SERIOUS!!! Saul Alvarez vs Alfonso Gomez

[marbleheadmaui]

Alvarez is being spoon fed.

It's only his second defence of the title so I'm not too annoyed.

Hopefully they step up his level of competition soon though.

Surely to have the right to call yourself champ you should be prepared to fight anyone and everyone.

Stepping up after winning the title sounds stupid. Supposed to step up gradually until you reach the title.

But he doesn't!

Look the kid is still a prospect and should be brought along like one.

It speaks volumes to the emptiness of holding a title than, rather calling yourself a 'champion' as long as the pockets are deep enough and we fall for the rock star label he is being rushed to market with. Can't have it both ways, but we're falling for it more and more.

This is a paid infomercial passed off as a Championship match on the premier network for boxing. Yet again.

It's our own fault. Kellerman put it perfectly when he said (paraphrase) "belts today are not signs of achievement, they are marketing tools."

And too many of us subscribe to it. Alvarez is no more a champion than I am. He's a prospect, a promising one, with a lot of work to do and that is how he should be brought along and in my view, how we ought to judge the fight choices.

[CommunistKevin]

Man gomez is not great but I think we are being a little harsh on him. He is prob better than Matthew hatton.

[Kev]

I think some of you guys are a bit clueless about modern boxing to be honest. Holding a paper belt hasn't been seen as significant in terms of evaluating a fighters worth for many years but you all still react as if something shocking is taking place.

The only belt that matters is the Ring Belt, the alphabet titles just now exist to give fighters marketability, nobody in boxing is saying Canelo is the best at light middle, nor at 21 years of age does he need to be fighting them.

Just let him grow and develop and the better competition will follow.

As for Gomez being a joke. Really, why? Because he was on the Contender?

Since losing to Cotto he's been on a very decent run and would be just as deserving of a shot at Bundrage's belt or any of the other champs out there.

He ended the effective career of Jose Luis Castillo and got a win over Soto Karass where he was boxing very well and controlling the fight. Karass certainly looked a lot better against Mike Jones.

Gomez is the kind of opponent Canelo needs right now. Someone who will be a live opponent, will test him, but shouldn't derail him.

You people would make the worst boxing matchmakers, you just always want to match a guy so he gets beat and that's it.

This is a decent matchup.

The fact that it's for an alphabet strap has no real significance beyond being a little extra to help sell the fight.

[JazMerkin]

It's our own fault. Kellerman put it perfectly when he said (paraphrase) "belts today are not signs of achievement, they are marketing tools."

And too many of us subscribe to it. Alvarez is no more a champion than I am. He's a prospect, a promising one, with a lot of work to do and that is how he should be brought along and in my view, how we ought to judge the fight choices.

I'm no fan of the alphabets, but if you seriously believe that you're completely off your rocker

[roberto duran legend]

What Interrim champions , gold and silver champions a complete farce , sanction fees my friend thats all they mean .

[JazMerkin]

What Interrim champions , gold and silver champions a complete farce , sanction fees my friend thats all they mean .

Did I say I was a fan? I don't rate them, but winning even a worthless paper belt in the ring makes you more of a champ than posting on a boxing website. Fact.

[roberto duran legend]

Chill out champ , just saying there is way to many belts

[marbleheadmaui]

It's our own fault. Kellerman put it perfectly when he said (paraphrase) "belts today are not signs of achievement, they are marketing tools."

And too many of us subscribe to it. Alvarez is no more a champion than I am. He's a prospect, a promising one, with a lot of work to do and that is how he should be brought along and in my view, how we ought to judge the fight choices.

I'm no fan of the alphabets, but if you seriously believe that you're completely off your rocker

Alvarez has ZERO legitimate claim to being CHAMPION. None. (Neither do I)

[CommunistKevin]

Wow bilbo I agree with like everything you said. To be honest people always make fun of match makers and say that they are too careful. But it is an important part of boxing and lots of fighter's careers have been ruined by over aggressive match making. And it is not always the case that the fighter was just over rated. Anyone with actual boxing experience knows the psychological issues that can arise from a loss for fighters