The Hottest Boxing Storylines for the Week of October 23
Boxing continues its long period of inactivity (it ends soon, we promise), so we'll have to keep ourselves busy with fight news and rumblings from around the sport.
Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz have signed on for a rematch of one of 2016's better fights.
We take a look at whether or not The Jackal can take down El Terremoto once again.
Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs won't meet until early next year (if ever), but that has opened up some money to get Terence Crawford back on HBO before year's end.
Who are some potential opponents?
All that, plus, Canelo Alvarez's odd decision to once again entertain a Miguel Cotto rematch, what's next for Wladimir Klitschko now that Anthony Joshua seems out and the battle between Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz Jr. for the WBO Heavyweight Championship.
These are the hottest boxing storylines for the week!
Can Carl Frampton Do It Again?
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Frampton announced via Twitter that he will do battle with Santa Cruz January 28 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a rematch of their July barnburner that saw the Irish fighter score a minor upset and capture a featherweight world championship.
The fight was close and had the fans (most of them pro-Frampton) at the Barclays Center on their feet, enjoying the back-and-forth action. You can definitely see the need for a rematch since it figures to produce more of the same memorable moments.
Frampton showed exceptional ring skill and toughness in unseating Santa Cruz.
He engaged him on level (or slightly better) terms when the action got to close quarters and almost completely nullified his high-octane offensive attack when he kept things to the outside. It was an impressive performance that silenced many of the naysayers.
Santa Cruz had a rematch clause in the contract and has decided the best course is to make an attempt at scoring revenge for this lone career defeat. It came by the narrowest of margins, though most at ringside felt the verdict was correct and fair since it was basically a 51-49 fight.
This announcement—for a big fight early in the new year—is good news for fans who have seen far too many quality fights get talked about but never happen in 2016.
Could Terence Crawford Take GGG's December Spot?
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The continued ridiculousness that prevented unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin from defending his titles against Daniel Jacobs on December 10 has opened the door wide for budding pound-for-pound star Crawford to take that slot.
Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports that the unified junior welterweight champ is in talks to make his third start of the year on the date vacated by GGG. His decision freed up a significant chunk of money for HBO, which will likely use it to showcase one of its brightest young stars.
Crawford knocked out Hank Lundy in February and followed up that performance with a whupping of Viktor Postol on pay-per-view in July (a significant fight that didn't belong there) to unify 140-pound titles over the summer.
Two possible opponents have been mentioned for the fight, which will likely take place in Crawford's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.
Eduard Troyanovsky (25-0, 22 KO) holds the IBF Junior Welterweight Championship and would give Crawford the opportunity to possess three-fourths of the gold in his weight class, while Antonio Orozco (25-0, 16 KO) is his WBC mandatory.
Either of those fights would do just fine for Crawford, who seems able to meet his goal of fighting three times this year (how you build a star) thanks to the intransigence of others.
One door closes, and another one opens.
Why the Increased Canelo-Cotto II Chatter?
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Canelo won't return until early next year and is supposed to be gradually (total joke) tip-toeing his way up to full middleweight for a showdown with Golovkin in the fall. If you believe that, then maybe you're a hopeless optimist or can't see that his words don't match his actions.
At all.
In an interview with El Vocero (h/t Miguel Rivera of Boxing Scene), Canelo states that he'd be open to a rematch with Miguel Cotto next year. Cotto hasn't fought since dropping what most felt was a fair and decisive verdict to the cinnamon-haired star last November.
Golden Boy Promotions' head matchmaker Robert Diaz took it one step further, per El Vocero.
"[2017] will be a great year for Canelo, the fans and for the fans of Canelo Alvarez," Diaz said. "Yes [a rematch with Cotto] is definitely possible. The first was very good fight and who wouldn't like to see the rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico?"
We're not really sure who they're polling on demand for a rematch, but the first fight was a disappointment. It was a thoroughly pedestrian affair with a clear winner, and one of the combatants hasn't fought since.
His promoter Oscar De La Hoya heavily hyped Canelo as a clear break from the Floyd Mayweather Jr. era when fighters were concerned only with their bottom lines and not making the best fights.
Somewhere along the line, the message shifted from the best fighting the best to what's best for business, and if Canelo truly entertains this fight, it would speak volumes about which concerns him the most.
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What's Next for Wladimir Klitschko?
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The heavyweight division is in disarray.
It seemed a week or so ago that the long-reigning champion Klitschko would challenge young star Joshua for the IBF Heavyweight Championship in December. But Dr. Steelhammer insisted on fighting for the WBA Heavyweight Championship, and that bout seems to have fallen apart.
There's still a chance the WBA could sanction the bout between Joshua and Klitschko, but that appears unlikely, with Wlad already moving on with plans to lock up a bout with Lucas Browne for the vacant strap in Germany.
The plan seems to be to recapture a share of the title before moving on with a unification bout against Joshua in the spring or summer of next year. Something tells us that this whole thing is going to prove to be about money.
But Keith Idec of Boxing Scene reports that negotiations for a Klitschko-Browne match aren't going well.
The sides are far apart in money, and time is running out for the bout to be finalized and properly promoted before a December date. If it falls apart, then we'll be left with Wlad looking for an even more unattractive opponent to fill that slot.
Meanwhile, Joshua could wind up facing David Price or Kubrat Pulev in his second defense. Pulev would be just fine and the toughest challenge of his career.
Will Parker or Ruiz Claim a Vacant Title?
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The fallout from Tyson Fury's decision to vacate his heavyweight titles continues.
The WBO has ordered top contenders Parker (21-0, 18 KO) and Ruiz (29-0, 19 KO) to meet for the vacant belt. The fight will take place December 10 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Parker and Ruiz are the organization's No. 1 and No. 3 contenders, and with Klitschko—who is rated No. 2—seemingly headed toward contesting the WBA's vacant title, it opened up the opportunity for this fight to come together.
It's an intriguing style matchup.
Parker is a big, strong heavyweight with huge punching power.
He's been active since turning pro and will be making his fifth start of the year. Most observers consider him part of a two-headed monster of young heavyweights who are primed to take over the division alongside Joshua.
Ruiz is a solid heavyweight contender who seems to have overcome some of the weight and conditioning issues that plagued him earlier in his career. He has fast hands and has gotten into better shape in his most recent fights.
He'd become the first Mexican heavyweight champion in history with a win.
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