Boxing still suffers from a lack of prime-time matchups

Demanded-but-elusive bouts again defined the boxing landscape in 2022. With very few exceptions, the sport continues its lingering plague of elite fighters unwilling to face each other.

Following the pattern set by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, who delayed their anticipated fight until years past their career peaks, unbeaten welterweight champions Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. continue to tease the boxing public.

For two years, Crawford and Spence remain averse to a unification match. And the sport desperately needs an event to elevate its importance. CrawfordSpence would attract the attention boxing is losing to mixed martial arts.

Moreover, fight fans have grown tired of events that don’t move the needle. Viewership for Crawford’s and Spence’s lone ring appearances of the year generated inferior pay-per-view numbers.

Crawford avoided an empty calendar year of fights with a sixth-round knockout win over David Avanesysan Dec. 10. In his only ring appearance, Spence scored a 10thround TKO over part-time Miami resident Yordenis Ugas on April 16.

Despite the unfortunate delay to the CrawfordSpence bout, boxing featured breakout performances in 2022, none more notable than Russia’s Dmitry Bivol.

World titles don’t guarantee fighters expanded profiles, and Bivol needed a spotlight-stealing backdrop. Bivol found it in his light-heavyweight title defense against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on May 7.

Considered the sport’s most popular fighter and pay-per-view kingpin, Alvarez moved up in weight after becoming undisputed super-middleweight champion the previous year. But any plans Alvarez had of consolidating additional belts at light-heavyweight were thwarted by Bivol.

Bivol outboxed, outlanded and frustrated Alvarez to retain his title with a unanimous decision win. Six months after defeating Alvarez, Bivol made another successful defense with a lopsided decision over Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

Another bout with growing demand but yet unsigned is the heavyweight title unification match between champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

Fresh off consecutive knockout victories over former champion Deontay Wilder in 2020 and 2021, Fury made two successful defenses in his native England. Fury scored knockout wins over Dillian White and Derek Chisora, intensifying the hype for a bout against Usyk.

When the year began, Usyk had other pressing matters that put his career on hold. Usyk joined his native Ukraine’s military after neighboring Russia invaded the European nation.

In early summer, Usyk was allowed to resume his career and prepare for a rematch against ex-titleholder Anthony Joshua. Usyk validated his titlewinning performance against Joshua in 2021 with a split-decision win in the rematch Aug. 20.

Usyk’s countryman,

Vasil Lomachenko, also traded boxing for military duty. The three-division champion also returned to the ring, winning a split decision against Jamaine Ortiz in October.

After his loss against Bivol, Alvarez resumed his super-middleweight reign. Alvarez completed a threefight set against Gennadiy Golovkin with a unanimous decision victory Sept. 17.

Japan’s Naoya Inoue, another of the top poundfor-pound fighters, extended one of boxing’s longest title runs. A bantamweight champion since 2018, Inoue stopped former champion Nonito Donaire and Paul Butler in his two fights of the year.

Undisputed champions Jermell Charlo and Devin

Haney retained their belts in successful rematches. Ten months after their first super-welterweight title ended in a draw, Charlo scored a 10th-round knockout over Brian Castaño on May 14.

In a replica of his lightweight unification win over George Kambosos Jr. the previous year, Haney again out-boxed the former champion and won another lopsided decision Oct. 16.

Women’s boxing featured one of the most entertaining fights of the year. Undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor and four-division titleholder Amanda Serrano exchanged combinations at a brisk pace before Taylor retained her belts with a narrow split-decision victory.

Signs pointed to a busy 2022 of local fights when Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood hosted a nationally televised card on New Year’s Day. Miami resident and heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz knocked out Charles Martin in the main event.

However, local shows became sporadic after the year-opening card. A second show at Hard Rock Live on Aug. 20 featured super-lightweight Sergey Lipinets’ TKO win over Omar Figueroa Jr.

Don King returned to a familiar venue where he showcased many cards during his years as boxing’s busiest promoter. The King-promoted show at Casino Miami Jai Alai on June 11 was headlined by Daniel Dubois’ third-round knockout win over Trevor Bryan for a second-tier heavyweight belt.

Sunrise resident Xander Zayas continues the trail from rising prospect to championship contender. The 20-year-old Zayas won three bouts, including a regional super-welterweight title Aug. 13. Zayas is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts.

Ortiz’s path to a third world title bid encountered a setback Sept. 4. Former champion Andy Ruiz floored Ortiz three times and won a unanimous decision.