By Ruth Raper
BOXING is a machine that never stops moving, every day there is a new headline and with that headline comes the possibility of a new champion emerging or the fall of a current champion.
The stars who shine brightly today will be largely forgotten tomorrow. Some will remain in the public eye as commentators, or make occasional public appearances. Some will become trainers or managers, but most will fade into obscurity, remembered only by boxing fans.
If we look at the current generation of stars, the fighters who have the ability to sell out arenas, capture the public’s imagination and make the infamous pound-for-pound lists (these things don’t always overlap), it’s clear that many of them are in the twilight years of their careers.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez Canelo is the only boxer to feature in the top five biggest money fights in history (with Floyd Mayweather), reportedly generating $150 million in PPV buys and $20 million in gate receipts. Canelo is now 34 years old, and while he hasn’t mentioned retirement, there’s no doubt he has a few more fights left before hanging up his gloves.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA Today Sports
Not every star has the ability to pull in huge box office receipts, especially since Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather retired; few can compete with him in terms of unprecedented post-fight revenue.
You can always count on the heavyweight division to grab the attention of the casual fan. I often see friends of mine who don’t pay much attention to boxing know the names of the top heavyweights but have never heard of most of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters. We’ve been blessed with some big names and big fights in the heavyweight division in recent years.
Anthony Joshua has captivated us since winning gold at the 2012 Olympics with his Adonis-like good looks and devastating right hand. Tyson Fury has captivated us with his lovable yet complex personality that leaves us wondering what will happen next.
Oleksandr Usyk’s journey from Olympic gold medalist, to undisputed cruiserweight champion, to undisputed heavyweight champion (all while his country was at war) has given us the chance to witness a piece of history. With all of these men in their mid-to-late 30s, it seems like we should keep our eyes on the horizon to see who will appear on our TV screens and timelines next.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MAY 15: Oleksandr Usyk trains during the Ring Of Fire open training session ahead of the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO Undisputed world heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at BLVD City – Music World on May 15, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
The health of our sport depends on having athletes who can become household names, transcending the sport in the process and bringing boxing to new audiences. While we all have our favourite ‘prospects’, it is impossible to predict who will reach the level of stardom needed to light up the world, as Robinson, Ali, Leonard and Tyson did.
There is rarely a single trait that allows a fighter to excel above their peers; they often excel in multiple areas (with a little luck). Let’s take a look at what can help a young fighter rise to the top.
Pedigree. When we say a fighter has a good pedigree, we mean that they have had a successful amateur career. Fighters who have had successful amateur careers are more likely to have successful professional careers.
Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule. Billy Conn, best known for his fights with Joe Louis, was the world light heavyweight champion from 1939 to 1941 and had no amateur fights.
The legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, considered by many to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, is said to have only fought 14 amateur fights. It is true that fewer amateur fights were more common before the 1980s, as boxers believed they could learn their craft on the job and were eager to make money as soon as possible.
A more recent example of a successful professional boxer with little amateur experience is Fabio Wardley. Wardley had no amateur fights (although he did have four white collar fights), and has since gone on to become British, Commonwealth and WBO European Champion.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 28: David Adeleye dodges a punch from Fabio Wardley during the British, Commonwealth and WBO European heavyweight title fight between Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
While these achievements are extremely impressive, the rule remains that a good amateur career will stand you in good stead when you enter the professional ranks. As an amateur boxer moves from a young competitor with his first few fights in club shows to more serious competition such as box-cups, national championships or even international tournaments, he learns invaluable skills in and out of the ring.
With some amateur boxers making their first professional fight at the age of 10, it’s not hard to see how a boxer starting out in their late teens or early 20s would have trouble grasping the complex techniques their opponents were performing.
Some of our current stars who have had impressive amateur careers are Vasily Lomachenko, Claressa Shields and Devin Haney. Lomachenko is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with an amateur record of 396-1. Shields is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist with an amateur record of 77-1, and Haney is the 2015 Golden Gloves Champion with a record of 138-8.
Claressa Shields and Maricela Cornejo
It’s no surprise that promoters are after National Champions and anyone on Team GB. You’ll often see Olympic athletes signing lucrative endorsement deals shortly after returning home from the games.
While boxing tradition is a vital ingredient in building a fighting machine, tomorrow Ruth will discuss other important factors and cultural intersections that help a boxer break into the public eye…
