Teddy Atlas has repeatedly complained that the Olympic class of 2008 has been brought along far too slowly. He argues that fighters of their expansive amateur backgrounds gain nothing from opponent after opponent obligingly crumbling at their feet. His pleas for steps up in competition have fallen on deaf ears.
The competition of Shawn Estrada, Demetrius Andrade, and Deontay Wilder have remained at the four-rounder, losing record level, despite the number of wins approaching ten for all three fighters. Atlas is correct, but he needs to complain to someone who might care, like the people in programming.
Why are these fighters’ obvious first steps being televised? 20I can understand following new talent like the Cuban defectors, and the U.S Olympians for their pro debuts, but after that, make a rule: If you want TV time again, fight someone with a pulse. Look at it from a managerial perspective. Their fighters are gaining recognition, and looking unstoppable, against nobodies. What reason would they have to step up any faster? Don’t give them a forum, and watch all that change.
This is not an epidemic without exception. Kazakh fighter Beibut Shumenov fell only two points shy of capturing the WBA Light Heavyweight title in only his ninth pro fight last Saturday. However, he has already faced two former world champions on his way up, and had about as extensive a background in the amateurs as is humanly possible without being Cuban. For those guys, he has proven that Atlas is right... it can work. You simply need to offer the TV spots to those who step up, and create the incentive.
Let it also be said that Shumenov built himself into a world-title; challenger by fighting half his fights at home in Kazakhstan, and the other half in off TV matches in North Carolina, Washington, Florida, and Tennessee. Hardly the expected pedigree for a title shot, yet he beat the recognizable names, and got the shot. Therefore there is really no way around fighting someone tough. It has to happen sooner or later.
