I'd like to see the following things happen in '08: 1) I want Jones / Tito to be a great fight. One that shows Tito getting knocked down early. Tito coming back and winning the middle rounds. Jones pulling out a close UD in the final rounds. This would set up a big (exposure-wise) fight with the winner of Calzaghe-Hopkins. Tito could fight on at a lower weight. 2) Taylor to win a UD over Pavlik. Not controversial, but a clear UD. Pavlik can return to middleweight and defend his crown against Abraham. Taylor can fight Kessler, Tito or the loser (or) winner of Cal/Hops....hell even Jones maybe. 3) The Floyd / Oscar fight needs to fall apart. 4) Lets see a rematch with Margo / Williams. This was a great fight, if any rematch needs to happen...this one does. 5) Cotto has to get Floyd in the ring and we have to clear this mess up at Welter. 6) Sam Peter KOs Maskaev impressively to set up a unification with the winner of Wlad/Ibrag (ahem Wlad) and finally provide some REAL clarity at Heavy, for the few clowns that are still not sold on Wlad yet. 7) JMM needs to lose to Pac. Pac then needs to step up and fight Juan Diaz. JMM can stay and still do very well at his own weight. 8) Winky Wright needs to do 1 or 3 things. Fight Pavlik for his Middleweight Belt. Go overseas to fight Abraham. Finally get Delahoya in the ring.....or if none of that happens, fight Forrest for a stay busy fight. Discuss :good
I agree with them except the Pavlik-Taylor one. A Taylor win would just create a rubber match. Probably back at 160. I didn't really understand the weight of 166. I guess it's an excuse for Taylor and saying he was compromised by making 160, but Pavlik is a big guy too who doesn't exactly make 160 with ease.
I dont think WW deserves a shot at Pavlik or Abraham:bart , he should concentrate at 154. I definitely dont think Calzaghe should fight Jones or Tito!:nono I would prefer JMM to win, and Pac can go and get his ass handed to him by Diaz, apart from that I agree:good
All good points and if even half of your wish list happens it would make it another memorable year for boxing - possibly better the 07
There is nothing such as the well being of our sport in the moral sense - things are how they are and all we can do is post facto rationalisations... Nobody can expect a fighter to get knocked down and struggle his way to the finish line for the sake of the sport, rematches to have different endings just to get rubber matches and trilogies or to set up other big fights at similar weight classes, other rematches to happen just b.c. the first matches could have had different outcomes ( or to confirm such previous endings), lucrative bouts to fall apart so that riskier fights ( for both sides) take place, knockout artists overcome less aggressive foes, good fighters of the past to come back again and correct what has been "unfairly" written down in history... With all due respect, I am 99% sure that what I wish for is not going to happen so why to worry?... Whatever happens, we will be able to reason about after it happens.
1. TITO will win. 2. Correct. 3. 100% Correct! 4. Correct! 5. Cotto needs to fight floyd! Correct! 6. Sounds good. 7. Very good. I pretty much agree with everything except the ROY UD prediction. Tito will never move down.
