Sunday, April 10, 2011

Boxing Wishlist

These are some matches that intrigue me. Not all of them are feasible, unfortunately.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather
Everyone wants this fight. It's the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world against the second best. It would bring sports fans back to boxing. I'd also like to see Pacquiao face Sergio Martinez at 154 or Mayweather vs. Paul Williams.

Wladimir Klitchko vs. Vitali Klitchko
The PhD-holding brothers are the two best heavyweights and are rated as the 4th and 6th best pound-for-pound fighters on my list. But, even though it would be for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world and would make the brothers millions of dollars, they've vowed never to fight one another. I love my brother very much, but I'd punch him in the face right now for free.

Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Yuriorkis Gamboa
An exciting potential featherweight match that could and should be part of a series of fights between the two young explosive stars. Chris John and Celestino Caballero are two other top featherweights.

Timothy Bradley vs. Amir Khan
This match between Bradley, who I have as 7th best pound-for-pound, and Khan would be for the legitimate junior welterweight crown as they are the two best fighters in the division. This contest could take place this summer.

Nonito Donaire vs. Joseph Agbeko
Donaire is 8th on my pound-for-pound list, though many rate him higher. Agbeko would have to beat Abner Mares in the finals of Showtime's bantamweight tournament, but Agbeko has done better than Mares against common opponents, Yonny Perez and Vic Darchinyan. Donaire-Akbeko would be for bantamweight supremacy. If Mares beats Agbeko, I'd like to see him face Donaire.

Robert Guerrero vs. Brandon Rios
This match wouldn't feature the two best lightweights... yet. Juan Manuel Marquez is the legitimate lightweight champ and the winner of Humberto Soto vs. Urbano Antillon would also be considered a top lightweight. But Guerrero-Rios would be a contest between a skilled and powerful southpaw against a pressure fighter with tremendous will, which would produce an exciting fight in my mind.

Lucian Bute vs. Carl Froch
Most people believe Andre Ward will win Showtime's Super Six tournament and then should face Bute to determine the best super middleweight in the world. I concur. It would be an interesting fight, but I can't see it being an entertaining one. Bute-Froch, however, assuming Froch wins the Super Six, would be a far more thrilling fight to watch.

David Haye vs. Tomasz Adamek
This fight would feature two former legitimate cruiserweight champions, who are both skilled fighters. It would be one of the few heavyweight bouts worth watching in the past decade. Unfortunately, both are being fed to the lions, otherwise known as the Klitchko brothers.

Please boxing, make them happen!

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