Opinions and Observations: Beterbiev-Bivol 2

At first the rematch played out as the 13th round of their October fight. Artur Beterbiev applied relentless pressure, stepping on the gas, digging jabs and right hands to the body, and making Dmitry Bivol burn off a lot of energy trying to be evasive. Beterbiev was determined to leave no doubt as to whom rightfully deserved the victory in their first bout (Beterbiev won that by majority decision).  

But then two things changed the trajectory of the fight. Beterbiev abandoned his body work and Bivol decided to spend less time in retreat. By the sixth round Bivol started to really sit down on his punches. He also threw more in combination. 

The second half of the fight featured the best work that Bivol did in the match. When Beterbiev attacked at close range, Bivol was often masterful at hitting him on the way in and spinning out before Beterbiev could land anything of substance. I thought that Bivol's defense on the inside was better than it was in October; I believe that his temperament had changed as well. On Saturday he was in no mood to f$@* around and find out on the inside. He had learned that lesson in their first fight. 

Bivol (left) jabbing Beterbiev
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

In a sense, the rematch was a mirror image of their October bout, where Bivol opened well and then Beterbiev took over in the second half. On Saturday it was Beterbiev who started in the ascendency, but it was Bivol's superior boxing that won him a lot of rounds in the back half of the fight. And like their first bout, the fighter who was better in the second half wound up winning by majority decision. Here it was Bivol by 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 (the same exact scores for Beterbiev in the first bout). 

So perhaps Saturday's fight may be seen as a reversal, but to me the final result was the exact same. I had both bouts even, with the acknowledgment that Bivol or Beterbiev could have been awarded either fight. From my perspective, they have fought 24 rounds and I've yet to see a conclusive victor. 

I enjoyed the rematch more than their first fight. To me I thought that Beterbiev gave up too many early rounds in October by not letting his hands go. He was too casual in starting the fight. I also believe that Bivol made some poor tactical decisions in the first fight, especially when trying to mix it up with Beterbiev on the inside. 

Saturday's fight wasn't about giving rounds away. From that perspective, the fight was more satisfying. Each fighter was contesting every round. However, Beterbiev, to my surprise, couldn't sustain pressure for 12 rounds. Bivol also made fewer mistakes in the rematch. The fight didn't start his way, but he was able to right the ship. He spent very little time along the ropes, and he was also more defensively aware. Yes, he got cracked by some big shots, but he avoided those devastating short counters that Beterbiev detonated in the first fight. As a result, he spent less of the rematch in survival mode. More importantly, he didn't let rounds slip away after having them won, like he did in their first fight. 

Although Bivol's lows were fewer in the rematch, I also don't believe that his highs were as good as the first fight, where he had sustained dominance through large portions of the bout. There were points of October's match where he was legitimately piecing up Beterbiev, as if they didn't belong in the same ring together. In the rematch, Bivol avoided calamity, but he was also more judicious in opening up. Perhaps that was a smarter play. Ultimately, it was enough to get the job done, officially at least, but I still observed an abundance of caution from him, especially in the first five rounds in the fight. 

But even if you believe that Bivol did enough to win on Saturday, there can be no dispute that he got cracked in the 12th and had one of his worst rounds of the fight. So, when he could have really needed the final round, he still didn't take it. Consequently, he had to rely on the judges and sweat it out. Two of the judges liked his work enough, and that carried the day. 

So now we've had two "undisputed" fights between Beterbiev and Bivol and yet I feel that both fights are disputed. It's clear to me that this will be the two-headed monster era of Beterbiev/Bivol at light heavyweight. Both fights were so close that who won bout one or bout two is almost immaterial to me. Now that's not a bad thing; it just shows that the two fighters have similar talent levels.

I'd give Saturday's fight an 8/10, whereas the first for me was closer to a 7/10. There were fewer mistakes, fewer regrets. I still believe that the fighters themselves are better than the fights that they have produced. At his heart, Bivol is a neutralizer. If he's in a fight of the year, then something went really badly for him. He's not one who's seeking out a war. He remains a complicated puzzle, where only Beterbiev, officially, has been able to solve it. Or at least that's what the judges told me. The officials have it one a piece. I have yet to find a winner. 

These are compelling fighters, among the best of their era, but they have sized each other up and at best have found small margins over 24 rounds to give each a nominal leg up in a pair of fights. They have tried their best, but to me I couldn't tell you which one has been better. I'd like to see them get inducted to Canastota together.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Beterbiev-Bivol 2: Preview and Prediction

Before we address Saturday's undisputed light heavyweight rematch between Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) and Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs), let's try to understand what exactly happened during their first fight in October. After 12 rounds, opinion was split as to who won. The judges awarded the fight to Beterbiev via a majority decision, 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114, but it seemed like for every person who had Beterbiev winning, there was someone who thought that Bivol deserved it. (I scored the fight a draw.)

What made the fight so difficult to score were two distinct dynamics: 1. There were a few inconsequential rounds in the beginning of the fight where not a ton happened (the third round was a great example of this). Bivol was busier, but Beterbiev landed a couple of eye-catching shots. 2. There were two rounds (the seventh and the tenth) where Bivol was dominating the action, then got countered in the last 30 seconds, and was visibly hurt by the end of the round. Those rounds were the definition of "what you like." Should Bivol's dominance through most of the round be rewarded or does Beterbiev's significant damage in the last few seconds carry it? 

Their October fight fell into a gray area of boxing scoring, where the judges' cards were defensible, but legitimate differences of opinion could be warranted based on the action, or, at times, inaction of the bout. In my opinion, there were a possible eight rounds to give to Beterbiev and there were eight rounds where a judge could give it to Bivol. There were that many swing rounds in the fight.

Beterbiev (left) and Bivol trading in October
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Now this takes us to Saturday. What are the lessons learned for each fighter? For Beterbiev, it's obvious: Don't start as slowly. It's clear that Beterbiev, who had previously knocked out every opponent prior to Bivol, was concerned about the pacing of the fight. Having never gone 12 before, he wanted to make sure that he had enough in the tank in the second half of the fight. He wound up certainly having the juice at the end and dominated the championship rounds, but he definitely gave up some early rounds by not being busy enough. 

For the rematch, Beterbiev needs to bring the heat from the opening bell. Beterbiev now knows that he can hurt Bivol. He must apply maximum pressure and ferocity on Saturday. Yes, he escaped with the victory in October, but it could have gone the other way.

For Bivol, he has one adjustment to make. I believe that he lost the fight on the scorecards by being too greedy. I was shocked to see him bring the action to Beterbiev on the inside, and it was to his detriment. For Bivol, it was not enough to win rounds; he wanted to dominate. I thought that Bivol would play safety-first. But that's not what happened. As he unloaded on Beterbiev on the inside, he got countered by short, hard shots that did significant damage. And in an instant, all the good work that Bivol did earlier in those rounds was chucked in the bin. He went from having the upper hand to being in survival mode in the blink of an eye. 

There was an arrogance from Bivol that I didn't anticipate. But maybe I wasn't looking closely enough. In Bivol's signature win earlier in his career, against Canelo, the same pattern played out, minus the big counters. Bivol did very well on the outside. However, Bivol wasn't content just to play it safe. He took it to Canelo on the inside as well, as several of the middle rounds were spent with Bivol teeing off on Canelo, who had his back to the ropes. 

We like to think of Bivol as this machine-like, robotic boxer. But in big fights it's clear that his ego does play a part. He wants to dominate his opponent, embarrass him. Bivol wants the world to see his greatness. 

For Bivol to win on Saturday, he's going to have to swallow a bitter pill. He must box from mid-range or at a distance and he can't take chances on the inside. And he's going to have to stick to this pattern for 12 rounds. Yes, we've seen him do this against lesser opponents, but I'm not sure if he can sell himself on this approach against Beterbiev. After all, Bivol, like many others, believes that he won the first fight; it was the judges' problem, not his. 

My pick for Saturday is Beterbiev by knockout. I didn't pick Beterbiev to win the first fight and I don't believe that he won it either. But I think that his adjustment is more straight-forward. Artur, go to Bivol earlier. Ok, he says. And he does it. He knows he can hurt Bivol. He just needs to give himself more of the fight to work with. It's not going to be one shot that ends the bout, but sustained pressure and damage over time. 

I don't believe that Bivol can make it through 12 rounds against a Beterbiev who is determined to apply pressure from round one. Beterbiev now knows he can go 12. He has seen the best that Bivol can offer. It wasn't Beterbiev who was getting hurt. Bivol is going to have to keep the ego in check and yet still do enough to stay upright, stay off the canvas, and win rounds against a foe who is determined to finish him. I think it's too tall of an order. I'll take Beterbiev by late stoppage. 

Artur Beterbiev defeats Dmitry Bivol by 11th-round stoppage. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Opinions and Observations: Benavidez-Morrell

For all of David Morrell's amateur success, knockouts in the pros, and athletic talent, it was clear as early as the first round that he wasn't prepared for what David Benavidez had to offer on Saturday night. The first significant blows that Benavidez landed were lead right hooks that looped around Morrell's high guard and hit him squarely on the side of the head. Now those aren't traditional punches for an orthodox fighter to throw; still, there's a lot of tape on Benavidez and the right hooks weren't exactly a surprise. Yet, Morrell's defense was lacking. 

As the rounds continued, Benavidez landed repeatedly with two-punch combinations where the first shot of the sequence was a throwaway punch only for the second one to land with maximum force. He executed this often with the left hook/right hook to the body and the straight right/left hook to the body. Here again, Morrell didn't have the ability to defend himself properly. 

Benavidez (right) lands an uppercut
Photo courtesy of Esther Lin

But it wasn't all one-way traffic for Benavidez in the fight. On multiple occasions, Morrell caught Benavidez with a short right hook as Benavidez was coming in. He stunned Benavidez with the punch in the 4th and dropped him in the 11th with it. Morrell also found moments to explode off the ropes with quick combinations that were able to temporarily quell Benavidez's momentum. 

However, most of the fight consisted of Benavidez pressing forward and causing damage with his wide array of punches. His weapons were manifold: jab, left hook, right hook, straight right, left uppercut, right uppercut, body punches, and combinations. He had every punch available at his disposal. 

To Morrell's credit, he took a lot of punishment in the fight yet never stopped trying. He fought well in the championship rounds and put forth a spirited effort. There were multiple times in the fight where he was being battered, yet he summoned the fortitude to fire off massive power shots at Benavidez. Morrell was being beaten, but he refused to act like a beaten fighter. 

Benavidez won the fight by a unanimous decision, 115-111, 115-111 and 118-108. The funky scores could be explained by Morrell losing a point in the 11th for hitting Benavidez well after the final bell had rung in the round. I had it 116-110. 

Although this fight was not for a major light heavyweight title, it turned out to be a coming out party for Benavidez. In a raucous T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Benavidez put on a star-making performance. Although facing an undefeated fighter with considerable hype, Benavidez established his supremacy quickly. The crowd ate it up. They loved his power punching, his spite, his come-forward aggression, his showmanship, and his willingness to mix it up. 

It's been an incremental build for Benavidez, but now at the age of 28 and with a pristine 30-0 record with 24 knockouts, it's clear that he has become a significant draw in the sport. And although two long-time elite fighters, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, also reside in the 175-lb. division, Benavidez and his supporters will like their chances against anyone. 

What's often been forgotten about Benavidez is his considerable boxing education. Many will comment on his size, his pressure and his offensive output, but there is much more to him in the ring. Turning pro well before his 18th birthday, sparring the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin, Bivol and Gilberto Ramirez, coming from a fighting family, Benavidez has amassed a collection of unusual skills and talents that make him formidable in the ring. 

As a big man, he is just as comfortable fighting on the inside as he is at range. Often, he prefers to dish out damage in close quarters. Although he's known as an aggressor in the ring, he can spring traps if he is being pursued. 

Despite what may appear to some as sloppy footwork, he routinely cuts off the ring on supposedly superior athletes, like Morrell, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. Saturday's fight against Morrell also showed how successful he is at keeping an opponent in his wheelhouse. He'll use his arms to push an opponent back into place. He'll hold an opponent's head and hit (an illegal maneuver, but he gets away with it). He'll also use his body to close off exit routes, which he did multiple times against Morrell. Benavidez used his left shoulder to block Morrell from exiting to his own right side (his preferred route), which allowed Benavidez to continue to do damage at close range. 

Benavidez has punches from every range. After throwing long right hooks from distance on Saturday, he then shortened up his right to land straight down the middle. In close he threw sickening body shots and left uppercuts. At mid-range, he landed consistently with his jab and short right hands. 

Another aspect of Benavidez that is often overlooked is his defense. Along with Canelo, Benavidez may be the best in boxing at blocking shots with his arms while pressing forward. He doesn't lose his aggression, positioning or intent when facing incoming fire. In that he likes exchanges, he will get hit at times, but he was the one with the far superior defense on Saturday. 

Benavidez with his team
Photo courtesy of Esther Lin

As for Morrell, there was a lot to like about his intangibles during the fight. Facing by far the best opponent of his career, he refused to wilt. And despite almost all his pro fights consisting of quick stoppages, Morrell displayed a spirited effort in the closing rounds. The fight had not been beaten out of him. 

However, Morrell's defense just wasn't good enough on Saturday. Benavidez landed 40% of his shots in the fight and most of those weren't love taps. Morrell was getting hit by thunder. Although Morrell's starting hand positioning was usually sound, his defensive reflexes weren't quick enough to block Benavidez's attacks. Furthermore, he didn't have the intuitive understanding in how to make defensive adjustments during the fight. Yes, Benavidez can throw a kitchen sick at an opponent, but there was never a point in the fight where Morrell was successful at taking away a weapon or two; more often Benavidez behaved in the ring like he could throw and land anything that he wanted. 

On offense Morrell needs to broaden his skillset. He's perfectly fine coming forward or exploding with a quick combination. However, Morrell ignored Benavidez's body throughout the fight, which demonstrated either a lack of skills or confidence with this part of his game. Morrell's jab was also a non-factor in the fight. And perhaps most importantly, Morrell needs to understand how to win slower rounds. He prefers to fight in a frenetic style, but as Saturday showed, against world-class opponents, more is needed. He wasn't setting up shots. He was not clinching to buy time. He was not using his legs like he could have. He wasn't cagey. He wanted to win firefight exchanges, but he was clearly second best in that category. 

In a perfect world, Morrell would have had better development fights prior to Benavidez. But to Morrell's credit, he took the challenge, and now his team can make a real assessment about what they have and what they need to improve upon going forward. This experience was infinitely more important in Morrell's long-term development than additional early-round knockouts against substandard opposition. 

As for Benavidez, I believe that he's reached another echelon in the sport. Yes, there are threats out there and he could certainly lose, but he has the fight style, talent and charisma to take boxing fans on a wonderful journey. His fights guarantee action, power punching, high degrees of skill and the type of fearlessness that reminds fans why they love the sport. If he can stay focused out-of-the ring, he could have a spectacular run over the next five years. 

With the dearth of American boxing stars at the moment, Benavidez will be asked to carry a lot of water for the sport. But I think this is exactly where he wants to be. He sees himself as a star. He believes that he is among boxing's best. He knows that now is his time. And it could be quite a time for all of us.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Dominique Francis: A Young Fighter in Flow

When speaking with junior lightweight prospect Dominique Francis (16-0, 10 KOs), the words flow out of him in perfect rhythm. The South Florida-based Francis is nicknamed "Trapp," which to him has multiple meanings. One meaning is his style in the ring. Francis, an athletic and cerebral fighter, likes to set traps for his opponents. To Francis, his style is fluid. He doesn't mind fighting inside or outside, as a boxer or a puncher. His goal is to find a weakness in an opponent and get the victory. 

Then comes the music. Francis has been making music his whole life. And Trap is a dominant style of hip-hop music that originated in the South. But to Francis, the music, rhythm and flow is much more than just sounds, it's very much his family's way of life. With his Haitian roots, Francis talks about the central role of music in connecting with his ancestral culture. 

"Before I was a fighter," he said, "I wanted to be a full-time musician. My uncle is a musician, my uncle on the other side is a musician. My cousin is a musician. In Haitian culture, music is very important. It’s who I am. It’s a part of me."

Photo courtesy of Lee Bates

Although music has been a part of his life since he can remember, the 24-year-old isn't a newcomer to boxing. He started boxing when he was 10. He's sparred Teofimo Lopez off-and-on for over 10 years. He won a Junior Olympics tournament as an amateur. He squared off against noted fighters like Marc Castro, Malik Warren and Joshua Pagan during his unpaid days. 

Despite his early success in the pros, Francis still doesn't have a large profile in the sport as he enters his seventh year in the paid ranks. He knows that's about to change. He's had conversations and offers from notable players in the boxing market, but to this point he hasn't found the right fit. However, he's not worried about it. He believes that his time is coming. 

"I know that the future will be bright," he said. "I will do my job. There are a lot of promoters out there. Whatever promotional company I get with, they are getting a star, a future star that’s going to take over the sport, a face that is going to be recognized for a long time."

That's certainly not timid talk and there's a nod to Lopez with takeover reference, but to Francis, the talk is as natural as the fighting. 

There isn't a ton of tape on Francis, but in the few fights that are available online, one will notice a fighter with a fluid style that can change round-by-round. He can dominate rounds with his jab; he can sharpshoot with counters, he can dig right hands to the body, he can use his foot speed to neutralize aggression. For a fighter comparison, Francis possesses several characteristics similar to Richardson Hitchins. He's certainly rawer than Hitchins, but they are both fluid athletes with good jabs, sneaky right hands and an emphasis on fundamentals. 

In one of Francis' more notable opportunities, he fought Braian Arguello on the "KO to Drugs" card in Argentina in 2023. In hostile territory against a local opponent, Francis scored a knockdown and was himself dropped on his way to winning a unanimous decision. (Francis says that was the only time in his pro or amateur career that he's been on the canvas.)

But let's back up for a second. What's an American prospect doing fighting rugged opponents in Argentina for his developmental bouts? And this is where things get particularly interesting for Francis. In just 16 pro fights, Francis has already fought in four countries, (the U.S., Colombia, Argentina and Mexico). This is certainly not the tried-and-true formula for most American prospects. But without a large promotional company behind him, Francis, like many young fighters, has struggled to get opportunities. So, his management has looked abroad to further his career. And Francis has learned a lot about himself during his time on the road. 

"It’s a situation that you’re not used to," he said. "One you didn’t think about, one you’re not prepared for. It was about mental fortitude. It was about being ready wherever you are at. You have a job to do and finish the job. Handle your business. 

"It showed me that in an uncomfortable situation I’m able to relax. A lot of people when they come to an uncomfortable situation, they panic. So, I proved that to myself. It’s uncomfortable but I’m getting the job done. And I'm better for it."

Francis (left) connecting with a jab
Photo courtesy of Lee Bates

Francis is trained by longtime South Florida coach Derik Santos and his father, Smith Francis. The two-headed team has different points of emphasis in their coaching. Santos, who has been in the corner with Nate Campbell, Randall Bailey, Argenis Mendez and Rances Barthelemy among others, preaches fine margins, that the difference between good and great fighters often comes down to small details. He's about movement, punch placement and strategy. Smith Francis brings the motivation, the aggression and the shared struggle of the family. Together they are trying to mold a well-rounded fighter who is comfortable against any opponent or style. 

Dominique is also a big fan of film study. Although he rolls off the names of several top fighters of the past as his favorites, such as Ali, Leonard, Tyson and Jones, he also tries to incorporate attributes from fighters who aren't as foundational in the sport. He loves the movement and caginess of Cory Spinks and Paul Spadafora. He thinks that Andre Berto threw a tremendous uppercut. He sings the praises of Shane Mosley's aggression. 

Studying the greats has helped him visualize how he will win in the ring. "If I'm facing a southpaw," he said, "I'm going to be focusing on my right side: straight right hand, right hook, right uppercut. If I'm fighting an orthodox opponent, that's when my jab comes out, my left hook. Different opponents will bring out different sides of me. Each fight, each opponent calls for different things." 

Francis is close to announcing his next fight date. He plans on being back in the ring no later than March in the U.S. And while he's confident in his abilities, he understands that he needs to keep improving every aspect of his game. He knows that only by being in the gym, by working, by out-working, will he be able to defeat all comers. 

"I will continue to work on everything until the day I retire," he said. "My whole overall game will continue to improve. Jabs, setting up shots, the placements, the counters, the traps. I’m not the polished fighter yet, but I will get there. I'm working every day...

"But I have a lot of stuff in my arsenal. I was blessed by a higher power with all this. And I want to put all of it to use." 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook    

Filling the Void, and a New Void Created?

Let's remember how Riyadh Season started to gain momentum. Some big fights that should have been happening in boxing weren't. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder were three of the biggest names in the sport and yet for whatever reason, Joshua had never fought either opponent. Oleksandr Usyk was crashing the heavyweight party, but he was a man without a home base. His risk vs. reward profile forced him to go the mandatory route for a championship, because the big players in the sport weren't putting their money behind him. 

Furthermore, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev had been circling each other for years as fellow light heavyweight champs, but no one was willing to put up enough money for that fight to transpire. 

In stepped Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi Arabian government to get these fights over the line. Fights like Fury-Usyk and Beterbiev-Bivol were vital for this era of boxing. They helped determine who was truly the best in their respective divisions. There's a tremendous value in providing a definitive outcome in boxing instead of leaving a generation of "what ifs." 

Turki Alalshikh (center) at the Ring Magazine Awards
Photo courtesy of the WBA

As Riyadh Season has continued to gain prominence in boxing, the organization has designs on a complete paradigm shift in the sport. Recently, they announced a partnership with TKO Group Holdings, the entity that owns the UFC and WWE, to create a league for young developmental fighters. With most of the major promoters in the sport now feeding from their generous till, Riyadh Season is determined to bring even more big boxing events to Saudi Arabia. 

This is where things start to get a little dicey. Alalshikh has already mentioned that he would like to have the Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney rematch as a featured event in Saudi Arabia later this year. Now their fight did solid box office numbers at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, although the pay per view buys were a little softer than expected. But still, with the controversy surrounding their first fight, the rematch was guaranteed to do big business wherever it would've been held. 

And here is where the problem lies for those who want boxing to succeed. Taking important fights away from local markets can only hurt the sport's ability to generate new fans. 

Although boxing has created a lot of fans from its televised product over the generations, ask anyone who has attended a great live fight and he or she will tell you that it's among the best sporting experiences that they've ever experienced. Seeing a live fight helps cement the bonds of fandom in the sport. It increases one's passion and devotion to boxing. As great as it is to watch a fight on television the rush of adrenaline in seeing a memorable live fight is incomparable. 

And let's face it, not too many Americans will be traveling to Saudi Arabia for boxing. We're talking thousands upon thousands of dollars and the better part of two days of travel. That's a scenario for someone to do a couple of times in their life, instead of heading to Vegas or Los Angeles or Dallas or New York on a more frequent basis. 

This is not to say that Riyadh Season shouldn't have a place in creating important boxing fights. Take the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch; that is the perfect fight for Saudi Arabia to host. The undercard heavyweight fight between Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel should produce a lot of fireworks as well. That's another fight that looks great on paper but doesn't have a logical geographic location. It's a natural destination for Saudi Arabia. But why would light heavyweights like Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith need to fight in Saudi Arabia? That's a fight that would do solid business headlining in the U.K. That's subtracting a big fight from an important market. 

Beterbiev-Bivol was a signature Riyadh Season event
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Ritual is vital for spectator sports. Going to live events is shared by families, friends and co-workers. Live sporting events create indelible memories. They also reconfirm a commitment to a sport. If major home matchups were taken away from NFL fans or English Premier League fans, over time the level of interest would taper off. Fans want to see Cowboys-Eagles at the Big D or Liverpool-Manchester United at Anfield. By taking away the sport's showpieces, fans' excitement level and commitment to the sport would be lessened. The centerpiece sporting events are what people want to spend that hard-earned money on. 

Boxing needs Los Angeles and London and Tokyo and Sydney. It requires a vibrant global marketplace so that fighters can be developed and built into champions. For all of the resources that Riyadh Season has, what they don't have are the generations of experience in scouting and developing fighters. This is the main job of promoters: identifying boxers who could be world champions and building them up not just as athletes but as marketable attractions. And without thriving local markets for boxing, where are the opportunities to do the kind of nuts-and-bolts development that is required to produce the next wave of talent? 

Much is still to be determined. Who knows when and how the TKO deal will get off the ground? I'm sure that the developmental league will be armed with buckets of money, but so much about boxing is about connections. Fighters often follow the advice of their trainers and managers. They are looking for organizations with track records of success. How many will want to be guinea pigs for a new endeavor? Will their development fights be in their home country? How often will they be fighting? Who will be guiding them? These are paramount questions that aren't just solved with money. The smart ones know that when it comes to development, it's not always just about flashy per-fight guarantees. 

Riyadh Season, like many who have come before them, believe that they can eventually dominate the sport. And let's face it, they have the purse strings and the negotiating muscle to facilitate many changes in boxing. Some of these changes are worthwhile. Promoters should be working together more. Fighters should be facing better competition. Higher risk deserves bigger dollars. 

But there are potential downsides too. Boxing requires fan participation for its sustenance. On a more granular level, major boxing markets need big fights as well. Boxing will not be healthy if key fight cities only have B- and C-level product. 

Alalshikh has stated his desire to increase Saudi Arabia's tourism, to diversify the country's GDP, so it becomes a little less reliant on the fossil fuels industry. Those goals are understandable. He sees boxing, and more recently a large investment in DAZN, as ways to help create more revenue that is less dependent on the spot price of crude oil. 

Hopefully other key stakeholders in boxing realize that a little bit of moderation will be required. Yes, Saudi Arabia should remain an option for certain fights, and even certain big fights where there isn't a natural box office market commensurate with the talent of the fighters in question. There is a significant role for that Riyadh Season could play. But I hope that the other key promoters and broadcasters in the sport realize that their local markets must have a healthy boxing scene for the sport to thrive. Without butts in seats, the sport will whittle away even more of its current fanbase. 

I'm not saying that all of these decisions are necessarily easy or straight-forward. Deals have to be made. Some horse trading will be inevitable. But I'm hoping that the key stakeholders involved understand that in addition to being profitable entities, that they also have a role as stewards for the sport. If there is to be big-time boxing around the world in future generations, they will have to take prudent stands every now and then to fight for what is best the long-term future of the sport. One also needs to hedge against the possibility that Saudi Arabia curtails its interest in the sport. If all the eggs are in one basket, what is left to come home to? 

Boxing has always had a problem thinking long-term. The terrible decision to take the sport off of network TV in America for premium cable certainly led to shorter-term riches for generations of promoters. But over time, the survivors understood the long-term damage that was done to the sport. Boxing hemorrhaged fans and lost its grip in the broader cultural discussion. 

Now is a chance for the wise actors in the room to understand the choices that they face. Saudi Arabia can be a vital source of revenue for the sport and also further the careers of many fighters, but without thriving local boxing markets, the sport could dry up like a desert mirage.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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