Fight fans would probably agree, we have seen a pretty bumpy start to 2021. Yes, we’ve seen some great fights, a couple FOTY candidates, but we’ve also seen the massive heavyweight unification showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fall apart. In fact, we have yet to see a world heavyweight title fight take place here in 2021, and we’ve also seen two of the hottest young stars, in Teofimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia, fail to build on their momentum.
But now, courtesy of the official announcement of the Anthony Joshua-Oleksandr Usyk fight, and just a while ago, word from Mike Coppinger that Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant are “closing in on a deal for a September 18 bout in Las Vegas,” there are reasons to be cheerful.
The AJ-Usyk fight, so long in the making (or in the signing) is set for London on September 25 and now, it seems we could see Canelo go for the final belt in his 168-pound quest, this the Saturday before the heavyweight dust-up. Both fights promise to be can’t-miss stuff for hardcore, as well as casual fight fans.
Yes, Joshua is the favorite over Usyk, just as Canelo will be a big favorite over Plant. But both fights carry with them an element or two of intrigue, and of course, both Joshua and Canelo are arguably the two biggest stars in boxing right now. To see them both in action, against top-notch opposition, a week apart……well, what’s not to like?
This August, we will see a living legend (Manny Pacquiao) take on an undefeated pound-for-pound star (Errol Spence), and hopefully in October (barring zero problems), we will see Fury and Deontay Wilder finally get to grips with settling their many differences.
And there are still some potentially big fights to come in November and December. Rest assured; boxing is still kicking it here in 2021.
Now, who wins: AJ or Usyk (this is a tough one for both men, make zero mistake about it), Canelo or Plant (Plant sure has argued his worth in this fight, and he has a ton of true, unadulterated belief), Fury or Wilder (how odd to be asking such a question in light of what Fury did to Wilder in fight-two)?
Let’s get ready for some good stuff as we close in on the end of the year.
