13 Fights Boxing Fans Would Love To See In 2020
Boxing is a notoriously frustrating sport for fans who are desperate to see the best fight the best and are regularly disappointed. There are some enormous fights that can be made in 2020, some more likely than others, and here are 13 potential bouts that every boxing fan would be drooling over this year.
Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
The biggest fight British boxing could produce now, or possibly ever, but we will be lucky to see it in 2020. Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury would sell out Wembley Stadium and have the country, and world, talking for months, so we can all dream that it comes to fruition, but there are so many stumbling blocks.
Fury rematches Deontay Wilder in February and then they may well fight for a third time in the summer. If they don’t Fury will need to beat Wilder and Joshua will probably have to defend one of his three belts against a mandatory, and then discussions could begin. They would be long, complex, incredibly tiring and probably unsuccessful, but we can hope!
Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua
If not Fury vs Joshua then Wilder taking on AJ would be a very decent second choice. Again, if the Bronze Bomber and the Gypsy King don’t fight three times, then one of them taking on AJ is a genuine possibility.
Despite it not being an all-British affair, Wilder vs Joshua would probably be an easier fight to put together than Fury vs Joshua, due to television deals. However, they have tried and failed numerous times before and nothing is certain.
If Wilder knocks out Fury then calls for a third fight will be dim and for an AJ fight will be deafening. If we don’t see Joshua take on one of these two this year then it will have been another disappointing year for heavyweights, much like 2019.
Errol Spence vs Terence Crawford
Arguably the highest quality fight that could be put together in the boxing world this year and one that absolutely should be made. Errol Spence and Terence Crawford have now found themselves as unbeaten belt holders in the same division, with Crawford moving up to welterweight and claiming the WBO strap.
Combined they have a record of 62-0 and are both in the top five in the pound-for-pound rankings. They simply have to fight, and the winner would have a good argument to be the finest boxer on the planet.
Vasyl Lomachenko vs Gervonta Davis
There actually isn’t a great deal on offer for Vasyl Lomachenko at his current division of lightweight, but he can’t be expected to go up again, having already won titles in two other weight classes in just 15 fights.
However, the Ukrainian wizard is sensational to watch so we have to see him this year and Gervonta Davis is probably the best test for him at 135lbs. Tank is unbeaten in 23 fights with 22 knockouts and while he would be a huge underdog against Loma, it would be an entertaining contest.
Oleksandr Usyk vs Dillian Whyte
Oleksandr Usyk has arrived at heavyweight but it has been an extremely slow build so far, due to injury and difficulty matching him up. His only bout at heavyweight has been a comfortable win over Chazz Witherspoon and he needs proper competition before taking on a world champion, which will come in the near future.
Dillian Whyte deserves a world title shot, that is without question, but he looks no closer to getting one now than he has done for three years. A clash with Usyk is not what he wants but it would be the perfect test for them both and the winner should get a crack at Joshua.
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs Callum Smith
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was left under a bit of a cloud after many disputed his pair of wins over Gennady Golovkin, but he has responded perfectly. The Mexican stepped up two weight divisions and has now won world titles at super middle and light heavy to add to his middleweight and super welter titles.
Probably the most intriguing fight ahead for Canelo is with unbeaten super middleweight champion Callum Smith who is still looking for a truly big fight, after racking up a 27-0 record and holding a world title. The fight should be easy to make promotionally and looks likely.
Billy Joe Saunders vs Callum Smith
If Smith doesn’t get Canelo then an all-British super middleweight unification with Billy Joe Saunders is a superb option. Both are under the Matchroom stable so this will certainly happen at some stage, it just depends when.
Smith holds the WBA and Ring titles with Saunders in possession of the WBO belt and both boast unbeaten records. Similarly to Smith, Saunders has never had a truly massive bout and this would tick that box.
Gennady Golovkin vs Billy Joe Saunders
After two more complete waste of time fights in 2019, Saunders under Matchroom must finally get a big one in 2020. It may be Smith, but it could be Gennady Golovkin either at middleweight or super middleweight. The Kazakh is also working with Eddie Hearn these days so this will not be a problem and it just depends on what route both sides fancy, but it seems likely in the next 18 months.
Saunders has the skills to keep away from Golovkin’s famed power, but can he do enough to beat him? It would be a brilliant fight.
Josh Taylor vs Jose Ramirez
Josh Taylor holds two belts at super lightweight and Jose Ramirez has the other two. There is only one way to decide the superior fighter in the division and the bout should be made in 2020.
Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO belts against Victor Postol in February, while Taylor may look for a slightly easier defence at home in the spring, but then they should contest all the gold later in the year.
The two young, undefeated champions would put on a great show and the winner would move on towards greatness, and probably a step up to take on the superstars at welterweight.
Josh Warrington vs Shakur Stevenson
Josh Warrington is one of the more amazing stories of British boxing in the last 20 years, constantly defying the odds to be a world champion at featherweight with three defences under his belt already.
It is time for him to take on a name with global recognition, which could be Gary Russell Jr or Leo Santa Cruz, but Shakur Stevenson is possibly the more appealing. The 22-year-old Olympic silver medallist has raced to a world title in just 13 fights, but Warrington, a veteran of 30 bouts, will fancy his chances of putting the youngster in his place. Meanwhile, Stevenson will see the light-fisted Yorkshireman as a vulnerable target to add more gold to his collection. It would be a very interesting scrap.
Naoya Inoue vs Guillermo Rigondeaux
Naoya Inoue has become must-see entertainment and his scrap with Nonito Donaire in November was one for the ages, as he downed the veteran over 12 rounds, but showed vulnerability in doing so.
There aren’t a great deal of appealing bouts at bantamweight for the destructive Japanese star, but one is against the amateur legend Guillermo Rigondeaux, who could be a difficult puzzle to solve for the Monster.
The Cuban can pick up a version of the WBA belt if he beats Liborio Solis in February, and that should set up a challenge to Inoue later in the year, which would be a fascinating stylistic battle.
Khal Yafai vs Juan Francisco Estrada
Khal Yafai has been WBA super flyweight world champion since December 2016 so it is about time he was put in a big fight against a genuine world level fighter. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Roman Gonzalez are both good options, but Juan Francisco Estrada would bring the WBC and Ring titles to the table, which makes him all the more tempting.
The Mexican would guarantee an exciting fight and provide Yafai the opportunity to cement his place as a genuine elite level fighter.
Miguel Berchelt vs Leo Santa Cruz
This one has a guaranteed classic Mexican war written all over it and should be made with the utmost haste. Miguel Berchelt might be the least-known boxing superstar around at the moment, having been a world champion at super featherweight since January 2017 and boasting 33 knockouts from 37 wins, but being largely unheralded.
Leo Santa Cruz also holds a belt at super feather and is a much more well-known fighter. He would be the matador to the Berchelt bull in this bout, but it would be a cracker.
By:- FREEBets.org.uk
Posted on:- 09/01/2020 - 13:51 PM