Hello fight fans and welcome to another edition of Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack, the only mailbag column FDA-approved to fight boxing illiteracy and gynecomastia in boxing writers. This week, we have comments/questions regarding Haney, Tank, Benavidez-Andrade, Teofimo-King Ry, Shakur-Zepeda.
Haney and Tank
Hi Paul.
I wanted to get your take on Devin Haney, Gervonta “Tank”Davis, their upcoming career paths and whether you see those paths ever intersecting. And if they do meet up one day, who wins and how?
Thanks for keeping the written word alive at Fight Hype.
– Mark from Baltimore
Hey Mark.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I see Devin Haney and Tank Davis traveling very distinct paths for the foreseeable future. Haney, of course, will be moving up in weight, challenging WBC junior welterweight champ Regis Prograis on December 9. Win or lose, he’ll have to make the decision to stay at 140 or move back to 135 where he’s still the undisputed champ. Another option that he’s brought up recently is the possibility of moving up to 147. All of that is possible for Haney. I don’t see a “big” fight for Haney after this Prograis fight, but I could see guys like Teofimo Lopez and Jose Ramirez in the not too distant future. Tank, meanwhile, is back in the gym getting ready for TBA. Isaac Cruz, Chris Colbert, and Frank Martin could be options for the immediate future. I don’t see any of those matchups as particularly electrifying, but the logistics involved in making bouts with Haney, Teofimo, and/or Shakur would be immense and, ultimately, crippling– at least for now. I hope I’m wrong.
As for what would happen if Tank and Haney DID fight? I think it would be very close for four or five rounds and then Gervonta would begin to eat Devin alive. I see Tank winning via TKO in the tenth.
Benavidez vs. Andrade
Hi Magno.
On November 25, you will see the vindication and validation of Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade as he shuts out and shuts down David Benavidez. The come up is years in the making, but it’s going to happen. It’s just a damn shame that it took so many years for Boo Boo to finally get the big opportunity that he needed. Credit to Benavidez for being that man who gave Boo Boo that shot. David is a real one. But he’s not going to win. On that night, we will see the real most avoided man in boxing make the most of his big opportunity and box his way to a surprisingly easy unanimous decision. When this happens, will Canelo then be embarrassed into fighting him?
– Clyde
Hey Clyde.
Well, that’s certainly a bunch of words in a sentence written by a true blue Boo Boo fan. While it’s generally true that a good defense shuts down a good offense, there’s more at play in this Benavidez-Andrade fight. Benavidez has a higher ring IQ than people give him credit for and it remains to be seen whether Andrade has the pop or the all-around warrior chops to keep Benavidez at arm’s length and respectful. It’s definitely possible that Andrade will turn in a masterful performance that nullifies Benavidez’s game, but there’s nothing in Boo Boo’s past body of work to suggest that he can do that against someone like Benavidez. But you can also say the same about Benavidez. He’s never faced someone like Andrade who does the things that he does. It’ll be interesting and it’ll probably take us actually seeing the matchup play out before we have an idea of who has the best chance of turning this fight into a showcase evening.
Teofimo-King Ry, Shakur-Zepeda
Hi Paul.
I saw where Oscar De La Hoya was publicly talking about a Super Bowl of Boxing event where the co-main events would be cross-promotional Golden Boy-Top Rank fights between Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda. Is this even remotely real talk? If it does happen, how do you see the fights playing out?
– Juan from San Jose.
Hi Juan.
Oscar may have a death wish. This Super Bowl of Boxing would be suicide for Golden Boy because I think Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson beat GBP’s Ryan Garcia and William Zepeda decisively. Two of Golden Boy’s biggest stars would be snuffed out that night and it could be pretty ugly. Oscar’s smarter than that (?). I’d put it at 95% that he’s not serious about trying to put together something like that. He’s just trying to get some publicity for his fighters, for his company, and for himself.
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