2016’s boxing year was okay, if not great. We saw some excellent fights – see Keith Thurman-Shawn Porter, Orlando Salido-Francisco Vargas, Jamie Conlan-Anthony Nelson – and there is still a little over a month to go before the end of the year. But some experts, Oscar De La Hoya for example, has not been happy with how the sport played out this year, even calling 2016 “one of the worst years in boxing history.”
Those fans who agree that 2016 was a disappointment can look ahead to a potentially great 2017 for the sport. Already we have confirmed fights to get excited about, including Keith Thurman-Danny Garcia, David Haye-Tony Bellew and more, and also a strongly pencilled in Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua fight. And with the continued rise of future stars such as Vasyl Lomachenko, Artur Beterbiev, Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and others set to feature in further big fights, 2017 could really be a big fistic year.
Here are some mouth-watering fights that could, should and hopefully will be made; fights that will help make 2017 a special year for boxing fans:
Deontay Wilder-Anthony Joshua. Huge, and a unification fight.
Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury. If Fury does come back, this would be the ultimate heavyweight collision.
Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez. A more than obvious choice but let’s hope we do, finally, get to see this one!
Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward II. Another obvious one, and another fight that simply has to happen.
Oleksandr Usyk-Marco Huck. A great old (ish) warhorse going up against the new star of the 200-pound division.
Orlando Salido-Vasyl Lomachenko II. Can “Hi-Tech” avenge his sole pro defeat?
Manny Pacquaio-Adrien Broner. The ultimate bad boy against the all-time great.
Floyd Mayweather-Gennady Golovkin. The ultimate risky comeback – and 50th fight – for Mayweather.
Sergey Kovalev-Adonis Stevenson. Regardless of the result of the hoped for rematch between Kovalev and Ward, this guaranteed slugfest is one we still need to see.
Amir Khan-Kell Brook. Surely next year is the last chance we will have of seeing this Battle of Britain?
Jamie Conlan-Anthony Nelson II. The first war had it all. If you still haven’t seen it, watch it now!
Billy Joe Saunders-Chris Eubank Jnr II. The winner faces GGG.
Kell Brook-Errol Spence Jnr. If the Brook-Khan fight cannot be made, Brook should face his mandatory challenger. (Come to think of it, Khan fight or no, Brook should face “The Truth”)
Vasyl Lomachenko-Yuriorkis Gamboa. Is it too late for Gamboa to become the big, big star Lomachenko is on his way to becoming?
Roman Gonzalez-Naoya Inoue. The two best super-flyweights in the world, and a battle of pound-for-pounders; “Chocolatito” being p-4-p number-one.
Now, if 2017 gives us just a handful of these fights, we will be more than happy.
