Jamel Herring to Leo Santa Cruz “I still have Al’s number”
If you are like everyone else starving for boxing to return, or willing to accept any type of a boxing match just to fulfill Saturday evenings, then you are not alone. At this point, boxing fans will take anything resembling a boxing match.
Furthermore, imagine how this must be on the fighters. They are competitors. Moreover, if there aren’t any scheduled bouts, then the fighters can’t earn a living. This dilemma of waiting to see what is going to happen has taken a toll on everyone. However, fans have been able to find some sort of gratification via social media.
Fighters have to keep things very entertaining on different social media platforms, and the fans have been able to engage while remaining hopeful for the possibility of future fights.
FROM A BRIGHT FUTURE TO UNCERTAINTY
This brings us to WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (20-2, 10ko). Since taking the title away from Masayuki Ito (25-2-1, 13ko) back in 2019, followed by a successful title defense against Lamont Roach Jr. (19-1-1, 7ko), the southpaw champion ended 2019 on the highest of high notes and there were plenty of options on the table going into 2020. One very lucrative and career-defining offer that had the champion motivated was a crack at former two-divisional champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (27-2, 15ko), which would have taken place in Belfast. However, the current instability of the sport and the postponement of international flights has put this fight in jeopardy.
POSSIBLE CHANGE OF PLANS
For the WBO champion, realizing that things are changing, having served in the military as well as being a boxer, adaptability isn’t a problem. Looking for new opportunities, “Semper Fi” turned his attention to four-divisional champion “El Terremoto” Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19ko).
Cruz has stated on several occasions a desire to fight WBA ‘regular’ lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (23-0, 22ko), and WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr (31-1, 18ko) as possible options.
However, this didn’t deter Herring from wanting to make a case by throwing his name in the pot. Furthermore, to prove he is serious, he has made it clear that a call to Premier Boxing Champions head honcho Al Haymon is not going to be a problem.
By: Garrisson Bland
