Golden Boy to Propose Welterweight Tournament: Khan, Maidana, Alexander Involved

by Scott Christ on Sep 17, 2011 3:32 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

Amir Khan could be part of a welterweight tournament, but then again, maybe not. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Rick Reeno reports at BoxingScene.com that Richard Schaefer will propose an eight-man welterweight tournament to HBO and Showtime next week, with plenty of name fighters involved.

Those identified as candidates already include junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan, recent GBP signee Devon Alexander, Marcos Maidana, Lucas Matthysse, and Paulie Malignaggi.

"Maybe we could do something where four fighters go against each other one weekend and next four could go against each other the next weekend, and then have the winners fight each other in three months."

This is a fun idea, and would be great to see. I'm always up for something with a tournament format. Ever since WrestleMania IV (which was horrible), I have loved tournaments, and the recent Showtime tournaments with the Super Six at 168 and the small four-man tournament at bantamweight have been a hoot, even with troubles along the way for the Super Six.

But it would surprise me if they're able to get all these guys involved in a tournament, to be honest, particularly Amir Khan who may be next in line for Floyd Mayweather Jr should both win their final 2011 fights. It might be hard to get him to commit to three fights, but his name might just be here for hype purposes.

Tweet Comment 18 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I can get behind this

It can generate buzz for future contenders even though Manny and Floyd are still at the top. A cinderella story would also be awesome with this format.

by IRodC on Sep 17, 2011 3:34 PM EDT reply actions

I love tournaments. I also find it really weird that none of the names mentioned here are established welterweights.

by El Destruyo on Sep 17, 2011 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

I guess I’m alone in this, but this would probably result in a lot of repeat fights. Jr. Welterweight has been in its own quasi-tournament format for a while now.

Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.

by Apprentice on Sep 17, 2011 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

The tournament idea certainly has caught fire, hasn’t it?

I would like to think of it as an anodyne to the absurd mess of “championships,” “belts,” and “sanctioning” organizations. It’s not, though, except as collateral benefit to audience dollars. I guess that’s not a bad thing.

by DrRck on Sep 17, 2011 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

My Channel 5 reception was terrible and i only saw highlights of the fight but Tyson Fury got badly shook up by a combination of punches in the in his fight with the American, Nicolai Firtha tonight.
Fury came back to win in the 6th, getting behind the jab again and throwing some nice uppercuts too.
The stoppage was somewhat premature,imo, although Firtha was taking some big shots.
Fury was almost out on his feet in that 3rd though, yet still claimed he would beat the Klits in the after fight interview.

by Matt Mosley on Sep 17, 2011 4:46 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks.

I still don’t understand Fury’s 24-hour turnabout from level-headed to delusional.

by DrRck on Sep 17, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Correction

It was stopped in the 5th rd and to be fair to Fury, it was pretty much one way traffic in that rd and he was beating Firtha up, but then again, like Al Bernstein said, Firtha had hurt Fury badly only two rds previously.
Fury looked good when he got behind his strong jab and followed witht he straight right occasionally, but he was sloppy and got dragged into a brawl once again.
He has promise but alos has a lot to learn. Getting a permanent higher level trainer is essentail, imo.

by Matt Mosley on Sep 17, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, Firtha had taken Alexander Povetkin the full 10rds in his second to last fight, so he was a decent test for Fury, i suppose, especially on 2 weeks notice and when considering that Fury has fought two hard fights in 2 months.
I just wish he would stop talking himself up too much, like quite a few Brit fighters tend to do.
It’s good to be confident as a fighter, just please forget about the Klits for now, Tyson.

by Matt Mosley on Sep 17, 2011 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Matt..

Do C5 have a +1. (I’m out and missed the fist part).

by Phill on Sep 17, 2011 5:27 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I like how these are all former jr. welter titleholders. Why not get lamont peterson and victor cayo also? With the exception of Khan, I see most of these fighters as simply jr. welters who can’t make weight any more… not as legitimate welterweight fighters. Maybe everyone ran away from Bradley fo’ sho!

"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."

by cylee1180 on Sep 17, 2011 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

Huh. Maidana and Khan would kick Bradley’s ass, dude.

by The Twillness on Sep 17, 2011 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Bradley isn’t a world class fighter and if he should meet Khan or even Miadana he would likely be the underdog and lose.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Sep 17, 2011 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

I disagree

I think he is a very good fighter, if not great, who would handily beat Maidana.

by Sweet science on Sep 17, 2011 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Whoa whoa

I really don’t see Maidana ever beating Bradley. Bad match-up.

by ColtJouvet on Sep 18, 2011 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I highly doubt that Khan would commit to it. I like the idea, but a welterweight tournament filled with junior welterweight fighters and zero actual welterweights is hardly going establish anything. Matthyse, Alexander, Malignaggi and Maidana in any order could make for some interesting HBO BAD fights, but in terms of the welterweight scene they would not mean much.

For Fury I got black screen, two adverts, then what seemed to be a British/early stoppage. Watching round 2-5 now. Seemed like an okay fight for heavyweight standards. Fury is improving, but still a long way off from world class, even in this heavyweight era.

Nobody will read this and care and why should they?

by Eoin_not_ian on Sep 17, 2011 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

Good idea, whether it actually comes through is another thing. If they can execute…should be pretty awesome.

Also I don’t blame them for not having any actual welters on board thus far because the welterweight division is a graveyard. Maybe they could get Berto participating?

by The Twillness on Sep 17, 2011 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

I too love tournament, even if two of Showtime’s recent ventures in it (the Super 6 and the Grand Prix in MMA) have kind of fallen apart. Anything to remove the crappy political machinations by promoters the better.

by John Nash on Sep 17, 2011 6:29 PM EDT reply actions

I love the idea but I think it isn;t realistic to have so many fighters in such a tournament.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Sep 17, 2011 8:18 PM EDT reply actions