The World Boxing Super Series begins its first tournament in September, with the cruiserweight division attracting much of the attention.
Over the weekend, super middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. (25-1, 19 KOs) soundly defeated former world champion Arthur Abraham (46-6, 30 KOs) by unanimous decision in a pay-per-view main event in London, England. Not only did Eubank Jr. defend his (otherwise minor) IBO championship belt, but he confirmed his entry into the upcoming World Boxing Super Series 168 lbs bracket.
The WBSS is a joint venture by promoters Kalle Sauerland and former Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, whose non-compete clause expired in August 2015 after a nasty breakup with the promotion he co-founded. There are two divisions set for season 1, with each doling out roughly $25 million in prize money, or $50 million overall.
Fans may be familiar with the last major boxing tournament, The Super Six World Boxing Classic, which lined up the world’s best super middleweights and was ultimately won by Andre Ward. While the Super Six took more than two years to complete, endured multiple boxers withdrawing mid-tournament, and had round-robin matches prior to the knockout stage, the World Boxing Super Series is a straightforward single-elimination competition. You have quarterfinals, semifinals, then the final, and that’s it.
The super middleweight side of the WBSS isn’t filled with major names, with George Groves as the only major champion in the field. However, the cruiserweight (200 lbs) bracket is absolutely fantastic, and the winner will have clear claim for being the #1 fighter in the division. All four major champions are participating, in addition to former WBO champion Marco Huck. In theory, the final will unify all of the belts and create an undisputed champion.
The official draw took place in Monaco on July 8th. Fighters seeded #1-4 in both brackets were allowed to choose any unseeded opponent for their first matchup. Usually, the #1 and #4 seed are on the same half of the bracket, with #2 and #3 on the other. In the WBSS, it’s #1 vs. #3 and #2 vs. #4. Winners will receive the Muhammad Ali Trophy, along with a commemorative “diamond” belt from the WBC.
Early betting odds have WBO titlist Oleksandr Usyk as the big favorite to win the cruiserweight tournament, while #2 seeded Callum Smith is actually favored over #1 seeded George Groves at super middleweight.
This tournament hasn’t gained much traction on American shores; super middleweight Rob Brant (22-0, 15 KOs) is the lone United States representative in either weight class and is otherwise a longshot to win it all. High-level cruiserweight bouts are rarely shown on US TV, although Usyk has been featured on HBO broadcasts in his last two outings. American television rights have not been sorted out, but it looks promising that Showtime may have a deal in place.
"I can look at my calendar and say here are four dates in September and October that I know are written in stone," Espinoza said. "I know what they cost, I know when they're going to be, I know it's not going to move. That's a much easier way to program schedule and market."
As Espinoza mentioned, the WBSS tournament quarterfinals will take place during the months of September and October. Tentatively, the semifinals will be staged in January and February 2018, before the respective finals in May. Official dates and venues for the individual matchups will be sorted out in the weeks ahead, but expect some fights to be held in Europe, with others in the United States.
#1 George Groves (WBA champion - 26-3, 19 KO) vs Jamie Cox (23-0, 13 KO)
#3 Chris Eubank Jr (24-1, 19 KO) vs Avni Yildirim (16-0, 10 KO)
#2 Callum Smith (22-0, 17 KO) vs Erik Skoglund (26-0, 12 KO)
#4 Juergen Braehmer (48-3, 35 KO) vs Rob Brant (22-0, 15 KO)
#1 Oleksandr Usyk (WBO champion - 12-0, 10 KO) vs Marco Huck (40-4-1, 27 KO)
#3 Mairis Briedis (WBC champion - 22-0, 18 KO) vs Mike Perez (22-2-1, 14 KO)
#2 Murat Gassiev (IBF champion - 24-0, 17 KO) vs Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (53-3-1, 37 KO)
#4 Yunier Dorticos (WBA champion - 21-0, 20 KO) vs Dmitry Kudrayshov (21-1, 21 KO)
