“Garcia, to borrow from Henry James, is like the number zero: his value comes from what he is paired with. He is at heart, a counter-puncher, looking his best against men who will accommodate his range and dig in. His two signature victories came against a bona fide banger, Lucas Matthysse, and a naked emperor who thinks he is dressed like one, Amir Khan. But even in winning, Garcia looked lost against Herrera, who clowned Garcia with his jab, and Peterson, who skittered away from Garcia for six rounds before bringing the type of fight “Swift” might not have asked for had he known it was coming. He never looked lost against Malignaggi; but then, he never looked especially impressive either.”

Read Zero Value: Danny Garcia TKO9 Paulie Malignaggi on The Cruelest Sport.

“It is a good thing then, that in a sport that paid men nine figures to land less than ten punches a round, there are fighters like Sergey Kovalev, who broke Nadjib Mohammedi at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, on Saturday night, stopping the hapless fighter in three rounds. In an era that sips “shampaign” while blathering on about brands and business (non)sense, an era that will be remembered for the LIE of TBE, the apotheosis of self-preservation on the bloodiest, most dramatic proving ground in sports, at least there is Kovalev and those of his ilk: men who do their worst in an effort to be best.”

Read My Next Victim: Sergey Kovalev Wrecks Nadjib Mohammedi, Eyes Ward on The Cruelest Sport.

“Enter Brooklyn, New York, welterweight Luis Collazo, a hardscrabble southpaw with a history of dropping close decisions to higher profile fighters, making them look awful in the process, and thereby giving himself enough hope and coin to continue lacing up his gloves. Collazo did as expected at the USF Sundome in Tampa, Florida, Saturday night, retiring on his stool at the end of the seventh round, unable to see out of an eye torn apart by a headbutt, yet strangely uninterested in lobbying for an outcome befitting the origin of his injury. “If I would have come out of my corner again I probably would have gotten caught with some unnecessary shots and I didn’t need that,” reflected Collazo, revealing just how unnecessary victory has become for him, and how little he warrants another high profile crack at one.”

Read Small Victories: Keith Thurman TKO8 Luis Collazo on The Cruelest Sport.