The boxing week closed out on Friday with a hearty dose of “all is correct with the universe.” Anthony Joshua easy-worked former UFC heavyweight champ/boxing novice Francis Ngannou through two-round crushing and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez lastly put to relaxation the rumors and misinformation to announce his upcoming battle, beneath the PBC banner, with Jaime Munguia.
However earlier than that?
Jumpin’ Jesus on a pogo stick, it was raining bat-shit craziness.
I’ll get a few of these out of order as a result of the nuttiness was flying quick, however right here we go.
I walked the road between eager to snigger at Ryan Garcia’s dive into the deep finish of the goofy pool and bonafide concern for the child. To say that the 25-year-off went off the rails is an understatement to the extent that “Dan Rafael is a bit portly” is an understatement.
Garcia, who ought to’ve been specializing in his battle with Devin Haney on April 20 and who appeared to be in a something-induced mind-set, rifled by way of nearly each conspiracy concept over the course of a multi-day social media meltdown. After beginning the week with a clearly staged kidnapping of himself, “King Ry” frenzied about aliens, satanic ritual intercourse abuse of minors, conjuring demons, Elon Musk because the antichrist, predictions of a June 6 earthquake that can destroy Los Angeles, and talked up a imaginative and prescient of his personal, literal, crucifixion by the hands of the “elites.” He even, at one level, began talking in tongues. If he had talked about lizard individuals, he would’ve received the QAnon Golden Plaque of Goofiness, awarded for thoroughness within the methods of the nut. It bought so dangerous that notable nutjob Alex Jones even recorded a video urging Garcia to reel it again.
By the tip of the week, a raveled and seemingly worn-out Garcia vowed to tug again on the exposing of evil whereas he’s in camp for Haney, though he did go away the door open with a not-so-cryptic “Simply bc I’m coaching don’t imply I’m performed exposing.” A Saturday evening TikTok reside video, the place he doubles down on his claims and even ups the ante by promising to supply proof of time journey, just about confirms that the craziness will proceed.
With all this occurring inside Ryan, his seemingly oblivious promoter Oscar De La Hoya tweeted insults at “Hamon” (Al Haymon) and requested followers’ concepts for humorous movies he might submit, all of the whereas, apparently, unaware that there have been enormous negotiations underway involving Munguia, the man his firm co-promotes within the US, and the most important star within the sport, Canelo Alvarez. This obvious out-of-the-loopness, after all, didn’t cease Oscar from taking a social media video victory lap on Saturday for getting the battle made.
As Ryan Garcia quieted down from exposing evil, two huge stories– of fights no person, wherever requested for– broke on the identical day.
It was introduced that Jake Paul could be dealing with Mike Tyson, reside on Netflix, July 20. Later that very same day, the story bought out that Manny Pacquiao and Conor Benn had been in “superior talks” for a potential bout.
The latter is barely barely extra welcomed than the previous, however each are the varieties of cash grabs that occur in a boxing world the place there are extra stars than star matchups. It was solely becoming that each cynical pairings had been introduced into the sunshine throughout the lead-up to the cynical Joshua-Ngannou cash seize.
Not fairly as excessive on the pound-for-pound rankings of cynicism was the rumored Terence Crawford vs. Chris Eubank Jr. middleweight bout which unfold on social media the day after Paul-Tyson and Pacquiao-”It was the eggs” burned by way of the Universo Pugilistico.
Crawford-Eubank is alright…if we will’t/received’t get Crawford-Jaron Ennis or Crawford-Charlo or Crawford vs. the winner of Tszyu-Thurman. Simply don’t mistake it for something aside from a strategic ploy for Crawford to get one step nearer to a Canelo battle by saying, “hey, have a look at me, I’m a middleweight now, not a welterweight.” By the best way, that is all IF the story is true. I believe we’ve all seen sufficient to doubt the veracity of something and all the pieces we see on-line.
Whereas all of the weirdo shit and weirdo matchmaking was taking place, the weirdest week in boxing discovered a strategy to get weirder.
Beef over the Ryan Garcia-leaked (and long-debated) Gervonta Davis-Devin Haney sparring video morphed into an Adrien Broner-Invoice Haney beef that finally resulted in Broner making a video the place he ran by way of a laundry listing of fighters who’ve allegedly banged Alycia Baumgardner. Don’t ask me how one factor led to the others.
By Friday, I used to be mentally gassed, however totally anticipating some continued craziness within the Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou circus battle in Saudi Arabia. I imply, for fuck’s sake, it’s Anthony Joshua– a man who’s been a dwelling, respiratory letdown for a lot of the final 5 years or so.
However, amazingly, AJ didn’t let anybody down– aside from the MMA/UFC-loving lunkheads who nonetheless have a hard-on for proving that boxing is for “pussies.”
And after Joshua did to Ngannou what an elite professional is meant to do to a novice, we bought information of Canelo-Munguia getting made– a battle that will not be THE battle at 168, however must be good nonetheless.
So…is all the pieces again to regular or, ought to I say, as regular as boxing ever will get? I don’t know. Ryan Garcia’s nonetheless bought his time journey dissertation on deck.
Obtained one thing for Magno? Ship it right here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com
