2010 Buzzkill; Reasons to be optimistic

It didn’t bode well when last Christmas the entire Boxing world’s focus was on whether or not Floyd Mayweather Jr & Manny Pacquiao could work things out for them to fight in May. As we know it didn’t turn out well with arbitrations and law suits being thrown around ever since not to mention relations between the lead promoters of both fighter Golden Boy (Mayweather) & Top Rank (Pacquiao) are at an all time low.

We hoped that after both Pacquiao took care of business with Joshua Clottey in Texas & Mayweather put on a clinic against Shane Mosley that the two best practioners on the planet at the moment would settle there difference’s in the ring and not the court room this fall.

Unfortunately once again Mayweather-Pacquiao hasn’t come to fruition with all sorts of rumours spread. We can only hope things finally work out for next spring…don’t hold your breath though, if we’ve learnt one thing in the last year or so it’s that if one thing can stop two superstars meeting for around $40M apiece it’s ego’s.

Another unfortunate casualty of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is that the two promoters are one again engaging in a bitter battle that has some in the media dubbing it “The Cold War”. Of coarse the one’s who really suffer is the fans who don’t get to see both promoters pit there other best fighters together which they had done for a couple of years prior to the latest setback.

As if the break downs in negotiations that has marred 2010 between Mayweather & Pacquiao aren’t enough and believe me there pretty bad. Things have steadily gotten worse as the years gone on. Though it was completely understandable after the tragic lives of many in Haiti were lost (Including 8 relatives of Andre Berto) the first big fight of the year Mosley-Berto was cancelled a week out.

At Middleweight Paul Williams priced himself out of a Championship fight with number then one Kelly Pavlik. On the back of several impressive performance’s Sergio Martinez fought and beat Pavlik. While you would think a good looking, talented personable guy would find acquiring future dates relatively easy, however the dearth in contenders at 160 made that difficult and then neigh on impossible when Williams initially baulked at a rematch, thankfully he has since come to his senses and looks like accepting parity for the 20 November clash.

The Middleweight division isn’t likely to make anyone forget the Golden years of the 60’s and 80’s which is all the more reason the few top fights that can be made need to be made.

When one of the possible future stars Edwin Valero lost his life in a tragic turn of events back in April it taught us once again how you should cherish every moment of your life because you never know quite what is around the corner. It was reported that Valero had battled both drink & drug addiction, it was to see him completely unravel almost in front of our very eyes with various pictures and reports coming from South America. Many in Boxing believed Valero was the man to not only take down Pacquiao & Mayweather but also earn legendary status. Sadly that wasn’t to be the case and even more tragically Valero & his also deceased wife left behind two young children who will have to deal with the loss of there mother & father for there whole lives.

The Featherweight class is on the cusp of a Golden era like it has in the mid to late 90’s into the 2000’s. With any combination of Chris John, Celestino Caballero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Elio Rojas, JuanMa Lopez & Rafael Marquez highly entertaining fights. As the fall calendar fills out it doesn’t look like any of them will of fought each other. John hasn’t fought in 2010 as yet, nobody wants to fight Caballero who is the most avoided fighter in Boxing. Cuban Gamboa has won two fights and looks to unify with tough Orlando Salido. Elio Rojas recently picked up and injury that will keep him out for several months meaning his one appearance so far in 2010 is likely to be his only fight in this year. It looked as if Lopez & Marquez would clash in a much anticipated fight on 18 September, however that was postponed when Marquez injured a thumb.

A couple of weeks back we heard that not only was Mikkel Kessler pulling out of his fight with Allen Green which was scheduled for the end of September but he was withdrawing completely from the Super 6 which has been beset by postponements in the past year since Ken Hershman’s brain child started. The sad news came through that Kessler would be on the sidelines due to an eye injury for 9 months.

We’ve also had talented fighters spend time on the sidelines in the prime of there career’s for no apparent reason. One of the names that springs to mind is Tim Bradley who had done so well in fights at 140 last year that he ended up waiting until July for a fight and then he had to head to Welterweight for a fight with the stronger but not as versatile Luis Abregu. Another who had to wait around was Chad Dawson who went without a fight until the middle of August when he lost to Jean Pascal.

Over the past 2 years we’ve all watched David Haye talk the talk but fail to back it up with a fight with either of the Klitschko brothers. Even when he cleared the way beating mandatory challenger John Ruiz in April rather than seek out a Klitschko it appears as though he fight Audley Harrison.

After the doom and gloom that has been 2010 a year that has no clear candidate for fight of the year that honour would probably go to Mikkel Kessler & Carl Froch who took part in a scintillating battle in April. What can we expect from the remaining part of the year or even 2011.

Just to prove I’m a half glass full type of guy here’s a few things that may light up the Boxing calendar over the next few months.

While the Klitschko brothers look light years ahead of the completion any combination of David Haye, Alexander Povetkin, Tomasz Adamek & Chris Arreola would prove entertainment.

It looks as though we could have a Super 6 at Cruiserweight which if word is true will kick off with Steve Cunningham fighting Marco Huck in a rematch from 2007.

Jean Pascal changed the Light Heavyweight landscape when he beat Chad Dawson it now looks like he will not satisfy himself by just staying busy and enjoying his new found fame as he will take on Bernard Hopkins on 18 December.

The fall will hopefully see the two Andre’s Ward & Dirrell square off and Carl Froch & Arthur Abraham meet in what could be a fight of the year type of fight with neither guy taking a backward step. The two winners then meeting in a huge fight which will also unify the WBC & WBA titles. It was agreed when Kessler pulled doubt that he would fight the winner of the Super 6 in late 2011.

Finally Martinez-Williams will rematch on 22 November. Dmitry Pirog came out of the shadows when he stunned Daniel Jacobs hopefully he’ll be kept in the spotlight and let us not forget a come backing Kelly Pavlik.

Any time Manny Pacquiao fights it’s cant miss TV and he’ll be looking to become a 7 weight world champion fighting Antonio Margarito on November 13. Miguel Cotto reinvigorated the Light Middleweight division when he moved up 7 pounds stopping Yuri Foreman looks like he many face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on 4 December. The winner of that could face Pacquiao-Margarito next year. Alfredo Angulo & a come backing James Kirkland also make there home at 154.

Traditionally one of Boxing stronghold division’s is Welterweight and that shows no signs of slowing down. We can all hope that Pacquiao-Mayweather can come together finally next year. Shane Mosley may not be getting any younger but he’s still more than capable. Andre Berto looks the future at 147.

Seems like Amir Khan may face Marcos Maidana on 11 December and six weeks later Tim Bradley could face Devon Alexander. Cross everything that the two winners clash by next summer.

Wisely Juan Manuel Marquez decided not to move up from Lightweight for a fall clash with Khan instead it looks as though he’ll face Michael Katsidis in a fight that could be a fight of the year candidate.

Scotland’s Ricky Burns became his countries twelfth ever world champion following in the footsteps of Benny Lynch, Ken Buchanan & Jim Watt when as a 3-1 underdog he showed considerable resolve to take the title from Roman Martinez in a thrilling fight.

JuanMa Lopez will square off with Rafael Marquez on 6 November in what could be a changing of the guard fight or further enhance Marquez stature as one of the best lighter weight fighters of his generation. Cuban whirlwind Gamboa fights Saturday, one thing with Gamboa is that he’s always in exciting fights.

Since Israel Vazquez, Marquez & Caballero moved up to 126 the Super Bantamweight division hasn’t been as strong as in bygone years Thailand’s pocket dynamo Poonsawat Kratchingdaeng always provides entertaining fights as does Toshiaki Nishioka who meets Rendall Munroe in what has the makings of a brilliant fight. Coming through in the next six months or so will be legendary Cuban amateur Guillermo Rigondeaux who has signed with Top Rank who are sure to give him the opportunities to show his considerable talent.

There is talent galore at 118, we hope to see Fernando Montiel meet Nonito Donaire in the next half year or so. It’s a fight that would likely see the winner move into the top 5 on many pound for pound lists. Showtime is putting up the money for an exciting clash between Vic Darchinyan-Abner Mares & Yonnhy Perez-Joseph Agbeko on 4 December with the winners meeting further down the line.

As you can see while 2010 hasn’t quite been the year we had hoped it maybe there are still plenty of things going on and in the works for this fall and early next year.