Jared Anderson announced that he is aiming for world titles after defeating Ryad Merhy (who is this guy?) last Saturday night.
Unbeaten heavyweight Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) feels ready to face the belt after his win over Merhy (32-3, 26 KOs) at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Anderson ranked 4th WBO, ranked 5th IBF, ranked 5th WBC and ranked 13th WBA will have to brake in one second.
Long wait for Anderson
Top Rank's Bob Arum may not be able to pull the strings for 24-year-old Anderson so soon, as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has two fights lined up against IBF/WBA/WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk and then two another fight with Anthony Joshua.
With the current situation, Jared Anderson may have to wait until 2027 or 2028. Fury's fights will take place both next year and also in 2026. If Fury is serious about having a fourth fight with Deontay Wilder, that that could prolong the wait even further for Anderson.
Poor Jared will probably be on a pension by the time he wins the title. I think it's good that he said recently that he's okay with making money without having to fight for a world title because that could be his reality.
It's time to ditch the can of tomatoes
Anderson needs to insist that Top Rank stop pairing him with lesser opponents and that he only put him in fights with fighters who can increase his star power.
Top Rank does not need to use Ryad Merhy or Andriy Rudenko as Anderson's final two opponents. That doesn't help him improve as a fighter, and fans shouldn't watch those performances from Anderson thinking he's the greatest fighter ever.
Boxing fans are not idiots. They didn't want to waste their Saturday nights watching Anderson fight no-hopers with zero ability, people who had no business getting in the ring with a fighter like him. Anderson's last two fights were anything but athletic.
Fans are more knowledgeable now and they are not so easily fooled by promoters who pit fighters against cans in exhibition matches to give the false impression that they are great. They can't do it like before.
Anderson's message is clear
“I want all of them. If I'm ranked with you and your name is close to mine, we can get it cracked, man,” Anderson told ESPN after his win over Ryad Merhy last Saturday night.
“We came to knock people out. We came to win those titles and we will come to win.”
