights come about puzzles my mind to be exact. The pro PBC crowd says there are levels to different type of programming, fair enough but I don’t need to see guys like an Austin Trout on TV if he’s fighting Joey Hernandez or the above-mentioned matchups. If you get knocked out or loss, you shouldn’t automatically be on television. Peter Quillin is good enough in his career at this point that he doesn’t need a Michael Zerafa fight, he just fought in April. Why was a tune up fight needed?
Give me more fights like Spence-Van Heerden and fights like Charlo-Bundrage on these lower platforms over good fighter against overmatched opponents.
Orlando Salido? Did he get a tough call? I believe he won the fight against Rocky Martinez with a 7-5 card. I believe he won his rounds more decisively, but the way a fight is scored doesn’t show that. I don’t think it was a robbery so a 3rd fight may be in order.
Mayweather-Berto: The fight wasn’t any good as expected and even worse the crowd sucked and missed four good fights beforehand.
