Top 5 fights to make in 2016: Fury-Wilder, Kovalev-Stevenson, Canelo-Golovkin, Khan-Brook, Rigondeaux-Lomachenko

Wladimir Klitschko’s upset loss to Tyson Fury injected some much needed excitement into the normally dull heavyweight scene. The aftermath of that historic win has produced no shortage of would be contenders, all vying for undisputed supremacy. Perhaps no matchup is more tantalizing than Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder. A potential showdown between these brash behemoths has been a hot topic for some time now. Fury’s WWE-style post fight confrontation with Wilder following the ladder’s recent resounding knockout win, had the desired effect of fueling that interest.

However, Fury must first meet “Dr. Steelhammer” again in a rematch and we should all hope that it does not disappoint like last year’s stinker. Time will surely tell whether the self-proclaimed “Gypsy King” simply has the Ukrainian’s number or if Wlad was truly off his game as some have argued.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Wilder may have his own acid test in the form of Alexander Povetkin. The Russian has skills, thudding power, speed and dogged determination. Wilder has shown some marked improvement but his resume and recent performances have been a mixed bag so this will be a huge step up.

A Fury vs. Wilder fight would provide a further tectonic shift in the balance of power within the heavyweight landscape and that very uncertainty has made the entire division interesting again.

This fight is by far the most anticipated in the 175-pound weight class and has long been in the making. It seems like a distant memory now since Adonis Stevenson, nicknamed “Superman,” became the division’s poster child after knocking out Chad Dawson to capture the WBC title in 2013. Since then it’s largely been a disappointment for Stevenson, with a reneged agreement to fight Kovalev and subsequent flight to Showtime.

Today, Kovalev has supplanted Stevenson as the division’s champion and main attraction. “The Krusher” is widely regarded as the most ruthless fighter in the entire sport and rightfully so. Kovalev has vanquished each opponent, successfully annexing every major belt at light heavyweight except Stevenson’s lone WBC strap. Kovalev will attempt to smash former champion Jean Pascal again when they meet in a grudge match this evening. If Kovalev wins, as expected, potential matchups with Stevenson or a certain Andre Ward could be next.

Adonis and Sergey have openly accused each other of avoiding this fight. But it’s time to put the accusations and politics aside and just find a way to make this fight happen.

An important lesson from Mayweather-Pacquiao is that great fights seldom occur between aging fighters in the twilight of their careers. The truly great fights take place when fighters are willing to take risks to achieve greatness. At least this is the hope for the next “super-fight” between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.

Canelo is well positioned to become the new face of boxing. His thrilling annihilation of James Kirkland became the 2015 Knockout of the Year. He also defeated Puerto Rican rival Miguel Cotto to claim the WBC title and help pave the way toward a unification shootout with the true Middleweight king, Golovkin. Still just 25, Canelo is already boxing royalty.

GGG remains one of the most avoided fighters in the game. Golovkin has made it very clear that he wants to collect all of the belts at middleweight but will need to lure the other alphabet titleholders into the ring to achieve that end. The powerful Kazakh is the logical favorite in this epic scrap but I’m not betting against the tough Mexican warrior either. Just don’t let this one marinate for too long and become diluted by some silly catch weight.

It’s hard not to get excited about the prospect of a 2016 showdown between two of Britain’s best boxers. News that Manny Pacquiao will take on American Timothy Bradley instead of Amir Khan in a presumptive farewell bout may have been a blessing in disguise as it brings us one step closer to making Khan vs. Brook a reality.

The animosity between these fighters is real as evidenced by Khan’s absurd demand that Brook prove himself against the other elite welterweights. Team Brook never played along and Khan’s other big payday options with Mayweather and Pacquiao eventually dried up.

Of all the matchups on this list, Khan and Brook probably need each other the most to help push their respective careers forward. Khan has lost precious time pursuing elusive fights while Brook has struggled to find quality opponents since toppling Shawn Porter for the IBF welterweight title. It’s time to build upon the buzz already generated by February’s all-British clash between super bantamweights Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton. No better way to accomplish that than a summer bout between Khan and Brook at a sold-out Wembley Stadium.

This has long been a future super fight in the making, and is without a doubt a purist’s dream fight featuring two supremely skilled practitioners. As highly decorated amateurs, they together amassed an astonishing 900 combined victories with just over a dozen defeats. Add to these jaw-dropping stats the fact that both men own two Olympic gold medals each, and you get the sense that we are analyzing two of the finest amateur boxers ever.

Rigondeaux seemingly burst onto the boxing scene with a virtual whitewashing of Nonito Danaire in 2014. However, his chronic inability to capitalize on that career-defining win thanks to marginalization by the major networks has become a real travesty for the sport. In his last outing, the Jackal gave a pedestrian effort in winning a 10-round decision over no-hoper Drian Francisco on the undercard Canelo vs. Cotto following an 11-month layoff.

In Lomachenko, Rigondeaux would finally discover his muse. In just his third professional bout, the Ukrainian dynamo became a champion by defeating Gary Russell Jr. to seize the vacant WBO featherweight crown. Lomachenko has continued to mesmerize with his incredible footwork, work rate and overall ring generalship.

Rigondeaux has promised more excitement in the wake of his signing with Roc Nation. One can only hope that the move also signals a change in fortune for the beleaguered Cuban star. Surely there is a place in boxing for this exciting, fast-paced chess match between two of its finest master craftsmen.