The pay-per-view numbers are in and the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao broke the previous record by a landslide. Billed as the “Fight of the Century”, the two fighters pulled in 4.4 Million PPV buys and over $400 Million in revenue beating the previous record set by De la Hoya -Mayweather of 2.4 Million. While Mayweather spends his purse in extravagant fashion, the PPV king will have to decide his future in boxing with possibly one or two fights left in his thus far perfect career. Fresh from rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder, Pacquiao will begin a 9-12 month healing process with an anticipated run for Senate in the Philippines in 2016. The sport of boxing will need new faces to carry the sport and it didn’t take long for the audition process to start.
One week after Mayweather won a decision over Pacquiao in a lacklustre affair, Light middleweight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez brought the action in a match against James Kirkland. Alvarez, a former opponent of Mayweather, knocked Kirkland down three times including a spectacular knockout in the third round to improve to 45-1-1 with 32 KOs. Alvarez has already proven to be a huge draw as the fight with Mayweather reached 2.2 PPV buys. With a Mexican fan base that follows him across the continent, Alvarez may be the next big attraction.
The following week, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin threw his name into the mix. The Kazakh boxer continued his impressive knockout streak to 20 by stopping Willie Monroe Jr. in the sixth round to improve to 33-0 with 30 KOs. The middleweight has become a fan favorite promising fans a “big drama show” each time he steps into the ring and has been vocal at taking on stiffer challenges such as Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, and even Floyd Mayweather.
The showcasing continues for British fighters Amir Khan and Kell Brook that want to make a name for themselves in North America. Both fighters will be in action in the next month against separate opponents and if fans get their wish, a battle between the two could determine who takes the next big step. Undefeated American and Fighter of the Year, Terrence Crawford waits in the wings and searches for his next opponent with Manny Pacquiao rumoured to be that person once he returns from injury. Nicaraguan Flyweight Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez boasts an impressive 43-0 resume and Cuban Junior Featherweight Guillermo Rigondeaux both continue to search for a worthwhile opponent to establish their names.
Many experts believe that the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will be the last big pay-per-view for boxing. Mayweather and Pacquiao are superstars of this generation and finding worthy successors could be a long process. If the right fights are made and the combatants are willing, we could see a resurgence in a sport that was once the undisputed champion.
