Sport has taken a real hit in the last 12 months due to Covid, social distancing and lockdown. This has inevitably stalled and postponed fights that were due to happen or was in the works to happen.

However, with hopefully the world coming to terms with, and dealing with this virus, the possibilities in sport and boxing in particular, are back. Due to this, I have compiled my top ten fights I’m hoping and looking forward to seeing within the next 12 months.

1. Terrence Crawford vs Errol Spence Jr

Undoubtedly, everyone wants to see this fight. It has probably been the one most boxing fans have been wanting to see for the past 3/4 years. Two elite fighters in their primes and both undefeated.

Crawford holds the WBO welterweight title and Spence Jr holds the IBF and WBC welterweight titles. As difficult as it is, you can make a case for each having the better skillset.

You can argue over their records, who has the better victories or performances etc. But nobody can deny they are both in the upper echelon of the sport and with both in their early 30’s, the time has to be now for a mega fight.

Verdict: Crawford wins a split points decision

2. Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua 

The clash of the two best heavyweights was inevitable and have been brewing for a while. With the exception of Deontay Wilder, all roads really led to this heavyweight clash for all the marbles, to be named as the undisputed king of boxing.

They have both had their rocky spells along they way, but the announcement of signing a two fight deal has really wetted the boxing public’s appetite. Although we are still waiting for the details of the first fight, the anticipation of these clash of styles, is already huge, for what will no doubt be the biggest fight in British boxing history.

The question will now be who will prevail? The agile, deceivingly quick and powerful stick and move style of Fury, or the heavy handed, sweet science, jab and strike style of Joshua?

Verdict: Fury wins by 11th round stoppage

3. Saul Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders 

Canelo is the current, universally recognised p4p no1, steamrolling through opponents and even moved up to light heavyweight to claim a world title at fourth different weight.

However, Billy Joe Saunders is the cocky, confident and highly talented WBO super middleweight champion. Where it almost seemed too easy for him at times, and he has been crying out for a real challenge, so the world can see just how good he really is.

Canelo will no doubt provide that real challenge, throughout his career he has made a habit of dispatching good, British boxing talent with ease.

He will now put his WBA & WBC crowns on the line, as well as his p4p no1 spot, against Saunders, who is considered to be one of the best talents to ever come out of the UK. It promises to be a fascinating unification bout in May, where many questions will finally finally answered.

Verdict: Canelo wins by 10th round TKO

4. Teofimo Lopez vs Gervonta Davis 

This is probably one of harder fights we could hope to see for a number of reasons. For me, the lightweight division seems to be the most exciting at the moment, with a number of top class fighters and possible fights to make.

However, currently, I feel Lopez & Davis are the marquee guys in the weight class, with a string of impressive wins and are threatening to be the leaders of the new era.

Both can trash talk with the best of the them, have that real superstar image/persona and have displayed superior skills in the ring. A real added incentive is they both have a version of the WBA belt with Lopez being the super champion and Davis being the regular champion, which is something that needs to be sorted in the ring, sooner rather then later.

Verdict: Lopez wins a majority points victory

5. Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 

This is expected to be one of, if not the biggest fight in woman’s boxing history. Taylor is a world wide star and the darling of woman’s boxing in the European region.

She is unbeaten in 17 fights, holds all the belts in the lightweight division and seems to get better with every fight.

Serrano is a veteran of 41 fights, with just one defeat, she is the WBC and WBO featherweight champion and has actually held 9 world titles across 7 different weights (a Guinness world record) and is the darling of women’s latin boxing.

To add to that, Taylor has previously beaten Amanda’s sister Cindy and they both have had ongoing words on social media, to make it that much more intense.

Verdict: Taylor wins by 9th round stoppage

6. Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 

In the light heavyweight division, since Usyk left, there are basically only two names. The two undefeated Russians are on an inevitable collision course to be called the undisputed king of the division.

With that said, neither fought in 2020 and with both in their 30’s and seemingly considering themselves to be highly avoided fighters, all roads must lead to them fighting each other for light heavyweight supremacy.

These are two tough, strong, hard boxers, who don’t like to take any back steps and are head and shoulders above anyone else in the division.

However, with both fighting on separate promotions and TV networks (my pet peeve in boxing), it could be another one of those what if fights, that could have and should have been made, but wasn’t. Fingers crossed though.

Verdict: Beterviev wins by 10th round stoppage 

7. Josh Taylor vs Jose Ramirez 

Taylor, the slick boxing Scotsman, holds the WBA (Super) and IBF light welterweight belts. Ramirez, the wily, tough Mexican, holds the WBC and WBO titles.

Both are undefeated and both were huge underdogs in their journey’s to this stage. Now, one of them will be crowned the undisputed king of the division, when they meet in May for his huge unification bout.

An added addition is the fact that both were written off time and again, and were not really expected or tipped to get to this position. However, the fact that both continued to prove people wrong and picked up big victories to get to this stage, makes it all the more special.

Now one of these unlikely men are on the verge of ruling the division. It’s a real intriguing and historic encounter, where their clash of styles and backgrounds, could prove to be a mouth watering fight for all the marbles.

Verdict: Taylor to win by close points decision

8. Oleksandr Usyk vs Joe Joyce

I personally think this fight works on all levels. Both are not getting any younger and are desperate for a quick rise into the heavyweight title picture.

Both are somewhat of an unknown quantity at heavyweight, but both are capable of a huge win to thrust them right into the limelight at heavyweight.

Both of these fighters could be dark horses and have unusual, hard to mimic styles at heavyweight, that would give most of the top boxers in the division trouble.

This is a perfect clash of styles, personalities, prospects and real heavyweight potential fighters, where a big win for either, could really shake things up in an already teeming heavyweight division.

Verdict: Usyk wins on unanimous points decision

9. Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia 

Another for the red hot lightweight division and in truth, you could match all four guys on this list, and even add Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson into the mix.

However, the fact that helps this is Haney & Garcia know each other very well, have fought many times, including a well documented amateur bout in 2014, that Haney won. This makes a fight in the pro’s, all the more interesting and intriguing, especially when you see how good they both are already, and can only get better.

Also, with both fighting under the same TV promotion, makes it an easier fight to make on paper. Haney believes he has Garcia’s number however, Garcia believes he is going from strength to strength and is built for superstardom in the pro game.

Verdict: Haney wins on split points decision

10. Clarresa Shields vs Savannah Marshall

Shields is undoubtably the dominant force in woman’s boxing, having become the first boxer, male or female, to capture all four belts simultaneously in two weight classes.

What makes that all the more impressive, is she did it in just 11 pro fights.

Shields’ sole defeat as an amateur or pro, came in the world amateur championships in 2012 when she lost 14-8 to Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall, and that defeat clearly erks Shields to this day.

They both have had scathing words on social media and in interviews about the other. So it has now got to the stage where the world wants to know if that victory was just a circumstantial win, or does Marshall actually have Shields’ number?

Verdict: Shields wins by unanimous points decision

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Manny Pacquiao vs Mikey Garcia
Jessica McCaskill vs Cecilia Braekus 2
Naoya Inoue vs John Riel Casimero
Deontay Wilder vs Andy Ruiz Jr
Natasha Jonas vs Terri Harper 2