Photo by Amanda Kwok
The Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana 2 pay-per-view fight is going to be good. Hell, it may even be great.
But what about the undercard?
The official announcement naming all of the undercard fights was made yesterday, and most fight fans weren’t pleased to say the least.
Let’s be real here, most of the matchups boxing heads wish would happen, aren’t going to happen, and the Mayhem undercard is no different. By either the fault of Al Haymon, network rivalries, or just a fighter not wanting to challenge another fighter, this list isn’t taking those excuses under any consideration.
This is a pure fun, somewhat realistic fight matchups list that would have fit well for Mayhem: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2. Here we go…
Leave us a comment letting us know what fights you would have wanted to see land on the Mayhem undercard!
Adrien Broner
vs.
Lucas Matthysse
Photo by Ed Mulholland/Golden Boy/Golden Boy via Getty Images
Who doesn’t like seeing Adrien Broner eat crow?
The most likely fighter in his weight class to do it is none other than Lucas Matthysse. Matthysse has shown he is as hard a puncher as they come in the Junior Welterweight division.
Broner has had problems with an Argentinean in the form of Marcos Maidana in the past, so naturally being on Maidana and Mayweather’s undercard suits well for the event.
With Broner’s trash talk and out of the ring antics, this will certainly add the great side dish to a perfectly cooked main dish.
Leo Santa Cruz
vs.
Anselmo Moreno
Photo by Naoki Fukada
Ahhh yes, the actual fighter to fight on this date that actually makes sense. Being of Mexican heritage, Leo Santa Cruz would, in basic terms, be the “Trophy Mexican” on this undercard. Naturally with the fight taking place on such a significant Mexican holiday, Mexican Independence Day weekend, it only makes sense to have a Mexican on the card.
With Anselmo Moreno as his partner in the bout, its bound to be a fight worth paying for. Both are highly skilled fighters with differing styles. Moreno with his not-so-fan-friendly style and Santa Cruz with his Mexican machismo “go all out to the body” style.
Moreno has shown the willingness to brawl a bit when dragged into a fight and Santa Cruz feeds off that. Great fight for the fans and a fight I believe Santa Cruz would win and raise his stock even higher.
John Molina Jr.
vs.
Adrien Broner
Photo by Naoki Fukada
If we couldn’t have Adrien Broner take on Lucas Matthysse, this is the second best option. Come on, did you not hear this song? A lot better than anything I have heard from Adrien Broner.
A man with firecrackers for fist, John Molina Jr. would bring a good challenge and fight to the outlandish behaving Broner.
Lots of questions leading up to this fight, can Molina actually bring it or will he eat his own words? Will Broner be able to box and dominate like he did at 135? A solid fight through and through.
David Lemieux
vs.
Kassim Ouma
Boom, Pow, Bang, and someone hits the floor.
That is basically what we would hear throughout this fight. Kasim Ouma, a former 154-pound titlist and the only man to give a great fight to the resident Middleweight Boogeyman GGG, can take a hit and dole it back out.
David Lemieux can also pack a punch, but what makes this fight so appealing to me is that both fighters have knocked opponents out, but have lost in similar fashion. Now I know a lot of people don’t know who both of these fighters are, so being showcased on a huge pay-per-view card like Mayhem would seem unlikely, but hey, this is a fantasy list so sue me.
This type of fight is what people pay to see–that and paying to see if Floyd Mayweather might actually lose–a rough and tumble fight where you know someone is getting knocked out. Ouma vs. Lemieux would be an exciting fight that would have people paying attention and not using that time to check their Instagram and ogle at the ring girls.
Chris Arreola
vs.
Shannon Briggs
Even after losing by KO to Bermaine Stiverne, Arreola still knocks Briggs into retirement, but boy wouldn’t that be awesome to see? In all seriousness here, let’s tell it like it is, this totally a mismatch, but an entertaining mismatch.
It’s like a movie, one where you know the ending, but your just watching to enjoy the ride. Briggs should not be in a boxing ring at this point in his career, but his loudmouth and foolish antics have put him on front pages of boxing blogs and Instagram posts. Whether he just needs the money or is just utterly crazy, he should not, I repeat he should not EVER get a shot at Wladimir Klitschko.
For goodness sake, for his health and the small amount of respect the Heavyweight titles still have, do not let him get a shot. So seeing Arreola, a fellow Vitali Klitschko victim, beating the crap out of this has been would be very entertaining.
