Boxing never stops, so it’s main event time somewhere

On Saturday, US fight fans will get a reminder that boxing isn’t just an American pastime – it’s a global sport, and let’s be honest, we tend to forget that.

Daniel Dubois is putting his IBF heavyweight title on the line against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in London. Here’s the kicker: it’s not just the main event that should have your attention.

On the undercard, you’ll find names like Tyler Denny, a middleweight who’s been quietly making moves. But unless you’re glued to boxing streams at odd hours, you’ve probably never seen him fight. His bouts have rarely made it on to US television, so most fans here are completely missing out on his rise. Then there’s Willy Hutchinson, who’s taking on Joshua Buatsi for the WBO interim light-heavyweight title. Buatsi, you’ll recall, is a 2016 British Olympian training under Virgil Hunter, a name that should ring bells. Hutchinson? He’s a guy who took out Craig Richards in June opening the 5 v. 5 card, yet he’s flying under the radar Stateside.

While we’re on the subject of fighters US fans are sleeping on – sometimes literally – let’s not forget Naoya Inoue. Pound-for-pound one of the best in the world, but his fights air at 3am or 4am PST. Maybe 6am or 7am if you’re on the East Coast. So you’re probably not catching those live. It’s part of a bigger shift – fewer American fighters hold titles these days, and places like Saudi Arabia are becoming more of a focal point. It’s not all about the US anymore. Just something to think about as you sip your coffee.

Next weekend features a Top Rank card in New York City, but after that? The action again moves overseas. Nick Ball-Ronny Rios in the UK, Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia, and a two-night title extravaganza in Japan. After one week, we’ll go almost a month with most of the big fights happening outside of the US.

As we gear up for yet another fight at a less-than-convenient hour – though, really, is it that bad? – remember, there’s something kind of fun about watching a big fight at some ungodly time.

In fact, it is fun to glorify at times. Here is a story about one such moment of waking up early for a fight. 

In 2009, I spent six months living in Armenia. The experience was a lot – I was living near the Cascade and soaking in the culture, but staying connected to my love for boxing? That took some effort. Luckily, a small cafe became my go-to for fight nights.

One that still makes me smile was the pay-per-view between Shane Mosley and Sergio Mora. At the time Mora didn’t know me from a stick in the mud, though we’ve since crossed paths. Mosley, on the other hand, was a staple of my childhood. His fights were like the music of Britney Spears or Limp Bizkit – always around, even if I wasn’t seeking them out. Growing up, it seemed like every year I’d end up at a friend’s house, and at some point, Mosley was fighting and I was watching.

Mora was my guy. My grandpa, who got me into boxing, watched The Contender TV series with me. We had already followed Mike Tyson, but after his infamous ear-biting incident against Evander Holyfield it became harder to watch boxing for me. Tyson was our guy, and when he lost it stung. The Contender came at a time when I wasn’t as plugged into boxing, but my grandpa and I latched on to Mora. He won, and I was hooked.

So while many people shrugged off Mosley-Mora, I was all in. I remember watching a pre-fight video where Mora mentioned doing push-ups on a medicine ball to handle Mosley’s clinches. I tried it myself – tiny glimpses of training I thought I’d never get to see.

In Armenia, finding a place to watch the fight was tricky. I chatted with a local cafe owner, whose kids were my age, and they found a way to buy the fight; they also were below my apartment. A 5am wake-up call was necessary. My mom, who was in Armenia for business, and I walked down from our apartment with spiral stairs and an iron gate to the cafe. We waited until a light flickered on, signaling the owner was ready. I handed over way too much money for coffee and a pastry, and then we settled in.

The familiar sound of HBO Boxing filled the air, and Jim Lampley’s voice – the soundtrack to so many fights from my youth – greeted us. Maybe it was the international feed, but I want to believe it was Lampley. Either way, I was overjoyed. The cafe owner gave me a reassuring tap on the shoulder, and we watched the fight together. I scored it for Mora, and though it ended in a draw, I didn’t mind.

Homesick and far from my usual comforts, that fight made me feel connected to something familiar. In a world that feels so big, sometimes it’s the small things – like a boxing match at 5am – that makes all the difference.

Though I made the walk to watch fights after this again, this was the best one. 

So while Saturday’s fight might be timed kindly for those in the US, just remember that with each major fight someone is always inconvenienced. US fight fans are rarely inconvenienced, so when we are it is probably annoying to the rest of the world if we object to a 3pm PST main event. Some have it far worse.