We all have our hopes and dreams for boxing.
We want the best to fight the best, as trite as that might sound. We want fair play from everyone involved, including the judges. We want fighters to walk out of the ring under their own power. And, more than anything, we want to be entertained.
We also have very specific wishes. Here are 25 of mine going into the new year.
Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua
This is the biggest possible fight in the sport. The fighters want it. The fans want. With all due respect to Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder, get the hell out of the way and let us see this superfight for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
A hobby for Mauricio Sulaiman
The WBC president is a smart guy who cares about boxing and its practitioners. However, he must have too much time on his hands. Otherwise he wouldn’t come up with goofy ideas like “franchise” champions, open scoring and the “bridgerweight” division.
Better scoring
OK, poor judging was, is and always will be part of boxing. That doesn’t mean it can’t improve. Commission officials worldwide must redouble their efforts to educate their judges and hold those who turn in indefensible cards accountable.
Another worthy foe for Teofimo Lopez
I doubt any of the top lightweights would jump into a fight with Lopez for an obvious reason: He’s a beast, which he demonstrated in his victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko. Where does that leave the 2020 Fighter of the Year?
A triumphant return for Vasiliy Lomachenko
Lomachenko remains too good to keep down, even at 32. He rallied in the second of half of the Lopez fight, demonstrating that he retains ability and determination. I’d like to see him go back down to 130 pounds, where he wouldn’t give away a size advantage.
Competing outlets working together
I know. I’m dreaming. Individual entities – Top Rank-ESPN, PBC-Showtime and Fox, Matchroom and Golden Boy-DAZN – have financial reasons to keep their fights in-house or they wouldn’t do it. The fact that that isn’t good for the sport and often the fighters doesn’t seem to matter.
Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr.
The fighters and their competing handlers can come up with all the excuses in the world why this hasn’t or shouldn’t happen. The only thing standing in the way is dreaded boxing politics. These are the best two welterweights. Make it happen … now.
Packed arenas and stadiums
I know I’m not alone on this one. Boxing has been interesting with limited or no spectators – I’ve enjoyed hearing what the cornermen have to say, for example — but I long for the energy only a full house can produce. We’ll get there.
Less emphasis on sanctioning-body titles
It’s a sick game. We all know that the ridiculous proliferation of titles has diluted their value yet we speak and write about them as if they’re significant. It’s the fighters and matchups that matter, not next-to-meaningless trinkets. Let’s ignore them as much as possible.
Teofimo Lopez vs. Gervonta Davis
I hope this prospective matchup doesn’t end up like Crawford vs. Spence. Lopez and Davis are the best lightweights, with apologies to Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, et al. And could it be more compelling? One of these two will be No. 1 pound-for-pound one day.
Canelo Alvarez vs. a legitimate threat
Callum Smith was a worthy opponent for Alvarez on paper. That said, c’mon. We all knew what was going to happen in the ring. I look forward to Alvarez vs. Andrade, Charlo, Plant, Benavidez, Beterbiev or Bivol. Alvarez vs. Beterbiev in May 2022!
Elimination of WBA’s “regular” title
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza Jr. hinted a few years ago that he planned to reduce the number of his “titleholders.” What happened? The WBA has genuine, regular and “gold” titleholders at the moment. It’s confusing, it’s bad for boxing, it’s stupid. Make a change.
Josh Taylor vs. Jose Ramirez
This fight might’ve already happened had COVID-19 not turned the sport upside down. This is another tremendous matchup of two gifted, unbeaten fighters nearing or in their primes. This is one that we’ll probably see soon.
A big fight for Andy Ruiz Jr.
Fans remain fascinated with Ruiz, the bloated heavyweight who shocked the world by stopping Anthony Joshua in 2019. I’m one of them. He seems to be taking his training seriously under the guidance of trainer Eddy Reynoso. Can’t wait to see how he looks in his next outing.
More first-round KOs for Edgar Berlanga
The super middleweight prospect’s streak of first-round stoppages is at 16 to start his career, which has garnered him a great deal of attention. It won’t go on much longer, particularly as he raises the level of his opposition. It’ll be fun as long as it lasts, though.
Caleb Plant vs. David Benavidez
This is one more potential matchup of rising fighters with perfect records, which is always intriguing. And the style matchup here is interesting. Plant is a slick, thinking-man’s boxer. Benavidez also is a good technician but more of a physical fighter who imposes his will. Pure fun.
One more great performance from Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao stunned me by outpointing Keith Thurman to win another welterweight title in July of 2019. That’s a year and a half ago. Pacquiao is 42 now. And God knows when he’ll fight again. Does he have one more good fight left in him? I hope so. I’m not ready to let go.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mikey Garcia
Some people would like to see Pacquiao fight Errol Spence Jr. or Terence Crawford. Not me. I don’t want to see Pacquiao go out the way Oscar De La Hoya went out against him. Garcia is an excellent fighter who is close to Pacquiao’s natural size. Perfect matchup.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin III
I get that this fight is nearing or even past its expiration date. Golovkin is 38, after all. That said, I think it remains a compelling fight given how close the first two fights were. And, frankly, I think Triple-G deserves one more opportunity. That’s important to me.
Naoya Inoue vs. a legitimate threat
The Japanese star could receive a challenge from fellow 118-pounder Johnreil Casimero, an exciting slugger, but his greatest threats might be fighting at 115 pounds. Juan Francisco Estrada? Roman Gonzalez? Srisaket Sor Rungvisai? Kazuto Ioka? Stay tuned.
A fight that resonates as much as Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.
I have nothing against retired champions taking part in exhibitions. Tyson vs. Jones wasn’t bad entertainment. I would just hope that an actual boxing match – Fury vs. Joshua? – would capture the imagination of the public to the same degree.
Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney
Garcia is one of the most exciting young fighters in the world but it’s too early for the 22-year-old to face Gervonta Davis or Teofimo Lopez. Haney, also 22 and another good lightweight, makes more sense. I suspect Garcia will face a second-tier opponent next and Haney after that.
A big fight for Demetrius Andrade
We really don’t know how good Andrade is because he has had difficultly luring another top junior middleweight and then middleweight into the ring, in part because of his awkward style. He deserves the chance to show us what he can do at the highest level.
Another strong, healthy year for Bob Arum
The fact Arum is still going strong – and is as feisty as ever — at 89 is both remarkable and admirable. He arguably is the greatest boxing promoter of all time, certainly one of the top few. He continues to rub some people the wrong way. To me, it’s a blessing that he’s still around.
Good health for the fighters
Nothing is more important than the well being of the fighters, the men and women with the courage to step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain us. The powers that be must continue to do everything possible to protect them.