Thanksgiving is here, but boxing fans have had precious little to be thankful for in 2015 aside from Golden Boy Promotions.
Oscar De La Hoya’s company has not protected its stars with chump fights.
This fall alone De La Hoya threw middleweight David Lemieux into the ring with Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in his first IBF middleweight title defense, which Lemieux lost by TKO. This weekend, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez won the WBC middleweight title against Miguel Cotto. Earlier this year De La Hoya had Alvarez fight James Kirkland, a fearsome puncher with questionable defense.
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The rest of the sport hasn’t been as kind to the fans. Roc Nation put on lackluster cards featuring Miguel Cotto knocking out a shrunken middleweight in Daniel Geale, while Andre Ward fought a little-watched sparring session against somebody named Paul Smith. Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions has put what seems like thousands of fight cards on network and cable TV; thanks, but what good is it if the fights aren’t interesting?
Moving forward, here are three fights that boxing fans would be very grateful to receive.
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Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31 KO) vs. Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KO)
Rumor has it that Ward is preparing for a 2016 fight against light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. If so, kudos to Ward and that’s something fans will want to see as well. But Golovkin is a bigger star than Kovalev is, and it’ll be frustrating if the two talked trash in the media to one another, and then never stepped in the ring to settle it.
Ward, a super middleweight, is one of the few fighters in the world with the size and skill to convince boxing fans he could withstand or compete with Golovkin. Ward also brazenly still considers himself among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, despite fighting just three times since 2012.
Some want to see this fight for the battle of power and skill. Others want to see Ward get knocked out. But all boxing fans want to see it.
Deontay Wilder (35-0, 34 KO) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (64-3, 53 KO)
Want to bring the heavyweight division back? This unification bout is where it’s at. Klitschko is scheduled to face Tyson Fury on Saturday, and if he can win that fight, Wilder is all that’s left for him. Wilder has one of boxing’s glossiest records, but it is built on the backs of lesser men. Wilder’s only name opponent thus far has been former WBC titleholder Bermane Stiverne, who is coincidentally the only man Wilder hasn’t knocked out.
This bout is the classic battle between a savvy, technical veteran who has seen it all, against a raw, extremely powerful challenger. Klitschko’s three losses were all by knockout, so there would be real danger in this matchup. Hopefully Al Haymon allows his guy (Wilder) to take a risk. Boxing fans will respect his heart even if he loses.
Danny Garcia (31-0, 18 KO) vs. Keith Thurman (26-0, 22 KO)
This is such a juicy matchup, and it can absolutely happen since both guys highlight PBC cards. That’s why they haven’t fought—the PBC doesn’t want to eliminate one of them by handing one his first loss.
Garcia’s matchmaking has been particularly egregious. Since earning a legitimately impressive 2013 win at 140 pounds over Lucas Matthysse, Garcia has fought Mauricio Herrera, Rod Salk, Lamont Peterson and Paulie Malignaggi. Hardly a murderer’s row. What the PBC head honchos don’t seem to realize is that losses can be overcome, and fans prefer entertaining fighters than undefeated ones.
Floyd Mayweather’s reign as a money-making god with a crowd-displeasing style have passed, and will never be duplicated. Moving forward, fighters like Garcia need to test themselves, and risk a loss. Garcia vs. Thurman is arguably the best possible match that there is to be made at 147 pounds, and the two share a promoter. Please, please have them fight!
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