By Cliff Rold
It’s the giving season, or so it’s said.
Being a boxing follower means giving plenty: money, time, DVR space, and patience. Few sports can be as frustrating to endure with the sports myriad politics, wide geography, and head scratching decisions.
The hell with giving.
Let’s talk about what is worth asking for under the symbolic fistic tree this year. If anyone reading doesn’t celebrate the holiday, don’t feel left out. Substitute whatever comes to mind or nothing at all. It’s all boxing one way or the other.
By division, here is a list of gifts one guy would love to receive in 2016.
Heavyweight – Luis Ortiz versus the Fury-Klitschko rematch winner: As 2015 comes to a close, there is a real feeling of excitement at heavyweight. For years, fans have debated the merits of Wladimir Klitschko louder than they’ve demanded any single fight to be made. That looks like it’s changing. A cast of characters led by new champion Tyson Fury, Luis Ortiz, Deontay Wilder, and prospects Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker point to a new era in the division. Veteran Alexander Povetkin and a still relevant Klitschko aren’t done yet but the future is right there to be grabbed. Ortiz being the elder of the new crew means his time to reach for the brass ring is shorter so let’s see him first. As a now interim WBA titlist, Ortiz could be in line for the winner of Fury-Klitschko II sometime next year. Either match, Fury-Ortiz or Klitschko-Ortiz, would more than fulfill this Christmas wish list.
Cruiserweight – Denis Lebedev vs. Krzysztof Glowacki: Glowacki won the best cruiserweight title fight of 2015, coming off the floor to stop Marco Huck in a classic and earning the WBO crown. Lebedev, the WBA titlist, is a brick fisted veteran getting up there in age. This just has war written all over it. Cruiserweight hasn’t had a unification match since David Haye-Enzo Maccarinelli in 2008. If we could have one next year, this is the best Santa could do.
Light Heavyweight – Adonis Stevenson vs. Sergey Kovalev: This has been the battle for division supremacy for a couple of years. All four big belts would be up for grabs. That it hasn’t happened yet is a lesson in everything that is wrong with boxing. If they can’t figure this out, before a Kovalev-Andre Ward fight takes place, coal in the stockings for all involved.
Super Middleweight – James DeGale vs. Badou Jack: No fighter did as much to turn the corner in 2015 as Jack. Many scoffed when he got a shot at WBC titlist Anthony Dirrell but he made the most of it and then outgutted George Groves in a damn good fight. DeGale, a former Olympic Gold Medalist, fulfilled the hopes for his career with an IBF title win over Andre Dirrell and a rousing decision over Lucian Bute. If we get the Jack who faced Groves, and the DeGale who faced Bute, this could be a fantastic fight. It is with holiday cheer that we can be optimistic that this one takes place next year.
Middleweight – Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin: They have already agreed to at least one more bout before they could, maybe, possibly, square off. It’s the historical 160 lb. king versus the perceived uncrowned (if partially unified) ruler. It would be one of the biggest fights the sport could make financially. Realistically, it’s probably still going to be on next year’s wish list.
Jr. Middleweight – Julian Williams vs. Willie Nelson: They can’t all be title fights. Williams is one of the brightest young lights in the PBC. Nelson spoiled another of those lights, Tony Harrison, in 2015. This would be a solid clash of styles that could produce television fireworks. Both are rated by the sanctioning bodies (notably in the top 12 of the IBF) and the winner would be in stronger position for a title shot.
Welterweight – Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao II: There will be plenty holding their nose and saying “Bah, humbug” to this one. Fair enough. The reality is that until this well is run dry, the rematch still lingers out there. No one thinks Mayweather is retired and Pacquiao doesn’t appear to want to take less for an equally losable fight (i.e. Terrence Crawford). They did somewhere near half a billion dollars the first time. They are going to fight again. Let’s get it over with and move on for good.
Jr. Welterweight – Adrien Broner vs. Ruslan Provodnikov: The mouthy underachiever versus the stoic overachiever in a fight that could be just as dramatic as Broner’s scrap with Marcos Maidana. Who wouldn’t enjoy this? Seriously, this feels exciting just typing about it.
Lightweight – Jorge Linares vs. Terry Flanagan: Both did excellent work in 2015 with Linares defending the WBC belt twice and Flanagan ascending to the WBO throne. Flanagan is undefeated but still somewhat untested. Linares is vulnerable and dangerous. It feels like a potential bloodbath. It might not be the likeliest encounter but it makes the wish list.
Jr. Lightweight – Takashi Uchiyama vs. Nicholas Walters: This felt more realistic a week ago before rumors spread of discontent between Walters and his promoters at Top Rank. Let’s hope they can work it out. Uchiyama has been the best in the division for years but has lacked for a defining foe. Could Walters be that…or the end of Uchiyama’s reign.
Featherweight – Leo Santa Cruz vs. Gary Russell: Taking boxing politics for what they are, there just aren’t that many attractive matches right now for the division’s best, Vasyl Lomachenko. Both these fighters have belts (Santa Cruz the WBA, Russell the WBC) and both fight under the PBC banner. Skilled grinder versus fast counter puncher; what’s not to like?
Jr. Featherweight – Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg: This unification scrap is already signed and it’s the best action fight in the division. The holiday wish here is that there are no postponements. On paper, it’s the best fight already signed for 2016.
Bantamweight – Shinsuke Yamanaka vs. Anselmo Moreno II: Their first fight last September was good if not great. It was also a highly debatable outcome in favor of Yamanaka. Both men had a case for victory and in a fight between arguably the two best bantamweights in the world that just won’t do. Let’s see it again and put all debate to rest.
Jr. Bantamweight – Naoya Inoue vs. Carlos Cuadras: Inoue (the WBO champ) looks the part but he doesn’t have the sort of prime, unbeaten notch on his belt Cuadras (WBC) would be. Cuadras is feasting on lesser lights in too many title defenses and needs something bigger. Both are familiar to Japanese fans and the winner would be the man to beat whenever Roman Gonzalez moves to 115 lbs. if…
Flyweight – Roman Gonzalez vs. Juan Francisco Estrada II: …Gonzalez gets and wins this critical contest. All signs point to a showdown nearly four years in the making by next summer. Their first fight was a war and both men have improved since. It is as can’t miss as boxing gets. Expect the winner to move up sooner than later when it’s over.
Jr. Flyweight – Pedro Guevara vs. Javier Mendoza: Guevara recently lost the WBC belt. Mendoza is defending the IBF belt against Akira Yaegashi in a little more than a week. Whether they are fighting for a belt or not, this all-Mexican scrap would deliver. Both men are skilled, both can bang, and national pride would be all the fuel they need for motivation. It might not be the first match most think of, but this is would be a hell of a stocking stuffer.
Strawweight – Hekkie Budler vs. Knockout CP Freshmart: Budler, the WBA titlist, is always fun to watch. So is Freshmart and, well, his name is Knockout. At 105 lbs., that’s more than enough for this scribe.
Throw in a Red Rider BB Gun and this Christmas wish list is complete.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
