By Norm Frauenheim-

Comebacks, always perilous and often controversial, help separate the good from the bad in a notoriously unpredictable craft. It just wouldn’t be the same without them, which is another way of saying it wouldn’t be the same without Ray Beltran.

Beltran’s life has been about comebacks. They define him. Beltran makes another one Sunday, an appropriate day for an ESPN card (7 p.m., ET) that features a couple of the good guys.

There’s Beltran in the co-main event at a heavier weight and with a still inexhaustible will to fight on. In the main, there’s Jose Ramirez, who is raising money to fight cancer before and after he fights Jose Zepeda at Save Mart Arena in Fresno, Calif.

For Beltran, the bout at junior welterweight against Hiroki Okada marks the his 20th year as a pro in the unforgiving art of landing – and taking – punches. Two decades as a prospect, journeyman, heralded sparring partner, contender and world champion are for most fighters an exhaustive resume.

But most aren’t Beltran, who emerges from it all as a survivor with some of the inevitable scars, yet still a trademark smile that says – again and again – that there’s much left to do. Above all, his title as world champion at lightweight was too short. Beltran, Manny Pacquiao’s former sparring partner, won it a year ago in a decision against Paulus Moses and lost a first defense against Jose Pedraza six months later in Glendale, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix, his adopted hometown.

He’s back, perhaps, because he wants to add some time and money to his reign with a title belt. There’s motivation, perhaps, in seeking proof his brief time with a title wasn’t a temporary coincidence and could have been brought on in the eighth round by a torn tendon between his wrist and left hand.

But I’m also guessing he’d be back no matter what. He could have been a champion for three years. He could have had five successful title defenses and made big money in a loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko in a sixth defense.

But he’d be back, regardless, because the long fight is in his genes.

Before his loss on the scorecards to the surprising Pedraza on August 25, I asked Beltran (35-8-1, 21 KOs) what he wanted to do after boxing. He hesitated. Then, he said he might like to try working in the media or in some other role at ringside. But his real answer was in the hesitation. For now, he isn’t going anywhere other than through those ropes and into more of harm’s way.

That’s his identity. He has stood in lines, waited his time and learned his craft while awaiting his green card for permanent U.S. residence. Beltran, who grew up in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, told me he eventually wants to gain his U.S. citizenship, while presumably also re-gaining a world title.

For now, that means a move up the scale, from 135 pounds to 140, against Okada (19-0, 13 KOs), who will fight in the U.S. for only the second time after winning his first 18 bouts at home in the same arena – the 1,800-seat Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. The Japanese junior-welterweight then signed with Top Rank and won his U.S. debut last September, also in Fresno on a card featuring Ramirez.

I know very little about Okada. Then again, I didn’t know much about Pedraza, a Puerto Rican lightweight, before he upset Beltran and moved on to a loss to the feared Lomachenko. It looks as if Top Rank is looking at Beltran or Okada as a possibility for Ramirez, who is poised to become a major player in a weight class full of emerging stars.

“If it’s at 140, then I will be a two-division world champion,’’ Beltran said when the Okada fight was announced. “And if it’s at 135, then I will be a two-time lightweight champion.’’

No translation necessary. He’s not going anywhere.

By Norm Frauneheim-

“Everybody has a plan until you get hit.”

— Mike Tyson

A sensible quote from a dysfunctional life in a violent business has become a modern mantra. Philosophers and politicians, preachers and phonies, are using the line from a heavyweight champ who knows how much chaos one punch can spawn. Everybody is quoting Tyson these days. Who knew?

Saturday, Tyson’s scarred wisdom will be as relevant as ever in a place that helped create it when Oscar Valdez Jr. returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a broken jaw.

Valdez faces 2016 Italian Olympian Carmine Tommasone at the Dallas Cowboys training center in Frisco, Tex., (ESPN/10 p.m. ET)) in his first bout since an almost frightening display of courage, guts and blood in a decision over Scott Quigg on a rainy night in Southern California last March. If it wasn’t Fight of The Year, it was year’s bloodiest.

Memories of the dramatic 12 rounds are Valdez’ misshapen jaw and a puddle of blood amid all the puddles of rain. Valdez’ blood collected on the canvas in front of his stool and it stayed there, seemingly undiluted by persistent showers at an outdoor ring in Carson, Calif. For six-plus rounds, he fought with a mouthpiece that could not be withdrawn for fear of further fractures.

It was stark and unforgettable. Defining, too. It said everything about Valdez’ character. But it said something else. As defining it was, it was also a reason for him to redefine his future. It’s not as if he’s starting over Saturday night on a card featuring a light-heavyweight rematch of Eleider Alvarez’ August upset of Sergey Kovalev. Valdez still has the WBO’s featherweight title. He’s still unbeaten (24-0, 19 KOs).

But he is fighting for a way to ensure he has a long career. He wants more defining moments beyond that dramatic night against a heavier Quigg.

That brings us back to Tyson’s increasingly-familiar quote. Valdez, a Mexican Olympian who began boxing as a schoolboy in Tucson, resumes his career against Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs) with a new trainer — Canelo Alvarez cornerman Eddy Reynoso instead of Manny Robles — and an adjusted plan.

Newfound defense is its cornerstone.

For Valdez, it is as much a mindset as it is a tactical adjustment. It’s not as if he doesn’t know the fundamentals. Two-time Olympians know the basics. They know their way around the ring. The dilemma is in Valdez’ instincts. He loves to brawl and fans love him for it.

That instinct became dangerously evident against Miguel Marriaga in April 2017 in Carson, Calif. That’s when Valdez — comfortably ahead on the scorecards — invited Marriaga to step forward and into a give-and-take, head-rocking exchange over the last couple of rounds. The crowd went wild. Valdez survived and won on the cards. His Top Rank promoters were as relieved as they were happy.

Things got more dangerous five months later in front of a hometown crowd in Tucson against Genesis Servania, an unknown and then unbeaten Filipino. Servania knocked down Valdez in a wild fourth-round. Valdez, a survivor as much as he is a brawler, paid back Servania with a knockdown of his own in the tenth. Again, Valdez won on the cards, but not without mounting questions.

Then, there was Quigg. The broken jaw, subsequent surgery and months of rehab dictated that it was time to change.

“The injury opened my eyes in a lot of ways,’’ Valdez told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times in a well-done story from the Mexican featherweight’s training camp in San Diego. https://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-oscar-valdez-20190130-story.html

“I need to learn from my mistakes, and listen to the people who know. If I was somewhat disciplined before, I have to become more disciplined, because I know now that my next fight could be my last. It’s made me become more cautious, more disciplined, more prepared, so that doesn’t happen again.”

An early answer is awaiting impact. Valdez has been hit on the surgically-repaired jaw repeatedly in sparring and at least once, according to Pugmire’s story, while playing softball. Thomas Valdez, Oscar’s cousin and a Tucson lightweight, said he sparred with him before Thomas beat Luis Coria at Casino Del Sol in November. His cousin’s jaw, Thomas said then, has healed. Oscar Valdez is better than ever, he said.

But sparring doesn’t include punches thrown in the heat of battle. There are questions about whether Tommasone, who is fighting for the first time in the U.S., has enough power to do any damage. Five stoppages in 19 bouts indicate he doesn’t.

Saturday’s bout, perhaps, is the first step in a longer process, one Valdez hopes will lead to a chance at unifying the featherweight title.

But it will provide the first hint at whether Valdez’ plan can withstand the hit that Tyson says will always land.

Attachments area

By Norm Frauenheim-

Call it the Welcome Back Division. At least, that what it is in mid-to-late January as the welterweights shake out who’s real. And who’s not.

First, there was the U.S. homecoming for an enduring standard in Manny Pacquiao last Saturday and this Saturday there is the return of Keith Thurman, who is back after a 22-month absence against Josesito Lopez at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in a Fox-televised bout (5 p.m. PT/8 pm ET)

Despite his age, the 40-year-old Pacquaio stamped himself as still relevant at 147 pounds by outworking a much younger Adrien Broner in every conceivable way. The caveat is that Broner helped him do it. Broner might have collected more money per punch than anybody in the history of prizefighting. According to CompuBox, Broner landed 50 punches, or a little more than four a round. If he collected a $5 million guarantee, he got $100,000 per punch.

“Time to cash checks and have sex,’’ Broner said of his plans after the bout (Showtime replay 10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

His hands were a lot busier endorsing those checks than they were against Pacquiao. Then again, Broner did his job. In part, he was there to showcase reasons Pacquiao can still be a factor 147 pounds. He pursued throughout 12 rounds. His power was still potent enough to send Broner into retreat midway through the fight and almost into hiding over the last couple of rounds. But the undiminished power in his name was more meaningful than anything he still has in his left hand. The Filipino Senator is still a draw.

Showtime’s pay-per-view audience was reported be about 400,000, modest by standards that Pacquiao set during a bygone era when anything short of one million was a disappointment. By today’s standards, however, the audience size and an estimated PPV revenue of $30 million are solid numbers.

That begs the obvious question, of course. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was at ringside, prompting inevitable speculation about a rematch of their revenue-record setting fight, a Mayweather victory by decision in 2015. Mayweather didn’t answer the question about whether he’s interested. His silence, of course, leaves the door wide open for months of further speculation and media attention. Leonard Ellerbe, of Mayweather Promotions, spoke for him Saturday, saying he had no interest and reminding everyone that he’s retired.

A couple of days later, Pacquiao ran into Mayweather at Los Angeles’ Staples Center at an NBA game. Remember, real negotiations for the first fight began at an NBA game in Miami. This time, however, there were no signs that history would repeat itself.

“I only want to continue to fight the best,” Pacquiao said. “If Floyd can no longer fight at my level, then of course he should stay retired.”

Only a fool would doubt whether the speculation will continue. Meanwhile, however, Pacquiao says will continue fighting. His retirement date is now a couple of years away. He mentioned 42. That could mean three, maybe four, fights, all against fighters he says will be “the best.’’

For those considered the best, the welcome mat is out. Pacquiao is older, but the guess here is that he can still outdraw any of the world’s other contending welterweights.

Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. fight might change that. But there’s no immediate prospect of that one happening. Instead, Crawford will fight a faded Amir Khan in April. Spence has an intriguing date against Mikey Garcia on March 16. Put Pacquiao in against three — Crawford, Spence or Garcia — of those four, and you have a pay-per-view attraction that could boost that PPV number by a couple of hundred thousand. That’s why everybody was so happy to have an effective Pacquiao back Saturday. Like the Mayweather questions, however, potential danger can’t be ignored.

A Pacquiao with relevancy restored in a one-sided victory over a shrinking Broner might be a Pacquiao set up to get hurt by the young lions.

Crawford, who ranks as No. 1 on this pound-for-pound list, seems to be sharpening the edge on his skillset and killer instinct with each opening bell. Spence, the strongest of today’s active welterweights, is also the biggest, which makes him too big for Pacquiao, whose natural weight is at about 140.

In terms of size, a Pacquiao fight with Garcia, a lightweight and junior-welterweight champion, makes some sense, especially if he is competitive against the bigger Spence. In terms of age, however, they have little in common, other than December birthdays. Mikey Garcia was born on Dec.15, nine years after Pacquiao was born on Dec. 17. Garcia is still in his prime. Pacquiao is not.

Fighting to get back on the list is Thurman, who is two inches shorter than Spence and two inches taller and a decade younger than Pacquiao. Thurman, who flashed huge power and instinctive smarts, was shoved off that list by injuries to an elbow and a hand. He under surgery. He got married. In the time he was idle, there Crawford’s impressive jump for 140 to 147 and Garcia’s risky challenge of Spence. Now, there’s Pacquiao, on a lengthening list full of reasons for Thurman to hit the welcome mat with a big win.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – The smile never changes. It was there, forever young, all over again Friday as Manny Pacquiao looked into Adrien Broner’s bearded face and calculating eyes after both welterweights stood in front of each other for the face-to-face ritual that follows every weigh-in.

It’s still the smile that introduced Pacquiao to America. He’d walk to the ring, smiling like a kid headed to the playground. He’s 40 now. No kid, yet he’s still fighting to survive in a dangerous place he once ruled with punches and playfulness. He was happy to be there in those days. He’s happy to be there now.

The 29-year-old Broner promises – profanely, repeatedly and to anyone willing to listen – that Pacquiao has made a –mistake. Harm’s way — that canvas-covered turf surrounded by forbidding ropes – belongs to younger men with dangerous intentions still un-eroded by time. Broner’s youth and anger have sent a tone and a warning that middle-aged men belong on the safe side of those ropes behind a microphone or in a corner with a bucket.

Time moves on, and Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) insists that his will finally arrive Saturday night when he vows to upset Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a Showtime pay-per-view bout (9 p.m. ET/6 pm PT).

“This one is for the ‘hood,’’ Broner said after weighing 146.5 pounds. Pacquiao was at 146, one pound lighter that the welterweight mandatory

Translation: It’s not for a Senator, which happens to be just one of Pacquiao’s many titles, including eight in eight weight classes and two in Filipino politics. Yet, Pacquiao, also a former Congressman and the WBA reigning 147-pound champion, hears it all and responds with that one enduring gesture. He smiles. There’s no mistaking Broner’s endless profanity and slurs. The words are meant to intimidate. Yet, no matter what Broner says, he always sees the same thing from Pacquiao. Broner must wonder: What in the (insert profanities and slurs here) is that (more profanities and slurs) thinking?

For this fight, at least, that Pacquiao smile is a psychological weapon. Broner is trying to elicit a response, yet all he gets are his own second thoughts about what he might be getting into against an aging fighter. A bad loss for Pacquiao might eliminate a much-talked-about rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., whose face and words figure all over the Showtime telecast. It also would eliminate a speculated with Errol Spence Jr. or Mikey Garcia, both of whom are lot more dangerous than Broner ever hopes to be. Spence and Garcia are set to fight on March 16.

But retirement only means Pacquiao moves on, finally and for good, into a stage of his life that includes fulltime politics and the Hall of Fame. For Broner, there’s more to lose, mostly because there not much else beyond another opening bell. Trouble with the law has been a constant for Broner. He is 1-1-1 over his last three bouts. Only the arrest warrants are outstanding.

Broner behaves like an angry man, raging at everything he doesn’t have and hasn’t won.

Pacquiao already has a lot, has won a lot and is poised to do more of both.

No wonder he still smiles.

LAS VEGAS –Cameron Krael stopped Michael Ogundo in the 1st round of their scheduled ten round welterweight fight that kicked off Pacquiao – Broner fight weekend at The MGM Grand.

Krael dropped Ogundo three times before the fight was halted.

Krael is now 15-13-3 with four knockouts. Ogundo is 15-11.

Layla McCarter was penalized one point, but she still got most of the posits from the judges, who gave the Vegas welterweight a unanimous decision over Yamila Reynoso Thursday night on a Floyd Mayweather-promoted card at the MGM Grand.

McCarter (43-12-5, 11 KOs) appeared to land the heavier shots throughout most of the 10-round semi-main event against Reynoso (11-6-3, 8 KOs), of Johnstown, Pa.

Best of the Undercard

Brooklyn super-lightweight Richardson Hitchins combined long arms and sudden0-strike quickness to stay unbeaten (7-0, 3 KOs), scoring a unanimous decision over Tre’Sean Wiggins (10-4, 6 KOs) of Johnstown, Pa.

The Rest

Mexican bantamweight Antonio Rodriguez (15-23-2, 6 KOs) scored a first-round knockdown, which proved enough to be enough for a split decision over Dylan Price (7-1, 5 KOs) of Sicklerville, NJ.

Las Vegas super-featherweight Andres Cortez (10-0, 6 KOs) punished Mexican Eder Fajardo (9-7, 4 KOs) throughout three rounds, winning a TKO when Fajardo’s corner threw in the towel before the fourth.

Baltimore super-middleweight Travis Reeves (17-3-2, 7 KOs) threw two big right hands for two knockdowns, one in the first and again in the fourth, for a unanimous decision over Lanell Bellows (18-4-2, 1 KOs) of Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez and Danny Jacobs will fight on May 4 for three pieces of the middleweight title, according to Alvarez and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

Alvarez broke the news Thursday on his twitter account, saying that the fight was official. The site has yet to be determined. However, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is believed to be the leading possibility.

In a subsequent news release from DAZN, Alvarez said:

“I will unify my middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs on one of the two most important dates that belong to me. I have no doubt that I will be victorious and that I’ll be one step away from becoming the undisputed middleweight world champion.”

Jacobs also was quoted in the statement from DAZN, a streaming service which signed Canelo (50-1-2, 34 KOs), the WBC and WBA champion, to a landmark deal after his rematch decision over Gennady Golovkin last September.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for,’’ said Jacobs (35-2, 29 KOs), who holds the IBF title. “The opportunity to achieve greatness inside the ring. I have always believed I can beat Canelo, and … I will get my chance to play it out. It’s been nearly four years since Canelo has faced an American challenger. It’s going to be a huge event where I believe I will cement myself as the best middleweight in the division.”

De La Hoya said the Jacobs’ fight is a significant step in Canelo’s relationship with DAZN.

“Canelo Alvarez wants the best fights and the biggest challenges,” De La Hoya said in a statement on news that broke Thursday during the undercard news conference for the Manny Pacquiao-Adrien Broner pay-per-view bout Saturday at the MGM Grand. “That’s what he did as the 154-pound champion, and that’s what he’s doing now as the king of the middleweight division.

“We are also proud to demonstrate to boxing fans that this new partnership with DAZN means that fans will get pay-per-view level fights without the cost of pay-per-view. Golden Boy Promotions is continuing its promise to make the sport as accessible as possible by putting this champion-vs.-champion fight on the platform.”

By Norm Frauenheim-

Manny Pacquiao is back in America amid a mix of inevitable questions faced by any boxer about to fight for the first time since turning 40. It’s an old face. Yet a fresh one, too, perhaps because he really is renewed or maybe because we’ve just missed him.

During an era ruled by noisy narcissism Pacquiao has been missed for everything he doesn’t say, which has always been a lot. Everybody flexes their mouth these days. Even LeBron James is calling himself the greatest (lower case intended).

After a couple of decades that have included titles at eight weights and political titles in two Filipino houses, however, the former Congressman and current Senator leaves over-the-top exaggeration to somebody else.

For the next week-and-a-half, that somebody happens to be Adrien Broner, who gets headlines more for what he does outside of his boxing career. Only Broner’s warrants are outstanding.

Broner loves the bully pulpit, and he figures to use it loudly and profanely before his last chance for welterweight relevance on Jan. 19 against Pacquiao at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in a Showtime pay-per-view bout.

Standing in a striking contrast, there’s Pacquiao, a few years older than he was in his last American visit, yet as modest as ever.

“My journey in this sport is still continuing,’’ Pacquiao said Wednesday to the assembled media at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. “I’ve accomplished everything I’ve wanted to, but I also want to continue to keep my name at the top.

“Even at 40-years-old, I can still show the best of Manny Pacquiao. I’m going to give the fans the speed and power that they’re used to seeing.’’

That’s boilerplate Manny. Five years ago, it would have sounded naïve, more moments of Manny uttering platitudes. But today there something comforting about those familiar words. At one level, at least, he’s the same guy. Only at opening bell will we know whether he’s the same within those ropes. But that unchanged modesty is a sure sign that at least some of the physical skills are still intact. Bragging is a symptom of insecurity and there has never been sign of that in the quiet poise still evident in Pacquiao.

Can Broner test him? Beat him? Yes and yes. Broner’s right-handed counter is dangerous enough to put a premature end to Pacquiao’s comeback. But will he? It says here he won’t for reasons already seen. Broner’s defining fight was a 2013 loss to Marcos Maidana. It was damning then and Broner has yet to prove he isn’t the guy who shrunk in retreat under Maidana’s furious rate of punches during a long night in San Antonio.

Video of Pacquiao at a media workout this week indicated he’s in terrific condition, good enough to at least rain down successive punches onto Broner during the early moments. Guess here is that Pacquiao’s power is still very much there. Let’s just say it’s as genuine as that modest streak. If Broner feels it a couple of times, he’ll use his speed in much the same way he did against Maidana more than five years ago. He’ll retreat, straight into another defeat.

That would spark intense speculation about what – who – is next for Pacquiao. It also would set up talk about a rematch with you-know-who. Fact is, there’s already talk about a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

In history-repeats-itself, Pacquiao ran into Mayweather at another NBA game this week, this time at a Clippers game at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The immediate and inevitable parallel was their meeting at a Miami Heat game, a key encounter that finally led to the disappointing Mayweather decision over Pacquiao in 2015. For a lot of fans, I suspect, a sequel would be more of a historical redundancy than a good rematch.

“My plan is to take it one fight at a time,” Pacquiao said. “I can’t talk about future fights until I do what I have to on January 19. You can ask me again after this one.’’

Trite, true and good enough for me. Welcome back, Manny.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Predictions are like punches. Some land. Many miss. Some are wild. A few are silly. Some are feints. Some are cheap. A year later, most don’t matter.

A few from every angle for 2019:

· One fight on the schedule is already creating a buzz. Mikey Garcia takes a risk on March 16 against Errol Spence, a big welterweight with the division’s biggest punch. Garcia, whose natural weight is at 135 and 140, loses a decision, but makes it interesting with skill that helps him elude the knockout. The scorecard decision creates momentum for two fights many fans have wanted to see for a couple of years:

· Spence-versus-Terence Crawford in the biggest 147-bout in years. Talks between rival promoters – Premier Boxing (PBC) for Spence and Top Rank for Crawford – are problematic. But momentum means money and it would be there amid the intrigue created by Spence-Garcia.

· Garcia-versus-Vasiliy Lomachenko. It’s a fight that captivates the public imagination. It pits Garcia’s fundamental skill against Lomachenko’s creativity. Against Lomachenko, Garcia is bigger, meaning an advantage in power. Jorge Linares knocked down Lomachenko, who sustained a shoulder injury. Again, talks might be trouble. Top Rank promotes Lomachenko. Garcia is an ex-Top Rank fighter. But money solves a lot of differences.

· Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder II. Controversy over the Dec. 1 draw and 12th-round drama dictates an immediate rematch. Anthony Joshua will have to wait. But this time Fury won’t get up. The fight at Los Angeles’ Staples Center was Fight-of-the-Year worthy for the astonishing way Fury recovered from a crushing right-left combo. In the sequel, Wilder promises to be at least 20 pounds heavier. He was at 209 at opening bell. That’ll mean more leverage — more power — on punches that to figure land all over again.

· Oleksandr Usyk. The 2018 cruiserweight will celebrate his Fighter-of-the-Year award with an immediate impact at heavyweight against a veteran contender. Luis Ortiz? He’ll be impressive enough to make Joshua wait even longer.

· Andre Ward. Rumors about a comeback won’t go away. He’ll be 35 on February 23. He retired unbeaten (32-0), suggesting that there’s still something left to do in his Hall of Fame career. But a return to light-heavy or an attempt at cruiser – it rhymes with snoozer – might not be worthwhile. Heavyweight would generate interest and money. One look at Usyk, however, might be another reason for Ward to sidestep the questions.

· Adrien Broner. Only his warrants are outstanding. His performances in the ring have been disappointing and there’s not much reason to believe that will change much against 40-year-old Manny Pacquiao on Jan. 19.

· Pacquiao. An impressive victory over Broner would lead to talk about tougher challenges, including a fight against the winner of Spence-Garcia. Pacquiao against either would be easy to do because all three are linked to PBC. Then, of course, there will be the inevitable speculation about a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

· Mayweather. He’ll say he’s retired and then say something that sets social media on fire with talk of Pacquiao and a comeback. Mayweather loves attention. He loves money even more. In 2019, however, he runs out of gimmicks or at least mixed-martial artists who would fight him blindfolded. On New Year’s Eve, he beats a Japanese kickboxer who isn’t allowed to kick?? Those are rules that lead to talk of a fix. What’s next? Who’s next? Pacquiao. But that rematch figures to be a little bit like Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns II in 1989. Forgot that one? You’ll forget Pacquiao-Mayweather too.

· Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin III. Has to happen, right? But there’s not been much news about GGG. After his disputed loss by decision to Canelo in September, it looks as if he would need at least one tune-up, perhaps in early spring. Seemingly, that would eliminate the May date on Canelo’s schedule. But it leaves Mexico’s September holiday as a possibility. Canelo’s landmark $365-million deal with DAZN might make it happen.

Happy New Year.

Attachments area

By Norm Frauenheim-

It was preceded by great expectations. But it began amid disappointment, delay and controversy. Another year ends and new one is about to begin amid all of usual suspects.

Still, 2018 was a little bit different perhaps because of the way it ended in a spontaneous display of emotion in one fight that exceeded expectations.

In early December, Tyson Fury got up from a crushing Deontay Wilder combination in a moment that reminded us that boxing never ceases to surprise. It is nothing if not resilient. It is always re-creating itself.

Not long after Fury somehow regained consciousness and somehow was able to stand upright late in a 10-count that began like last rites, he stood, resurrected, in front of the assembled media in a work room at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

He held his long arms above his head like an old-time preacher and asked:

“Did we entertain you?’’

There was no argument about the answer, unlike the deafening controversy over the judges’ scores in a split draw.

The fight was a hit on every level other than the scorecards. Yet, even the debate was reason to celebrate. A rematch is in those cards. For 2019, more of Wilder-Fury can only be a good thing. Wilder-Fury I was reason to forget everything that didn’t happen in 2018. It also happened in the very division that has been written off for at least a decade.

The heavyweights are a relic of what they were. On Dec. 1, however, Wilder-Fury reminded us how much fun they can be. Nobody will confuse Wilder or Fury with Evander Holyfield or Lennox Lewis or any of the other legends who were in the Staples crowd.

But Wilder’s instinctive power lands like a force of nature. Add Fury’s stubborn will and clever skill, and you had a dynamic mix, the kind that creates great moments. Their performance was Fight of the Year here and, I suspect, on nearly every other ballot, too.

In terms of tone, Wilder and Fury left the boxing audience wanting more at exactly the time when there was lingering frustration over Canelo Alvarez’ PED suspension, the subsequent delay of a second fight, contentious negotiations and then a September rematch without a knockdown and just more controversy over Canelo’s narrow victory on the scorecards.

There were other moments, names and reasons to remember.

A few samples:

Aleksandr Usyk looked like Fighter of the Year, putting himself into the pound-for-pound discussion with cruiserweight victories that should make Fury, Wilder and Anthony Joshua nervous.

At the top of the pound-for-pound debate on this ballot, it’s still welterweight Terence Crawford at No. 1, Vasiliy Lomachenko at No. 2 and Mikey Garcia at No. 3. All three have good arguments for the top spot. They are redefining the sport — moving it beyond the careful, risk-to-reward ratio that ruled Floyd Mayweather’s Jr.’s rich career.

Crawford is a finisher. Lomachenko’s many punches from many angles are unprecedented. Garcia, a natural lightweight and junior-welterweight, is taking a risk, a massive one against welterweight power-puncher Errol Spence Jr. in March.

Throughout 2018, they did what Mayweather didn’t in a year that ended with Fury and Wilder, who reminded us that anything is possible.

By Norm Frauenheim-

John McCain’s name will be added to the Boxing Writers Association of America award for courage, alongside Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor winner.

McCain also is one of five nominees for the award, which will be presented at the Writers’ (BWAA) annual dinner in 2019.

The BWAA voted to add the former Arizona Senator’s name to the award and nominated him for it at meetings in Los Angeles and New York earlier this month

McCain, a longtime boxing fan and leading advocate for boxing regulation, died at his northern Arizona home on August 25, just hours before an ESPN-televised card in Glendale, Ariz., featuring Jose Pedraza’s upset of Ray Beltran.

When news of McCain’s death was reported, Top Rank immediately staged a haunting 10-count, a touching moment remembered at ringside as a Requiem for a Heavyweight.

In comments to 15 Rounds, The Ring and The Los Angeles Times, Top Rank’s Bob Arum called McCain “the boxing Senator.’’

McCain, a Republican, and retired Nevada Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat, joined forces for passage of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a legislative attempt at protecting a fighter’s finances and health.

McCain also expressed his interest – and frustration — in boxing on the Senate floor. After Timothy Bradley’s controversial decision over Manny Pacquiao in 2012, McCain grabbed the bully pulpit and suggested that the federal government investigate judging.

McCain, a boxer at the Naval Academy, also worked tirelessly for a posthumous pardon of Jack Johnson, an iconic heavyweight champ who had been jailed for violating a 1912 law, the Mann Act, which prohibited the transportation of women across state lines. Johnson, a black man, had been seeing a white woman.

McCain had been pursuing the pardon since 2004. It finally came in May, three months before he died at 81 from brain cancer. President Donald Trump didn’t mention McCain when granting the pardon.

The newly named John McCain & Bill Crawford Award for Courage bring together two heroic figures from different eras, yet with similar experiences. Both were amateur boxers. Both were Prisoners-of-War.

Crawford won the Medal of Honor in 1943 for taking out three German machine-gun nests during combat in Italy. He was captured and presumed dead. Initially, the Medal of Honor was awarded to his father. While in captivity for 19 months, Crawford knocked out a German guard with punches he threw as a Golden Gloves boxer.

Later in life, Crawford went to work as a janitor at the Air Force Academy. More than four decades after he took out the German machine guns, President Ronald Reagan awarded him the Medal of Honor in person during a 1985 Air Force Academy graduation. An Academy grad went on to write a book about him, titled A Janitor’s Ten Lessons In Leadership. Crawford died in 2000 and is buried on the Academy’s campus near Colorado Springs.

Like Crawford, McCain also was a POW. McCain, who is buried at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, was captured by the North Vietnamese after his fighter-jet was shot down over Hanoi on October 26, 1967.

At the time, his father, Admiral John Sidney McCain, was stationed in Hawaii as CINCPAC – Commander-in-Chief Pacific. The North Vietnamese offered to release John McCain. But he refused. He was beaten. He was tortured. He survived. On March 14, 1973, McCain finally came home, a profile in courage then and nearly 46 years later a perfect complement to Crawford.

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s a new way to watch and a new weight. But don’t look for a new Canelo Alvarez. He was a reliable revenue producer at super-welterweight and middleweight.

He also could be counted on to win.

In the ring.

And the ratings.

More of the same is the blueprint DAZN, Canelo and Golden Boy Promotions hope will play out in another chapter of a fighter who – at 28 – is still in his prime and presumably will be for several more years. What could go wrong?

Not much, at least not against a UK super-middleweight named Rocky Fielding for a WBA belt Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden in the first of 11 fights in the landmark deal he signed with the DAZN streaming service not long after his controversial rematch decision over Gennady Golovkin last September.

“Pay-per-view is dead,’’ Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya said during a conference call. “I’m happy to announce that. On Saturday night Dec. 15, Canelo Álvarez will experience a lot of firsts:

“His first fight in the mecca of boxing at MSG.

“The first fight of this historical contract with DAZN.

“His first time traveling to the 168-pound weight class as he looks to make history as part of a small list of Mexican fighters to become a three-division world champion.”

All of the firsts, however, hinge on how many people buy the streaming service and how much they like what they see. It’s no coincidence, perhaps, that Canelo’s first DAZN fight will happen a week after HBO’s exit from boxing last Saturday. The true test of Canelo’s DAZN debut (8p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) will be in the cutting-edge technology and the audience’s comfort with it. Guess here: It’ll be a hit, especially among young fans who view the world through hand-held devices.

If they like what they see, they’ll like Canelo. They’ll be back to watch him fight at whatever weight and against whomever he chooses the next time around.

“We’ll be moving up in weight, and when a boxer does that, he’s basically experimenting,’’ Canelo trainer Eddy Reynoso said. “We know that we have a great fighter in front of us and that Canelo will be preparing well. So, height won’t be a problem to us. He’ll adapt to those type of fighters and he has worked with those type of boxers throughout his career. I have no doubt that he’ll be successful in this fight.”

There’s all kinds of speculation about Canelo’s next step, the second fight in his DAZN deal, projected to be May 4. If he is as successful as expected against Fielding, will he stay at 168 pounds in pursuit of a major title?

During a session with reporters before welterweight Jose Benavidez Jr.’s loss to Terence Crawford in Omaha last October, brother David Benavidez, who holds the WBC’s super-middleweight belt, said he wanted to fight Canelo. Benavidez is under suspension after testing positive for cocaine. The suspension ends in February. Then, he hopes to comeback in bout in March.

In May, he said, he’d be ready to fight Canelo.

Beat him, too, David Benavidez also said.

However, Canelo’s plans for May remain unclear. He says he will continue to fight at middleweight.

“When it’s done, I’ll come back to 160 pounds,’’ said Canelo, who holds two of the middleweight acronyms — WBC and WBA belts.

That suggests a third fight with Golovkin in a bout that would probably allow DAZN to score an early profit on its investment in Mexico’s best-known fighter.

“Regarding the fights we’ll see in the future, like I said, I’m all willing to make a third fight,’’ Canelo said. “If we made two, I’ll make a third one.’’

But there were no specific plans about whom and at what weight for May. If not Golovkin, there’s been talk about Danny Jacobs, who has the IBF belt. But Jacobs, like GGG, is news for another day.

For now, it’s DAZN, the only acronym that matters.

By Norm Frauenheim

It’s been called a heavyweight resurrection and maybe that’s what it was when Tyson Fury climbed to his feet while Jack Reiss was about to complete the count in delivering last rites to an astonishing comeback in the fight of his life and for his life.

It was as compelling a moment as any. It defined the reason why people watch and why boxing always defies the doom so often predicted. Better writers have called it life in a shot glass and that’s what we witnessed last Saturday in Fury’s controversial draw with Deontay Wilder last Saturday at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Within a few seconds, it unfolded with undiluted power. One-hundred-and-eighty proof drama.

But did it really mark a heavyweight revival?

Only if there is an immediate rematch.

Business is often about momentum and the heavyweight division captured a lot of it with a fight that was a hard sell. Tickets, hands full of them, were available from scalpers and at the Staples box office hours before opening bell. Showtime’s pay-per-view telecast was tracking this week to do between 300,000 and 400,000. Decent, but not great.

If you missed it live, you can watch the replay on Showtime Saturday night (9 pm ET). Guess here: A big audience will watch. The replay, itself, will serve as a good platform to market a rematch that has emerged as a lot more attractive that Anthony Joshua against either Wilder or Fury.

That’s what Wilder said in a conference call Tuesday, just days after he and Fury defied expectations. Forget Joshua, Wilder said, who in effect told Joshua to go pound nails, or Dillian Whyte.

“Let him continue to fight second-tier fighters,’’ Wilder said. “Maybe one of them knocks him out.’’

The drama and controversy generated by Wilder-Fury stole the bully pulpit right out from under Joshua, who reportedly had ducked a $50-million offer to fight Wilder.

Joshua had all of the momentum in his corner after his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in an April 2017 bout. That fight, too, was dubbed a heavyweight revival. But the revival and momentum were squandered, in part because there was not motivation for Joshua to risk his UK popularity. He had been drawing huge, soccer-like crowds in the UK. Why jeopardize the box office with a risky fight? But who remembers, or even cares, about his subsequent victories over Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam?

Now, however, Fury returns to the UK riding a huge wave of popularity. There are reports in UK media that Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn want to resume negotiations with Wilder for his next fight. But wouldn’t a Wilder-Joshua fight instead of an immediate Fury-Wilder rematch further enrage fans who already think Fury got robbed on Saturday’s scorecards?

The split draw had a lot of people alleging fix and screaming for an investigation. From ringside, I scored it a draw. From round to round, it was close, hard to judge. I scored the first, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds for Fury. I scored the second and fifth for Wilder. I scored the second and eighth even. In each round, there was not much that separated the two. There was Fury’s jab and Wilder’s erratic power, both of which were exerted in the late seconds in an evident to attempt to steal rounds.

On this card, it was 4-2-2 for Fury after eight. In the ninth, Wilder scored a knockdown. Fury won the 10th and 11th. In the 12th, there was the knockdown and Fury’s come-back-to-life moment. It was astonishing and emotional. On this scorecard, however, it was still a draw.

The dramatic moment, I suspect, influenced many to argue that Fury should have won. A further factor was his personal triumph from drinking, drugging and dark thoughts that included suicide. He reportedly weighed 400 pounds a year ago.

He sang at the post-fight news conference and asked reporters to sing with him. Bye, Bye Miss American Pie, Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry filled the Staples Center press room with voices from reporters who joined the Fury choir. It was unprecedented. It was hard not to be won over. I wish he had won. But my scorecard said something else.

It was a draw. But it was a performance that should ensure Fury and Wilder a rich rematch. Only then can anybody call it a true heavyweight revival.

LOS ANGELES –Forget Anthony Joshua. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury still have some unfinished business.

A Wilder-Fury draw in a terrific fight Saturday night at Staples Center made a rematch a lot more likely than a big money date with Joshua for either heavyweight.

Both Fury and Wilder showed great resilience, power and – in the end – guts in a bout that was close most of the time.

In the final three minutes, both fighters fought their way out of trouble and defeat.

Wilder needed at least a knockdown. He got it with a concussive right-left combo. For a fleeting second, it looked as if Fury would not get up. Wilder went to a neutral corner, rolled his shoulders and smiled.

But the celebration was premature. He, like everybody else, had underestimated Fury, who about a year ago was about 150 pounds heavier than he was at opening bell for Showtime pay-per-view bout.

Fury got up, avoided the loss, survived for another day, another shot at Wilder. Judge Alejandro Rochin of Mexico scored it 115-111 for Wilder. Robert Tapper of Canada scored it 114-112 for Fury on a card initially announced at 114-110 and then corrected. The third card announced was from judge Phil Edwards, who scored it 113-113. Edwards is from the UK, Fury’s home country. UK fans filled Staples Center. They probably wanted to give Edwards his Brexit papers. But they, too, probably want a rematch

“Let’s do it,’’ said Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs), who kept his World Boxing Council belt. “In the UK, wherever. Wherever there’s the most money.’’

If the Staples crowd reaction was any indication, both Fury and Wilder can expect raise. Wilder was guaranteed $4 million, according to the California Commission. Fury collected a $3 million guarantee. The crowd screamed for more, especially through the six final rounds.

In the early going, Fury appeared to be in control. Wilder missed and missed with his big wind-up shots. But in the ninth, Wilder’s feared power touched Fury just enough to knock down the Manchester City fighter for the first of two times.

“With two knockdowns, I thought won the fight,’’ Wilder said.

But the clever Fury made Wilder looked awkward with agile footwork. It often left Wilder looking like a windmill, swinging his arms aimlessly, above and short of Fury. All the while, Fury mocked him.

“Listen, I got knocked down twice,’’ Fury said. “But I got up twice and won the fight.’’

The argument will continue. The only answer rests in a rematch.

Hurd’s body shot ends Welborn’s upset bid

Jarrett Hurd calls himself Swift. Make that Swift To Respond.

Just as it looked as if Hurd (23-0, 16 KOs) might lose his junior-middleweight belts in a significant upset, he rallied, throwing a wicked body shot that finished the UK’s Jason Welborn (24-7, 7 KOs) at 1:55 of the fourth round.

The aggressive Welborn had been rocking Hurd with repeated shots from head to body through three-plus rounds. Then, Hurd, of Accokeek, MD, decided to go to work. He got it done with one punch.

Luis Ortiz ends dull fight with 10th-round stoppage

The Staples crowd booed. But Luis Ortiz didn’t hear their impatience until the end. Finally, however, the Cuban heavyweight did what could have been done five rounds earlier. He stopped Travis Kauffman of Reading, Penn., midway though the 10th and final round with a succession of punches.

Ortiz (29-1, 25 KOs) also knocked down Kauffman (32-3, 23 KOs) in sixth, eighth and earlier in the 10th. For Ortiz, there’s been talk of a rematch with Deontay Wilder, who was waiting in his dressing room waiting to defend his WBC title against Tyson Fury. Wilder got up from a knockdown and stopped Ortiz in the Cuban’s only loss.

UK heavyweight Joe Joyce opens pay-per-view card with first-round stoppage

Joe Joyce opened the Showtime pay-per-view part of the Fury-Wilder card at Staples with a UK accent. Joyce (7-0, 7 KOs) also kept it short and sweet, scoring a first-round stoppage of Newark heavyweight Joe Hanks (23-3, 15 KOs).

Joyce landed a right that forced Hanks to hold on to the ropes. Without those ropes, he would have been on the canvas. It should have been scored a knockdown. It wasn’t, but it didn’t matter. Seconds later, Joyce landed left, dropping Hanks, who was flat on the floor with no chance of continuing in a that ended at 2:25 of the first.

Guerrero wins comeback bout in a swift stoppage

It didn’t take long for Robert Guerrero to start his comeback. To be exact, he got it done within two rounds against overmatched Hungarian Adam Mate (28-13, 21 KOs). In winning a second-round stoppage, the 35-year-old Guerrero (34-6-1, 19 KOs) scored a knockdown in the first and two more in the second, unleashing three reasons to think his comeback has a real chance at succeeding.

Wilder family stays unbeaten with a Marcellos victory

The Wilders kept the 0 in the family midway through a card Saturday that would end with Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight title defense against Tyson Fury in a Showtime -pay-per-view bout.

Marcellos Wilder, Deontay’s little brother and a big cruiserweight, went to 3-0 (2 KOs) with a unanimous decision of David Damore (1-4-3) of Bakersfield, Calif. Marcellus, whose record includes two KOs, flashed some of Deontay’s power, knocking Damore through the ropes in the second round.

Light-flyweight Jessie Rodriquez stays unbeaten, wins unanimous decision

Jessie Rodriquez, a San Antonio light-flyweight trained by Robert Garcia, was quick and accurate, an overwhelming combination in a one-sided decision over Josue Morales (8-9-3) in the second bout on a card featured by the Wilder-Fury heavyweight title fight.

Philadelphia light-middle weight Julian Williams scores quick stoppage

It was never a question of if, just when. The when was early. A stronger Julian Williams (25-2, 16 KOs), a Philadelphia light-middleweight, sent Mexican Francisco Javier Castro (28-9, 23 KOs) crashing into the ropes. Seconds later, Castro was unable to defend himself in a bout stopped at 2:40 of the second round.

First Bell: UK featherweight Isaac Lowe wins fifth-round stoppage in opener to Fury-Wilder card

UK fans were still singing outside Staples Center when a UK fighter struck an opening key that they hope to hear throughout Saturday.

UK featherweight Isaac Lowe (16-0-3, 6 KOs) opened the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder show with a matinee victory, landing undefended strikes to the head and body that floored Argentine Lucas Rafael Baez (33-17-5, 17 KOs) twice in the fifth round. At 2:11 of the fifth, the non-televised bout was over in a stoppage that left a dazed and slumped over on a stool for a couple of minutes before he could leave the ring under his own power.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – Deontay Wilder wore a mask. It covered his mouth and nose in menacing black. Tyson Fury laughed at the costume, in part because he thinks nothing can hide Wilder’s true character.

“He’s a fraud,’’ Fury said Friday beneath a bright Southern California sun while standing on a stage within a block from Staples Center and the ring where Fury promises to prove just how fraudulent he believes Wilder’s championship credentials are.

Delivering on that promise Saturday in a Showtime pay-per-view bout (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT), however, might not last beyond the first right hand that Wilder lands. That’s a prevailing theory.

At some point, the guess is that Wilder will exercise that one-punch power like a paralyzing laser from Darth Vader. Just like that, it’ll be over and Fury will be headed back to Manchester City’s pints and pizzas that a year ago had turned the former heavyweight champ into a sumo-sized mess. The sumo size is gone, however.

If not exactly slim, Fury was a scaled-down 265.5 pounds at a weigh-in that did not include the ritual face-to-face pose for the cameras. It was eliminated because of fears that tension between the two camps might escalate into a fracas, or worse.

It’s notable, perhaps, to know that it is the lightest Fury been since he was at 247 for his 2015 upset of Wladimir Klitschko, then the heavyweight’s undisputed champion. But a reported loss of 150 pounds over the last 12 months continues to generate skepticism about Fury. To wit: Was more than just cellulite lost in Fury’s battle to regain a heavyweight belt?

He’s confident he can take Wilder’s WBC belt, mostly because he sees the same limited skillset others have detected in one of the few athletes from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, not in shoulder pads. But Luis Ortiz saw the same limitation and yet could do nothing about it. Wilder got up from a knockdown and soon followed with right that knocked out of the Cuban.

“I’m going to knock him out, too,’’ Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) said Friday at Fury behind a mask still in place and not there because of the Los Angeles smog.

It was gesture of intimidation, an ominous promise that Wilder’s right will land no matter what Fury does.

Yet, there were questions about just how much leverage Wilder would have behind that feared right in a title defense that could put the winner in line for very rich payday against Anthony Joshua. According to contracts filed with the California Commission, Wilder is guaranteed $4 million and Fury $3 million.

If Fury was a scaled-down version of his former self, Wilder was simply skinny. In a surprise, Wilder was at 212.5 pounds Friday. It’s the second lightest he’s ever been. He was at 207.25 in his pro debut a decade ago.

Perhaps, Wilder hopes fewer pounds will augment his quickness and allow him to move away from Fury in a cat-and-mouse game. If Fury’s astonishing weight loss has in fact left him depleted, it’ll become evident in the later rounds. Fatigue in Fury could set him up for the right, which is feared as much as it dismissed as Wilder’s only weapon.

It all depends on who shows up Saturday. There’s the man who was wearing a mask Friday. And there’s man who wore a cellulite costume a year ago. One or both is about to be exposed.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – There aren’t many hints. Just the taunts, trash talk and everything else expected in the parade of hyperbole before any opening bell. Deontay Wilder glares and issues ominous threats like a preacher promising Armageddon. The bearded Tyson Fury smiles knowingly, then maliciously.

It’s been a show without a clue, a crap shoot, which is a label with one word that has often been used to describe the heavyweight division.

This week’s build-up to Saturday’s bout for Wilder’s World Boxing Council belt in a Showtime pay-per-view bout even included a little strip tease a couple of days before Friday’s formal weigh-in.

Fury stripped off his designer shirt, a step in the marketing dance that looked to be spontaneous. It also exposed the first real sign of what might happen after opening bell, although even that tea leaf can be interpreted a couple ways.

Fury, whose turbulent career has often been more Tyson-like in lifestyle than furious in the ring, appears to be in great shape. The look suggests he is in the kind of condition he will need to be if he intends to elude singular power Wilder possesses in a right hand that has fashioned 39 stoppages in 40 victories. That big right is the reason Wilder is a slight favorite.

Stay away from its wrecking ball impact for 12 rounds and Fury wins. That, at least, is the conventional wisdom. The theory is that Fury’s skillset is more thorough and effective efficient than else Wilder can throw at him.

Fatigue in the later rounds, however, has appeared to be Fury’s fatal flaw. That’s the moment when the narrow odds suggest that Wilder’s game-ender lands, putting a tired Fury onto the canvas and Wilder in line for a shot at Anthony Joshua.

But a conditioned Fury is a different kind of fury altogether. It’s how he frustrated and beat Wladimir Klitschko before Joshua sent the great Ukrainian into retirement. Freddie Roach, who will be in Fury’s corner along with Ricky Hatton and lead trainer Ben Davison, says that if he can beat the accomplished Klitschko he can beat a one-dimensional Wilder.

Hard to argue with that thinking.

Then again, it hard to imagine how difficult it was for Fury to regain his conditioning and what that might mean on Saturday (9 pm ET/6 pm PT).

According to reports in the UK media, Fury was at about 400 pounds a year ago. There are photos of him shirtless, alongside Hatton. A sagging beach ball has more muscle definition. A year later, he is shirtless again, looking fit and perhaps renewed. He reportedly lost between 130 and 150 pounds, give or take a few pints. In other words, he shed about a welterweight to get ready for a title bout, a decisive moment on what he is calling his Road to Redemption.

By now, Fury’s crazy lifestyle is no secret. After Klitschko, The Gypsy King and son of a bare-knuckled Irish Traveller drank and drugged his way into obesity and out of the ring. He served a long suspension. Now he’s back with an upper body that looks good. Yet, the transformation in diet and conditioning could not have been easy.

Did a radical restoration come with a price? Could the toll be an erosion in the resources Fury figures to need in the later rounds if he hopes to elude Wilder’s wild power for what some believe could be a scorecard victory?

Maybe.

But, maybe, Wilder’s one-punch power, delivered with an 83-inch reach from awkward stance, has run its course. For the last couple of years, the prediction is that somebody with a more versatile skillset will eventually beat Wilder. There’s even talk that Fury will win by a stoppage with a well-executed combination that Wilder will never see.

Maybe.

At least, a shirtless moment this week seemed to say so.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Manny Pacquiao’s return to the United States this week has a nostalgic feel. He stopped in New York. Then, Los Angeles. It was fun to see him.

That shy, enigmatic smile is still in place. His reunion with trainer Freddie Roach for a Jan 19 fight with Adrien Broner was the perfect touch, especially on Thanksgiving week. The family is back together. But I’m not sure it’ll mean much in a couple of months.

Does he beat Broner? Maybe. He’ll be 40 in a few weeks – Dec. 17. It’s tough to hazard a guess on how any 40-year-old fighter will do. Broner has speed and an overall skillset that Pacquiao didn’t see against Jeff Horn or a shot Lucas Matthysse.

But Broner also has shown – again and again – that he bails out at the first sign of adversity. Power is the last thing to go in any aging fighter. Pacquiao probably still has enough of that to force Broner into surrender or a hasty retreat into a scorecard defeat.

Then what? The widely-reported plan is for Pacquiao to then fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch of their revenue record-setting bout in May 2015. Could it happen? Of course.

For Mayweather, celebrity and legacy are like T-shirts and caps. They are commodities, transactional in every way. He won’t turn away from a chance to cash in all over again. Reportedly, that’s what he and Pacquiao talked about weeks ago, supposedly in a chance meeting in Tokyo, where Mayweather’s on-again, off-again New Year’s Eve date with an unknown kick boxer is apparently on again.

By all accounts, Pacquiao is again in need of money. He reportedly earned between $160 million and $180 million for his decision loss to Mayweather in 2015. It’s anybody’s guess where all that money went within three-plus years. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s ex-promoter, once said that the Filipino Senator was the Pacific Island nation’s only social welfare system.

To wit: He gives it away, apparently at such a rate he can’t even write a lot of it off. He has fought in the U.S for two years because of a reported IRS bill. Apparently, the IRS problem has been resolved. His spending habits, however, are still enough of question to wonder if he won’t still be fighting at 50.

Above all, there are reasons to think he and Mayweather have overestimated the market’s appetite for a rematch. It’s not as if the under-whelming first fight would ever sell a rematch anyway.

The other issue is that the overall market has changed. HBO is exiting after this Saturday’s telecast of Dmitry Bivol-Jean Pascal in Atlantic City. HBO, a key to Pacquiao’s international celebrity and huge purses, is leaving within two months of Pacquiao’s return. Gone are the nine-figure paydays.

Consider this: Terence Crawford, the best welterweight of the day, is earning between $3.0 and $3.5 million for each of his bouts under his current deal with Top Rank and ESPN. If that’s the new pay scale, Pacquiao can forget $160 million or $180 million. He has name recognition, but would anybody rank him among today’s five best welterweights?

On this list, Crawford is at No. 1, Errol Spence No. 2, Keith Thurman No. 3 and Shawn Porter No. 4. You could put Pacquiao at No. 5, but that would put him ahead of Horn, who beat him in a controversial decision. It also would put him ahead of Mickey Garcia, who is jumping two weight classes – from light to welter – to challenge Spence on March 16.

Garcia, who now has to considered at welterweight, never even mentioned Pacquiao as a possibility early in his dangerous pursuit of Spence. It’s not clear Pacquiao would have agreed to a date with Garcia anyway. But Garcia’s decision to bypass any consideration of the Filipino might say it all about what the market place thinks about Pacquiao’s value these days.

TUCSON – There were hand signals. There were looks. There were cheers and probably a few prayers.

In the end, there were thumbs up, one from Thomas Valdez and another from his trainer and uncle, Oscar Valdez Sr. on a stage overlooking an outdoor ring on a chilly night Saturday at Casino Del Sol.

Thomas Valdez (18-3-2, 7 KOs), a super-featherweight from Nogales, Mexico, and cousin of featherweight champion Oscar Valdez Jr., won a split decision over Luis Coria (9-2, 4 KOs) with his lead trainer, Valdez Sr., unable to work the corner because of the lingering effects from a food-borne virus he caught in 2011.

“I just can’t climb the steps through the ropes between rounds, because I’ve still got some of that sickness in me,’’ Valdez Sr. said of his ongoing comeback from a long-term fight with a virus he caught while with his son at an international tournament in Rio De Janeiro. “I’m here mostly for the strategy and tactics.’’

But it was also clear he was there because Thomas Valdez needed him for a measure of confidence as well as the tactics. After the fourth round, the fight looked even. It was then that Valdez Sr. stood up and gestured to Thomas that he needed to move forward.

He did so with great effect – repeated uppercuts over the second half of the 8-rounder. Those blows might have been enough to give him an edge on the score cards. Two were in his favor, 79-74 and 77-75. On the third card, it was 79-74 for Coria, an Oxnard, Calif., fighter out of trainer Robert Garcia’s Boxing Academy in the final bout on a 10-fight card that promoter Michelle Rosado dedicated to the memory of Don Chargin, a Hall of Fame matchmaker who died a couple of months ago.

In the co-main event, Christopher Gonzalez (3-0-1) and Judas Estrada (1-1-1, 1 KO), both Tucson welterweights, fought through a ferocious four rounder that ended in a majority draw.

On The Undercard

The Best

Look at Sebastian Fundora and you think basketball. He is 6-foot-6, big enough to be more of a small forward than a welterweight. That’s right, he’s a boxer, just a few pounds between welter and super-welter.

He might be taller than anybody in either division.

He also has some big-boy power.

Fondura (11-0, 7 KOs), a Coachella, Calif., fighter promoted by David Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, flashed it scary fashion, throwing a right that sent a much shorter Jeremiah Wiggins (10-7-1, 6 KOs) of Newport News, VA, into a long fall onto the canvas 31 seconds after opening bell. Wiggins fell face first and twitched while he laid on the canvas. After a few frightening seconds, he was helped up and into a sitting position on top of an overturned bucket. Eventually, he was able to walk out of the ring under his own power.

A relieved crowd applauded. Wiggins was OK.

Then, Fondura ‘s hand was raised and the time of his knockout victory was announced. The crowd roared. He was sensational.

The Rest

It was close in the beginning. It was gutsy in the end. The guts and victory belonged to Tucson junior-welterweight Alfonso Olvera (11-5-1, 4 KOs), who found energy and punches over the final two rounds of a six-rounder to take a unanimous decision over Virgil Green (11-6, 4 KOs) of Vancouver, Wash.

Tucson super-welterweight Nicholas Rhoads (5-0, 2 KOs) floored Hamilton Ash (0-2) of Guadalupe, Ariz., in the second round. Ash was down, but not out. Rhoads had to hold on in the third. Then, regained his energy and edge in the fourth, scoring a unanimous decision over Ash.

Tucson middleweight Arturo Resendiz (2-0, 2 KOs) threw a body shot for a knockdown in the opening seconds and then quickly finished up some easy work, scoring a first-round TKO of Brandon Trujillo (0-5) of Albuquerque.

Heavyweight Edgar Medina (1-0), a Tucson roofer when he isn’t in the ring, won his debut in front of hometown fans, scoring a unanimous decision over David Samore (1-5-3) of Chandler, Ariz.

It’s called blood sport for a reason and those reasons covered super-flyweights Edrick Rosa (1-0, 1 KO) of Florence, Arizona and Richard Mike Martinez (1-2, 1 KO) of Tucson. Blood was everywhere, mostly from a busted-up nose suffered by Martinez early in his loss by a fourth-round TKO. Martinez’ face was bloody-mask when time was called midway through the fourth. The ringside physicians took one look and ended it.

A night of full early stoppages continued with Phoenix lightweight Emmanuel Nieves (5-0, 2 KOs) storming out of his corner at opening bell with punches he threw and landed at will, knocking down Jose Barrera (2-1, 1 KO), also of Phoenix, and finishing him with a TKO at 1:51 of the first.

Middleweight Emmanuel Gallardo (4-0), an emerging favorite for Tucson fans, won over the crowd and the judges, landing one big right after another for a unanimous decision over Daniel Garcia-Flores (0-2) of Albuquerque.

By Norm Frauenheim

TUCSON – It’s the beginning of a comeback, for a father and a son.

The dad, Oscar Valdez Sr., will take the first step Saturday in his return to the corner as a lead trainer at Casino Del Sol after a long battle with a virus that left him hospitalized for months in Mexico City and kept him in a wheel chair in London while his son fought for Mexico at the 2012 Olympics.

“It was serious, very serious,’’ Valdez Sr., who will make his comeback for nephew Thomas Valdez of Nogales, Sonora, against Luis Coria of Robert Garcia’s Boxing Academy in southern California in a super-featherweight main event on a Michelle Rosado-promoted card.

“Couldn’t run. Could hardly move.’’

Valdez Sr. is still fighting the effects of a food-borne virus he got in Rio De Janeiro during an international tournament with his son in 2011.

The dad’s comeback coincides with one from his son, Oscar Valdez Jr., a featherweight champion who is in his own battle to come back from a brutal victory over Scott Quigg in the rain at StubHub Centre on March 10 when he suffered a fractured jaw that left his face misshapen and his future uncertain.

The son’s jaw, dad said, has healed. About the future, he said he’s never had any doubt. His son, a WBO champ, has been working with new cornerman Eddy Reynoso, Canelo Alvarez’ trainer, in San Diego for a bout – a test run — projected to be on Jan. 12 in either Mexico City, Tucson or Phoenix.

“My son’s mind is the same,’’ Oscar Valdez Sr. said Friday after Thomas Valdez (17-3-2, 7 KOs) was at 128.5 pounds and Coria (9-1, 4 KOs) at 129.5 for the main event on a 10-fight card scheduled to begin Saturday at 6 p.m. (MT). “Has always known exactly what he wants and has always been willing to do whatever it takes to get there.’’

His jaw might the knocked out of place. But never his goals, Valdez Sr. said.

An unshakable will was evident throughout 12 rounds against a bigger Quigg, who was three pounds heavier than the featherweight limit at the weigh-in and at least seven pounds heavier than Valdez Jr. at opening bell.

Valdez Jr. lost blood and guts, leaving both in puddles of gore on wet canvas throughout the later rounds of a leading Fight of the Year contender. But he would not lose the fight or the WBO title.

Will, as intangible is it is inexhaustible in Valdez Jr, has been strengthened by the test, his dad said. But there’s more to it than that in a story about father and son sharing adversity and then the motivation to battle through it. The dad was there on that rainy night, a second carrying a bucket that collected more of his son’s blood than it did rain. He was there to wash his mouthpiece, urge him on and – yeah, he said—sometimes pray.

“After all of these years, I’m still battling to come back from being sick,’’ Valdez Sr. said. “That illness is still in me. With Thomas, I’m probably a more of a strategist and tactician than anything. I can’t hold the mitts. But I feel good, really good.’’

Now, it dad’s turn. Like Son, like Father.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Deontay Wilder is a man with one punch and many words.

Those words – unending, often contradictory and always brash – were there, again and again, Thursday throughout a conference call for his heavyweight title fight Dec. 1 against Tyson Fury at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.

The call ended, but not because Wilder was finished. He talks the way he breathes. He exhales words and I’m sure there were more, many more, throughout a workout that was scheduled to follow his telephonic session at the bully pulpit.

He preached.

He promised.

He bragged.

It was part sales-pitch, part silly, mostly over-the-top and yet sometimes a genuine expression of a fearless fighter willing to risk it all.

“To do this, you gotta be crazy,’’ Wilder said. “We already know you’re not supposed to get hit in the head. Every time you do, there’s deterioration.’’

Then, Wilder slipped into a sing-song tone, including what sounded like a weird lyric to the drum-like thump that comes with every concussive blow to the head.

“You’re, changing, you’re changing,’’ he hummed

It was just one moment among many from Wilder, who has often been dismissed as one-dimensional. That single dimension is his big right hand, which he delivers with Tommy Hearns’ old-school leverage. Wilder’s answer for that one is also one dimensional. It never changes, because he has never lost. That right is a dimension that nobody has been able to beat throughout 40 fights. Thirty-nine of those victories have been knockouts. Maybe, Fury will be the first to find a way to negate, or simply elude that right. Maybe, Fury has the dimensions to finally beat him.

But, in so many words, Wilder said that wasn’t going to happen.

“Never been anybody like me,’’ Wilder said. “No one is going to beat me on Dec. 1. No one, not on this special occasion.’’

There’s a chip-on-the-shoulder motivation behind much of what Wilder says. He often refers to his scrabble-poor roots in Alabama. He often talks about how promoter, matchmakers and rival heavyweight Anthony Joshua have failed to give him just due.

“This is my time to shine, my coming-out party,’’ he said of Dec. 1. “I should have been here a long time ago.’’

Despite the prevailing criticism of what he does within the ropes, Wilder’s abundant words reveal an out-sized personality full of multiple dimensions.

He’s brash enough to be outrageous. A couple of examples:

“You all want to see Ali and the Golden Era, I’m here.’’

“Excuse me Holyfield, I’m The Real Deal, too.’’

A couple of reactions:

Groan.

Groan.

Then, however, Wilder reminded me of the unknown kid I saw and spoke to at the Beijing Olympics. He won a bronze medal, modest by any standard, yet the only medal won by any U.S. boxer the 2008 Games.

Modest and mouthy, all at the same time.

“I’m a Wilder, a different breed,’’ he said a decade after those Olympics.

Among all the words he said Thursday, those were the truest.

By Norm Frauenheim-

The gap-toothed smile is Alfred E. Neuman-like. But the eyes are mad, full of enough menace to definitively answer that comic-book question:

What, me worry?

Yeah, Tony Bellew should.

Oleksandr Usyk is scary, more so than perhaps anybody in a business full of fighters who use fear as much as their fists. Bellew knows that, of course. He knows a lot more, too. He possesses clever instincts, has more experience and is still motivated by an inexhaustible love for a dangerous game.

“I just love to fight,’’ Bellew said a couple of months ago at a news conference.

It’s a love that’s bound to be tested, perhaps even exhausted by Usyk, who is favored Saturday in Manchester, England, to keep his unified title in what looks to be a cruiserweight stepping stone to heavyweight, perhaps against Anthony Joshua.

“He’s a monster,’’ said the engaging Bellew, who is coming out of retirement and moving down in weight – he lost 34 pounds – for a chance to become the first UK fighter to ever win a unified title. “I admire him.’’

But he doesn’t fear him. At least, no fear was evident in Bellew’s voice or gestures throughout the build-up to the intriguing bout, which can be seen in the United States on the DAZN streaming service (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT).

There are reasons for Bellew’s confidence. He’ll have a loyal UK crowd in his corner. If it’s close, that could emerge as key factor on the scorecards. He also knows his way around the ring. Translation: He figures out a way.

“Retired or not, this fight had to happen,’’ said Bellew, whose record (30-2-1, 20 KOs) includes more than twice as many bouts and perhaps twice as many lessons than Usyk’s resume (15-0, 11 KOs). “I will find a way to win.’’

Maybe, but all of the momentum is with Usyk, who has rapidly emerged as a pound-for-pound contender. He’s No. 5 in The Ring’s current ratings, which has his Ukrainian Olympic teammate Vasiliy Lomachenko still at No. 1, ahead of Terence Crawford at No. 2, Canelo Alvarez at No. 3 and Gennady Golovkin at No. 4.

Usyk and Bellew look to be at a career crossroads. Bellew says he’ll retire after Saturday night. Meanwhile, Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist at heavyweight, appears to be just approaching his professional potential.

But Bellew believes he will introduce Usyk to adversity he has yet to encounter. Above all, Bellew said, it will be at the end of his power punches.

“When he feels my power, he’ll know,’’ said Bellew, who is convinced he his power will prove to be the edge in a bout that promises to take the snoozer out of cruiser, perhaps the best fight in a forgotten division since James Toney scored a decision over Vassiliy Jirov in April, 2003. “He doesn’t have my kind of power.’’

Bellew made the claim about his power when the fight was formally introduced during a news conference in September. When Bellew’s remark was translated into Ukrainian for him, Usyk flashed that gap-toothed grin.

“He’s kidding,’’ said Usyk, with eyes that clearly said he wasn’t.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Michael Conlan’s obscene gesture at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games threatens to become a symbolic goodbye to Olympic boxing in a political fight that is just another outrageous example of deeply-rooted corruption.

In a meeting this weekend of amateur officials in Moscow — of all places, there apparently will be a last ditch-effort to save boxing from getting eliminated from the Tokyo Games in 2020. The allegations are dark. Media reports read like a spy novel, or the Mueller investigation:

https://sports.yahoo.com/underdog-candidate-fights-boxings-olympic-future-192048341–box.html

But none of it is exactly a shock, either. It’s disappointing, profoundly sad, for anybody who remembers Muhammad Ali in Rome, Joe Frazier in Tokyo, George Foreman in Mexico City and Sugar Ray Leonard in Montreal. But it could have been corrected and ultimately avoided had there been a vigilant International Olympic Committee more concerned about integrity than rights fees.

Truth is, the IOC should have suspended the amateur ring in 1988 after Roy Jones Jr. got robbed of gold in Seoul. It was then and there that boxing should have been put on notice and told to get its act together. Serve a suspension in 1992 and then come back in 1996 with new procedures, honest judges and without the bagmen.

But the Lords of the Olympic Rings turned a blind eye to the mess. They moved on, collecting huge money from politicians willing to spend taxpayers’ money for the right to stage the circus.

The Lords got richer. Olympic boxing just got more corrupt. I’ll leave it up to somebody else to decide if there’s much of a difference.

For now, it’s just easy to get rid of the obvious blight. Boxing and blight have always been neighbors, of course. But the IOC allowed the sport to become irreparable. It simply ignored it, literally pushing it to the fringe.

In Seoul, boxing was staged within walking distance of the pool and main stadium. The summer games have always been divided into two parts — swimming over the first eight days; track-and-field over the second eight. Over the last few Olympics, that meant Michael Phelps the first week and Usain Bolt in the second.

Between races, there was boxing and gymnastics. After the 1988 scandal, however, boxing got shoved off the midway and into places increasingly hard to find. By 2004 in Athens, the Olympic ring, was hidden in a rough neighborhood, far from the Big Top and NBC’s studios. For the Lords, it was out of sight, out of mind. Too bad. Andre Ward’s gold medal on the last day of those Games was as compelling as any performance in Athens.

Even then, however, the whiff of corruption had begun to cloud the future of Olympic boxing. In 2008, there were allegations of an Eastern European offering bribes to the chief of judges. According to the allegations, he was offering payola for certain judges to get assigned to specific bouts. It was an alleged scheme to fix fights in the medal rounds.

At about midnight in Beijing, a news conference was scheduled. A handful of reporters, including this one, showed up. Nothing much was decided. Nothing much was reported.

The Lords looked the other way. The corruption deepened.

A couple of months after Conlan’s middle finger said it all after the Belfast fighter – now a professional featherweight – lost a controversial decision in the quarter-finals, every judge and referee at the Rio Games were suspended.

Only the boxers and fans were – still are — there. But it’s beginning to look as if they were just forgotten, lost like a business expense incurred by an IOC more interested in big fees than fair fights.

By Norm Frauenheim-

TUCSON, Ariz. – They are first cousins. Sparring cousins, too. They even look alike.

Look into Thomas Valdez’ eyes, and you see Oscar Valdez Jr. looking straight back at you. Listen to Thomas Valdez speak, and you hear his cousin’s voice.

They went to the same schools in Tucson. They’ve worked out in the same gyms on the Mexican side of the border in Nogales. They’ve hit the same speed bags. They’ve hit each other, too. It sounds a little bit like a sibling rivalry. But it’s not.

“He’s my compadre,’’ Thomas Valdez said Thursday during a news conference for a Michelle Rosado-promoted card that will feature the super-featherweight against Jensen Ramirez on Nov. 17 at Casino Del Sol.

For Thomas and Oscar Valdez, it’s family, friendship and at times a significant business alliance. Oscar Valdez is not Mexican’s best-known fighter. That title belongs to Canelo Alvarez, and Canelo has unchallenged pay-per-view numbers for overwhelming proof.

At another level, however, Oscar Valdez Jr. might rank as Mexico’s most respected fighter. The World Boxing Organization’s featherweight champion earned lots of cred for all that blood he shed in a brutal decision over Scott Quigg on a rain-swept night on March 10 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

They say it never rains in Southern California. But it did that night. After 12 full rounds, there were puddles all over the canvas. Puddles of water. And puddles of Oscar Valdez’ blood. He won, beating a bigger Quigg, who was allowed to fight after missing weight at the official weigh-in.

But there was a price. Oscar Valdez suffered a fractured jaw, although that diagnosis sounds too clinical, if not quite accurate.

Valdez’ jaw was twisted out of shape, so much so that his corner had trouble removing his mouthpiece. It looked awkward. It had to be agony. But he fought through it for a unanimous decision in a brutal bout that is at the top of the ballot for Fight of the Year. Since then, however, the question has been whether Valdez was forced to pay too steep a price. Was it costly to his career?

It’s a nervous question for Top Rank, Valdez’ promoter, and all of the fans he won over last March. Against Quigg, Valdez was transformed into a fighter worth watching. But it all depends on how he reacts in his comeback, which figures to happen early next year. What will happen when that first punch lands on that jaw?

Thomas Valdez thinks he has a pretty good idea. He was the first fighter to test Oscar Valdez a few weeks ago.

“I was his first sparring partner,’’ Thomas Valdez said. “He’s solid, 100 percent.’’

First cousins know best.

Top Rank hopes so.

For now, Oscar Valdez’ comeback is planned for mid-January, possibly in Mexico City for a tune-up — a test run for Valdez’ jaw and his new corner. He hired Canelo trainer Eddy Reynoso, who replaces Manny Robles. He has been training in Guadalajara.

Meanwhile, there are hopes that Oscar Valdez Jr. will be in Tucson, his second home, for Thomas’ fight, which has been scheduled for seven rounds. The odd number was a compromise struck by Rosado’s fellow promoter and mentor, Russell Peltz. One fighter wanted to go six rounds. The other wanted eight. Peltz mentioned seven and they had a deal.

For Thomas, the bout represents a chance to hit the re-set button on 22-fight career (16-4-2, 6 KOs). He is anxious to fight in the United States for the first time since 2013.

“It’s been five years,’’ said Thomas Valdez, who graduated from Tucson High School in 2008 before returning to Nogales. “This is a real chance for me to return to Tucson, get my name back out there around here and all through Arizona.’’

He is doing it with Oscar Valdez’ father, Oscar Sr., as his trainer. Mostly, he’s doing because of his cousin, whose last performance is as unforgettable as it was frightening.

“The way we fight is different,’’ Thomas said. “I’m a little bigger. Physically, we aren’t the same. But our hearts and minds are alike. Watching him against Quigg was kind of crazy. As a fan, I was so excited. As a cousin, I was so worried. I kept thinking: Is he going to be OK?

“But what I see in him, I see in myself. We’re fighters.’’

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The fury was uninterrupted. Unrelenting from beginning to end. It lasted six rounds. It felt like 12.

Twelve rounds jammed into half that many left a mark on the bruised, bloodied faces of Adrian Servin and Edgar Ortiz, a couple of super-flyweights and Phoenix rivals whose punches created heavyweight echoes Saturday night throughout Celebrity Theatre.

There were bruises, blood, counters and courage enough for a title. In the end, there was one – Arizona’s 115-pound state title — and it went to Servin (7-0-1, 2 KOs), whose power appeared to pound out an edge in the fifth and sixth rounds of a 59-55, 60-54, 59-55 decision over Ortiz (7-2-1, 4 KOs). Ortiz drew first blood, opening up cuts near Servin’s eyes and nose in the third and fourth rounds.

In the fifth, however, Servin’s power and precision cut Ortiz near his left eye. In the sixth, a wild crowd could see in a way that Ortiz couldn’t. Clearly. But Ortiz wouldn’t blame the cut for the loss. He didn’t have to, not after unabbreviated drama in a match-making gem by Iron Boy Promotions.

The Servin-Ortiz bout was supposed to be the co-main event. But the super-flyweights took the co out of it, stealing the show from Phoenix light-heavyweights Fidel Hernandez (19-5-1, 10 KOs) and Andrew Hernandez (20-7-2, 9 KOs). They fought to a majority draw in a 10-round bout for an International Boxing Federation version of a vacant USBA title.

Best of the Undercard: Phoenix super-featherweight Alexis Zazueta (11-0, 5 KOs) relied on superior reach and power against a gritty Giovanni Norriega (2-3-1, 2 KOs), a Bakersfield, Calif., fighter who battled back in the fifth round and yet was knocked to his knees in the final round of a six-rounder he lost by unanimous decision.

After it was all over, it almost looked as if Zazueta would have to fight a double-header. He called out Phoenix rival Ryan Rydell, who climbed through the ropes as though he wanted to fight then and there. Rydell was ordered to leave the ring by the Arizona Commission. He’ll have to wait for his day with Zazueta, probably until the next Iron Boy card at Celebrity.

Second Best: Mesa lightweight Trini Ochoa (4-0, 1 KOs) and Mexican Hugo Padilla got the old Phoenix concert hall rocking and rolling in a wild fourth round full of moments when both fighters were in danger of suffering a knockout. After the last punch in wild succession of them, Ochoa prevailed, winning a unanimous decision.

The Rest: Jesus Ibarra (6-0, 3 KOs), a featherweight from Mesa, Ariz., chased, chased and chased and finally scored a six-round unanimous decision over Raymond Chacon, a Los Angeles fighter who lost for the 35th time on a record that includes 43 fights, including seven victories and a draw.

Attachments area

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Old-school Phoenix is the theme. Old-school Arizona is at stake.

Iron Boy Promotions will stage card a Saturday at Celebrity Theatre that will neighborhood rivalries and the first state title since 2002.

Fidel Hernandez (19-5, 10 KOs) and Andrew Hernandez (20-7, 9 KOs) are scheduled for the main event. Both light-heavyweights are from Phoenix. The card also is includes the first Arizona state title since 2002. Adrian Servin (6-0-1, 2 KOs) and Edgar Ortiz (7-1-1, 4 KOs), both also from Phoenix, will fight for a flyweight belt.

Six fights are scheduled for the Iron Boy card. Doors will open at 5 p.m. (PST).

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s a huge bet on one fighter. That also makes it oh-so risky. But give DAZN, a global streaming service, credit for its courage. It made the investment, doubling down with a $365-million wager on Canelo Alvarez.

It was announced Wednesday as an 11-fight, five-year deal. In boxing terms, that’s an eternity, meaning time enough for the infinite variety of busted noses, broken hands and all of the other unforeseen circumstances that postpone opening bells and interrupt careers.

If all goes according to plan, Canelo will be 33-years-old and much richer than he is already when the astonishing deal ends in 2023.

The contract has been called the richest in sports. As of today, I guess it is. That could change with the next big deal in baseball, international soccer or auto racing. Let’s just say it has the potential to be one of the biggest ever. The last biggie was the Showtime/CBS deal with Floyd Mayweather Jr. That one was for six fights over 30 months.

At the per-fight level, Canelo’s deal is worth more than Mayweather’s. Canelo is guaranteed more than $33 million — $33,181,818.20 to be exact — for each bout, starting at a new weight, super-middle, against somebody named Rocky Fielding on Dec. 15 at New York’s Madison Square Garden

That’s nearly $2 million more per fight than Mayweather’s guarantee of $32 million on a contract valued at $192 million when it was signed in February 2013. The difference for Mayweather’s final take came against Manny Pacquiao in the deal’s fifth fight on May 2015.

He had beaten Robert Guerrero, a young Canelo and Marcos Maidana twice. Before wrapping up the Showtime contract against Andre Berto, his deal spiked in a victory over Pacquiao because of a contract that included profit sharing. His purse multiplied after the pay-per-view passed a threshold. According to varying reports, Mayweather wound up with between $230 and $240 million after all of the PPV’s record receipts were counted.

That means his Showtime contract would paying him between $422 and $432 million before he went on to add to an even bigger payday for one night in a mixed-mess spectacle against the UFC’s Conor McGregor. Mayweather walked away from the Showtime deal with $57 to $67 million more than the announced number in Canelo’s deal.

The presumption is that the DAZN contract also includes a profit-sharing clause that would allow Canelo to earn more if the buys exceed a certain number.

For the fight fan, there’s good news in that. It would seem to dictate at least one fight at middleweight with Gennady Golovkin, who is 0-1-1 against Canelo. They fought to a majority draw last year and Canelo won a majority decision last month. Both were controversial.

Both also were a big draw, including more than one million pay-per-view customers for each. According to various reports, Canelo collected $50 million for each bout.

At that rate, he might have to fight GGG a couple of more times to supplant Mayweather on boxing’s all-time dollar-for-dollar scale, which this week and perhaps in any other week has been a lot more relevant than the pound-for-pound debate.

OMAHA. Neb. – A lot was said. Terence Crawford’s answer took some time. Almost 12 complete rounds of time. But it was definitive.

Crawford delivered a thorough break down, then a beat down and finally some concussive punctuation in another performance that says there is nobody better in the pound-for-pound debate.

“I did what I said I would do,’’ said Crawford (34-0, 24 KOs), who narrowly missed Benavidez’ chin with a righthand Friday in a scuffle that began when Benavidez shoved him after both fighters stepped off the scale at the official weigh-in.

Jose Benavidez Jr. only happened to be in the way Saturday night at CHI Health Center in an ESPN televised bout. Benavidez talked his way into the fight, perhaps believing that his advantages in size would give him a chance at taking Crawford’s WBO welterweight title.

In the later rounds, however, it often looked as if Benavidez might have regretted all that talk. In the end, there wasn’t much he could say it all.

“I gave a hell of a fight against the best fighter in the world,’’ he said. “This is boxing. It happens.’’

What happened, however, ended with 18 seconds left in the fight and Benavidez slumped, speechless and beaten in almost every possible way. That’s when Crawford was declared a TKO winner. The stoppage was inevitable. Crawford made sure of it moments before the referee interceded with a right uppercut and right hook that dropped Benavidez. The Phoenix welterweight fell as though he never know what hit him. He was down, on one side ad then rolling over onto his back. His feet were tangled up. He looked helpless.

That was the idea, of course, from a Crawford whose mean streak is potent complement to all of the power he has in both hands.

“I told Benavidez that Terence would kick his ass,’’ Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre said. “That’s what he did.’’

He kept a few other promises, too.

Crawford, who is hoping for a welterweight showdown with Errol Spence Jr., promised not to shake hands with Benavidez after it was over.

“I didn’t,’’ he said.

He then was asked if Benavidez had anything to say to him.

“He didn’t,’’ he said.

Did he gain any respect for Benavidez?

“Not at all,’’ he said.

The succinct Crawford keeps it short and blunt in every place but the ring, where he can make things long and painful.

A Prospect No More: Shakur Stevenson steps up with dazzling TKO win

A prospect began to look like a contender, all within one dazzling round.

Alvarado delivers crushing KO blow

It was a huge punch and maybe a statement. Former junior-welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (40-4, 28 KOs) delivered it with a huge right hook that put Robbie Cannon (16-14-3, 7 KOs) of Fetus, Mo., flat on his back and finished at 2:15 of the second round. Cannon, who was knocked down earlier in the same round, had to be helped up onto a stool where concerned ring-side physicians watched him until he was fully able to walk under his own power.

Carlos Adames (15-0, 12 KO), a super-welterweight from The Dominican Republic,  knocked down Josh Conley (14-3-1, 9 KOs) San Bernardino, Calif., once. Then twice. Adames could have knocked Conley down as often as he wanted. But twice was enough to know that even a third would have been too much. It was over, Adames a TKO winner at 2:15 of the second round.

Omaha light-heavyweight Steve Nelson stays unbeaten with powerful TKO

Omaha light-heavyweight Steve Nelson (12-0, 10 KOs) came into the ring wearing a mask. But there is no disguise power for his power. No way to elude it either. Oscar Rojas (17-11-1, 6 KOs) of Mexico couldn’t (17-11-1, 6 KOs). Nelson, who had Terence Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre in his corner, dropped with thunderclap of left in the fourth. Somehow, Rojas got back up and onto his feet. But he was finished. It was over moments later, a TKO at 2:50 of the the fourth round.

Former Olympian Mikaela Mayer (8-0 4 KOs) of Los Angeles scored a powerful knockdown in the seventh round. A dazed Vanessa Bradford (4-1-2) of Canadian from Edmonton, looked up and got up, but a loss had to look like an inevitability. A round later, it was. Mayer won a unanimous decision.

Lightweight Muwendo wins No. 20 with a unanimous decision

Ismail Muwendo (20-1, 12 KOs), a Minneapolis lightweight training in Omaha, scored one for a handful of local fans, scoring a unanimous decision over Andre Wilson (15-12-1, 12 KOs) of St. Jospeh, Mo., with superior reach and a measure of toughness. Muwendo was staggered by straight left hand in the third, then recovered for a 59-55 decision on all three cards.

Benavidez Sr.-trained Jose Valenzuela wins one-sided decision

Seattle super-featherweight Jose Valenzuela (2-0) helped warm up the ring for Jose Benavidez Jr. with a head-rocking, one-sided decision over a shorter Hugo Rodriguez (1-1, 1 KO) of Mexico. Benavidez’ father and trainer, Jose Sr., worked Valenzuela’s corner, the second bout on an undercard streamed by ESPN+.

Calm Before The Storm: Crawford-Benavidez card opens with Keeshawn Williams’ victory

Call it the calm before the storm.

Washington welterweight Keeshawn Williams (4-0-1, 1 KOs) opened the show with a solid, if not spectacular, unanimous decision over Ramel Snegur (2-3-1, 1 KO) of Portland, Ore., Saturday on a card that is forecast to end in a building storm between Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez Jr.

Williams employed some well-executed body-head shots that staggered Snegur, especially in the third and fourth rounds of a 40-36, 39-37, 40-36 decision

By Norm Frauenheim-

OMAHA, Neb. – Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez Jr. did more than exchange insults Friday as escalating tensions led to a weigh-in scuffle that included a shove from Benavidez and a missed punch from Crawford, who threw a long right that could have knocked out ESPN’s main event Saturday had it landed.

Both welterweights face possible penalties, likely a fine that the Nebraska Commission could take directly out of their respective paychecks.

“We’re going to discuss it,’’ Brian Dunn, a Nebraska deputy commissioner, said after the wild weigh-in.

According to documents filed with the Nebraska Commission, Benavidez’s purse is $450,000. Crawford’s paycheck is $2 million, although he is expected to wind up with more $3 million after he collects a bonus from Top Rank, which signed him to a contract extension last summer.

“If this were Las Vegas, the Nevada Commission would levy significant fines,’’ said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who warned both fighters Thursday that they would not get paid if they scuffled during the traditional nose-to-nose pose after a news conference. “This is boxing. You have to keep your emotions in check.’’

Benavidez pushed Crawford with both hands when the two were asked to face each other after both came in under the 147- pound limit – Benavidez at 145 and Crawford 145.4. Crawford then followed with right that missed as Benavidez stepped back.

Benavidez (27-0, 18 KOs) denied he started the incident at the CNI Health Center in a crowded ball room near the arena where the bitter rivals will finally face each other in a fight governed by rules, instead of chaos. The televised card is scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. PT).

“He got in my face,’’ said Benavidez (27-0, 18 KOs), a Phoenix fighter and big underdog against Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs), the World Boxing Organization’s champion and an Omaha fighter ranked among the top two in the pound-for-pound debate. “It looked like he was trying to kiss me.’’

Crawford was not available for comment in the scuffle’s immediate aftermath. However, Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre said he would ask the Nebraska Commission to fine Benavidez. Crawford, he said, should not be penalized.

“He pushed him, Jose Benavidez pushed him,’’ McIntyre said. “I’m sorry, but if a man pushes me, I’m going to respond. He shouldn’t have touched him. Terence didn’t start it, didn’t do anything but respond. He shouldn’t be penalized. I’m going to ask the Commission to take a piece of Benavidez’ purse.’’

The scuffle was another moment in a week full of escalating tensions. The fighters exchanged words at a public workout Wednesday at an Omaha gym. The insults continued Thursday at a contentious news conference.

Friday, things went off the scale.

By Norm Frauenheim-

OMAHA, Neb. – There’s not much left to say, or even places to say it. They’ve insulted each other in the gym. They’ve insulted each other at a news conference. They’ve insulted each other’s family and friends, teeth and tastes. They’ve even insulted each other’s favorite food. Apparently, Terence Crawford likes chicken. Apparently, Jose Benavidez Jr. prefers burritos.

Give me an opening bell, please.

Fortunately, one is about to happen, a relief from trash talk’s version of a food fight. Or is it the other way around? Whatever it is, it’s been as noisy as it has been repetitive. Only a fight Saturday night in an arena on the banks of the Missouri River can settle what has evolved into what looks to be genuine hostility. Say it often enough and everybody will believe, including those saying it.

“It’s been real since Day One, since the fight has been announced,’’ Crawford said. “It ain’t been nothing but real.”

So real, the fighters are staying at different Omaha hotels, according to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. So real, that uniformed police were there and vigilant throughout Thursday’s news conference. So real, that Arum warned both against pushing or punching seconds before they faced each other in the ritual stare-down for the cameras after the newser.

“They can say whatever they want,’’ said Arum, who has taken steps to ensure there is no sequel to the near-riot that erupted last Saturday after the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov UFC bout in Las Vegas. “No screwing around. You don’t get paid if you punch the other guy out here. No physical stuff.’’

There was only more of the same.

Over weeks, months and perhaps longer, Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs) and Benavidez (27-0, 18 KOs) have talked themselves into believing the worst about the other. Perhaps, that changes after a welterweight title fight in an ESPN televised bout (10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT) at CNI Heath Center Omaha.

On Thursday, however, their mutual contempt sounded as stubborn as ever after the contentious newser. Each said they would not shake the other’s hand after it was all over. That was about the only thing they could agree on.

“I won’t shake his dad’s hand, either,’’ Crawford said of Jose Benavidez Sr., also his son’s trainer.

The threatening words have filled gyms, ballrooms and social media for days before a bout that appears to be little threat to Crawford’s WBO title or his hopes of moving on to a 147-pound showdown with Errol Spence Jr. Odds are stacked, all in favor of Crawford, who will fight in front of a hometown crowd for the fifth time.

“Bet a thousand dollars on me and you can collect $13,000 when I win,’’ said Benavidez, who says he is motivated by one-sided odds for what will be only his third fight since he suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg from a still unknown assailant while walking on a Phoenix canal bank in the summer of 2016. “I’ve got nothing to lose.’’

Benavidez, a Phoenix fighter and a former WBA junior-welterweight champion, said he hasn’t placed a wager on himself. His father Jose Sr., said he would not agree to a bet with Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre, who challenged him to a $10,000 wager during the middle of Thursday’s news conference.

The stakes are high enough, as it is. Benavidez’ words include an intangible meaning. There’s pressure, self-imposed.

“You guys ain’t scaring nobody,’’ Benavidez said to Crawford and a news-conference audience that recorded every word. “You best bring your A-game on Saturday because you’re going to get your ass beat.

“Guaranteed.”

Crawford, who is either No. 1 or No. 2 in the various pound-for-pound polls, smiled, almost ominously. Throughout his career, he says, he has always been motivated by fighters with brash words and threatening promises.

“Absolutely,’’ said the unbeaten Crawford, whose versatility in switching from left to right and back again has left its mark, including 26 stitches around Australian Jeff Horn’s eyes in his last fight. “I’m not worried. I’m just going to go out there and shut him up.

“That’s it.

“That’s all.”

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s a role nobody ever foresaw for Jose Benavidez, Jr.

At 19, he was shy and talented, a prodigy embarrassed by what he heard from his seat in the back row of undercard fighters during a trash-talking rant from Joel Casamayor at a news conference before the Cuban’s last fight, a knockout loss to Timothy Bradley at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in November, 2011.

After the final expletive, I remember asking Benavidez what he thought of Casamayor’s profane monologue. He said that wasn’t him. He said he was more fighter than talker.

After seven years in a craft that can leave expectations and faces unrecognizable, however, Benavidez finds himself cast as the talker before his steep challenge of Terence Crawford on Oct. 13 in an ESPN-televised bout.

“While he’s talking, I’m working,’’ Crawford said during a conference call Thursday from his Colorado Springs training camp.

It’s a Benavidez role that was cast last February before a victory in Corpus Christi, a comeback from a gunshot wound above his right knee sustained while walking his dog on a canal bank in Phoenix in August 2016.

During the weigh-in, Benavidez spotted Crawford in the crowd. After stepping off the scale, he confronted Crawford. Benavidez accused him of ducking him and invited him to step outside. It was a well-chronicled exchange, often repeated. That, of course, was the idea.

Benavidez talked his way into the fight. He also talked his way into what figures to be the biggest paycheck in his career.

For him, it makes sense, dollars too, for a bout that also was an easy choice for Crawford, who can further embellish his pound-for-pound credentials in only his second fight at welterweight. What’s more, both are promoted by Top Rank, which signed Crawford to a contract extension in early September.

With a new deal at a new weight, Crawford figured he’d grant Benavidez his wish. To paraphrase an old line, the Phoenix welterweight might regret it. One-sided odds put his chances at an upset in Crawford’s hometown at slim to none. But that also means there’s not much to lose for Benavidez, who has been training in Omaha for the last couple of weeks, according to Top Rank.

If Benavidez can hang on, go the full 12 rounds against the feared Crawford, he might gain the kind of respect that could earn him a shot at other welterweights with belts and name-recognition. Most have not been willing to take the risk against Crawford.

Only Errol Spence says he wants the fight in what looms as the biggest welterweight bout in years. Keith Thurman avoids talk about Crawford. Manny Pacquiao doesn’t mention him at all.

But Benavidez sees an opportunity. Give him credit for that.

He’s been talking about and to Crawford for the last two-to-three years. Perhaps, Benavidez sees something in him that nobody else has. On the tale of the tape, Benavidez has advantages. At 6-feet-2, Benavidez is an unusually tall welterweight. Crawford is listed at 5-8. Benavidez has about a three-inch advantage in reach.

It all adds up to a fighter taller and rangier than any Crawford has ever faced. But the tape’s tale doesn’t include any mention of Crawford’s instinct. It’s hard to quantify. He switches from left to right and back to left without any apparent hesitation. Switch-hitting is often considered a weakness, a sign that a fighter isn’t any good with either hand.

In Crawford, however, it’s a strength augmented by power end precision in each hand. Depending on the moment and what he sees, he’ll jab with traditional left, then lead with the left, all within an almost imperceptible split-second. So far, there has been no way to defend against it, or even prepare for it. In an old sport that has seen it all, Crawford has re-introduced a versatile weapon he uses with an effectiveness as unprecedented as it is lethal.

A looming question is whether Benavidez will resort to a controversial tactic that allowed him to escape with a WBA 140-pound title in a 2014 decision over Mauricio Herrera. He stood upright, his back on the ropes and his face behind upraised hands. It was a rope-a-dope posture, and it worked because of precise jab that landed enough to gain an edge on the scorecards. But the crowd booed.

“I think he’ll want to make a real fight of it in front of my hometown fans, but if he does that, we’ll counter it,’’ Crawford said Thursday in what might prove to be the last word on Oct. 13.