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I read this article earlier. They seem a little too optimistic when rating the probability of the fights happening IMO. And maybe it should be a case of these fights happening in 2016 rather than the remainder of 2015. Still, some good fights there :
The top 15 fights we still want to see in 2015
George Gigney ranks the best fights that are yet to happen this year
BOXING can be a frustrating sport to follow at times. Fans can be left wanting while their favourite fighters fail to cross paths for various reasons outside of the ring. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally managed to meet in May, so we've listed 15 fights we would like to happen before the year's close and rated the probability of them being made this year. Many of these fights would require rival broadcasters and promoters to work together, so these match-ups are construed under the fantasy of those issues not getting in the way.
Keith Thurman v Timothy Bradley
With Bradley set to be elevated to WBO world welterweight champion after the governing body stripped Floyd Mayweather of the belt, this could be a unification clash with Thurman's WBA Regular title on the line as well. Both have been involved in exciting fights recently and both are highly-ranked at the weight, adding significance to a potential fight between them. However, broadcasting disputes likely rule this one out given Thurman's allegiance to Al Haymon and his Premier Boxing Champions network while Bradley is a Top Rank fighter who appears on HBO.
PROBABILITY *
Brandon Rios v Ruslan Provodnikov
Rios is currently in talks to challenge Kell Brook for his IBF welter strap, but with reports of those negotiations hitting a snag over a rematch clause, a guaranteed war with Provodnikov, who is also promoted by Top Rank, could be on the cards. With similar aggressive styles, a fight between the two would surely be a shoo-in for fight of the year if it were to happen. Both men have expressed an interest in fighting each other in the past and it would be a money-spinner given the potential for excitement, meaning Rios may be more financially inclined to face the Russian instead of Brook.
PROBABILITY ***
Gennady Golovkin v David Lemieux
In his most recent outing, Lemieux claimed the vacant IBF world middleweight title against Hassan N'Dam, displaying his considerable power by putting his man down four times en route to a points win. Talk of a fight with fellow 160lbs titlist Golovkin began almost immediately, which would pit two of the hardest punchers in the world against each other; guaranteed fireworks. An initial stumbling block would be Lemieux's mandatory obligations, however the IBF were reportedly happy for Lemieux to fight Golovkin before the end of the year.
PROBABILITY ****
Deontay Wilder v Alexander Povetkin
The unbeaten WBC world heavyweight champion took nine rounds to despatch of journeyman Eric Molina earlier in the year, while his mandatory Povetkin blew out Mike Perez inside a round in May. It's unlikely Wilder will vacate rather than fighting the Russian, but this fight has been mooted for early 2016 rather than the September 26 date Wilder will next defend his belt on.
PROBABILITY **
Anthony Joshua v David Price
The only fight on this list that doesn't include a current or former world champion , this domestic heavyweight contest would pit two former Olympians against each other. Joshua, widely regarded as one of the most exciting prospects on the planet, is yet to be really tested by an opponent while Price is on the comeback trail after back-to-back losses to Tony Thompson in 2013. Both have bludgeoning punching power and stellar boxing skills and the winner would surely move on to big fights in the banner division. However, Joshua is set to fight Dillian Whyte for the British title in November or December after a fight in September, making it unlikely he will face Price this year.
PROBABILITY **
Vasyl Lomachenko v Guillermo Rigondeaux
Arguably two of the greatest amateur boxers in history, having both won two gold medals each, these two have also picked up professional world titles in their respective weight classes and a fight between the two would be huge. The weight discrepancy between the two is not big enough to rule a fight out although Rigondeaux is not particular big at 122lbs, so a jump to featherweight could be an issue.
PROBABILITY ***
Roman Gonzalez v Naoya Inoue
Although neither man is a crossover star, this battle of the little men is one of the best that can be made in boxing today. A three-weight world champion and unbeaten in 43, Gonzalez has established himself as one of the best fighters on the planet, most recently blitzing Edgar Sosa in two in May. Inoue has only had eight fights as a professional but has picked up weights in two divisions in that time. Currently there's only 3lbs between them, but more of an issue might be the location of the fight, with neither man a big enough draw to top a bill in the US. Inoue is also yet to box outside of his native Japan, given how much he's paid to fight there, although Gonzalez has fought there nine times himself.
PROBABILITY ***
Amir Khan v Kell Brook
Another all-British clash, this time at welterweight, that has created furore amongst fans over recent years. With Brook now holding a legitimate world title at 147lbs, a stipulation Khan insisted upon for the fight to be made, there is serious potential for this one to come off. At the moment, the main stumbling block is Khan's understandable desire for a fight with Floyd Mayweather, who is yet to confirm his opponent for September 12. If Floyd were to leave Khan by the wayside, Khan-Brook could become a serious possibility later this year.
PROBABILITY ***
Scott Quigg v Carl Frampton
This domestic dust-up has been talked about for years, with both men maintaining their unbeaten records and picking up versions of world titles. Now both operating at world level and with both fighting this weekend, interest in this super-bantamweight fight is always increasing. Both sides have expressed their interest, and both fighters are keen for it to happen, but their promoters will need to put aside their differences in order to pull it off, as well as come to an agreement on which UK broadcaster will have the rights to what would be a huge fight on these shores.
PROBABILITY **
Nicholas Walters v Vasyl Lomachenko
Walters has quickly established himself as the best featherweight on the planet and many consider Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, a close second. Earlier in the year, this prospective clash looked set for the future provided both men kept winning, given they are both promoted by Top Rank. Walters however failed to make the 126lb weight limit in his last fight, a unanimous decision over Miguel Marriaga, throwing the probability of the clash into question. The Jamaican may be too big for a weight Lomachenko is still comfortable making.
PROBABILITY ***
Sergey Kovalev v Adonis Stevenson
This light-heavyweight world title unification clash would be huge. Both men carry fearsome power and both have proven themselves as worthy world rulers, but need to face each other to determine who is the top dog at 175lbs. Kovalev has recently extended his exclusive deal with HBO while the Al Haymon-managed Stevenson is tied to other broadcasters. Kovalev and his team also withdrew from mandatory purse bids for this fight earlier in the year, to the bemusement of many.
PROBABILITY *
Andre Ward v Sergey Kovalev
Having made his return from a 19-month hiatus last month, super-middleweight king has been touted to make the move up to light-heavyweight, where Russian slugger Kovalev reigns as IBF, WBO and WBA Super world champion. Similar to Mayweather-Golovkin, it would pit a master boxer against a ferocious puncher, as well as being a clash of two of the world's best.
PROBABILITY ***
Floyd Mayweather v Gennady Golovkin
Mayweather is set to close out his career on September 12, prompting fans to clamour for him to take on unbeaten middleweight Golovkin. The current WBA Super world middleweight champion is the most dangerous; and thus most attractive, opponent for Mayweather at this stage and a fight between the two would be fascinating. Both fighters have one fight left on their exclusive deals with their respective broadcasters, Mayweather with Showtime and Golovkin with HBO, meaning this one could already be dead in the water.
PROBABILITY *
Carl Froch v Gennady Golovkin
The four-time world super-middleweight champion is yet to make a decision about his future having not fought since last May, but there have been rumblings of the Brit meeting the monstrous 'GGG' later this year. With an iron chin and a depth of experience, Froch would prove a stern test for the destructive Kazakh. Golovkin and his team seem prepared to meet whatever demands Froch may stipulate, and with no obvious promotional or broadcasting hurdles the likelihood of this fight may lie in Froch's hands.
PROBABILITY***
Miguel Cotto v Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez
Reigniting the historic rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, these two look set to meet each other in a mouth-watering superfight in November, most likely with Cotto's WBC world middleweight title on the line.
PROBABILITY****
The top 15 fights we still want to see in 2015
George Gigney ranks the best fights that are yet to happen this year
BOXING can be a frustrating sport to follow at times. Fans can be left wanting while their favourite fighters fail to cross paths for various reasons outside of the ring. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally managed to meet in May, so we've listed 15 fights we would like to happen before the year's close and rated the probability of them being made this year. Many of these fights would require rival broadcasters and promoters to work together, so these match-ups are construed under the fantasy of those issues not getting in the way.
Keith Thurman v Timothy Bradley
With Bradley set to be elevated to WBO world welterweight champion after the governing body stripped Floyd Mayweather of the belt, this could be a unification clash with Thurman's WBA Regular title on the line as well. Both have been involved in exciting fights recently and both are highly-ranked at the weight, adding significance to a potential fight between them. However, broadcasting disputes likely rule this one out given Thurman's allegiance to Al Haymon and his Premier Boxing Champions network while Bradley is a Top Rank fighter who appears on HBO.
PROBABILITY *
Brandon Rios v Ruslan Provodnikov
Rios is currently in talks to challenge Kell Brook for his IBF welter strap, but with reports of those negotiations hitting a snag over a rematch clause, a guaranteed war with Provodnikov, who is also promoted by Top Rank, could be on the cards. With similar aggressive styles, a fight between the two would surely be a shoo-in for fight of the year if it were to happen. Both men have expressed an interest in fighting each other in the past and it would be a money-spinner given the potential for excitement, meaning Rios may be more financially inclined to face the Russian instead of Brook.
PROBABILITY ***
Gennady Golovkin v David Lemieux
In his most recent outing, Lemieux claimed the vacant IBF world middleweight title against Hassan N'Dam, displaying his considerable power by putting his man down four times en route to a points win. Talk of a fight with fellow 160lbs titlist Golovkin began almost immediately, which would pit two of the hardest punchers in the world against each other; guaranteed fireworks. An initial stumbling block would be Lemieux's mandatory obligations, however the IBF were reportedly happy for Lemieux to fight Golovkin before the end of the year.
PROBABILITY ****
Deontay Wilder v Alexander Povetkin
The unbeaten WBC world heavyweight champion took nine rounds to despatch of journeyman Eric Molina earlier in the year, while his mandatory Povetkin blew out Mike Perez inside a round in May. It's unlikely Wilder will vacate rather than fighting the Russian, but this fight has been mooted for early 2016 rather than the September 26 date Wilder will next defend his belt on.
PROBABILITY **
Anthony Joshua v David Price
The only fight on this list that doesn't include a current or former world champion , this domestic heavyweight contest would pit two former Olympians against each other. Joshua, widely regarded as one of the most exciting prospects on the planet, is yet to be really tested by an opponent while Price is on the comeback trail after back-to-back losses to Tony Thompson in 2013. Both have bludgeoning punching power and stellar boxing skills and the winner would surely move on to big fights in the banner division. However, Joshua is set to fight Dillian Whyte for the British title in November or December after a fight in September, making it unlikely he will face Price this year.
PROBABILITY **
Vasyl Lomachenko v Guillermo Rigondeaux
Arguably two of the greatest amateur boxers in history, having both won two gold medals each, these two have also picked up professional world titles in their respective weight classes and a fight between the two would be huge. The weight discrepancy between the two is not big enough to rule a fight out although Rigondeaux is not particular big at 122lbs, so a jump to featherweight could be an issue.
PROBABILITY ***
Roman Gonzalez v Naoya Inoue
Although neither man is a crossover star, this battle of the little men is one of the best that can be made in boxing today. A three-weight world champion and unbeaten in 43, Gonzalez has established himself as one of the best fighters on the planet, most recently blitzing Edgar Sosa in two in May. Inoue has only had eight fights as a professional but has picked up weights in two divisions in that time. Currently there's only 3lbs between them, but more of an issue might be the location of the fight, with neither man a big enough draw to top a bill in the US. Inoue is also yet to box outside of his native Japan, given how much he's paid to fight there, although Gonzalez has fought there nine times himself.
PROBABILITY ***
Amir Khan v Kell Brook
Another all-British clash, this time at welterweight, that has created furore amongst fans over recent years. With Brook now holding a legitimate world title at 147lbs, a stipulation Khan insisted upon for the fight to be made, there is serious potential for this one to come off. At the moment, the main stumbling block is Khan's understandable desire for a fight with Floyd Mayweather, who is yet to confirm his opponent for September 12. If Floyd were to leave Khan by the wayside, Khan-Brook could become a serious possibility later this year.
PROBABILITY ***
Scott Quigg v Carl Frampton
This domestic dust-up has been talked about for years, with both men maintaining their unbeaten records and picking up versions of world titles. Now both operating at world level and with both fighting this weekend, interest in this super-bantamweight fight is always increasing. Both sides have expressed their interest, and both fighters are keen for it to happen, but their promoters will need to put aside their differences in order to pull it off, as well as come to an agreement on which UK broadcaster will have the rights to what would be a huge fight on these shores.
PROBABILITY **
Nicholas Walters v Vasyl Lomachenko
Walters has quickly established himself as the best featherweight on the planet and many consider Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, a close second. Earlier in the year, this prospective clash looked set for the future provided both men kept winning, given they are both promoted by Top Rank. Walters however failed to make the 126lb weight limit in his last fight, a unanimous decision over Miguel Marriaga, throwing the probability of the clash into question. The Jamaican may be too big for a weight Lomachenko is still comfortable making.
PROBABILITY ***
Sergey Kovalev v Adonis Stevenson
This light-heavyweight world title unification clash would be huge. Both men carry fearsome power and both have proven themselves as worthy world rulers, but need to face each other to determine who is the top dog at 175lbs. Kovalev has recently extended his exclusive deal with HBO while the Al Haymon-managed Stevenson is tied to other broadcasters. Kovalev and his team also withdrew from mandatory purse bids for this fight earlier in the year, to the bemusement of many.
PROBABILITY *
Andre Ward v Sergey Kovalev
Having made his return from a 19-month hiatus last month, super-middleweight king has been touted to make the move up to light-heavyweight, where Russian slugger Kovalev reigns as IBF, WBO and WBA Super world champion. Similar to Mayweather-Golovkin, it would pit a master boxer against a ferocious puncher, as well as being a clash of two of the world's best.
PROBABILITY ***
Floyd Mayweather v Gennady Golovkin
Mayweather is set to close out his career on September 12, prompting fans to clamour for him to take on unbeaten middleweight Golovkin. The current WBA Super world middleweight champion is the most dangerous; and thus most attractive, opponent for Mayweather at this stage and a fight between the two would be fascinating. Both fighters have one fight left on their exclusive deals with their respective broadcasters, Mayweather with Showtime and Golovkin with HBO, meaning this one could already be dead in the water.
PROBABILITY *
Carl Froch v Gennady Golovkin
The four-time world super-middleweight champion is yet to make a decision about his future having not fought since last May, but there have been rumblings of the Brit meeting the monstrous 'GGG' later this year. With an iron chin and a depth of experience, Froch would prove a stern test for the destructive Kazakh. Golovkin and his team seem prepared to meet whatever demands Froch may stipulate, and with no obvious promotional or broadcasting hurdles the likelihood of this fight may lie in Froch's hands.
PROBABILITY***
Miguel Cotto v Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez
Reigniting the historic rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, these two look set to meet each other in a mouth-watering superfight in November, most likely with Cotto's WBC world middleweight title on the line.
PROBABILITY****
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