Hey Mr. Edwards… I want to discuss Oleksandr Usyk’s legacy, and this Saturday’s fight between Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia… A couple of years ago, Oleksandr Usyk gave an interview and said he was considering going back to the cruiserweight division to finish out his career, because he had nothing left to prove at heavyweight. I’m puzzled by that, because he was already unified/undisputed at cruiserweight, and has nothing to prove in that weight class, and the cruiserweight title is not as glamorous or prestigious as the heavyweight title. I also think it would be hard on his body to lose 25 pounds and perform at his best, approaching 40 years old. If Oleksandr Usyk wants to enhance his impressive list of accomplishments and legacy even more, I think I have the solution – fight for the bridgerweight title. When the bridgerweight division was first formed a few years ago, I thought it was a ridiculous idea, because there were already 17 weight classes in boxing and too many title-belts, and it seemed like it was just a way for the WBC to collect another sanctioning fee, but I believe another one of the ‘big four’ sanctioning bodies also recognizes the bridgerweight division now. If Oleksandr Usyk fights for the two bridgerweight titles, it’s a relatively easy way to become an undisputed champion in a new weight class, because there are only two titles available at that weight class, and Usyk wouldn’t even have to cut any weight, because he usually weighs in for his heavyweight fights right at the bridgerweight limit. If Oleksandr Usyk captures those two bridgerweight titles, he could match Terence Crawford’s feat of being an undisputed champion in three weight classes, and then retire. What do you think about that idea? I also want your opinion about the WBC allowing a fighter who’s coming off of a loss to fight for one of their world titles in his VERY NEXT FIGHT. Ryan Garcia is not coming off of a close, competitive and controversial loss – he was dominated and got dropped by Rolly Romero, and almost lost every round, and now he gets to fight for the WBC welterweight title, against a guy who was appointed as WBC welterweight champion, without having to win the title in the ring – it was awarded to him after it became vacant. In my opinion, the WBC is everything that is wrong with boxing and ultra-corrupt, and has been as long as I can remember. For example, letting Manny Pacquiao fight for it’s junior-middleweight title, for his debut at the weight class, at a catchweight. I actually don’t have a problem with a champion moving up to a new weight class to fight for a belt at his debut in the weight class, but Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito were unranked at junior-middleweight, and more deserving contenders than Margarito should’ve got the fight for the vacant belt against Pacquiao. I love Manny Pacquiao and he was on a long winning-streak at the time, but the WBC should’ve had him fight the #1 contender for the belt, or whoever was available in the top-5 rankings at Junior-middleweight – not the human punching bag (and attempted cheater), Antonio Margarito. I considered refusing to watch any WBC-sanctioned fights, but I’m going to watch the Barrios-Garcia fight, because I’m a boxing fan and Mario Barrios hasn’t done anything wrong. I have no idea who will win, but I will be rooting for Mario Barrios, because he seems like a really nice guy and he’s always respectful of his opponents. So how do you feel about a fighter coming off of a loss and fighting for a world title in his next fight?
