Dud In Times Square And For Canelo

[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]

Boxing Dud In Times Square And For Canelo by Rich Mancuso May 4, 2025 Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing and DAZN Boxing NEW YORK, NY — This was a good concept in Times Square Friday evening, Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi Prince and his empire ruling boxing, erecting a ring in the Crossroads of the World. Anticipation of three fights with six fighters all looking for something. And all week there was anticipation. New York City reportedly was paid over $20 million to secure the area, the NYPD prepared with an overflow of fans on the streets looking at big screens because 350 VIP guests were invited in the bubble. Though the fans who travelled lengths never saw the screens. A red Ring Magazine banner and metal gates kept the fans away from any view, though reportedly over 400,000 surrounded the area. Not a New Years Eve bash, instead this was boxing presented in a unique and different way. Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing But it didn’t work. Fans were shut out of any view, screens as said not available in Times Square. Fighters drove to the ring from their hotel a few blocks away with escorts fitting for a King. And media came from all over, restricted to covering an event at two local nearby restaurants. From a personal perspective, I arrived hours earlier and could not get access to the bubble area, Instead, talked to a few of those VIP fighters including Edgar Berlanga, the super middleweight from New York and Puerto Rico, scheduled to fight July 12 as a headliner vs. Hamzah Sheeraz, rumored on the next Turki Ring card in Central Park with another unusual venue for boxing. Regardless, whether it be Times Square or Central Park. Or the unusual venues of the Roman Coliseum, Alcatraz, Turki has interest in those venues, having a vision on the biggest weekend of boxing. A trifecta with Canelo Alvarez in Saudi Arabia, Top Rank in Las Vegas Sunday evening featuring Naoya Inoue (29-0, 26 K0s) the undisputed junior feather champion from Japan defending his crown and not a Ring Magazine event. And the fights, nothing to brag about Friday night. Not too expectations, overall a boxing card that can be described in my words again as a dud. Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing And here are a few starting statistics, courtesy of Compubox punch stats that tell the story: Total punches landed in Main Event: Ryan Garcia: 66 and Rolly Romero: 57–Fourth lowest output in Compubox history of calculating over 15,000 fights. Total Punches landed in Co-Main Event: Devin Haney: 70 and José Ramírez: 40–Third lowest in Compubox history. The implications of Teofimo Lopez winning a unanimous decision and retaining his WBO junior welterweight title over Arnold Barboza Jr. are endless questions. Who does Lopez oppose next? Not a memorable fight, though Lopez was more active. Barboza was far from perfect and not resembling his split decision win in February over Jack Catterall that earned him a title opportunity. He outclassed Barboza over 12 rounds as Lopez (22-1, 13 K0s) landed 127 of 574 punches. Now a three- time champion with the Ring Magazine title, Lopez has not been his best since moving to 140 after unifying the lightweight belts. Image Credit: DAZN Boxing But there are options for Lopez, including his quest to move on to 147, a challenge to welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis. “I go after the tough challenges,” he said. “I want to see Boots. I’m Dora the Explorer and I’m looking for Boots.” Regardless, and as the punch stats show with Haney, that could be next and staying at 140. Haney, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over José Ramírez in another snoozer, a year after a controversial fight with Ryan Garcia, what remains, is he the same fighter? Ramirez, a former lightweight champion, will probably not see another big payday which leads to a main event and stunned the boxing world. Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing There reportedly was an agreement in place, but plans for Turki to rematch Haney and Garcia later this year have been put on hold. Yes the fight can still occur, the magnitude diminished. Garcia also at welterweight losing in his return to the underdog Rolando Romero, a former junior welterweight champion. This was Garcia, perhaps not handling the move up in weight. Or numerous questions of Garcia not using PEDs that caused a one-year suspension and absence from the ring. Romero (17-2), a former champion, set the tone and dropped Garcia with a left hook in round 2. Garcia could not recover and appeared to be the timid fighter. Significant as Garcia said, he needs to regroup. At welterweight, he feels comfortable but the rematch with Haney is on hold. Romero, though, at 147 more power and strength. Romero earned respect and the options are endless for lucrative and possible fights with Lopez or Haney. He said Garcia and Haney should have a rematch. He would step aside. But if Turki can do some damage control, Garcia-Haney a second time happens later this year in Saudi Arabia. “He fought a good fight,” Garcia said about Romero who would not allow Garcia to sneak in a game ending left. “He caught me early. No excuses, man, Congrats to him. He did a great job, and that’s it.” Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing And Garcia will regroup amid the questions. He is young (26 years old) and is more focused, mentality and attitude much better. PED use probably will be constantly questioned from the Haney fight, admitted to making mistakes, and rubbed his eyes from tears. Still boxing personnel believe in his talents and there is every reason to believe Garcia, who many say is a superstar will recover though still without a championship. Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing Is it Haney-Garcia or Lopez-Romero? This is boxing and in all places an unusual setting in Times Square. Canelo Heads To Crawford: William Scull came for the party and Canelo Alavrez attended with a lackluster 12-round unanimous decision snooze fest etching his stone in boxing history as a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. Scull was awarded the IBF portion of the title via that technicality of boxing politics because Alvarez declined to face him. Early Saturday morning in Riyadh, televised world wide in DAZN PPV, it was all Canelo, though one judge at ringside with a 115-114 verdict is difficult to understand. Scull, a Cuban who stepped up in previous fights to many won two rounds, Another card of 119-109 was an overall consensus. Basically this concluded two nights of lackluster fights on a weekend bonanza for the sport. But the story here is Alvarez heading to a clash with Terance “Bud” Crawford September 12th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the undisputed titles. Crawford and Alvarez in most rankings among the top five pound-for-pound. Crawford, a junior middleweight champion, will vacate his title and move up two weight classes. Though Alvarez has not scored a knockout since an 11th round TKO over Caleb Plant in November of 2021, Crawford is the package with power, defense, and lethal jab. “It won’t be that kind of fight against Crawford,” Alvarez said referring to Scull who stayed away from getting hit to the body and threw 293 punches, now the fewest in a 12-round championship fight according to Compubox. Regardless, the legacy of Alvarez (63-2-2,3 KOs) continues as he handed Scull (23,1, 9 KOs) his first defeat. “I hate that kind of fight,” Alvarez said. “He moved even more than we thought, But it’s okay, We won. We’re here.” Munguía Wins the Rematch: Six months after getting stunned and knocked down in the 6th round, super middleweight Jaime Munguía of Mexico got his revenge with a 12-round unanimous decision over Bruno Surace and used discipline this time. Image Credit: DAZN Boxing One of the attractions prior to Alvarez-Skull was the suspense. Could Munguía get his revenge and become a player again in the division? He certainly answered the questions and could oppose Edgar Berlanga next. Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso Subscribe and like Rich Mancuso @YouTube and view Keep It In The Ring live every Thursday evening 8PM ET with boxing, pro wrestling, and MMA talk Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content Instagram: @latinosportsoficial Facebook: Latino Sports Twitter: @latinosports Related Topics Arnold Barboza Jr. boxing Bruno Surace Canelo Alvarez Central Park Compubox Devin Haney Edgar Berlanga Fatal Fury Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves featured Jaime Munguía Jaron Ennis Jose Ramirez Manhattan Naoya Inoue New York City Ring Magazine Riyadh Rolly Romero Ryan Garcia Saudi Arabia Teofimo Lopez Terence Crawford Times Square Turki Al-Sheikh William Scull Click to comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. 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