My 11 for'11

[earsjohn]

As the year draws to a close, I've been thinking about the fights that I really want to see happen next year, some realistic, some pure fantasy, but all intriguing to an extent. What have I missed? What stinkers have I included that no-one in their right mind would want to watch?

The big two out of the way first off:

Haye v Wlad - wanted for so many reasons - would crown a first unified HW champ since Lewis, would pit two of the top 3 together and would simply be a huge event.

Pac v Floyd - With all due respect to Mosley, Marquez and Berto, this is the only fight that I really want to see Pacquiao in.

Froch v Ward in the Super 6 Final - It may be a stylistic stinker, but this match up would bring closure to a tournament that has received a lot of unfair stick and would crown an undisputed No 1 at SMW (sorry Bute, but your resumé doesn't compare at the moment)

Khan v Bradley - Assuming Bradley beats Alexander (which I think he does comfortably), this fight is again about who is clear No 1 at 140lb. To be a unified, consensus champ of a division as deep as Light welter deserves a lot of credit and would serve either Khan or Bradley well as they step up to Welter in 2012.

Miguel Cotto v Paul Williams at 154 - Williams is not a Middleweight, but went up to get a fight with a decent payday. There's a few fights at LMW that would allow him to come back from the Martinez defeat, and a fight with Cotto would be a big deal. Intriguiing mix of styles too.

Darren Barker v Matthew Macklin - Macklin was unfortunate in looking poor against Varon recently as it has set his World Title ambitions back a little, but it means a Barker fight is very much a realistic prospect (in terms of levels, if not in terms of promoter agreement)

Nathan Cleverley v Tavoris Cloud - Clev will fight for a world belt this year and Cloud is the man I'd most like to see him in with. Cloud has a lot of respect but I think he is very beatable. A win in a fight with Cloud would do more for Nathan than having his interim WBO belt turn made Full on a technicality then defending against a range of limited eastern european opponents.

Kell Brook v Paul Malignaggi - A step up in class for Brook (albeit not to the very top of the Welter division). Malignaggi proved last time out that he still has something to give and if Brook can outbox him, that will say a lot about the level Brook could reach. I'm not so sold on Mike Jones after his last fight. One more fight for Brook and then someone like Zaveck or Senchenko, and I think Malignaggi fits the bill nicely.

John Murray v Michael Katsidis - Murray needs to step up in class this year and Katsidis is a great gatekeeper as Kevin Mitchell found out to his cost. Would be a big fight as Katsidis is quite well known on these shores.

Yuri Gamboa v Juan Manuel Lopez - Two exciting punchers who both have flaws.

Giovanni Segura v Roman Gonzalez - Two heavy hitters coming off outstanding years. Would be a proper Fight of the Year Contender but would also go largely unnoticed by the English public

And finally (I know I already have 11!) I'd like to see a 6-month, 6 Rounder, Super 6 type tournament featuring Tyson Fury, Sam Sexton, Larry Olubamiwo, David Price, Tom Dallas and Michael Sprott. 3 Nights of first round fights (3 fights per night) with 6 weeks between the end of the 1st round and the Final. Make it over 6 rounds to make it less arduous during the group stage, 10 rounds for the semi and the final for the UK title over 12 rounds. Maybe even seed Sexton, Sprott and, say, Fury with a 'home' night for each in Norwich, Reading and Manchester, the Semis and the Final somewhere provincial like Liverpool, Newcastle or Bristol.

[jeej]

Out of interest, what do you see in store for James Degale?

[doctorboxing]

Out of interest, what do you see in store for James Degale?

Has to be Groves first before any thought of euro or world level fights.

[earsjohn]

Out of interest, what do you see in store for James Degale?

I see big things in 2012, with 2011 being a year of consolidation. He'll probably have about 3 fights, with maybe the 3rd for an Interim title, depending on the belt holders. Can't see Fwank sending him to Germany for someone like Stieglitz or Sartison, while the Super 6 guys are still a level above (and are busy themselves). DeGale-Groves is still a potential fight, but at the moment I think DeGale blows him away. Groves needs to work on a number of things and then maybe we'll see them fighting each other for a World title rather than a UK title.

So consolidate with a couple of domestic defences and maybe a comebacking Brian Magee.

[Captain Hook]

As the year draws to a close, I've been thinking about the fights that I really want to see happen next year, some realistic, some pure fantasy, but all intriguing to an extent. What have I missed? What stinkers have I included that no-one in their right mind would want to watch?

The big two out of the way first off:

Haye v Wlad - wanted for so many reasons - would crown a first unified HW champ since Lewis, would pit two of the top 3 together and would simply be a huge event.

Pac v Floyd - With all due respect to Mosley, Marquez and Berto, this is the only fight that I really want to see Pacquiao.

Froch v Ward in the Super 6 Final - It may be a stylistic stinker, but this match up would bring closure to a tournament that has received a lot of unfair stick and would crown an undisputed No 1 at SMW (sorry Bute, but your resumé doesn't compare at the moment)

Khan v Bradley - Assuming Bradley beats Alexander (which I think he does comfortably), this fight is again about who is clear No 1 at 140lb. To be a unified, consensus champ of a division as deep as Light welter deserves a lot of credit and would serve either Khan or Bradley well as they step up to Welter in 2012.

Miguel Cotto v Paul Williams at 154 - Williams is not a Middleweight, but went up to get a fight with a decent payday. There's a few fights at LMW that would allow him to come back from the Martinez defeat, and a fight with Cotto would be a big deal. Intriguiing mix of styles too.

Darren Barker v Matthew Macklin - Macklin was unfortunate in looking poor against Varon recently as it has set his World Title ambitions back a little, but it means a Barker fight is very much a realistic prospect (in terms of levels, if not in terms of promoter agreement)

Nathan Cleverley v Tavoris Cloud - Clev will fight for a world belt this year and Cloud is the man I'd most like to see him in with. Cloud has a lot of respect but I think he is very beatable. A win in a fight with Cloud would do more for Nathan than having his interim WBO belt turn made Full on a technicality then defending against a range of limited eastern european opponents.

Kell Brook v Paul Malignaggi - A step up in class for Brook (albeit not to the very top of the Welter division). Malignaggi proved last time out that he still has something to give and if Brook can outbox him, that will say a lot about the level Brook could reach. I'm not so sold on Mike Jones after his last fight. One more fight for Brook and then someone like Zaveck or Senchenko, and I think Malignaggi fits the bill nicely.

John Murray v Michael Katsidis - Murray needs to step up in class this year and Katsidis is a great gatekeeper as Kevin Mitchell found out to his cost. Would be a big fight as Katsidis is quite well known on these shores.

Yuri Gamboa v Juan Manuel Lopez - Two exciting punchers who both have flaws.

Giovanni Segura v Roman Gonzalez - Two heavy hitters coming off outstanding years. Would be a proper Fight of the Year Contender but would also go largely unnoticed by the English public

And finally (I know I already have 11!) I'd like to see a 6-month, 6 Rounder, Super 6 type tournament featuring Tyson Fury, Sam Sexton, Larry Olubamiwo, David Price, Tom Dallas and Michael Sprott. 3 Nights of first round fights (3 fights per night) with 6 weeks between the end of the 1st round and the Final. Make it over 6 rounds to make it less arduous during the group stage, 10 rounds for the semi and the final for the UK title over 12 rounds. Maybe even seed Sexton, Sprott and, say, Fury with a 'home' night for each in Norwich, Reading and Manchester, the Semis and the Final somewhere provincial like Liverpool, Newcastle or Bristol.

Some great shouts there, would love to see at least half of them come off...

[avidlemon]

Degale steamrollers Georgie boy right now IMO.

[jeej]

Degale has a wicked right jab, but his left cross is a bit slappy. I mean, Calzaghe still had an excellent career and he was a slapper, but it's not a nice style to watch. Can it even be fixed?

[IRLangmaid25]

Degale has a wicked right jab, but his left cross is a bit slappy. I mean, Calzaghe still had an excellent career and he was a slapper, but it's not a nice style to watch. Can it even be fixed?

He is young enough for it to be adapted so I reckon it is possible to do it. My 11 for 11 would be

A world title shot for Ryan Rhodes: He is top 5 ranked in the world at Light Middle and has not lost at Light Middle and is a two winner of the Lonsdale Belt and a former European Champion at 11 stone so he deserves a chance.

A return to the ring for Alfredo Angulo: We know he has had immigration problems in the States, but I hope he gets this sorted out as he has proven to be a real fan favourite with his all out attacking style.

James DeGale v George Groves: That would be have to be a fight of the year candidate at domestic level here in the UK and considering the past as amateurs it would sure generate very good ticket sales

Kevin Mitchell v John Murray: Now this could get a lot of people talking about this one. You have Mitchell looking to rebuild after his stoppage loss to Michael Katsidis for the interim WBO Lightweight title which doubled up as eliminator to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. Murray is unbeaten and wants to set himself as a world level contender then it could make a very good European/World level title fight.

Tavoris Cloud v Jean Pascal: I know that there is talk of Pascal going back in with Bernard Hopkins and Pascal did look unconvining and perhaps in awe of Hopkins. But I reckon it would be a quite exciting unifaction fight with two guys have got plenty of sting in their punches and it has the look of a fight of the year candidate.

I agree with Barker v Macklin being a good fight. Perhaps allegedly might end coming up with a bill with Macklin v Barker, DeGale v Groves and Mitchell v Murray. That would generate plenty of pay per view buys.

I will do Part 2 later

[freddydoesdallas]

All fights i'd like to see and that heavyweight thing would be a cracker too

[Froch's Handwraps]

John Murray v Kevin Mitchell would be a good fight. 2 very similar styles....

[15829]

gamboa v lopez
macklin v barker
de gale v groves
smith v simpson 2
murray v katsidis
manny v flyod
haye v klitscho
price v fury
bellew v mcintosh
froch v ward
donaire v monitel
marquex v bradley/alexander



id be happy if half of these fight come off

[Crease]

There are some exciting match-ups there. I think we will see the following:

Froch v Ward in the Super 6 Final
Khan v Bradley
John Murray v Michael Katsidis

and add Degale vs Groves in there as well.

But the rest I don't think we'

Haye v Wlad
Pac v Floyd
Miguel Cotto v Paul Williams at 154
Darren Barker v Matthew Macklin
Nathan Cleverley v Tavoris Cloud
Kell Brook v Paul Malignaggi
John Murray v Michael Katsidis[/quote]

[Hagler2002]

This year we will experience 4 unusual dates.... 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 ......... NOW go figure this out.... take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year and it WILL EQUAL .... 111

[Dioufy]

The Kat vs. Murray would be insane. It's in the bracket of 'guranteed awesome fight', along with the Cotto/Margarito's and Rhodes/Moore's of this world.

[Monte Fisto]

I would like to see the following:
Bradley vs Khan

Brook vs Maidana

Pacman vs Mayweather

Haye vs Vitali

Froch vs Hopkins

Fury vs Price

Dallas vs Olubamiwo

Balboa vs Drago II

[gb]

This year we will experience 4 unusual dates.... 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 ......... NOW go figure this out.... take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year and it WILL EQUAL .... 111

Unless you were born in 1899!!!!