Top Ten Professional Boxing Matches that Must Be Made After the Coronavirus Pandemic
Even though boxing matches have been happening during the pandemic, a lot of the promoters and fighters want to hold off on the “big money fights” until after the “lockdown” restrictions are all lifted. This is so they make the maximum amount of $$$ off having full venue seating and proper promotions. So these are the matches that should be made ASAP when the restrictions caused by COVID-19 are gone.If you choose to participate and add on this list, please note the title. PROFESSIONALS ONLY. No YouTube idiots, no old farts doing “exhibition” fights or MMA/Boxing crossover matches. True professional boxing only please.
Welterweight
Errol Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KO) *WBC and IBF Welterweight Champion*
Height - 5' 9"
Reach - 72 in
Age - 30
Terrance Crawford (37-0, 28 KO) *WBO Welterweight Champion*
Height - 5' 9"
Reach - 74 in
Age - 33
Notes/Prediction - I believe these two are among the top 5 pound-for-pound fighters today. Before his accident, I had Spence winning this fight. But after seeing his first fight since (against Danny Garcia), I have doubts. He didn't look too great, in my opinion. Maybe it was ring rust? I don't know. I could be wrong, but I think he's not going to be the same fighter he used to be.
Still, this is the best match in boxing that could be made. I hope it happens. As for the winner, I have Crawford by late stoppage.
Heavyweight
Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KO) *WBC and "The Ring" Heavyweight Champion*
Height - 6' 9"
Reach - 85 in
Age - 32
Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KO) *WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO Heavyweight Champion*
Height - 6' 6"
Reach - 82 in
Age - 31
Notes/Prediction - This match must be made to determine an undisputed heavyweight champion. I think this would be a fun heavyweight fight. My prediction for a winner? Man, for me, this is seriously a 50-50 fight. I guess Fury?
Lightweight
Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 KO)
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 70 in
Age - 22
Devin Hanley (25-0, 15 KO) *WBC Lightweight Champion*
Height - 5' 8"
Reach - 71 in
Age - 22
Notes/Prediction - A fight between two of the biggest rising stars in the division. One of the main reasons I want this fight to happen is to shut one of these jackasses up. Both are good boxers, but I despise them both as human beings.
I believe Garcia is the better/bigger puncher, but Hanley is the better boxer. I'm not sold on Garcia's hype. Yes, he is good, with fast hands and big power, but there's something more I need to be sold on a boxer as a future dominating champion. That's great footwork and great defense. Garcia is subpar in both, whereas Hanley isn't.
Garcia is very flat-footed and actually kind of slow with his feet. He also exposes his chin often. He holds his head high and actually extends and pushes his chin up and out while punching. That, combined with subpar head movement, is a recipe for disaster (for him, I would love it). Hanley is definitely more polished and sharper as a boxer.
If it happens, I pick Hanley by unanimous decision and even dropping Garcia, maybe a few times, along the way.
Super Middleweight
Canelo Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KO) *WBA, WBC, and "The Ring" Super Middleweight Champion*
Height - 5' 9"
Reach - 70 1/2 in
Age - 30
Gennady Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KO) *IBF and IBO Middleweight Champion*
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 70 in
Age - 38
Notes/Prediction - Personally, I don't care too much for this fight anymore, but a lot of fans and journalists want this fight to settle the true winner of a trilogy. It is clear Canelo is actually still getting better each fight while GGG has been declining. I mean, GGG is 38 already!
Hardcore boxing fans will usually know that when boxers hit their mid-30s, it's all downhill from there. Mid-30s is usually when fighters start to lose their reflexes and become cement-footed. When a boxer's reflexes start to deteriorate, it's over. He or she will never get them back.
So my point is Canelo has gotten better every fight since his last bout with GGG, while GGG has looked "older." If they do a third, I have Canelo winning by clear-cut unanimous decision.
Bantamweight
Naoya Inoue (20-0, 17 KO) *IBF, WBA, and "The Ring" Bantamweight Champion*
Height - 5' 5"
Reach - 67 in
Age - 27
Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KO) *WBC Bantamweight Champion*
Height - 5' 4"
Reach - 67 in
Age - 34
Notes/Prediction - Man, I think this fight will be a war! Potentially the most entertaining on the list. Inoue is one of my personal favorites. The dude's a beast in the ring yet highly skilled. Oubaali is a killer too! I would guarantee this would be one of the most fun and exciting fights of the year. Possible fight of the year.
I have Inoue's speed winning him this fight. Inoue by late TKO.
Light Welterweight
Josh Taylor (17-0, 13 KO) *WBA, IBF, and "The Ring" Light Welterweight Champion*
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 69 1/2
Age - 30
Jose Ramirez (26-0, 17 KO) *WBC and WBO Light Welterweight Champion*
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 72 1/2 in
Age - 28
Notes/Prediction - I think Taylor is the better-skilled of the two. Ramirez wins a lot of his fights from his "toughness" and is relentless.
Can Ramirez win this fight from heart, toughness, and relentless pressure? I say no. Will be a fun fight though, plus it will give us an undisputed Light Welterweight Champion. Taylor by decision.
Lightweight
Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 KO) *WBA, WBO, IBF, and "The Ring" Lightweight Champion*
Height - 5' 8"
Reach - 68 1/2 in
Age - 23
Gervonta Davis (24-0, 23 KO) *WBA Super Featherweight Champion*
Height - 5' 6"
Reach - 67 1/2 in
Age - 26
Notes/Prediction - Brawler vs. boxer. I think this would be a fun, entertaining fight. This is a fight where I believe the better boxer (Lopez) will be winning but get caught with something big. Just a gut feeling. Tank by TKO.
Light Heavyweight
Dmitry Bivol (17-0, 11 KO) *WBA Light Heavyweight Champion*
Height - 6'
Reach - ?
Age - 30
Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KO) *IBF and WBC Light Heavyweight Champion*
Height - 6'
Reach - 73 in
Age - 36
Notes/Prediction - Man, another 50-50 for me. I think Bivol may be the better-skilled of the two, but Beterbiev is definitely the bigger puncher. Because Beterbiev is already 36, I'll go with Bivol by decision. However, if there's a knockout in the fight, it will probably come from Beterbiev.
Welterweight
Virgil Ortiz Jr (16-0, 16 KO)
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 72 in
Age - 22
Jaron Ennis (26-0-1 no contest, 24 KO)
Height - 5' 10"
Reach - 74 in
Age - 23
Notes/Prediction - Battle of the two biggest up-and-comers in the welterweight division. Virgil Ortiz is my horse. Out of all the young up-and-comers/prospects in any weight class, Ortiz is the one I'm really keeping my eye on. The kid's a killer in the ring and seems mentally more "there" than the others and carries himself professionally (unlike Garcia, Hanley, etc.).
Ortiz has a pretty tough test ahead of him with Maurice Hooker on March 20th. So for this fight to happen, he has to beat Hooker, which I think he will.
Jaron Ennis is no joke. Highly skilled and slick with a very decorated amateur record who has done very well in the professionals. However, I think Ortiz has faced the better opposition as a pro between the two.
As for a prediction, I think Ortiz will end up mauling Ennis, but I think the fight as a whole will be brutal. Ortiz by mid-round stoppage.
Middleweight
Jermall Charlo (31-0, 22 KO) *WBC Middleweight Champion*
Height - 6'
Reach - 73 1/2 in
Age - 30
Demetrius Andrade (29-0, 18 KO) *WBO Middleweight Champion*
Height - 6' 1"
Reach - 73 1/2 in
Age - 32
Notes/Prediction - This fight has the potential to be great but also has a chance to be somewhat boring. I see Charlo beating Andrade.