The Four Kings and The Emperor – Hype, Politics, Business

 
Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Teofimo Lopez. These four lightweight talents are known as the Four Kings. Although, I would posit that they are instead the four ‘hot air balloons’ of boxing – full of hot air and promise, but don't do much but look pretty. 

The Four Kings were all undefeated (now, only three are), standing at the top of a loaded division and promising an eventual showdown for the undisputed crown. Those fights never came, and probably never will. The fight I was most excited for was Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney – the proteges of Canelo Alvarez (the current P4P King of Boxing) and Floyd Mayweather Jr, one of the all time greats. Garcia and Haney were 2-2 each in the Amateurs, and a showdown for the WBC title seemed to be the only way they could go. Sadly for the fans, boxing is always full of unfortunate surprises. 

Garcia dropped out of several fights, citing poor mental health and later having to postpone his return to the ring because of a broken hand. Promising a comeback following Gervonta Davis’ heated fight against ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, Garcia left the-now-legendary stable of Eddie Reynoso and shared a confusing exchange of words with his former stable mate Canelo Alvarez. Recently he has returned and beat the veteran Emmanuel Tagoe in a unanimous decision victory.

There’s less to say about Haney. Talking with Mike Tyson on the podcast ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson’, he claimed that nobody wants to sign the contract and fight him. Well, that as much may be true, but that doesn't change the fact that he hasn’t fought since April of 2021 and it doesn’t seem he’ll be announcing anything anytime soon. Although, to his credit, his recent fights are against quite highly rated opposition, which is more than you can say for most boxing royalty.

Gervonta Davis recently fought the relatively unknown yet still talented Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz. What was meant to be an easy fight to end the year instead proved to be one of his greatest challenges, being one of two fights that went the full length to decision. He is still undefeated at 26 victories, but he is yet to face the biggest talent of the division.

Teofimo Lopez is another story entirely. He came to the top of the division with an upset victory over the then-p4p-great Vasilyi Lomachenko, usurping three championship belts in the process. It seems history repeats itself however, as he faced the undefeated Australian boxer George Kambosos Jr. ‘The Takeover’ Lopez  clearly expected an easy fight and this defeat was hard to swallow, as he took to social media to argue against the decision. It was, however, far from a robbery, as anyone who isn’t blind and deaf (or anyone who isn’t Lopez or Lopez Sr.) could see the better man won.

And this leads us comfortably to the Emperor – George Kambosos Jr. In his countless interviews following the historic upset, he claimed he isn’t a King but an Emperor. He is here to conquer, take over the division against the remaining three kings and put Australia on the boxing map. The response from the four kings? Lopez went on social media to protest and argue with such delusion that it was almost sad. Garcia started a war of words online only to try for a fight with ‘Pitbull’ Cruz instead, who had lost against Davis. Haney hardly reacted. (Although now, editing a few weeks later, there are whispers of a contract between Haney and Kambosos Jr.) Same goes for Davis. Hardly a big welcome for such an upset, but nevertheless the world is watching now. Whether he goes on to fight the rest of the three Kings, only time will tell. 

Kambosos Jr. is suspended indefinitely following his victory, as is Lopez, and seeing how both men put their lives on the line for those twelve rounds I can only agree with this decision by the medical board.

But, to take a few steps back for a second, I want to say one thing that I believe is important to voice. I respect anyone who steps into the ring. Whether you’re one of the greats or a lowly journeyman, you put your life and health on the line in a display of courage and bravery. I am in no way bashing or demeaning these fighters. To stand at the top of the division is no easy feat, and I have only respect for the hard work and dedication that brought them there. However, I dispute their title as the Four Kings. The hype train didn’t fit reality. It rarely does. 

Let’s be honest with the real issue – the god forsaken politics of boxing. 

This isn’t the golden age of boxing anymore. In the past, the best fought the best several times over until there was no disputing a fighter’s strength. Mafia money and involvement tainted the sport but the top fighters faced each other again and again until you knew who was the best. It was less talk, more action. But we've all heard this spiel from the old heads online. Nevertheless, the wide variety of TV deals and contracts signed with different organisations such as the WBC, IBF, WBA, and the WBO means that to fight between two organisations a fighter needs long contract negotiations and fifty able men beside them to do the thinking work. This isn’t about fighting anymore as much as it is a business. This sport is built around marketing, contractual obligations, and heated internal politics. It isn’t the fighter’s fault but the people around them that hold them back. 

Boxing isn’t the titan it used to be – that’s the takeaway here. But all the same, don’t take this dissection as an autopsy report. We still get amazing fights every year that rock the boxing world despite all the difficulties brought about by in-sport politics. How can Boxing be a dead weight on the world of combat sports with such heart racing contests like Fury vs. Wilder III? I can’t and won’t believe it until I see it. The changes to the sport haven’t entirely been for the best, but despite it all the sport still lives on. And with the future still ahead of us, the lightweight stars still young, we shall see what the Four Kings shall go on to do.