Photo: Vincent Ethier — Erik Bazinyan (32-0, 23 KOs) will finally face Shakeel Phinn (26-3-1, 17 KOs) on May 2.
Depending on how you look at things, Erik Bazinyan either finds himself in an excruciating traffic jam, or on a road paved with gold on his long journey towards a world title opportunity.
Bazinyan, whose bout against Shakeel Phinn was rescheduled from April 11 to May 2 after it was reported he was suffering from sinusitis, finds himself in a position that is at once enviable and unenviable. Rated No. 6 by Ring Magazine in the super middleweight division, Bazinyan is in a queue of talented fighters behind the undisputed champion, and the sport’s cash cow, Canelo Alvarez.
In some ways, it’s precisely where almost any fighter alive would want to be, in a position with not just a “less than zero” chance at landing a bout with Canelo Alvarez, but with a reasonable path that could lead to one. Fighters from weight classes lighter and heavier would love to climb or descend the scale for a spot in one of the most profitable fights in the sport, and indeed, over the years, they have (see: Jermell Charlo, Amir Khan, etc.). Bazinyan enjoys a plum rating from all sanctioning bodies, and with the stroke of a pen could find himself in an eliminator bout designed in theory to clerically force Alvarez into a bout.
But of course, when you’re dealing with one of the richest and most powerful fighters in the sport (in terms of clout in this instance—but punching ability too), it’s not quite that simple. Alvarez can more or less pick and choose his opponents, using a formula that no doubt takes into account the marketability of the matchup, what there is to gain for him, and the difficulty of said matchup. While fans of David Benavidez in particular would argue otherwise, Alvarez has generally shown throughout his career to be a fighter unafraid of challenge or risk, as was most recently seen in an ill-advised attempt at light heavyweight unification against Dmitriy Bivol. Nonetheless, Alvarez is likely on the back nine of his fighting career, and is judicious and often secretive about his selection of opponents, seemingly relishing in his status as the sport’s most sought-after fighter.
This is in combat with the growing impatience from a group of generally young, talented fighters in line at his cash register, a group Bazinyan is very much a part of.
Two things are happening at super middleweight simultaneously that, generally speaking, are good for the sport and precisely what fans hope and ask for.
1. There is an undisputed champion in the division, no need to navigate sanctioning body confusion or entertain the boasts of multiple champions claiming to be the “real” champion.
2. There is a newly regenerated list of TV-friendly contenders eager to test themselves.
In some ways, the division today mirrors its’ landscape back in 2009, when Showtime et al organized the Super Six World Boxing Classic. At that time, there were a host of excellent 168-pounders who had yet to reach the peak of their powers, including Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Andre Dirrell, Allan Green and more. There was so much talent avilable, in fact, that as Canadian fans know and still stew about to this day, then-reigning titleholder Lucian Bute wasn’t included in the final tournament bracket, giving way to veterans like Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and ultimately Glen Johnson.
The difference then was that the titles remained fractured, with Froch and Kessler entering the tournament with titles already. This meant that they had the impetus to unify, and the other participants had good reason to sign up for the tournament with multiple opportunities at world titles being a possibility.
In 2024, if you’re a super middleweight, one man holds the keys to that possibility, and to the biggest payday a fighter in that weight neighbourhood could fathom at this stage of their career. As a result, it’s created a logjam in the division, one during which fighters are remaining busy and fighting anyone but one another in order to prove their worthiness to meet the King. It’s an understandable approach, not wanting to risk the possibility of a Canelo showdown, but as time continues, Canelo’s roughly twice-a-year schedule is demanding that the rest of the division take a different approach. Not only is it prudent to stay busy and make money in bigger fights, but with a growing crop of talent and a diminishing amount of time that Canelo may be around, more drastic measures may be necessary in order to compel him.
Bazinyan has faced additional obstacles, ones more complex than just a glut of talent and a hoarder of titles, in his journey towards a championship fight. There was the well-documented loss of his father and the complications surrounding his return to his native Armenia. But there’s also been the challenge of being in the same camp and under the same promotional banner as Christian Mbilli, RING Magazine’s No. 3-rated super middleweight. If they didn’t share the same trainer in Marc Ramsay, an all-Quebec showdown between two of the world’s best super middleweights would be a no-brainer, but alas, it’s a fight that cannot—and understandably should not—happen.
Alvarez will face Jaime Munguia, the man RING Magazine rates just one spot ahead of Bazinyan, two days after Bazinyan faces Phinn. A victory over Shakeel Phinn, no matter how emphatic, would likely not make Bazinyan the No. 1-choice in the boxing public’s mind for Canelo’s next opponent (assuming he defeats Munguia, of course) all on its own. It would help build his highlight reel however, and keep him at the front of the sanctioning body line, a position that could also net him a vacant title shot should Alvarez choose to vacate a title for whatever reason.
Were a network to put together a Super Six today just based on RING’s top-rated 168-pounders, Bazinyan would be in it. Such a structure is not coming, meaning Bazinyan and his contemporaries – Mbilli, David Morrell, Edgar Berlanga, Vladimir Shishkin and more – may just have to create their own informal round robin of sorts.
Sometimes, if you’re in traffic, you want to get in the express lane, you have to drive a little dangerously.
