Two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi has highlighted one of boxing’s most predominant issues that he believes is turning some fights and the sport itself into a clown show.
Like most fans, Malignaggi is looking ahead to the upcoming undisputed heavyweight title showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, but admitted his fear that their rivalry could morph into that of Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford.
That is due to the nature of their two-fight deal, where a second bout is unwanted by some of the public. Malignaggi questioned the need for another fight on Pro Box TV, and whether failure to partake in a rematch could impact the perception of the victor.
“This whole new thing that happens in boxing now where a guy is due two-fight deals, which is ridiculous because the rematch clause that used to happen in the past or the fact that a rematch used to depend on whether the first fight was good or even worth watching again.
“Now these fighters give us this clown show where they sign two-fight deals just to have money grabs, the way that Spence-Crawford did it, now nobody wants to watch the rematch and they have to talk about this rematch that nobody wants to watch.
“It’s become sort of a common theme now in boxing and it seems like Fury and Usyk have done that. I was going to say that, I know it has been 20 years or so since Lennox Lewis retired, what happens if Fury beats Usyk but doesn’t look good and then retires.
“Does he still get to walk away with the fanfare and the accolades? Will people perceive him the same or will they sort of knock him [for not taking the second fight]?”
Fury-Usyk will take place on May 18th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in one of 2024’s most standout events, with a rematch expected to take place before the end of the year.