Tim Bradley, a former two-weight world champion and current boxing analyst, thinks boxing's in for a tough time when the current top champs call it quits.
Bradley, who spent 12 years in the ring, is known for speaking his mind about fighters and the sport in general. He's worried about what'll happen when guys like Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Terence Crawford, and Naoya Inoue hang up their gloves.
In a recent chat with Pro Box TV, Bradley didn't hold back:
"Once Canelo's gone, once Crawford decides to hang them up, once Inoue decide to hang them up, who do we have to hold on to, guys? Who is that next coming? Who is going to be the next Canelo? We're missing that, man. So while Crawford is here, let's continue to give him his flowers. While Canelo is here let's continue to give him his flowers. Because once they're gone boxing's gonna be kinda dead, I'm not gonna lie."
It's not just the smaller weight classes that'll see change. The heavyweight division is set for a shakeup too, with stars like Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, and Anthony Joshua getting on in years.
But not everyone's as gloomy as Bradley. There's still plenty to be excited about in boxing. In the US, fighters like Gervonta Davis and David Benavidez are making waves. Over in the UK, heavyweight Moses Itauma and light-heavyweight showman Ben Whittaker are turning heads.
Japan's fighting scene is thriving, and Mexico keeps churning out fighters fans love to watch. Plus, the business side of boxing is changing. Promoters are working together more often, and big money from Riyadh Season's Turki Alalshikh is shaking things up.
So while Bradley sees dark clouds on the horizon, plenty of others think boxing's future is bright. Only time will tell who's right.
