2017 Shaping Up Well For Boxing

By Nick Hagan - 02/14/2017 - Comments

Image: 2017 Shaping Up Well For Boxing

By Nick Hagan: After a really disappointing 2016, 2017 is already shaping up to be a great year for Boxing. So far to date we have already seen Carl Frampton v Leo Santa Cruz in a fantastic rematch. It may not have been as enthralling as the first match up but still very decent. Just before this we saw De Gale v Jack in a unification fight and what could well be a contender for fight of the year. So enjoyed watching this fight and great to see both Boxers giving it there all.

Next up we will see Danny Garcia v Keith Thurman in another unification fight. This fight to me is a real 50:50 fight. Garcia has been written off so many times, but it’s safe to say that he’s underrated and on his day is a match for anyone in the 147 division. Thurman has the upper hand in terms of speed but defensively can be quite poor and open to the big shots. If Garcia lands cleanly one off his famous left hooks to the head of Thurman it could all be over very quickly. However I’m tipping Thurman to win a very close decision. I just feel he is the more busy fighter and that he might just have learnt the importance of covering up defensively when required. Expect the winner from this fight to fight the winner from Brooks v Spence battle later in the year.

Following this we have Gennady Golovkin v Daniel Jacobs in yet another unification fight. Unfortunately I can’t see this fight being very competitive and expect an early knockout for Golovkin. Jacobs is a good solid boxer, but is not absolute world class. I respect Jacobs as a fighter and more importantly his amazing come back from cancer, but Golovkin is a different beast and it will take a very special boxer to even compete with him. There isn’t one boxer between 155 (155 isn’t a typo) – 168 that could could come close to beating Golovkin at the moment. The problem is too many Boxers also know this is the case.

In April we will see Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko . This fight does excite me. I just feel that Joshua hasn’t been properly tested and Klitschko will want to prove a point after his disappointing loss to Fury. Klitschko has nothing to lose as this could well be the last time we see him in a Boxing ring. I do expect Joshua to squeeze through, possibly on points, but do expect a very good showing from Klitschko.

Finally in May we are going to see the much anticipated match-up between Errol Spence v Kell Brook.

Of all the upcoming fights in 2017 already mentioned this is the one that I’m looking forward to the most. Brook has proved to have real guts jumping two divisions to face Golovkin and is much better and more talented than a lot of fans give him credit for. Spence is relatively untested at top level, but from what I have seen of him he is a rare talent. He has all the ability to go to the very top of World Boxing. I just feel that Brook might have the slight edge and that he’s probably fighting Spence just at the right time, before Spence becomes too good. Boxing is about levels and Brook at this moment in time is a slightly higher level. Expect Brooks to win on points.

Honorable mention to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez v Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr, however Alvarez is failing to test himself these days against any real current talent between 154 – 160lbs, so like many fans I’m losing patients.
Let’s hope the trend of great match ups continues into the later stages of 2017