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Rematches, dream matches on this wish listBy Thomas Gerbasi
MaxBoxing.com
Well, 12 out of 50 ain't bad.
When a little more than 25 percent of your 50 "wish list" fights for any given year are either made or will take place before the bell tolls midnight on Dec. 31, I guess that's the best you can ask for in this sport.
Usually, boxing's best matchups never take place or become realities way past their sell-by dates. Those past-their-prime fights are generally uninteresting to all except the combatants' accountants.
My 2005 wish list included quixotic matchups between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, Felix Trinidad and Winky Wright, and Arturo Gatti and Floyd Mayweather, all which came to fruition.
Still, other hoped-for bouts between Winky Wright and Kassim Ouma, Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy, and Fernando Montiel and Martin Castillo faded away into clouds of speculation.
But 2006 is just around the corner.
Even though fights such as Vitali Klitschko-Hasim Rahman, Jeff Lacy-Scott Pemberton, Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins and Audley Harrison-Danny Williams should keep us occupied as the holiday season approaches, there's no harm in starting to hope for great fights for next year.
Here is what at least one hopeless romantic would like to see in the coming year. Call it an early Christmas list to Santa, and if I repeat some fights from last year's list, hey, I still want to see 'em.
• 1. Chris Byrd vs. Wladimir Klitschko: "Steelhammer" is the IBF mandatory for Byrd, and what better way for Byrd to resuscitate his career than with a meaningful bout against the last man to beat him? As far as Klitschko is concerned, it's a chance to carry the momentum of his victory over Samuel Peter into a title fight and finally fulfill the promise bestowed on him years ago. Early pick: Byrd
• 2. Lamon Brewster vs. James Toney: Could be the best possible heavyweight matchup when it comes to pure action. Brewster would make Toney fight, and "Lights Out" is at his best when he's in the pocket dodging incoming haymakers. Early pick: Pick 'em
• 3. Calvin Brock vs. Samuel Peter: The two best young(ish) heavyweights in the world battle it out for the next title shot. Brock proved against Jameel McCline that he's got heart and is resilient; Peter did the same against Wladimir Klitschko. So who's the better fighter? Early pick: Brock
• 4. Vitali Klitschko vs. Nicolay Valuev: Just for freak show value alone, it would be interesting to see Klitschko react against that rarest of rarities: a fighter who is bigger than he is. But then again, one shot on the chin and the European giant could find himself on the floor against Klitschko, rendering such questions moot. Early pick: Klitschko
• 5. Shannon Briggs vs. David Tua: They've gotten their most recent pay-per-view victories out of the way, so now it's time for their promoter, Cedric Kushner, to cash out on one of them and put these two together. Both are charismatic punchers who can end a fight with a single blow, and the winner would emerge with one last title shot in hand, so there would be enough on the line to make the bout worthwhile for the fighters and the fans. Early pick: Briggs
• 6. Steve Cunningham vs. David Haye (a returnee from last year): The future of the cruiserweight class go one-on-one as Philly's unbeaten Cunningham battles British ****er Haye, who has shown a sometimes reckless willingness to ramp up his level of competition. Could be explosive while it lasts. Early pick: Cunningham
• 7. Johnny Nelson vs. Enzo Maccarinelli: The U.K.'s two best cruisers duel. Big deal, you might say. But this raises the question: Could the ageless Nelson pull off yet another victory against a hard-hitting ****er in Maccarinelli? Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and get a "ShoBox" airing for this bout. Early pick: Nelson
• 8. O'Neil Bell vs. Dale Brown II: With Bell's recent life-and-death title defense against unheralded Sebastiaan Rothmann forecasting a short reign, this is the bout that makes the most sense for "The Supernova." Plus, no one deserves another shot at the title more than Brown, who many feel was robbed in his first bout against Bell. Early pick: Bell
• 9. Antonio Tarver vs. Glen Johnson III: Tarver appeared to leave no doubt as to who the better fighter was between these two after his clear-cut second victory over "The Road Warrior." But Johnson's impressive return against George Jones, coupled with Tarver's less-than-scintillating performance in the rubber match against Roy Jones Jr. makes this fight compelling once again. Early pick: Johnson
• 10. Jones Jr. vs. Clinton Woods: He can't beat Tarver or Johnson again, so if his Royness insists on fighting again, why not match him up again with Woods to either see how far he's fallen, or watch him perform some magic one last time. Early pick: Jones
• 11. Tarver vs. Joe Calzaghe: Take anything Calzaghe says with a grain of salt; even though he's calling out Tarver, don't expect it to happen. It would be a nice matchup of two of the best fighters in the world. Early pick: Tarver
• 12. Lacy vs. Calzaghe (a returnee from last year): A natural matchup, especially given that both fighters are televised under the Showtime banner. Again though, Calzaghe's reluctance to engage in meaningful fights has put this bout (which should be taking place next week) in limbo. Early pick: Lacy
• 13. Lacy vs. Mikkel Kessler: Lacy versus anyone is a good fight, but with Kessler's rep gaining steam with each passing victory, this bout could truly be a pairing of the two best 168-pounders on the planet. Early pick: Lacy
• 14. Danny Green vs. Scott Pemberton: Regardless of what happens in his title bout with Lacy next week, Pemberton is a made-for-TV fighter and people always will pay to see action. A fight against Australia's Green is guaranteed fireworks. Early pick: Green
• 15. Lacy vs. Jermain Taylor: Hey, stranger things have happened, and what better way to end 2006 than with a matchup of these 2000 Olympic teammates? Could be the start of a bee-yoo-tiful series between two of the sport's best young fighters. Early pick: Lacy
• 16. Taylor vs. Kingsley Ikeke: Sure, it might not be aesthetically pleasing, but Ikeke has earned his shot at the title, and it would be interesting to see how Taylor deals with the freakishly tall (6-foot-4) "Sharp Knuckle." Early pick: Pick 'em
• 17. Felix Sturm vs. Kelly Pavlik: Another fight not likely to happen, but it would be nice to see a true middleweight contender emerge from this battle between the ****er (Pavlik) and the boxer (Sturm). Early pick: Sturm
• 18. Winky Wright vs. Anybody: Name an intriguing matchup for Winky that actually has a snowball's chance in hell of happening. Didn't think so. No fighter with any sense willingly will battle Wright, so my hope for the former junior middleweight champ is that he gets some fight, any fight, that can help increase his profile as one of boxing's best.
• 19. Curtis Stevens vs. John Duddy: My guilty pleasure fight. Two New York knockout artists clash in a bout destined not to reach the final round. Get Stevens down to 160 from 168, and let's demand it. This could be the fight to end all fights and it is required to be held in the Big Apple. Early pick: Stevens
• 20. Jaidon Codrington vs. Marco Antonio Rubio: "The Don" is on the fast track to a title, so he probably will be matched tough in 2006. Mexican ****er Rubio provides a nice bout that steps up the comp for Codrington. If Rubio survives the first round, he might also test this "Chin Checker's" chin. Early pick: Codrington
• 21. Ouma vs. Ricardo Mayorga: Pure action between the two marquee names at 154. What better way for Ouma to regain his stature than with a 12-round beatdown of Mayorga? Early pick: Ouma
• 22. Mayorga vs. Mosley (a returnee from last year): How would this fight not be a toe-to-toe duel from rounds 1 to 12 (or less)? Could be the fight to rejuvenate Mosley's career. Early pick: Mosley
• 23. Mosley vs. Fernando Vargas: See above, and thankfully, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com is reporting that this bout is in the works for next year. Early pick: Mosley
• 24. Antonio Margarito vs. Zab Judah: Yeah, good luck. No one wants to fight Margarito, but if Judah makes it halfway through 2006 without a major bout, Zab might just throw all caution to the wind and put it on the line against the Mexican warrior. The real winners will be the fans. Early pick: Judah
• 25. Judah vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.: They have been talking a good game, trashing each other at any opportunity, but will they get in the ring and do it for real? If they do, it would be a matchup of speed and flash, with the winner emerging as boxing's best, pound-for-pound. Early pick: Mayweather
Rematches, dream matches on this wish listBy Thomas Gerbasi
MaxBoxing.com
Well, 12 out of 50 ain't bad.
When a little more than 25 percent of your 50 "wish list" fights for any given year are either made or will take place before the bell tolls midnight on Dec. 31, I guess that's the best you can ask for in this sport.
Usually, boxing's best matchups never take place or become realities way past their sell-by dates. Those past-their-prime fights are generally uninteresting to all except the combatants' accountants.
My 2005 wish list included quixotic matchups between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, Felix Trinidad and Winky Wright, and Arturo Gatti and Floyd Mayweather, all which came to fruition.
Still, other hoped-for bouts between Winky Wright and Kassim Ouma, Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy, and Fernando Montiel and Martin Castillo faded away into clouds of speculation.
But 2006 is just around the corner.
Even though fights such as Vitali Klitschko-Hasim Rahman, Jeff Lacy-Scott Pemberton, Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins and Audley Harrison-Danny Williams should keep us occupied as the holiday season approaches, there's no harm in starting to hope for great fights for next year.
Here is what at least one hopeless romantic would like to see in the coming year. Call it an early Christmas list to Santa, and if I repeat some fights from last year's list, hey, I still want to see 'em.
• 1. Chris Byrd vs. Wladimir Klitschko: "Steelhammer" is the IBF mandatory for Byrd, and what better way for Byrd to resuscitate his career than with a meaningful bout against the last man to beat him? As far as Klitschko is concerned, it's a chance to carry the momentum of his victory over Samuel Peter into a title fight and finally fulfill the promise bestowed on him years ago. Early pick: Byrd
• 2. Lamon Brewster vs. James Toney: Could be the best possible heavyweight matchup when it comes to pure action. Brewster would make Toney fight, and "Lights Out" is at his best when he's in the pocket dodging incoming haymakers. Early pick: Pick 'em
• 3. Calvin Brock vs. Samuel Peter: The two best young(ish) heavyweights in the world battle it out for the next title shot. Brock proved against Jameel McCline that he's got heart and is resilient; Peter did the same against Wladimir Klitschko. So who's the better fighter? Early pick: Brock
• 4. Vitali Klitschko vs. Nicolay Valuev: Just for freak show value alone, it would be interesting to see Klitschko react against that rarest of rarities: a fighter who is bigger than he is. But then again, one shot on the chin and the European giant could find himself on the floor against Klitschko, rendering such questions moot. Early pick: Klitschko
• 5. Shannon Briggs vs. David Tua: They've gotten their most recent pay-per-view victories out of the way, so now it's time for their promoter, Cedric Kushner, to cash out on one of them and put these two together. Both are charismatic punchers who can end a fight with a single blow, and the winner would emerge with one last title shot in hand, so there would be enough on the line to make the bout worthwhile for the fighters and the fans. Early pick: Briggs
• 6. Steve Cunningham vs. David Haye (a returnee from last year): The future of the cruiserweight class go one-on-one as Philly's unbeaten Cunningham battles British ****er Haye, who has shown a sometimes reckless willingness to ramp up his level of competition. Could be explosive while it lasts. Early pick: Cunningham
• 7. Johnny Nelson vs. Enzo Maccarinelli: The U.K.'s two best cruisers duel. Big deal, you might say. But this raises the question: Could the ageless Nelson pull off yet another victory against a hard-hitting ****er in Maccarinelli? Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and get a "ShoBox" airing for this bout. Early pick: Nelson
• 8. O'Neil Bell vs. Dale Brown II: With Bell's recent life-and-death title defense against unheralded Sebastiaan Rothmann forecasting a short reign, this is the bout that makes the most sense for "The Supernova." Plus, no one deserves another shot at the title more than Brown, who many feel was robbed in his first bout against Bell. Early pick: Bell
• 9. Antonio Tarver vs. Glen Johnson III: Tarver appeared to leave no doubt as to who the better fighter was between these two after his clear-cut second victory over "The Road Warrior." But Johnson's impressive return against George Jones, coupled with Tarver's less-than-scintillating performance in the rubber match against Roy Jones Jr. makes this fight compelling once again. Early pick: Johnson
• 10. Jones Jr. vs. Clinton Woods: He can't beat Tarver or Johnson again, so if his Royness insists on fighting again, why not match him up again with Woods to either see how far he's fallen, or watch him perform some magic one last time. Early pick: Jones
• 11. Tarver vs. Joe Calzaghe: Take anything Calzaghe says with a grain of salt; even though he's calling out Tarver, don't expect it to happen. It would be a nice matchup of two of the best fighters in the world. Early pick: Tarver
• 12. Lacy vs. Calzaghe (a returnee from last year): A natural matchup, especially given that both fighters are televised under the Showtime banner. Again though, Calzaghe's reluctance to engage in meaningful fights has put this bout (which should be taking place next week) in limbo. Early pick: Lacy
• 13. Lacy vs. Mikkel Kessler: Lacy versus anyone is a good fight, but with Kessler's rep gaining steam with each passing victory, this bout could truly be a pairing of the two best 168-pounders on the planet. Early pick: Lacy
• 14. Danny Green vs. Scott Pemberton: Regardless of what happens in his title bout with Lacy next week, Pemberton is a made-for-TV fighter and people always will pay to see action. A fight against Australia's Green is guaranteed fireworks. Early pick: Green
• 15. Lacy vs. Jermain Taylor: Hey, stranger things have happened, and what better way to end 2006 than with a matchup of these 2000 Olympic teammates? Could be the start of a bee-yoo-tiful series between two of the sport's best young fighters. Early pick: Lacy
• 16. Taylor vs. Kingsley Ikeke: Sure, it might not be aesthetically pleasing, but Ikeke has earned his shot at the title, and it would be interesting to see how Taylor deals with the freakishly tall (6-foot-4) "Sharp Knuckle." Early pick: Pick 'em
• 17. Felix Sturm vs. Kelly Pavlik: Another fight not likely to happen, but it would be nice to see a true middleweight contender emerge from this battle between the ****er (Pavlik) and the boxer (Sturm). Early pick: Sturm
• 18. Winky Wright vs. Anybody: Name an intriguing matchup for Winky that actually has a snowball's chance in hell of happening. Didn't think so. No fighter with any sense willingly will battle Wright, so my hope for the former junior middleweight champ is that he gets some fight, any fight, that can help increase his profile as one of boxing's best.
• 19. Curtis Stevens vs. John Duddy: My guilty pleasure fight. Two New York knockout artists clash in a bout destined not to reach the final round. Get Stevens down to 160 from 168, and let's demand it. This could be the fight to end all fights and it is required to be held in the Big Apple. Early pick: Stevens
• 20. Jaidon Codrington vs. Marco Antonio Rubio: "The Don" is on the fast track to a title, so he probably will be matched tough in 2006. Mexican ****er Rubio provides a nice bout that steps up the comp for Codrington. If Rubio survives the first round, he might also test this "Chin Checker's" chin. Early pick: Codrington
• 21. Ouma vs. Ricardo Mayorga: Pure action between the two marquee names at 154. What better way for Ouma to regain his stature than with a 12-round beatdown of Mayorga? Early pick: Ouma
• 22. Mayorga vs. Mosley (a returnee from last year): How would this fight not be a toe-to-toe duel from rounds 1 to 12 (or less)? Could be the fight to rejuvenate Mosley's career. Early pick: Mosley
• 23. Mosley vs. Fernando Vargas: See above, and thankfully, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com is reporting that this bout is in the works for next year. Early pick: Mosley
• 24. Antonio Margarito vs. Zab Judah: Yeah, good luck. No one wants to fight Margarito, but if Judah makes it halfway through 2006 without a major bout, Zab might just throw all caution to the wind and put it on the line against the Mexican warrior. The real winners will be the fans. Early pick: Judah
• 25. Judah vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.: They have been talking a good game, trashing each other at any opportunity, but will they get in the ring and do it for real? If they do, it would be a matchup of speed and flash, with the winner emerging as boxing's best, pound-for-pound. Early pick: Mayweather
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