SONAHR: HALIFAX, NovaScotia – August 23, 2015 – Nearly four months have gone by since the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao superfight of May 2. For far too many fight fans ? both hardcore and casual ? it?s been a time of letdown, primarily because Mayweather won so easily, and Pacquiao revealed hat he had gone into the ring with a shoulder injury that later required surgery. I have to admit that I may have gone too easy in my comments on the fight, primarily due to relief that the judging was not controversial, and nobody?s ears were chewed during the course of the contest.
Now, as we enter the last quarter of 2015, three fights are on tap that will hopefully assuage the disappointment May 2 caused. On October 17, WBA ?super? middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin takes on recently-crowned IBF champion David Lemieux. One week later, WBA ?super?/WBO/IBF/Ring magazine heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko accepts the long-standing and loud-mouthed challenge of British contender Tyson Fury. And on November 21, WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto faces Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez in a Latino mega-fight.
Of the three matchups, Golovkin-Lemieux appears to be the most predictable ? but also, potentially, the most explosive. ?GGG? Golovkin is the epitome of skill combined with power. His 33 consecutive wins include 30 inside the distance. He has yet to lose as a professional. Yet even though Lemieux has lost twice in his 35 bouts ? once by knockout ? 31 of his 33 wins have come via knockout. So he has a puncher?s chance against a puncher who can also box. Barring a miracle shot from Lemieux, Golovkin is likely to notch another knockout win, though he might get buzzed or even floored in the process. However long or short this fight may be, it will certainly be fun to watch.
In terms of the size of the combatants, Klitschko-Fury is a very big fight indeed, with Klitschko standing either 6?6? or 6?7? depending on who is doing the measuring, and Fury towering an NBA-worthy 6?9?. In terms of weight, Klitschko usually comes in at a ripped 240-t-245 lbs, while Fury, in his last two bouts, has scaled a rather flabby 260. Klitschko is 39 years old, more than a decade older than Fury. Yet with his shaved head and flaccid physique, Fury actually looks older than Wladimir. While both behemoths have questionable chins, Klitschko is by far the better boxer, and has learned how to minimize his vulnerabilities. But if Fury manages to nail Klitschko the way Corrie Sanders did back in 2003 ? watch out.
Cotto-Alvarez is a classic youth-vs.- experience showdown, with the added element of the historic ring rivalry between Puerto Ricans such as Cotto and Mexicans such as Canelo. Cotto looked good in demolishing then-champion Sergio Martinez in 2014 and a former title-holder, Daniel Geale, earlier this year. And Alvarez recently kayoed the dangerous James Kirkland in a thrilling slugfest. Although Cotto has the edge in experience, Canelo has momentum on his side. In his only defeat, Alvarez was schooled by Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has also beaten Cotto. But Cotto?s accumulated a lot of wear and tear over the course of his many ring wars, while Alvarez suffered more insult than injury in his loss to Mayweather. Cotto may outbox Alvarez in the early going, but look for Canelo to wear him down in the later rounds.
So there we have it ? three fights well worth watching. If your disappointment over Mayweather-Pacquiao continues to linger, these bouts should go a long way toward easing your hard feelings.
Charles R. Saunders is the author of several books including Sweat and Soul: The Saga of Black Boxers in the Maritimes from the Halifax Forum to Caesars Palace, as well as the Imaro series of fantasy/adventure novels. Considered by many to be one of the leading authorities on boxing in Canada, he is the current Vice-President of Boxing for the Society of North American Sports Historians and Researchers. His novels, Imaro, Damballa, and Abengoni: First Calling are available at Amazon.com.
