After a quiet summer in the boxing pay-per-view business, things are about to pick up in a major way over the next four months, with four PPVs on the schedule. For fans that have become spoiled by so much free boxing on television, courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions, the deluge will certainly throw a monkey wrench into their viewing routine.
Shane Mosley vs. Ricardo Mayorga
Saturday, Aug. 29
The Forum | Inglewood, Calif.
I know what you’re thinking, and you’re absolutely right: Why is this on pay per view? Well, because it is. For those who care to remember, Mosley-Mayorga 1 took place in 2008 and was a solid bout between the rugged Mayorga and the still-relevant Mosley. It ended literally in the last second of the fight, as Mosley knocked out the Nicaraguan 2:59 into round 12. Now, though neither man carries the intrigue he once did, they will fight again on pay-per-view. A Twitter feud fueled their rivalry and eventually led to the rematch being booked at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The problem -- aside from the fact that Mayorga, 41, is completely shot and Mosley, 43, is not too far behind -- is that a highly anticipated showdown between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares will unfold on the same day a few miles away at the Staples Center in Los Angeles; and that one will be available on free television.
Why should you pay for Mosley-Mayorga 2? Perhaps you’re feeling a sense of nostalgia, or maybe you want to see someone get knocked out, because it is fairly obvious the bout will not go the distance. It is hard to justify paying to see this rematch, considering it is taking place about six years too late and there is another highly competitive fight going down in the same state.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Andre Berto
Saturday, Sept. 12
MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas
The only reason anyone should pay to see this fight is to watch what is supposed to be Mayweather’s farewell at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. There is really no other purpose whatsoever for anyone to plunk down their hard-earned cash for this fight. Berto has done nothing to earn a crack at Mayweather, and a lot of talented fighters were passed up for this opportunity: Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter and Amir Khan, to name a few. To be honest, this can be viewed more as a gift to Berto than anything else, considering that he will be paid handsomely for being Mayweather’s sparring partner. With that said, Mayweather is the biggest star in all of boxing and, in the minds of some, has earned the right to take it easy after beating Manny Pacquiao in the highest-grossing fight of all-time. The name recognition alone will be enough to cause a few casual fans to cough up some money for the fight. Maybe Mayweather will make it exciting and score a knockout for the first time in four years. If we’re being completely honest, the aforementioned Mosley-Mayorga rematch may end up producing more fireworks, as Mayweather has never been one to take risks in an effort to please bloodthirsty fight fans. Nevertheless, Mayweather-Berto is coming, and there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. The only question is whether or not you are going to watch this lopsided matchup.
Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux
Saturday, Oct. 17
Madison Square Garden | New York
If it is fireworks you want, then it is fireworks you will get when Golovkin looks to extend his ridiculous knockout streak to 21 against the hard-punching Lemieux. Between the two of them, they have knocked out 61 out of 69 opponents. That is absolutely ridiculous and represents the perfect recipe for these two sluggers to compete in a “Fight of the Year” candidate for as long as it lasts. “GGG” is the star here, as just about everyone has been waiting for him to get a step up in competition. Lemieux may not represent quite the step up people wanted, but he certainly possesses the pop to test Golovkin’s chin considering that “GGG” has never been knocked out or knocked down in either his amateur or professional career. Their bout will not do Mayweather numbers because “GGG” is still building his fan base; however, it might be the most fun PPV of 2015, especially when you add what is almost certain to be another exciting throwdown between Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Brian Viloria to the card.
Those who are not yet familiar with Gonzalez should probably do some research. He is on everyone’s pound-for-pound list, with a record of 43-0 and 37 knockouts. Villoria is no slouch, with a 36-4 record and 22 knockouts. If you’re counting, that is a total of 100 knockouts in 154 fights between the four fighters. If you like watching people get knocked out, this will be the card for you.
Miguel Cotto vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez
Saturday, Nov. 21
Mandalay Bay Events Center | Las Vegas
This is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing, outside of Mayweather or Pacquiao. Plenty of storylines are packed into this one. You have the long-standing rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico; you have boxing’s next megastar facing an established future hall of famer; and, of course, you have a clash between two guys who rarely engage in a dull fight. It is hard for me to imagine this fight disappointing when you consider that Alvarez and Cotto have been extraordinarily entertaining throughout their respective careers. What makes this interesting is that it has become increasingly difficult to pick a winner.
Most will side with “Canelo” because of his youth and upside and the fact that Cotto is closing in on retirement. However, Cotto has looked excellent under the tutelage of trainer Freddie Roach, and he might be the better boxer of the two. There is a possibility that Andre Ward will be added to the undercard, so this is the PPV you cannot afford to miss.
***
There you have it, boxing fans. If you have to pick one pay-per-view to purchase, go with Cotto-Alvarez on Nov. 21. If you have some extra money, go ahead and watch “GGG”-Lemieux on Oct. 17 to get your knockout fix. After that, it’s a tossup. You can pay for the nostalgia of Mosley-Mayorga or Mayweather’s farewell sparring session with Berto. In terms of entertainment, Mosley-Mayorga might be the equivalent to a wild bar fight. It may not be high on quality, but there will be action.
As for Mayweather, he is simply the best boxer on the planet -- albeit not the most exciting one -- and if you want to pay to see what he does best, go for it. Just don’t be upset when it ends up lacking the excitement for which you had hoped.
Andreas Hale is a content producer for Jay Z's LifeandTimes.com and editor-in-chief of PremierWuzHere.com, as well as a frequent Sherdog.com columnist. Check out his archive here.