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Could Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, and Shakur Stevenson become boxing's Five Kings? — A proper American rivalry
The 1980s had the 'Four Kings' of boxing: 'Sugar' Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas 'Hitman' Hearns and 'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler.
What made them sweet science royalty is the four legends all fought each other en route to inductions into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Leonard owned a 4-1-1 record against his fellow majesties, having defeated Duran twice, beating Hearns once and another time fighting him to a draw, and Hagler once.
Hagler defeated Duran and Hearns but lost to Leonard. Hearns had a 1-2-1 record against his fellow kings, defeating only Duran, while losing to Hagler and Leonard, and also fighting Leonard to a draw.
Duran had a 1-4 mark against his fellow Hall of Famers, losing twice to Leonard, once to Hagler and another time to Hearns. He was the only king to defeat Leonard, though.
Today’s boxing landscape touts Gervonta 'Tank' Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and the three A-siders to The Ring’s Fatal Fury: Times Square, live and exclusively on DAZN PPV, on Friday night in Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez.
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Davis and Stevenson are undefeated lightweight world champions, Haney is an undefeated former undisputed lightweight world crown holder, and Lopez is the current WBO and The Ring super lightweight world champ. Only Garcia has not been a world champion yet.
At 30, Davis is the oldest of the American-born group, who competes in lightweight all the way to welterweight, where Garcia will headline the Times Square card against Rolly Romero. The five phenoms tout a combined record of 129-2-1 with 1 no contest — each man very much in his prime.
So what is keeping them from becoming the 'Five Kings' of boxing? Well, the stagnancy to fight against each other for starters.
Of the five boxing stars, only Davis and Garcia, and Garcia and Haney, have fought thus far. 'Tank' flattened Garcia by seventh-round TKO in their April 2023 mega bout, while Garcia produced a split-decision win over Haney in April 2024 before 'King Ry' failed a drug test and the bout was ruled a no-contest.
The other dilemma in crowning Davis, Stevenson, Garcia, Haney, and Lopez the 'Five Kings' of boxing? Vergil Ortiz Jr believes it is the money.
“What would it take? For them to fight each other,” the undefeated junior middleweight told DAZN News when I brought up the premise to him at Manhattan Center this week. “Now, that could mean money which Turki [Alalshikh] could help. He could help with that for sure.
“Honestly, I think that’s what it comes down to — the money. Hopefully Turki could make them happen because it would be a shame if they don’t fight each other.”
Hall of Famer 'Sugar' Shane Mosley agrees that Alalshikh could help facilitate the crownings of these “Five Kings.”
“I guess it will take the Sheikh to do it, right?” Mosley offered. “He’s making these fights happen and putting the right price out there so I guess it will take him to help them out. To help them get to those fights, yeah.”
If Garcia defeats Romero and Haney beats Jose Ramirez on Friday night, then a Garcia-Haney grudge match could very well be next.
The next of the five to fight from there? That’s anybody’s guess.
Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya loved the idea about celebrating a 'Five Kings' coronation in boxing but believes they have to fight their crowns into fruition.
“That is music to my ears and this is what it’s all about,” De La Hoya said. “That’s why we are making these type of events happen because we want to see the best fight the best.
“Five Kings is music to my ears.”
Watch two incredible fight nights this week only on DAZN
Fight fans are in for a treat this week, with two amazing fight exclusively DAZN PPV.
- May 2: Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero; Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez; Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr.
- May 3: Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull
Fight fans can purchase either these fight nights individually for $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW per PPV or take advantage of the DAZN Knockout Weekend Bundle where both fight cards can be purchased for $90 US; £34.99 UK and €34.99 Europe.
