Looking Ahead to 2016

Tom -cropBy Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America

Does the idea of Pacquiao-Bradley 3 get the pulse pumping?  Well on April 9th, Bradley-Pacquiao 3 happens.  This will be a fun fight as both fighters have fought two good fights before but somehow the public will be asking, why? Simply because this is the biggest potential for money and a victory over Bradley might entice Mayweather to a rematch but this may be wishful thinking on Pacquiao part.  Bradley looked good in his last fight over Rios and with Ted Atlas working in his corner to sharpen their boxing skills.

Gennady Golovkin may fight Billy Joe Saunders for Saunders’ title along with Triple G’s belts. The ultimate goal is to have the big bout with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for probably biggest fight of 2016.

Deontay Wilder faces Artur Szpilka for Wilder’s title in the Barclays Center, January 16th.   With Wladimir Klitschko fading and his loss to Tyson Fury now open up the Heavyweight division. The Heavyweight could be the intriguing with Wilder, Fury, Povetkin, and Charles Martin who is fighting Vvacheslav Glazkov for the IBF title.  Szpilka may provide competition to Wilder as a southpaw slugger who can hurt Wilder so this will be a test for Wilder.  Win and Wilder may get a shot at Povetkin and Fury will have a rematch with Klitschko. Nor we forget Luis Ortiz who knocked out Bryan Jennings, a fighter who went the distance with Klitschko. Ortiz may prove to the best heavyweight.

Danny Garcia faces Robert Guerrero in a welterweight bout January 23rd and this deep division has many great fighters including Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, Amir Khan, and Tim Bradley, who will be facing Pacquiao.

2015 was the year that Floyd Mayweather held sway over boxing as the world waited for the May bout with Pacquiao but this bout proved to be an easy boring victory over the PAC Man and many boxing fans hoped for more after shelling out 100 dollars for the PPV.  Over 4 million paid to see the bout and Mayweather proved to be more of a wizard outside the ring as he did in the ring.   Floyd Mayweather in what was advertise as the final bout in his career easily defeated Andre Berto. This was nothing more than a sparring session but then Mayweather got a few millions to say good bye.  Now new stars like Triple G’s, Light Heavyweight champion Sergio Kovalev, Terrance Crawford, Daniel Jacobs, Saul Alvarez, the Charlo’s twins are now ready to take center stage and without Mayweather shadow hanging over the sport, we will see new rivalries.

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