By Norm Frauenheim
Cinco de Mayo, known for history in one century and hangovers in this one, goes global in a couple of weeks with a Las Vegas-Tokyo doubleheader sure to enhance the date’s significance to boxing.
From Madison Square Garden to Wembley Stadium, the where has always been meaningful, but that when matters more now than ever.
The first weekend in May is center stage. That’s when and where Naoya Inoue will be against Junto Nakatani in Tokyo, when and where David Benavidez will be against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, both on May 2, three days before the 164th anniversary of a stunning Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla.
Old military victories fade away like statues of the soldiers who fought them, but this date has evolved, recreating itself within the ropes. The day’s significance was not lost on Benavidez, who quickly began to lobby for the date after Canelo Alvarez’ loss to Terence Crawford last September.
Benavidez couldn’t get a fight with Canelo, so he took the next best thing. The Phoenix-forged fighter took the date that Canelo owned for years in a reign that earned him huge wealth and celebrity. Will it, all of it, eventually belong to Benavidez?
That fight begins May 2 in a risky move up the scale to cruiserweight against Zurdo, a popular Mexican champion and the betting underdog who surely hopes to repeat some of his country’s history.
Benavidez and his father-trainer, Jose Sr., have no illusions. They are promising a kind of dominance that will suggest they – like Canelo – will own the day. Already, it’s significance is evident in its impact on Benavidez’ career.
Still a light-heavyweight champion, Benavidez first appeared among the second five in pound-for-pound rankings a few months ago. Now, he’s ranked No. 5, according to some. Does he belong there? Cinco de Mayo includes a party and a double-shot burden of 180-proof for anybody who wants it.
The day’s significance for the world’s best is the same in any language. In Japanese, that means Inoue. His May 2nd junior-featherweight title defense against Nakatani is being called the biggest prize-fight in a Japanese history that already includes the biggest upset ever – Buster Douglas’ stoppage of Mike Tyson February 11, 1990.
The Tokyo Dome crowd for Douglas-Tyson was estimated to be 40,000. No estimate necessary for Inoue-Nakatani, also at the Dome. It sold out – 55,000 — March 31, more than a month before opening bell.
Inoue is a solid favorite over Nakatani, about a 3-to-1 underdog who has been training in Los Angeles since he was a teenager. Still, the fight – much like Benavidez-Zurdo – is loaded with potential drama inherent to a match between Japan’s face of boxing and a Japanese challenger. The bout also includes its own pound-for-pound implications. Inoue is a consensus No. 2, behind heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk.
Yet, Usyk is scheduled to fight a kickboxer in his next bout, scheduled for May 23 in Egypt. That’s a factor, motivation perhaps for Inoue to prove that the pound-for-pound No. 1 belongs to him. Nakatani won yet struggled in his last fight in December on a Riyadh card featured by Inoue.
But Nakatani might have learned from a problematic performance. He’s also taller and has a longer, one-inch advantage in reach. Even more significant, he’s younger. Nakatani is 28, squarely in his prime.
Inoue, a four-division champion who had a birthday on April 10, is 33. Historically, fighters from the lightest weight classes age faster. If anybody is an exception, it’s Inoue.
Throughout his career, the former 108-pound champion has been at his dynamic best when he’s in the most peril, which is what he might be facing in Nakatani.
That’s why Inoue is called The Monster, also Benavidez’ nickname. After May 2, there’s a pretty good chance that there’ll be only one Monster.
That’s what we’ve come to expect from Cinco de Mayo, a monster day.
Fight Club PHX set for Saturday
Outdoor boxing is scheduled for Saturday (April 18/6 p.m.) at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix.
Micky Scala (12-1, 6 KOs), a middleweight from Mesa who has been fighting on the East Coast, is the featured boxer in a Northstar Sports Advocates-promoted event – Fight Club PHX — that will open with MMA bouts. Vendors and live music are also planned.
Former welterweight champion and current analyst Shawn Porter is expected to be among the celebrities.
Notes on a scorecard
A report by The Athletic that the Saudis plan to stop funding LIV Golf, an alternate to the PGA, is raising questions about the Saudi investment in boxing.
Without oil money, could there have been Canelo-versus-Crawford?
Canelo collected a purse reported to be more than $100 million. Crawford, the winner, earned a reported $50 million.
The ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has impacted Saudi oil revenue, according to reports. Canelo is supposed to make his comeback Sept. 12 in Riyadh.