2015 marked the end of an era known as boxing pound for pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather when retired with an unblemished record of 49-0. Whether you were a fan of Mayweather or not, you cannot deny that he was boxing biggest attraction. Whether you’re a die-hard or casual boxing fan, his fights were a must see. His fight with Manny Pacquiao in May set an all-time record for pay per view buys in boxing with 4.4 buys. While the fight broke pay per view records, it was a dull fight that left fans disappointed. With the aftermath of the disappointment of Mayweather vs Pacquiao, and Mayweather retiring, boxing needs a new superstar to emerge.
So now the question is, who will be boxing’s next pay per view star? Here’s our list of 5 fighters that have the potential to be boxing’s number one superstar.
- Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1 32 KOs)- 2015 was a great year for Canelo Alvarez. First he knocked out James Kirkland in May, and then he won boxing’s second biggest fight when he defeated Miguel Cotto by unanimous decision in November to win the WBC middleweight title. Due to these victories, Canelo was named ESPN’s fighter of the year. With a fan friendly style and huge fan base, Canelo is currently boxing’s biggest star. At just 25 years old, Canelo could become the face of boxing for the next decade. His stardom will only rise if he defeats undefeated WBA and IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. A Canelo versus Golovkin matchup is tentatively scheduled for the fall and if this fight is made, it would be the biggest fight of 2016.
- Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs)- Golovkin has been seen by many as the best middleweight in the world for the past several years. However, he has been unable to get a fight with the lineal champion in the division. First Sergio Martinez avoided him because Golovkin wasn’t a big enough name. Then Miguel Cotto avoided him because Golovkin is a bigger man than Cotto. Luckily for Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez seems willing to fight him at the end of the year in a fight that will prove who is the best middleweight. All fans like a knockout artist and Golovkin’s 21 consecutive wins by knockout is why he’s number 2 on our list.
- Terence Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs)- Crawford is a slick, fast, hard hitting boxer puncher with unlimited potential. He has the unique ability to box from both the orthodox and southpaw stance. He continues to rise on boxing pound for pound list and could become number one. He is the current WBO junior welterweight champion and will defend his title on February 27th against Hank Lundy at Madison Square Garden. This will be Crawford’s first fight in New York, and if you’re a boxing fan living in NYC, you should definitely buy a ticket to watch Crawford in action.
- Sergey Kovalev (28-0-1, 25 KOs)- Kovalev is arguably the most intimidating boxer today. He has scored impressive wins over the past few years defeating Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal. He will have a rematch with Pascal on January 30th where he will be defending his WBA, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles. Kovalev was once known just for his power, but his boxing ability improves in each fight. Should he defeat Pascal again he hopes to have a fight with Andre Ward at the end of the year which would be the second biggest fight in boxing.
5. Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOS)-Ward is the most skilled boxer on this list. Ever since he won the Super Six Tournament back in 2011, he has been recognized worldwide as the 2nd best boxer pound for pound behind Mayweather. However, inactivity due to injuries and issues with his past promoter Dan Goosen, have hurt his star power. However, Ward is now signed with Jay-Z’ Roc Nation who can build Ward’s star power tremendously if he stays active. Ward’s next fight will be against Sullivan Barrera on March 26th in Oakland California. Then look for Ward to fight again in the summer before his potential showdown with Kovalev.
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