By Wilmar Patino (Boxing’s Finest) Wrapping up the year of 2014 we had many ups and downs seeing a lot of mismatches along the way. This is Boxing and mismatches tend to be a part of the sport. Yet we have some great fights already confirmed and some stellar match ups that look more promising than ever for the year of 2015. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the sport for the upcoming year and I’d like to have us all take a look and discuss the upcoming bouts. 2015 Has the potential to be the best year in boxing in decades for a few reasons lets revise that now.
Starting off with Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao because it has the most potential to bring the sport to the forefront once again and has the most significance in the sports history today. Of course this is a huge fight that will break records and generate unmatched revenue for a long time to come. The hype behind this bout is obvious and fans have been waiting for too long. I won’t say more than that because this topic has been exhausted by every media outlet and journalist for years. What I will say is that 2015 seems the most likely year the fight will take place if ever.
Miguel Cotto vs Saul Canelo Alvarez seems to be in the works for 2015 as well and proves to be most likely the 2nd most anticipated fight of the year. It has all the makings of a classic Mexico vs Puerto Rico match up with the cliche of old lion vs young lion playing out. Cotto and Canelo being the highest selling PPV stars only behind Mayweather and Pacquiao. Truly having another of the best and most popular fighters fighting each other. Cotto is returning to training camp this December 7th and Freddie Roach confirms that this fight is in negotiations via UCN.
Now we have Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev vs Jean Pascal confirmed for March 14 2015. With Kovalev uniting 3 of the 4 major titles last year we will witness him defend it with all 3 belts on the line in Pascals backyard in Canada. Sergey Kovalev proving he’s a true champion and putting Boxing politics to the side deciding to take on all comers and fighting the best possible fights in his division. Looking to clean it out and eventually unify all the titles regardless of who is holding the WBC title next year. If he were to win he would then fight his mandatory Nadjib Mohammedi and assuming he wins that fight too expect him in a big fight to close out the year of 2015. Who knows we might just get Sergey Kovalev vs Adonis Stevenson by the end of the year.
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has a fight already scheduled with the always tough and durable Martin Murray in Monte Carlo on February 21, 2015. This will probably be Golovkins biggest test and truly give us a better understanding on just how good Golovkin really is. Martin Murray is a top 10 middleweight and gave a lot of problems to Sergio Martinez when they fought in Argentina arguably beating the champ and losing to the hometown fighter. I imagine if Golovkin were to win, that 2015 would be a big year for Golovkin possibly becoming a PPV star. Which is exciting because I think Golovkin and Kovalev have the unique opportunity to being Kazakhstan and Russia’s first PPV stars in the states and in the history of Boxing. That to me would catapult the sport to a higher standard of global recognition.
In a fight that might not hold much meaning in 2015 but is guaranteed to leave the blood thirsty boxing fans feeling like there thirst has been quenched, we have Brandon Rios vs Mike Alvarado 3 in Denver to start the year off. The fight taking place January 24th of 2015. We are familiar with the 2 wars these men were in and we have the opportunity to see them back at it again after a 2014 where both fighters fought separate fights. So expect fireworks and quite possibly a very grueling match ending in a knockout.
These are just the big stars we are talking about now what about the upcoming fighters who can and most likely will have a big year in 2015. With Keith Thurman fighting Bundu this December 13th one can imagine Al Haymon finally allowing Thurman to fight the top 10 welterweights in his division. 2015 could turn out to be a big year for Thurman too as long as he keeps winning. We still have Kell Brook from the UK heating up the division in his own right with possible big clashes for the upcoming year. That’s not all we are just scratching the surface.
Expect Terence Crawford to make noise in the 140 pound division most likely making a quick rise up the ranks. In a division that has Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, Lamont Peterson, Ruslan Provodnikov, Mauricio Herrera, and quite possibly Manny Pacquiao joining the mix later that year. So there is a lot going on in that division worth getting excited for. Not only that but the featherweight division is heating up too with Johhny Gonzalez, Nicholas Walters, Vasyl Lomachenko, Abner Mares, Nonito Donaire, Evgeny Gradovich etc. so many potential high-profile matches. Also the rise of undefeated Roman Gonzalez whose fights will finally be aired on HBO for 2015.
What about the heavyweight division finally looking interesting? We have Bermane Stiverne vs Deontay Wilder taking place in January of 2015. There’s talks of American heavyweight Bryant Jennings possibly facing Wladimir Klitschko this year with the winner of Stiverne and Wilder waiting for that result to face the champion. Tyson Fury also is on that line waiting as well. Finally the heavyweight division is starting to look somewhat interesting and if Klitschko were to lose in 2015 then it will really get interesting. We haven’t even talked about Froch, Andre Wards return, Rigondeaux etc. Too many to name!
There are so many potential match ups that there is just too much to write and talk about for just one article. So I wrote about the most likely match ups with some already being confirmed. Leaving us with the potential of 2015 being the biggest year in Boxing in decades. A lot of high-profile matches in the works, champions from foreign countries taking on all challenges, divisions heating up and spewing out stars, many possibilities of a great year for the sport in the states and worldwide. This my Boxing friends and followers leaves us with the most intriguing and anticipated Boxing year to look forward to in a long time. What fight are you most looking forward to and which match ups do you want to see in 2015? Also do you believe 2015 will be Boxing’s biggest year in recent memory? Lets discuss it in a mature and honorable way. I know I’m excited and you should be too. Plenty to talk about in the comment section 2015 here we go!
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