Ahead of Saturday’s huge night of boxing in Riyadh, the BoxingScene team looks ahead to what it anticipates will happen in Saudi Arabia and, on a promotion featuring numerous main-event-worthy contests, discusses which is the best fight that can follow.
Tris Dixon: Obviously this is now thinking two moves ahead – the result and then the next fight – but if Shakur Stevenson looks imperious against Josh Padley, then I imagine the clamor for a Gervonta “Tank” Davis fight will be loud and then all eyes will be on Tank-Lamont Roach Jnr on March 1.
Kieran Mulvaney: The main event winner against David Benavidez.
Lance Pugmire: Both Tris and Kieran have it right. We are getting such high-quality fights out of Saudi Arabia that the greed in us expects Benavidez to fight the Beterbiev-Bivol winner – trumping their trilogy match – and to find a way to recruit the favored “Tank” Davis to participate in the long-awaited match-up with Shakur Stevenson, who should take Padley to school on Saturday.
Tom Ivers: I’d have to say the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol II against David Benavidez – especially if Beterbiev comes away victorious again. Two men who have never taken a backwards step in their life – I honestly don’t know how a fight between them plays out. Also, a special mention to Martin Bakole – if he wins on Saturday then a fight against Dubois, Usyk, or Joshua is huge.
Ryan Songalia: I think the clearest answer is the Beterbiev-Bivol II winner against David Benavidez. For something a little less obvious, I would say Martin Bakole-Zhilei Zhang, provided that they both win. That would be a George Foreman-Ron Lyle type of heavyweight shootout.
Owen Lewis: Benavidez against the Beterbiev-Bivol winner. Stevenson-Gervonta “Tank” Davis is a match-up we’ve been dreaming of for a while, but it also feels like one we have to beg for. Benavidez is on a four-fight tear against quality opponents, and Beterbiev and Bivol both seem willing to fight him, so I’d rather Benavidez get the big fight he deserves than risk disappointment at Stevenson-Davis failing to materialize yet again.
Matt Christie: I completely agree with those who said Beterbiev or Bivol versus David Benavidez. If you want something a little more out of the box, how about the Ortiz-Madrimov winner invites “Boots” Ennis out to play?
Eric Raskin: I’ll agree with most of my colleagues and say Benavidez versus the Beterbiev-Bivol II winner — and I’ll get a little more specific and say Beterbiev prevailing on Saturday and being the champion whom Benavidez challenges gives fans the best possible stylistic match-up.
David Greisman: How about a fight between Vergil Ortiz Jnr and Bakhram Murtazaliev? If anything can surpass the violence of Ortiz-Bohachuk, it’s this pairing.
Declan Warrington: The winner of Madrimov-Ortiz Jnr against most of the other leading junior middleweights. Even with Terence Crawford being taken out of the picture by his being on course to fight at super middleweight against Saul Alvarez in September, either Madrimov or Ortiz Jnr being tested against Bakhram Murtazaliev, Sebastian Fundora, Serhii Bohachuk should Madrimov win, or, eventually and hopefully, a rebuilt Tim Tszyu would deserve to be a main event. If Crawford is to continue to be considered a junior middleweight, it’s possibly the most appealing weight division of all.
Elliot Worsell: David Benavidez against the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol II seems pretty logical to me.
Lucas Ketelle: Shakur Stevenson-Gervonta Davis – if Stevenson has a breakout performance.
Jason Langendorf: Notwithstanding all the usual caveats – age, health, a possible trilogy, etc – the obvious answer is the Beterbiev-Bivol II winner against Benavidez. I’d be jacked to see Tank-Stevenson, too – but only if Shakur puts himself out there.
Read the full article here
