Boxing Does Something Right

Yesterday we riffed on Bernard Hopkins' full frontal assault on mixed martial arts' manhood, and in response many of my readers -- okay, two of them... all two of them -- pointed out that the frustrating tendency of top boxers to avoid each other isn't exactly macho, either.



Sadly, this might be the closest these two ever come to meeting. As a bodybuilding contest, it's a draw


Point taken. 


As excited as we all are about the resurgence of the sweet science since May 2007, when Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya clashed in the biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view ever, true fans realize that old problems could undermine recent progress. 


Fans both hardcore and casual understand that the biggest fight in the sport in 2010 would be a showdown between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, provided Pacquiao defeats Miguel Cotto in November. But as the Cotto bout draws closer, the Mayweather fight looks less and less certain. 


As predicted by the World's Greatest in September, Pacquiao's people are looking for reasons not to make this fight happen.


By now we know the drill. A fight we want to see bogs down in negotiations, marketable fighters pursue less lucrative options, and the maddening dance continues.


That's why I'm so excited about the Super Six Boxing World Boxing Classic.


Six of the top supermiddleweights in the world matched in a round robin tournament to determine the division's top fighter.


No bickering over contracts and purses. That's was all done month ago, the eventual settling of differences making this event possible.


No ducking tough opponents to safeguard spotless records. Four fighters enter the tournament undefeated, but all realize an "0" must go.


And no lacklustre matchups giving boxing fans reasons to watch something else. 


Just big fights between top contenders, and an impressive documentary detailing the beyond-the-ring struggles required to put this event together.





How big a deal is this event?


Put it to you this way:


In a hockey-obsessed city, with the the local team attracting unprecedented attention for their unprecedented suckitude, I managed to sell my editors on a story about the tournament, even though it includes neither Canadians nor hockey players.


That's big.


Look for the story in Saturday's Star. And if you can't track down the paper I'll post the link here.