If any part of the year can be termed boxing?s ?off-season,? this is it. After all, it is the Holiday Season, a time when the rest of the world has practically shutdown, so why shouldn?t the fistic world?
As fans, we have grown accustomed to this lull in action and have not learned too well to cope with it, but this year is worse than usual. Coming off of the sport?s best year in quite sometime, with one major fight after another since the beginning of Fall, this involuntary abstinence for the ?Big Fight? atmosphere has me shaking. Though there are a few notable scraps approaching our air space in the coming weeks: such as Paulie Malignaggi against Herman Ngoudjo on the 5th of January, I find myself missing the anticipation and hoopla surrounding the other fights even if the match-ups weren?t as interesting. Harp all you want concerning the mediocrity that was Floyd Mayweather ? Oscar De La Hoya, or even Mayweather ? Ricky Hatton, but I enjoyed both.
Roy Jones, JR., will face Felix Trinidad on January 19, 2008, but as for right now I don?t consider it a super fight. Yet, who knows? Perhaps by the time that date rolls around this putrid stagnation will have increased my delusions to the point where I suddenly find myself gullible enough to fork over fifty bucks for a ?Best of the 90?s? showdown, but God I hope not. Yet, in an effort to preserve my sanity during this brief but increasingly barren winter of my discontent as well as stave off any irrational thoughts that may eventually assail me, I have spent the last few days compiling a list of fights, some already set and some not yet spoken of, which I am looking forward to witnessing in the coming year.
2007 was a hell of a year for boxing, a rebirth of sorts, and the best way to capitalize on the momentum gained is to continue the trend of making good fights, of making big fights, of making good-big fights, and of staying away from pay-per-view whenever possible if not abandoning the concept altogether. What we do not need to do is revert to the fighter ?showcase? mentality that brought boxing to its lowest point since…ever, and gave MMA the notion that it may actually have a shot at destroying the one true fight game. Thankfully, 2008 is already giving every indication of being a continuation of the good and a departure from the bad, and let?s hope it stays that way.
Kelly Pavlik Vs. Jermain Taylor II
Already scheduled for February, this is a rematch of one of 2007?s best fights, and could be dubbed ?The St. Valentines Day Massacre.? Jermain Taylor, the then middleweight champion, nearly had his hard-punching, undefeated challenger out in the second round, sending Pavlik to the mat for an eight count. Yet, as Kelly has done numerous times throughout his career, he rose to his feet, weathered the ensuing storm of punches, survived the round, and knocked his opponent cold in the 7th. Now they are fighting above the middleweight limit so that the struggles both men endure in making weight will be a non-issue this go around. This means that Pavlik?s titles, formerly Taylor?s, will not be on the line.
Another change in the rematch is that Jermain has officially parted ways with Hall of Fame Trainer, Emanuel Steward, after giving several lackluster performances before suffering his first defeat at the hands of Pavlik this past September. Can he and Ozzell Nelson, the man that ?discovered? and practically raised him, recapture the fire and confidence that was inexplicably lost with Steward? Or will Pavlik pack even more of a punch at the higher weight? If Jermain were to even the score in the return bout, I hope he finally receives the recognition as one of the best in the world. This is a guy who has fought more tough fights against future hall of fame inductees in two years than most active fighters face in their careers, and so far Taylor has only been criticized for doing so. Regardless of the outcome, this one has ?Can?t Miss? written all over it.
Rafael Marquez Vs. Israel Vazquez III
Their first two encounters in 2007 earned recognition in most circles as Fight of the Year, and Runner up for Fight of the Year (the two are virtually interchangeable so which one and where is unimportant), why would the rubber match disappoint? Marquez won their first meeting by breaking Israel?s nose and forcing him to retire after the seventh. Vazquez garnered retribution in the rematch by knocking Marquez senseless and causing the referee to stop the contest in the sixth. In a perfect world this one would be the most highly anticipated match-up of the coming year, and though it may have that honor among the hardcore faithful, the general public, ever concerned with larger, less skilled fighters, don?t even know these two exist and that is a damn shame. The question in this fight is whether Marquez will elect to box (likely his best strategy), or let machismo dictate his action and bang with the bigger man.
Manny Pacquiao Vs. Juan Manuel Marquez II
Here is another highly anticipated rematch, and unlike the movies, in boxing the sequel can often equal the quality of the first, if not top it. Despite this one coming about four years too late, the old adage ?Better late than never? has never been more true. As some have suggested, Marquez may have slowed a bit, though I have never noticed it. What I have noticed is a very versatile fighter altering his style in order to become more fan friendly and positioning himself for the big fights that had avoided him.
At the same time, Pacquiao has shown some inclination to shift from the dynamic punching machine he once was into a less reckless boxer/puncher more concerned with longevity than a knockout. What I am getting at is that any failings that either man now has that did not formerly plague him are in turn offset by recently acquired shifts or shortcomings of the other. In short, this is much the same match-up that it was in 2004 with both remaining at the apex of the Super Featherweight food chain and perfect foils for the other?s unique style. As the controversy surrounding the first encounter indicates, this one is a toss up that could very well go either way but will make for an exciting ride until the bitter end.
The Oscar De La Hoya Farewell
Oscar will deliver his supposed goodbye to the inside of the boxing ring in September against a thus far unnamed opponent. Regardless of how you may feel about Oscar, the level of his current abilities, or his place in boxing annals, he has almost always sought out tough opposition and his fights are always big time, exciting affairs. This is not diminished by his recently dismal record. If 2008 is to be his last year as a fighter, look for Oscar to set up the September finale with a strong showing on May 3 against a ?name? opponent who doesn?t pose much of a threat, before stepping in against a fellow Superstar for the last time, most likely Floyd Mayweather, JR.
Miguel Cotto Vs. Floyd Mayweather, JR.
This is one fight that I am genuinely excited to see, even if it exists only in my mind at this moment. Sadly, the odds of my dream becoming a reality are slim at best, but if Miguel Cotto wants this fight half as badly as I do, then he will force it to happen. Speed against Power; Skill against Determination, Undefeated against Undefeated: To me, this one could be reminiscent of Meldrick Taylor against Julio Cesar Chavez. Though to make the assumption that it would equal that fight in terms of drama is quite a stretch, I do think that it would play out in much the same fashion despite Cotto’s lack of Chavez?s granite chin.
Due to Cotto?s underrated boxing ability, jab, and movement, Floyd would likely be forced to flurry and move instead of relying on Uncle Roger?s infamously secret strategy of pot-shotting and running that saw him through the De La Hoya and Carlos Baldomir bouts. On the other side, the slower, heavier handed Cotto would have to settle for one, maybe two, decent punches at a time with the fight coming down to a race against the clock, as Cotto tries to knock Floyd out before ?Money? takes the fight to the cards, as well as the bank.
Wladimir Klitschko Vs. Sam Peter II (For the Undisputed Heavyweight Crown)
Both men have upcoming unification bouts; Klitschko in February and Peter in March. I am operating under the assumption, the mother of all…you know, that both will emerge victorious against lesser opponents. Hopefully each will because it makes for a cleaner, less confusing article, as well as division, if they do. Peter has grown as a fighter since their first meeting, but has shown some vulnerability in the process. Wladimir has regained much of his lost confidence, but is always vulnerable because of his chin, or lack thereof. It?s interesting, would probably be a good tussle, could draw a big crowd, and that?s saying a lot for a Heavyweight bout. Also, if the boxing world would endorse the winner as the true Heavyweight Champion, then we will have something that we haven?t had in a long time.
Here are a few others that didn?t make the cut for various reasons, time being the main one.
Ricky Hatton Vs. Ricardo Torres
This one would be fun, wouldn?t it?
James Kirkland Vs. Kassim Ouma
A solid test for Kirkland.
Paul Williams Vs. Kermit Cintron
Once Kermit?s hand heals, I want to see this one.
As you can see, the new year is probably going to follow the same great pattern that 2007 laid out, and I look forward to the bright future of boxing.
