What is the ceiling for Naoya Inoue? Did Anderson Silva’s win land him a boxing megafight?

It was a wildly busy night time on the earth of boxing, even with the postponement of the pay-per-view card centered round unified light-weight champion Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos. IBF and WBA bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue reminded the world of the otherworldy energy he possesses at 118 kilos with a third-round knockout of Michael Dasmarinas, and he’s on a trajectory to problem for an excellent increased spot on ESPN’s pound-for-pound checklist. So how far-off is he from knocking on the door and surpassing Canelo Alvarez or Terence Crawford?

Jermall Charlo had a more durable time together with his world title protection on Saturday, going the gap in opposition to Juan Montiel. Was it a matter of overlooking Montiel, or Montiel stepping up on a giant stage? And the place does this battle and end result go away Charlo within the middleweight pecking order?

Mikaela Mayer additionally went the gap in her first protection of the WBO junior light-weight world title. Was her robust check in opposition to Erica Farias a pace bump on her street to unifying the division, or a severe wakeup name?

Lastly, UFC legend Anderson Silva did the unthinkable and beat former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Mexico. What does it imply for Silva’s future incomes potential in boxing?

Our panel of Michael Rothstein, Ben Child and Marc Raimondi digs into the fallout from Saturday’s motion.

What does Naoya Inoue must do to realistically problem Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford on the high of the pound-for-pound rankings?

There’s not rather more Naoya Inoue can do at this level, however wait. Virtually each fighter Inoue’s confronted, he’s dominated. More often than not, the battle doesn’t final very lengthy, both. However the fighter who may take advantage of sense for him to face subsequent — supplied he beats John Riel Casimero of their title unification bout on Aug. 14 — was standing subsequent to Inoue on stage Saturday night time after his win: Nonito Donaire.

Donaire and Inoue have fought earlier than — Inoue gained a unanimous choice on Nov. 7, 2019, instantly traditional –and dealing with the winner of Casimero-Donaire makes essentially the most sense, as it could unify the entire titles at 118 kilos. It’s additionally the most effective probability for Inoue to try to push previous Terence Crawford or Canelo Alvarez into the High 2 within the pound-for-pound rankings within the short-term.

These rankings are one thing Inoue pays consideration to as nicely — he advised ESPN as a lot final week — and it’s a begin for the 28-year-old to indicate he is perhaps the most effective fighter on the earth, no matter division.

“It’s the opponents that I’ll be combating — extra high quality opponents — and principally, as we go to the unification of the title, that ought to carry me up within the rankings,” Inoue stated.

If he unifies the titles at 118 kilos, he would most likely look in direction of a divisional transfer as much as 122 kilos, the place some new fights and new challenges would await. He might additionally turn into a four-division champion if he captures gold at 122. Win there, and Inoue would have an excellent stronger resume to bolster his case for the No. 1 spot. Barring a stunning loss by both man forward of him, which isn’t one thing Inoue can management, he simply has to maintain doing what he’s been doing. — Rothstein

Anderson Silva made himself future thousands and thousands in opposition to Julio Chavez Jr.

Anderson Silva possible made a reasonably good payday Saturday night time for his battle with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Guadalajara, Mexico. That was by no means doubtful coming in, whatever the end result. What was doubtful was how Silva would look. He’s 46 years outdated. He had only one UFC win since 2012. Chavez Jr., whereas having by no means lived as much as his household identify, is a former WBC middleweight champion with practically 60 professional boxing fights. Silva had not boxed professionally since 2005. It doesn’t take a sophisticated mathematician to determine these numbers weren’t including up in Silva’s favor. By each metric, Chavez Jr. ought to have gained, and gained simply at Jalisco Stadium.

And but, that’s in no way what occurred. Silva gained by cut up choice in a bout that wasn’t at the same time as shut because the scores would have indicated. He dominated giant parts of the battle, which is sort of ridiculous to sort. Sure, an growing older, allegedly washed-up Silva sort of whooped up on a boxing veteran who has overwhelmed the likes of Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee — a fighter that went the gap with Canelo Alvarez, and fought Daniel Jacobs only a yr and a half in the past. Silva gained so clearly that there wasn’t even sufficient room for a sketchy choice to bail Chavez Jr. out, aside from that one ridiculous card that had Chavez Jr. successful 77-75.

Silva completely smoked all expectations. Crushed them. Blew them away. That’s important in and of itself, to see one of many best MMA fighters of all time — a former UFC middleweight champion for seven years — placed on a sterling efficiency in one other fight sport. That’s cool. Nevertheless it’s uncertain this ends right here. This efficiency places Silva within the driver’s seat on the absolute excellent time. That is the period of the unconventional boxing match. The Paul brothers are doing their factor. Oscar De La Hoya is popping out of retirement and dealing with Silva’s outdated rival Vitor Belfort in an exhibition. Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought one another in an exhibition final yr.

All of that is to say, Silva made himself a serious commodity Saturday night time for a future boxing match in opposition to a fellow legend, a YouTuber, or any variety of different people who might generate a whole lot of buzz. Silva has stated for a decade that considered one of his goals was to field his buddy Jones Jr. That appears very a lot on the desk proper now. How about Anderson Silva vs. Jake Paul, if Paul can get by Tyron Woodley in August?

However let me suggest this: Tyson vs. Silva. The previous baddest man on the planet in opposition to essentially the most inventive knockout artist in MMA historical past. It will most likely must be an exhibition, however you’re telling me that wouldn’t promote pay-per-view items? Silva might be considered one of his largest battle purses ever — maybe his largest ever, interval — and he’s nearer to 50 than he’s 40.

These are loopy instances in fight sports activities and Silva simply made himself a related identify once more, eight years after he misplaced the UFC middleweight title to Chris Weidman. — Raimondi

Did Jermall Charlo take his battle in opposition to Juan Macias Montiel too calmly?

In no way. What else was Charlo purported to do? Within the sixth spherical, he did every part however ship Juan Montiel to the canvas, and but the challenger stored on coming. Montiel had one thing only a few underdogs possess — unabashed ranges of self-confidence, and a real willingness to win. That’s why Charlo (and most observers) have been in awe of Montiel after that efficiency. As an alternative of performing like simply one other opponent, Montiel really got here to win and gave Charlo matches all night time. It was not the straightforward night time everybody anticipated it to be.

Charlo needed to cope with a fighter who had a superb chin on Saturday night time — a fighter who was extremely awkward as he switched stances with herky-jerky movement early within the bout. Charlo picked his photographs early after which received drawn into an motion battle, which made for an entertaining night.

Even within the win, Charlo confirmed why he has a case because the world’s finest middleweight. He has all the nice boxing qualities he wants — respectable energy, correct punching and a strong ring acumen. On his finest night time, he may be completely dominant.

Sure, there will likely be individuals upset Charlo didn’t get a stoppage. Most often, that speaks poorly of the champion in opposition to somebody with credentials like Montiel. Charlo’s win doesn’t fall in that class. It was a superb efficiency — Montiel was simply up for it.

Charlo nonetheless confirmed he is perhaps the most effective 160-pounder in a division that also consists of Gennadiy Golovkin (and, sure, Demetrius Andrade). And Montiel confirmed he deserves one other battle in opposition to a big-name opponent. — Child

play

Mikaela Mayer goes the gap to efficiently fend off Erica Farias and defend her WBO junior light-weight championship.

Was Mikaela Mayer’s first title protection a studying expertise or a wakeup name?

It wasn’t essentially the dominant efficiency you may count on from a primary title protection. Mayer misplaced some rounds, others appeared a lot nearer than she would have appreciated. And whereas a title protection is a title protection, Mayer goes to must be higher as a way to attain her objective of unifying the junior light-weight division.

She’s dealing with Maiva Hamadouche subsequent, within the fourth quarter of 2023, and Hamadouche might trigger issues for Mayer if she isn’t cautious. This isn’t to say Mayer can’t win that battle — she clearly can. It additionally doesn’t imply Mayer gained’t be favored to take action — she possible will likely be.

However Mayer remains to be comparatively younger in her skilled profession, and Erica Farias was skilled and higher than some may need thought. Farias’ solely losses have are available title fights. So that is a type of outdated clichés that matches in staff sports activities — it’s simpler to be taught from wins than from losses, particularly in boxing the place titles and livelihoods are concerned if titles are misplaced.

So Mayer can be taught from this. That’s one thing her coach, Al Mitchell, will clearly drive dwelling to her. She gained. She did what she wanted to. And now she will be able to transfer on to what she had been centered on for the reason that begin of the yr – unifying her division. — Rothstein