With Thanksgiving coming up and a full schedule of turkey, football, and relaxation on its way, boxing fans have plenty of reasons to be thankful. A solid 2012 has produced plenty of action and memorable moments, but fights keep getting added to the schedule to make things even better.
Here’s a look at five upcoming bouts that should make fans thankful for a full plate of fight action:
Miguel Cotto vs. Austin Trout (December 1)
As one of the most honest and earnest fighters in the sport, Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto seldom fails to entertain. From his days as a dominant junior welterweight/welterweight world champ to his current status as an elite-level junior middleweight, Cotto always makes for big fights and compelling action. New Mexico native, Austin Trout holds a version of the WBA junior middleweight title and is just starting to test the waters among the sport’s best fighters. For him, this bout with Cotto is a real step up in class and represents a passing from fringe, paper champion to world class player. Cotto, on the other hand, needs this win to stay relevant after a tough loss to Floyd Mayweather in May. Expect both fighters to be firing on all cylinders in this Madison Square Garden clash.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (December 8)
This fourth encounter between the future hall of famers and all-time legends has been panned by some in the media and, honestly, has been marred somewhat by past scoring controversies. But, despite the criticism, one can safely bet that everyone will be watching this pay-per-view drama. No matter what happens (or has happened in the past), matching Pacquiao with Marquez will always produce compelling fight drama at the highest levels of boxing professionalism.
George Groves vs. Glen Johnson (December 15)
If the UK’s George Groves wants to prove himself as a young fighter ready to take on the elite of the super middleweight division, then he’s found the right opponent in Glen Johnson. While it’s true that the 43-year-old Johnson may be at the end of a long, distinguished career and has lost four of his last five contests, the “Road Warrior” is still a tough-as-nails, well-seasoned pro capable of separating the pretenders from the contenders. The 24-year-old Groves appears to have all the tools for a run at the elite, but he has yet to face a fighter with Johnson’s level of hard-earned experience.
Tomasz Adamek vs. Steve Cunningham (Decemebr 22)
Fans who remember the 2008 first encounter between Adamek and Cunningham will recall a thrilling battle between the two best cruiserweights in the world. Adamek would take the split decision victory and score three knockdowns along the way, but Cunningham kept the fight competitive throughout and made for an outstanding fight. Now, both are competing at heavyweight and need a win to step up to the next level in the division. History tells us that this should be another thriller.
Orlando Salido vs. Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia (January 19)
Salido is an old school, veteran blue-collar Mexican battler who captured the WBO featherweight title with a shocking TKO of upcoming superstar, Juan Manuel Lopez. He further cemented his place atop the featherweight division with another equally thrilling TKO victory over Lopez in the rematch eleven months later. Garcia is young, talented and supremely well-schooled. A cold, calculated killer who likes to pick his opponents apart before lowering the boom, Garcia is one of the hottest young properties in the sport. Salido-Garcia will feature grit vs. pedigree, old school technique vs. fresh-faced confidence in a sure-thing boxing gem for the top spot in the 126 lb. division.
