Whether you agree or disagree with the recent talks regarding the demise of boxing, one thing is clear, there needs to be more competitive fights within the sport. Here's a list of the top ten fights that I feel would help bring excitement and interest back to boxing.
#10 - ANTONIO TARVER VS. CHAD DAWSON
The light heavyweight division isn't as deep as it once was, making this fight one of the more intriguing matchups in the division. Dawson is a young bull who, under the tutelage of Floyd Mayweather Sr., has improved with every fight. Although Tarver is getting up there in age, his recent fight against Elvir Muriqi proved that he's not quite ready to lay down for anyone. Being one of the better talkers in the game, Tarver could do wonders with the promotion of a fight against a young, hungry champion like Dawson as opposed to calling out a former champion like Jeff Lacy who not only fights in a lower division, but is also still recovering from a torn rotator cuff suffered in his last fight six months ago.
PREDICTION: DAWSON BY DECISION
#9 - WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO VS. SAMUEL PETER 2
Let's face it, the heavyweight divison sucks! That being said, what better way to bring excitement back to a lackluster division than to have it's too biggest punchers go toe-to-toe for a second time? Now that Peter has graduated, not once, but twice from the James Toney School of Hard Knocks, it should be interesting to see if he can make the necessary adjustments needed to get the win. If the rematch is anything like the first fight, fans are, at the very least, guaranteed to see some heavy leather landed and one or two knockdowns
just what the doctor ordered for a division that's being kept alive on a respirator.
PREDICTION: PETER BY KNOCKOUT
#8 - PONSAKLEK WONJONGKAM VS. VIC DARCHINYAN
With the heavyweight division being in the state that it's in, there's always room for the little guys. Darchinyan has proven to be one of the most unorthodox, but exciting fighters in the world. Although relatively unknown by the average American boxing fan, Wonjongkam has an amazing workrate, not to mention an amazing 65-2 record, and hasn't lost a fight in the past eleven years (which, incidentally, is longer than Darchinyan has been a pro). I would definitely take my chances in watching two guys whose combined record is 95-2.
PREDICTION: DARCHINYAN BY STOPPAGE
#7 - JOEL CASAMAYOR VS. JUAN DIAZ
Juan Diaz has proven that he's got the testicular fortitude to bang with the best of the them. However, most of his opponents have been standing right in front of him and have rarely been on the move. A fight with Casamayor would be the Baby Bull's first real test against an excellent, slick and dirty boxer
and oh, by the way, he's a southpaw. Diaz will have to be willing to take a few fouls, cut off the ring and bring the heat to El Cepillo, making him look old overnight. and make him look old overnight. Great fight between a matador and a bull.
PREDICTION: CASAMAYOR BY DECISION
#6 - JERMAIN TAYLOR VS. KELLY PAVLICK
Four fights ago, it would have been insane to think that this would be a must-see fight, but with the move up in weight for Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright, and Pavlik's impressive destruction of Edison Miranda, it's just about the only fight in the middleweight division that makes sense. Fight fans have been waiting to see Taylor mix it up with a true middleweight and Pavlik, being the bigger man, is just that! He's got the size, power and skill to force Taylor into a rough, rugged, action-packed fight
something that Taylor is in desparate need of if he hopes to be the star that HBO has already proclaimed him to be.
PREDICTION: TAYLOR BY DECISION
#5 - MIGUEL COTTO VS. ANTONIO MARGARITO
If Margarito gets by Paul Williams, Bob Arum has all but guaranteed these two will face each other next. Although Cotto has been looking unbeatable as of late, he's still very susceptible to being hit
especially if you have a guy like Margarito in front of you throwing hundreds of punches for all twelve rounds. Margarito might have trouble with boxers who give him angles, like Clottey and Santos, but Cotto will be right in front of him. Given the fact that both fighters don't like taking a step backwards, this fight has Fight of the Year written all over it.
PREDICTION: MARGARITO BY STOPPAGE
#4 - BERNARD HOPKINS VS. JOE CALZAGHE
Am I the only one who's tired of seeing Joe Calzaghe face fringe opposition in? Don't get me wrong, at the time that they fought, I wouldn't necessarily say that Jeff Lacy was fringe opposition, but he was definitely untested. I love Calzaghe's style and punch output, but it's time for him to test his skills against the elite. Both he and Bernard Hopkins successfully defended their titles twenty different times. It only makes sense for these two to test their skills against each other
especially considering that Hopkins, who showed against Tarver that he still has the legs and workrate to get the job done, is undefeated against southpaws. . A nice contrast in styles, this fight could prove what the Pride of Wales is made of and should be a good litmus test as to his draw and popularity outside of England.
PREDICTION: HOPKINS BY STOPPAGE
#3 - O'NEIL BELL VS. JEAN MARC MORMECK 3
These two guys fight like they owe each other money. After two knock-down, drag-out wars, the series is all tied up at one a piece. I see no reason why a third fight would be any different from the first two. Not only does the cruiserweight division need this fight, but boxing in general needs it as well as more fights like it. With the current state of the heavyweight division, the cruiserweight division has the potential to become the new heavyweight division if some of the smaller heavyweights move down or some of the bigger light heavyweights move up. As evidenced by their first two fights, these guys are big enough to bring the heavy leather like heavyweights and still small and athletic enough to keep the fights action-packed. Let's just hope that one of the major networks like HBO or Showtime (who for some strange reason was unwilling to show the rematch despite airing the first fight, which was a Fight of the Year candidate) is smart enough to actually air the third fight.
PREDICTION: BELL BY STOPPAGE
#2 - MANNY PACQUIAO VS. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ 2
The long awaited sequel to one of boxing's best fights, not to mention comebacks, of 2004. After seeing Marquez rally from three knockdowns in the first round to earn himself a draw, how can any fan not want to see this rematch? Since their first encounter, Pacquiao has been steamrolling opponents while Marquez has quietly worked his way back to the top. With his recent win over Marco Antonio Barrera, Marquez has proven that he, more than anyone, deserves another shot at Pacquiao, who's been feasting on Mexican opponents like Hector Velazquez, Erik Morales, Oscar Larios and Jorge Solis. A fight that's long overdue, this promises to be another action-packed, matador vs. bull style of fight. Let's just hope that Nacho Beristain stays clear from the negotiations so this fight can come to fruition.
PREDICTION: MARQUEZ BY DECISION
#1 - FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. VS. SHANE MOSLEY
This shouldn't come as a surprise to any true boxing fan as it's clearly the biggest fight out there that doesn't involve the name Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley has all the tools necessary in order to force Mayweather into a rough and tough fight
something he really hasn't been in since he faced Jose Luis Castillo five years ago. In fact, given the fact that Zab Judah had some success against Floyd early in their fight, it should be interesting to see how Mayweather is able to deal with another slick fighter with hand speed as well as the ability to stay focused while bringing the heat all twelve rounds. Another fight that's long overdue, fans have been talking about a Mayeather-Mosley clash for almost ten years now; ever since Mosley was a lightweight champion while Mayweather was a super featherweight champion. Now that both men can boast victories over Oscar De La Hoya (with Mosley having two), it only makes sense for these two to fight each other now!
PREDICTION: MOSLEY BY STOPPAGE
FIGHTS THAT JUST MISSED THE CUT
WLADIMIR KLISTCHKO VS. VITALI KLITSCHKO
With big brother's return to the ring this September against Jameel McCline, it's only a matter of time before Vitali gets a crack at his old title. If he's able to regain his title, then there's no hope for the heavyweight division to ever be unified unless HBO is able to come up with enough money to entice these two siblings to step into the ring against each other.
RICKY HATTON VS. JUNIOR WITTER
This is one time where it makes sense for Ricky Hatton to stay in England! Given the fact that Witter has been screaming for this fight for quite some time, I'm a bit confused as to why it's never happened especially since they're the top two jr. welterweights in England and there's a considerable amount of bad blood between them. With Mayweather currently "retired" and no other big fights in the division on the horizon, it only makes sense for Hatton to return home for a big fight against his fellow countryman.
VERNON FORREST VS. RICARDO MAYORGA 3
Call me crazy, but I'd just love to see these two go at it a third time. Neither one of them are the same fighters they once were, but if you put the two together, there's sure to be some fireworks. The first two fights were action-packed and given the bad blood between them, the third fight can't be any different.
KASSIM OUMA VS. IKE QUARTEY
In this all-African clash, the Ugandan Kassim Ouma would be taking on the Ghanan Ike Quartey in what promises to be an action-packed slugfest with neither man willing to take a step backwards.
