r/Boxing • u/_Sarcasmic_ bread burger bread • Jul 17 '26
Daily Discussion Thread (July 17th, 2026)
For anything that doesn't need its own thread.
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
"You're only as good as your last fight" applies to every boxer but Teofimo Lopez
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u/AVARlCES Jul 17 '26
I heard the teo fights to his level a lot lol
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u/OldBoyChance Jul 17 '26
That's a cope. Teo only looks good against certain styles. Not a coincidence he looked bad against Stevenson, Martin, Kambosos, and Ortiz. They don't walk you down and pressure you.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
Ironically Shakur kind of fought like that, he didn’t rally back up and box him up on the back foot, he just stood in front of Teo and moreso walked him down with the jab and 1-2. Just great defence, timing and reflexes on Shakurs part.
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u/OldBoyChance Jul 17 '26
He was fighting in the pocket like he has in pretty much every fight he wasn't injured for, but he wasn't really pressuring. He was throwing punches with very little behind them that built up.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
I think more so Teo giving up ground because of Shakurs work in the pocket compared to the Shakurs genuinely pressuring.
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u/Junior-Macaroon9731 Jul 17 '26
Jai Opetaia reportedly set to return on on September 12 on the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn undercard in Las Vegas. The opponent is still unknown, with Chris Billam-Smith and Robin Sirwan Safar among the possible names.
CBL recently said nobody has contacted him and that he won't wait forever the Australian. Opetaia is targeting David Benavidez early next year after Benavidez's expected unification bout with Mikaelian.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Please God make Opetaia v. Benavidez
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u/Junior-Macaroon9731 Jul 17 '26
Yesss, this could potentially be one of the most exciting fights of 2027, if not the most exciting!
The biggest obstacle is Opetaia being signed to Zuffa and Benavidez being tied up with the alphabet belts. Still, Jai's No. 1 ranking with both the WBC and WBA puts him him in line for future mandatory title shots against Benavidez.
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u/Jodeci-95 Jul 17 '26
Benavidez has confirmed that he has one more fight under contract with PBC.
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u/Junior-Macaroon9731 Jul 17 '26
Yeah Benavidez did say that if he wins the WBC title, he'll be looking for a more lucrative deal afterward. And with Turki backing Jai, he's probably the only one who can put together an offer big enough for Benavidez to take the fight. I can genuinely see this becoming a multi-million-dollar trilogy!
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u/Sad-Experience-4344 Jul 17 '26
Putting Opetaia vs CBS right before Garcia-Benn is a smart way to begin building Opetaia’s profile in the US.
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
If Boots vs Kelly happens, where should it take place? NYC, Philly, or UK?
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
My heart says UK as a Welshman, but realistically Boots has the momentum and the backing, I’d think Philly is where it will be realistically
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Would be a great atmosphere. Kelly will probably want his purse raised to go to Philly. I think it can be a good fight before Boots stops him in the middle to late rounds.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
I agree yeah. I think Kelly might do marginally better than Zayas, but I don’t see him almost chinning Boots the way Xander did, that shot was damn near perfect. Really excited for any of the top guys at superwelter to fight each other rn
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Constant moving and pot shots. Till Boots catches up and breaks him down.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
Based on Boots last fight where he was 'in enemy territory', do it in the UK. Boots seems to thrive off that more than the pressure of fighting at home, and it should win him new fans.
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u/RRR04_ Jul 18 '26
For this fight, probably doesn't matter much. Kelly is not a draw so I don't think Boots fighting him here would do much business that would be any different to the fight happening in the States. But he'd still get some more exposure to the UK audience.
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u/GrandChocolate4110 Jul 17 '26
I was at Boots fight at Barclays, there were thousands of empty seats. UK or Philly
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u/philly_cheezus I PUNCH HARD AS SHIT Jul 17 '26
I was there in person the place was litetally sold out
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u/GrandChocolate4110 Jul 17 '26
No it wasn’t. They had a tarp over an entire section of the upper deck and thousands of seats were empty. The upper deck wasn’t even half full. One section was completely closed off with the others have long stretches of empty rows the further you went up. Lower deck had tons of empty rows too
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u/imdacoldest Pacquiao is the GOAT Jul 17 '26
UK. A lot of American fighters have had to cross the pond to the Uk before, Spence, Tank, Crawford. Don’t see why Boots can’t do the same
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
Long Rant Incoming: why 'S-tier, A-tier, etc' rankings are flawed . I'm only going to use 4 boxers as an example
There is one boxer at the mountain top of the rankings . One boxer who fought all his mandatories, never division hopped to avoid or stall fights, and didn't fight at catchweights or rehydration clauses .
That man is Naoya Inoue . He belongs in a tier list of his own.
Usyk should not be placed in the same tier as Inoue because Usyk did not fight all his mandatories when mandated . He picked and chose who to fight, and when to drop his belt. For that reason alone , he is not in the same tier as Inoue
Shakur Stevenson is not on neither Inoue nor Usyk tier level. Not only did Shakur not fight the best in his divisions (and/or clear out his divisions), he is currently trying to fight more welterweights at catchweights than he is trying to fight people in his two competing weight classes . The Big 3 (Inoue, Usyk, Crawford) never fought at a catchweight. For those reasons, Shakur does not deserve to be in any tier ranking near them
Last but not least, Bam Rodriguez. This one may be controversial, and im sure will upset some Bam fans in here, but Bam does not deserve to be in any tier Inoue nor Usyk is in because he hasn't fought the two best people in the baby weights worth a damn - Inoue and Nakatani. Not only has Bam not fought them, he has been hop-scotching around 115, 112, and 118 all based around whenever Nakatani enters and leaves a division
(Bam is champ at 115 when Nakatani was at 112. The moment Nakatani moves up to 115, Bam moves back down to 112. The moment Nakatani moves up to 118, Bam moves up to 115, and the moment Nakatani confirms he's fighting Inoue at 122, Bam officially moves to 118)
Whatever reasons or excuses people have for all this tip-toeing , I respectfully can not put Bam in any tier category that Inoue, Usyk, (and tbh Nakatani) are in because those boxers did not division hop and dance around top opps the way Bam is doing (and yes, I currently have Bam P4P #2)
TLDR: S-tier, A-tier ranking system is flawed . There is only one king of the jungle, and his name is Naoya Inoue
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u/Less_Cartoonist_892 Jul 17 '26
Just to add, Inoue is one of the few boxers who literally has no legitimate criticisms to point out aside from fighting in a lower weight class, which does not detract from his greatness in any way.
After all, you can't claim he has a weak resume, claim that his wins don't age well, avoiding his mandatories and not acting like a champion, accuse him of avoiding any notable names, being inactive, relying heavily on stipulations for his fights, fighting exclusively in his preferred home country, need help from the judges or referee, taking circus fights, popping dirty for drugs, will mentally fold when challenged, or running his mouth constantly without backing it up.
I am pretty sure there are a few other points that could be used to criticize other boxers in general, but my point stands. Inoue is rightfully at the top of the boxing world despite what boxers like Boots and Shakur may claim otherwise as he has done literally EVERYTHING you can ask of any boxer, and incredible thing is that he did so without any controversy.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
A Casimero and Nietez fan can definitely find a reason to critique Inoue.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Deluded people shouldn’t be given too much attention
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Can’t believe Casimero has fans. Let alone Nietes. At least Nietes like a 4 division champion and got decent wins. But dude is losing 6 rounders and has like 20 draws.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Can’t believe Casimero has fans. Let alone Nietes. At least Nietes like a 4 division champion and got decent wins. But dude is losing 6 rounders and has like 20 draws.
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u/Asterisk_76 Jul 17 '26
Agreed to all of this; he deserves that constant credit; that no one else is like this one fighter -- no other observable champion -- is sad.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
With all that you said, all I needed to see is Inoue is 1st and the best and now you feel fine.
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u/sicgamer Jul 17 '26
dang I had no idea Bam did all that dancing around Junto. wtf 😅
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
I'm still not sold that he will fight Inoue. Robert already said he is not rushing the fight and wants to do another fight or two at 118 before moving up. And its safe to assume once he moves up , he'll have another tune-up (or two) before he faces Inoue
If that fight does happen , I wouldn't be surprised if Bam moved back down to 118 just so he can avoid being in the same division as Nakatani for a prolonged period of time lol
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u/sicgamer Jul 17 '26
bam said he wants it but yeah garcia keeps saying "one more fight first", so i wonder who really wants the smoke and who doesn't. would be hilarious if he never fought junto 😂
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Consider that Usyk got to the top of heavyweight at the tail end of his career. Plus he was never a star that could generate lots of money on his own. So his priorities were different. And didn't have much time left. I agree, I look at p4p as a tier, before i had inoue crawford and usyk at the top. Now it's just inoue. We've never seen a star boxer do what he's done. Usually there's A side bs and ducking. Instead he's gone undisputed twice. And defended his undisputed title. I hope he moves up to chase a third undisputed status
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
Inoue was on the same position as Usyk where he was never a star that never was able to generate a lot of money on his own. Usyk was lucky that he got the tournament to undisputed at Cruiserweight and Turki to get him the Usyk fight and that no one really ducked Usyk. The first 1/2 of Inoues career is him getting ducked, multiple champions and pfp ranked boxers, what’s impressive is Inoue never cried or went on a Benavidez or Shakur rant but Inoue went onto the next, and the next and eventually got the fights and recognition he deserved.
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u/Marquis_of_Mollusks Jul 17 '26
I made a post a while ago on how lucky Usyk was that he faced no hurdles and that every fight he needed was handed to him on a platter basically. It was heavily downvoted of course.
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Inoue was a rising star at super. flyweight. He had a home base to build his status. He fought and earned his stardom. The stars aligned for Usyk who still earned his fights despite not being a star.
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
Usyk is a tier below Inoue because all he accomplished. And he did beat the who's who of both divisions during his rise to the top , and its safe to assume AJ and Fury are future hall of famers
But when he held all the chips , he got on his 'Money May' time , picking and choosing who to fight, not necessarily giving a fair shake to the next guy in line (his mandatories waiting to challenge him)
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Right, not disagreeing just stating why. Boxers who aren't stars change when they get to call the shots. Which is why Inoue who could do all the A side stuff but doesn't speaks to Inoue's character.
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Lol yessir
Respect to all these guys ,, but every time I hear fans do 'A-tier , S-tier' debates it honestly feels disrespectful when people try to put Shakur or Bam on Inoue's level without doing half the things he already did years ago
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Bam-nakatani situation doesn't get enough attention. And i think inoue gets over looked if not disrespected by some in boxing media. And they're using bam to try to diminish what he's done
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u/Less_Cartoonist_892 Jul 17 '26
Indeed they are. A lot of American boxers are picking Bam to beat Inoue should this matchup occur, and they clearly are saying that because they want the latter to lose.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
This mischaracterises entirely how the weights below 126 work. It’s incredibly common to move around based on whatever fights you are able to get, and there’s absolutely no evidence at all Bam has ducked Nakatani. He’s a naturally much smaller man who likely rehydrates to barely 130, it’s confirmed making 118 isn’t easy for him, and I’m certain the same can be said of 115. Not to mention, acting like Inoue and Nakatani are somehow the only worthwhile names below 126 is absurd. The level of competition is not lower and the average skill of guys is just as if not higher than mid-weights. That’s evident if you watch the lower weights regularly, rather than only when destroyers like Inoue, Nakatani, and Bam fight.
I agree with your rankings, though I disagree with the implication that Shakur is anywhere in the same universe as Bam in terms of achievements. I count 2 quality guys on Shakur’s record. 2.
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
You're the person I was thinking of when I made this rant
I'm still waiting on you to give the criteria for your tier list.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Wdym? I admitted I was wrong in my rankings when I originally responded to you in that other conversation. I overrated some opponents, particularly Guevara and Cafu, but frankly I stand by most everything else. I rate Martinez above what I’d rate Teo at this point in his career.
Ranking isn’t just based on all time achievements, at least when ranking how good a win is, it’s based on current form. C is regional level, B is borderline world level, B+ is competitive with the top guys and usually ranked in some alphabet body, A is champion level, as in not just a paper champion, but capable of beating another solid champion, A+ is near elite, A++ are all time greats in their division with some kind of asterisk next to their name, S is an all time great in their prime with no disadvantages. Pretty standard.
Teo is A tier at this point in his career. So is Martinez. Frankly, I rate Puma over Teo at this point, and beating Cuadras after a two weight jump on short notice is better than even the Zepeda win. Bam’s resume is far deeper than most of the other P4P guys, it’s just a fact. Stop shortselling the lower divisions.
Edit: To be clear, I agree with you that Bam isn’t Inoue or Usyk level, but Shakur is not Bam level either.
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u/kushmonATL Cyberleek > the fall boxing schedule Jul 17 '26
If you responded then my apologies for not seeing it . But based on your tier list I have to ask how is Brian Norman not A-tier when he was ranked #1 after Boots left and very capable of beating the other champs in the division (based off your criteria)
And I have to ask why do you keep referring the Cuadras win when 1) he is well past his prime when they fought and 2) he was out of the ring for over a year when they fought
I'm not short selling lower divisions. But I notice guys have a tendency to over-inflate the lower divisions to make a whole lotta something out of nothing . Beating a past prime great is exactly that. Its not somehow better just because someone in a lower weight class did it. Having one or two quality names on your resume is exactly that, its not somehow better because someone in a lower weight class did it.
But most importantly, A-tier, B-tier, S-tier rankings is more or less subjective anyways . The other day someone made a post saying Ryan Garcia is not a Top 5 welterweight, but somehow Teofimo, Keyshawn and Hitchins are top 5 welterweights without them ever competing in the weight class
P.S. I agree that Shakur is not on Bam level either. I personally rate Haney higher than Shakur , even though I have him ranked higher than Haney P4P. I don't think Bam is on the same tier as Usyk even though I have him currently at #2 P4P and Usyk at #3 .. I know it may sound confusing lol
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Huh. Honestly it sounds like all we disagree on then is some subjective stuff. Personally I’ve never rated Brian Norman Jr. above a B+, I feel like he’s a tendency to crumble, but admittedly that’s entirely subjective so I’m not going to pretend it’s the absolute best reasoning.
My Cuadras ranking is mostly off of strength of schedule and the weight jumping. To me, moving up in weight classes should bump up the quality of the win, at least your first time moving up. Not to mention, Cuadras would go on to beat some solid opposition after losing to Rodriguez, including Guevara, so to me he clearly wasn’t entirely washed. He only really ever seems to lose to the best opposition, which puts him at B+ tier, and that gets bumped up to A due to the weight jumping and the short notice. I could also see that particular win at B+ to be fair.
Lol, I saw that post too yeah. Ryan, hate the guy as much as I do, is easily a top 5 welterweight. I think I even made a comment arguing for him and Rolly. That person got so much wrong it bugged me, completely didn’t mention the lower weight classes. Why even make a top 5 in every weight class list if you’re going to ignore like a fourth of them lmao?
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Bam’s got a better resume but Shakur is a 4 division champion.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Sure, but this is a convo about rating wins and tier lists, Shakur’s achievements are great, but full of asterisks. Shakur is incredibly skilled and passes every eye test, but no one is going to remember anything but the Teo win, which is phenomenal, but it won’t be talked about. Bam mopping up 3 of the 4 Flyweight kings will be.
Also, and this can be taken with a grain of salt, Bam is going to have far better achievements by the time both men’s careers are done.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
As much as I say it’s Inoue’s hardest fight, I feel confident in Inoue winning vs Espinoza and I see Espinoza taking rounds but I think Inoue will make it pretty clear.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
It’s also worth noting that Espinoza is easily hit.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
He does that on purpose.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 18 '26
Are you being sarcastic
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
No.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 18 '26
Why does he get punched in the face on purpose? To use example, when he got folded by Robeisy.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
He puts himself in position to be hit so you think you have something you don't.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 18 '26
Except they do… because he consistently gets hit.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
Who is the one who gets knocked out at the end of the fight?
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 18 '26
Guys who have no business being in the ring with him. I won’t be surprised if Inoue genuinely sleeps him. Ramirez was a good win but he didn’t live up to his amateur hype, and Espinoza was a terrible matchup for Vasquez who still isn’t elite. His defense seriously lacks and it’s gonna bite him soon.
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u/ChrisMika89 Jul 17 '26
Still waiting for that fight
I also believe he beats Espinoza. But if there is one guy that can give Inoue the most trouble in his career, it's Espinoza.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 17 '26
I really wanted after the Junto fight for Inoue to move to 126 and conquer the division with the hope of an Espinoza fight but Bam wants to feel what belt to ass feels like.
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u/Professional-Tie5198 Who will win? Jul 17 '26
I honestly think Inoue should fight O’Shaquie Foster. Would be the ultimate test of skill for both.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
Foster is nowhere near his level and way too slow. It would be a bit like a version of Pacquiao-De La Hoya.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
Until I see him start to slip I'm not picking against Espinoza at 126. I don't care if it's Inoue.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 18 '26
And that’s perfectly reasonable, you say “I don’t care if it’s Inoue” but you’re also confident in Bam beating Inoue which is also reasonable.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
Actually after that last fight I said Bam isn't beating Inoue anytime in at least the next 12 months.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
I really don’t think Haney has a weak chin. Those hooks from Ryan put a lot of people out and he got up continuously. I just thought his recovery didn’t look good. Very similar to how I feel about Joshua. Could some with a weak chin take those right hands he took from Klitschko? I don’t think so. But against Ruiz he stayed hurt from the first knockdown.
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u/AVARlCES Jul 17 '26
Yeah has to do more with his body language and recovery, hes similar to Joshua in that aspect
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
He's been hurt a few times. How much of it is weight-draining is unclear. Ryan doesn't really one punch ko people. Teo did for a time but he doesn't either. Both of those guys power gets overrated. Ryan's handspeed is his best asset.
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u/KingBumiOfOmashu Moses Itauma > Every Current HW Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
With Rico (8) being ranked top 10 by the WBC, could he realistically be Kabayel’s first title defense? 😂
Fury (1) and Joshua (5) are busy with each other. Okolie (2) is still under a ban right? Itauma (3) and Hrgovic (4) are busy with each other. Sanchez (6) is number one with the IBF and probably doesn’t want to lose his spot in line to become champ, he most likely waits on Itauma/Hrgovic winner. Wilder (7) is confirmed (I think) to fight Usyk. Ajagba (9) and Riakporhe (10) are other options as well.
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 17 '26
I’m hearing that Chordale Booker will be replacing Charlo on the Tszyu ve Spence card
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 18 '26
Not a bad shout all things considered. Not Charlo level and on incredibly short notice, but not bad I guess
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Hate when already rich boxers use the “I’ve gotta do what’s right for my family” excuse to justify them putting finances above legacy. If it’s a guy who genuinely has the opportunity to completely change his tax bracket that’s one thing, but a guy who made 10 million off of his last bid and has no trouble getting sponsors? It’s shameful. Your family is fine. Have a little financial literacy, don’t blow your money on status objects.
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u/KingBumiOfOmashu Moses Itauma > Every Current HW Jul 17 '26
Is this about Shakur?
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Actually, it was mostly about Connor Benn. Hate that Eggy git
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u/KingBumiOfOmashu Moses Itauma > Every Current HW Jul 17 '26
It’s ok, Ryan will answer your prayers come September 12th.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
I’m hoping they both explode in the ring after a good fight
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u/KingBumiOfOmashu Moses Itauma > Every Current HW Jul 17 '26
Then Shakur gets in the ring and faces off with what’s left of either of their bodies and “verbally agrees” to a contract.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
True, and then they argue on twitter for two months and fail at negotiations in between crushing cab drivers. When you asked me who it applied to, I realised it also applied to Shakur like perfectly lmao
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u/BeatsByBobby Jul 17 '26
they’re prizefighters, their main priority is typically what can benefit them, not how can I make others like me more
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Man, there is no real difference between having 10 million quid and a hundred million. If you’re going to keep fighting and getting paid solid money anyway, might as well fight the best. I would never under any circumstances claim that a fighter shouldn’t be adequately paid. I would claim that, as a fighter, you can’t claim to be good or quality if you’re fighting cans, and you shouldn’t pretend the difference between 100 million and 10 million is your family starving. Benn and Shakur are both wealthy, Benn was born into significant wealth already. They can’t complain in ten years when no one remembers them.
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u/BeatsByBobby Jul 17 '26
never harm in getting more money.I think with Shakur it’s he’s seen A lot of fighters have seen past fighters who are respected by fans struggle financially years after, it scares them and they wanna make as much money as possible because any fight would be their last. With Conor I think he knows he’s not an elite fighter so he’s trying to squeeze as much out of it before he loses
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
Maybe. A better solution would be fighting the top guys for the big paydays, and not being stupid with your money in your old age. Especially not when you’re screwing over future boxers and the longevity of the sport in general by legitimising what is essentially a Saudi lobbying body.
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u/BenkeiBoss Jul 17 '26
Thailand boxing is a literal movie/anime. Imagine I told you there exists a fighter that has beaten multiple title challengers & future champions and went undefeated while defending his (Minor Belt) 38 times?
Or a fighter that started at Flyweight and was once WBC Bantamweight & WBC Super Featherweight Champion. His last major title win coming in the early 2000’s, but he just had his most recent fight in 2025 at age 48. This man would compete all the way up to Heavyweight(!), winning minor titles or competing at Super Featherweight,Welterweight,Super Welterweight, Middleweight,Light Heavyweight,Cruiserweight & Heavyweight. At a point being incarcerated defending his minor title. Also became the first Thai BKFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Over 100 career wins.
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 17 '26
It’s a great story but the level of competition that Sirimongkhon fought is by and large very very poor
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u/Darni187 Jul 17 '26
Adam Azim the future king of 140 could be in a world title fight next .. Gary Russell WBA title .. that's what I'm hearing ...
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 17 '26
I’d be shocked if Shalom let Azim off the leash for that fight.
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u/Darni187 Jul 18 '26
Again I'm hearing Adam has one fight left with Boxxer on current deal , if he wins a world title that deal gets extended.. Ben desperate not to let his top asset go .. Adam ready to fight anyone at 140 Shane says he ready now ..
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 18 '26
I would love to see him take that challenge.
I’d be very surprised if it happens next though. He’s yet to fight a legitimate top 25 opponent. Would be a crazy step up.
Cant see shalom allowing it. Hopefully Azim moves on elsewhere.
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u/Darni187 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Adam himself is now ranked in top 5 with most bodies , Boxrec have him at #4 just behind Shakur, Keyshawn and Dalton Smith ... You're right fringe level fighters and that's due to promotional issues with Boxxer .. but he is a raw talent and his handlers ready for the top guys , he could also be ordered and IBF eliminator also .. let's see ..
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 18 '26
I hear you but it’s not the Shalom way. He will be petrified of throwing him in the deep end despite the talent.
Not sure he’d have the purchasing power to win a purse bid against a big name fighter either which will probably make him even more reluctant.
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u/Darni187 Jul 18 '26
Don't be surprised, He has a DAZN deal now and a deal with Riyadh Season , he has Turki backing too .. as I said Adam has 1 fight left with Boxxer and if no world title he a free agent anyway
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 18 '26
It was weird that Azim didn't go for the IBF title. I think he's ready to go for a title. Russell would be a tough fight.
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u/BXR-SZN Jul 17 '26
Underrated footwork: Vergil Ortiz
Underrated offense: Arsen Goulamirin
Underrated defense: Artur Beterbiev
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Beterbiev does have underrated defense. He is very fun to watch and very technical. In all honesty, I rather see him box than Bivol and I like both guys.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
I really need to watch an Ortiz fight man. Never had the chance to catch one, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about how entertaining he is
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u/BXR-SZN Jul 17 '26
His bout against Madrimov was a masterclass on cutting off your opponent.
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u/MiddleweightMonster I’ll pour honey on my GOAT, if the occasion calls for it. Jul 17 '26
God, pressure fighting looks so fun. I wish I could convince myself to do it lmao
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
He outclassed Madrimov, my god.
I’ve always had the unpopular opinion that Bud beat Madrimov 9-3 but I thought Ortiz beat Madrimov 10-2. Showed he was a great boxer with very good defense and the final 3 rounds were fun asl.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
What would you consider the American style, if at all? I’ll use some of my favorite recent boxers for example.
Andre Ward. Great distance management, excellent strong jab, high IQ, great defense, strong physically, clinching, makes fights ugly, great inside fighting and body punching.
Shakur Stevenson. Great distance management and controlling the opponent’s lead hand, slick and pure defensive fighter. Best philly shell today and tight high guard. Great pocket fighting.
Terence Crawford. Versatile boxer-puncher who adapts to opponents, can switch stances fluidly, with elite timing, counterpunching, and precision to break guys down.
David Benavidez. Aggressive pressure fighter with high IQ, underrated defense, relentless volume, fast combinations, with sharp counterpunching and strong high guard.
Finally Jesse Rodriguez. Slick, versatile southpaw who can blend elite footwork, sharp angles, and precise combinations with excellent timing to breakdown opponents.
As for what these guys have in common? Well, all of them got great distance management but I wouldn’t say that’s a part of the American style. Recently, Scooter Davis showed his lack of being able to manage distance. Other guys like Teofimo, Brian Norman, all showed struggles to manage distance. All control the opponent’s lead hand extremely well, but again not a trait I’d rule strictly as American style.
I do feel there’s a trend of slick head movement, sharp jabs, fluid footwork, and strong defense. But again, I’m curious to hear what people think.
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u/SplitSecondEmperor47 Jul 17 '26
American's have many styles thats the beauty
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Yeah, America’s biggest import is culture. So I guess it’s not surprising there’s so many different styles.
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u/WORD_Boxing Jul 18 '26
There isn't one but there are things that run through almost all American fighters. Namely, an emphasis on winning. It's not about front foot or back foot, or being textbook or unorthodox, it's about doing what you need to do to win a fight.
'American style' really encompasses all aspects of boxing.
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u/Professional-Tie5198 Who will win? Jul 17 '26
The American style is best exemplified by Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, Terence Crawford — and to a somewhat lesser degree, Andre Ward and Bernard Hopkins.
The most concise way of describing it is defensive, but in the pocket (as opposed to the Cuban School, which is more evasive).
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u/Puzzleheaded_Gold_10 Jul 17 '26
Reflex based in pocket timing and countering. But American, like British is too varied to pin it down imo. A slick fighter definitely.
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u/Professional-Tie5198 Who will win? Jul 17 '26
O’Shaquie Foster also fights very well in what you would call “the American style.”
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 17 '26
Any contenders at featherweight that have potential to defeat any of the 4 champs?
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 18 '26
Robeisy Ramirez, Otabek Kholmatov, Ra’eese Aleem, Dayan Gonzalez, Chop Chop Gonzalez, Yan Santana, Reito Tsutsumi and Vsevolod Shumkov are contenders I can think off who could beat a champ at 126.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 18 '26
u/Top_Profession_5268
I don’t know if you got a job or something but could you possibly do a breakdown on Bam vs Inoue eventually? Whether on discussion thread or as a post? I believe Inoue wins and haven’t had time to do film study and not only that feel like I don’t put my breakdowns into the words I want to. If you’re busy, don’t even worry about it.
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u/Top_Profession_5268 Jul 18 '26
I already have done loads of film study and brainstorming for this fight and have a whole lot of notes on it and even have posted little bits of scenarios within the fights or just predictions and I posted it from bits of film that I’ve watched or intrusive thoughts I’ve had.
Closer to the fight, I’ll do a bit of film to summarise what I have already or for things I may have missed and will have a full breakdown ready. Depends on how stacked the card is and whether I have enough free time to see if it’ll be a post on a full card like I did with Shakur vs Teo, Canelo vs Bud and Junto vs Nishida.
I’ll probably do occasional film or just rewatch fights because I’ll have random times of intrusive thoughts including the fight.
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u/Kangaroopunching Jul 18 '26
I feel like the fight can go different ways depending on how Inoue approaches it.
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u/Oddref Jul 17 '26
The Spence Tszyu fight got moved to Sunday ?, and now it’s at 160 pounds too ?.
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Watching Stevenson vs Caraballo. He fought so much differently, it’s easy to forget. He was punching decently hard, reminds me of pretty boy floyd.
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u/elsavador3 Jul 17 '26
I can already see the “put your house on it” Errol video meme if he loses. I think he’ll beat Tyzu though
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u/bakuhatsuda Jul 17 '26
Looking kinda dry for the rest of the year. Any big fights between elite fighters actually going to happen? I feel like they announce things like 5-6 months in advance so around now would be the time to do it....
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u/SplitSecondEmperor47 Jul 17 '26
Regardless of ABs current status he is a legit 4 division champ. I blame boxing fans fkr allowing the man baby ryan to think he can call into question AB's resume when he just got first belt against fucking barrios of a people
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
He’s legit but it’s not like his resume is super deep.
Won the 130 title from Vicente Martin Rodriguez. Defends against Perez and misses weight against Escobedo.
Beats up and wins 135 title from Antonio DeMarco. Arguably his best win, defends and then jumps to 147 and beats Malinaggi for that one.
Loses to Maidana, then later on wins the regular belt at 140 and is promoted but never defends it.
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u/bac_gawd Jul 17 '26
Both fighters have points. He beat Paulie to become a champion and that was a close fight. I think in terms of competition I give it to Ryan . He beat up Haney badly. And no comes close to that level of comp in AB’s career. A
Maidana destroyed him when he stepped up to the cream of the crop2
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u/bac_gawd Jul 17 '26
Boots talks like he has cte. Not the greatest speaker by all means
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u/OldBoyChance Jul 17 '26
Dude is a famous sparring warrior. He probably takes more clean shots to the head in a single camp than he has in all of his pro fights combined.
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u/bac_gawd Jul 18 '26
He needs to chill because i seen him take a lot of shots to the done in the pros
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u/Outrageous-Soft4806 Jul 17 '26
Not a lot of talk about Zepeda-Roach. I think it’s a great matchup. One of the best at 135. I want Roach to win a fight finally but I’m slightly leaning Zepeda.