Thursday’s, on this nook of the Universo Pugilistico, are all about my sack– my bulging, bulbous, aching sack– and the gooey, salty fact contained inside. So…sit again, shut your eyes, pull again your hair, and prepare for this week’s cash shot of knowledge. This week we’ve got feedback/questions concerning Shakur Stevenson, William Zepeda, and Nate Diaz-Jorge Masvidal.
Shakur Completed Flawed
Hello Magno.
Shakur Stevenson is gone from Prime Rank and ESPN and I say good. They did Shakur incorrect with the best way they’ve been representing him these previous few fights as his contract was operating out. On Saturday, they actually went all out within the disrespect. Showings followers leaving his struggle was classless and petty as fuck. It was disgusting to be trustworthy.
I do know you already talked about the place Shakur would possibly go in free company, however my query to you is about ESPN and Prime Rank. The place did they drop the ball with Shakur and why couldn’t they do something with him? What a part of the blame goes to Shakur and what half goes to the promoter and community?
By the best way, I believe he’ll transfer on and get these huge fights he couldn’t get at TR/ESPN and that may present that it was them that dropped the ball, not him.
– Clyde
Hey Clyde.
I’ve seen a number of nastiness on this sport, however they actually did do Shakur incorrect. That complete evening regarded like one huge hatchet job. Slicing away to indicate the gang leaving was brutal. Hell, the ESPN Boxing web site even dropped Shakur one spot on their light-weight rankings, from no. 3 to no. 4, for no different obvious purpose than he hadn’t re-signed with Prime Rank. This actually ought to be a serious head’s as much as all of the fighters at present underneath contract– In case you go away them, they very nicely may lash out and attempt to damage your profession. As you mentioned, petty as fuck. Very unprofessional, too.
As for what went incorrect? I don’t suppose that something, essentially, “went incorrect” in any respect. As I wrote in a chunk I did at my different writing gig, Shakur’s struggle delivered the very best fundamental occasion boxing scores on ESPN so far in 2024 and his numbers since changing into a fundamental occasion participant are nonetheless higher than some other fighter’s on the community in that time period. So, Shakur was clearly an asset to them. And that’s why Prime Rank reportedly provided him a 5-fight, $15 million deal to re-sign.
However, after all, issues may’ve been higher within the Stevenson-Prime Rank/ESPN partnership.
Shakur was on the precipice of next-level stardom after his dominant, partaking performances towards Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez, however Prime Rank by no means pulled the set off to get him to that subsequent stage. Yeah, Shakur’s incapacity to make 130 anymore stalled his rise a bit, however Prime Rank virtually appeared punitive after that they usually by no means once more tried to match him up towards high-end opposition once more.
And this final matchup, towards Artem Harutyunyan, appeared virtually designed to make him look lower than spectacular. Harutyunyan is a tricky, strong, however conservative man who doesn’t make many exploitable errors. This struggle reeked of dullish snug unanimous choice from the second it was signed.
Shakur has to take some blame for understanding the knock on him as a boring fighter, however probably not going outdoors his consolation zone to make fan-friendly efforts. Like many high boxers, he has a crew of enablers, cheerleaders, and sure males round him that at all times discuss him into the concept that he’s proper. So, the place’s the drive to vary and possibly make some tweaks to his sport?
He wants to have interaction extra and never simply take the factors as they make themselves obtainable.
I can see him touchdown some huge fights as a free agent, however it might nonetheless be a good suggestion to have a better eye on entertaining. Floyd Mayweather had a giant persona and he may promote fights even to followers who thought his ring type was boring. Shakur doesn’t have that very same aptitude. He has to pound some faces and present some flash.
Nate Diaz-Jorge Masvidal
Hello Paul.
I’d wish to get your tackle the Nate Diaz-Jorge Masvidal boxing match and your take usually on celebrities and MMA stars placing on the gloves. Diaz-Masvidal was really fairly good and the cardboard was first rate as nicely. I discover you by no means even talked about it in your articles.
– John W.
Hey John.
I discussed Diaz-Masvidal on Twitter and mentioned that it was the very best fundamental occasion of the night, up towards Stevenson-Harutyunyan and Zepeda-Cabrera.
I’ve no points with celeb boxing or with MMA stars having boxing contests. The extra the merrier. Regardless of what some boxing “purists” appear to suppose, these sorts of fights don’t take something away from “actual” boxing and, as a matter of truth, have the potential to create pleasure for boxing in followers who usually are not normally among the many sport’s hardcore following. Diaz-Masvidal was enjoyable and it was aggressive.
Zepeda Being Ducked?
Hey Paul.
It’s an actual disgrace when a fighter like William Zepeda may be no. 1 in all 4 sanctioning our bodies, however nonetheless can’t get a title shot. In case you had been Golden Boy, how would you pressure your means right into a title struggle? Camaron deserves it!
– Juan Blancas Soto
Hey Juan.
Competitively and by way of issue in making the struggle, WBO champ Denis Berinchyk is clearly the simplest path to take. The issue is that if Zepeda fights and beats Berinchyk, his standing as WBO titlist will make it a lot simpler for the opposite titlists to not struggle him. It’s virtually to his profit to stay no. 1 contender proper now. As I discussed final week, although, I wouldn’t be shocked if one of many sanctioning our bodies wasn’t sizing Zepeda up for an “interim” or “common” title as we converse.
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