In an age where many fight fans would bemoan the lack of a true colossus with the same invincibility of Tyson, Ali or Marciano, 2017 has represented the continuation of an encouraging trend. Back in August, Floyd Mayweather Jr broke the latter legend’s long-standing 49-0 record but did so against an opponent making his professional boxing debut.
For those who remain skeptical as to the true value of Mayweather v McGregor, there is some consolation in knowing that this year saw several other fighters get closer to the new 50-0 record. Now 32, Deontay Wilder (39-0) is in a race against time to reach 50-0, but this year has brought the current WBC heavyweight champion two more wins, encouragingly taking his record past the ‘Tyson milestone’ of 37-0. He felled Gerald Washington inside five rounds back in February, and then followed that up on 4 November with a first-round knockout of Bermane Stiverne.
Continental champions
This year has also seen Briton Anthony Joshua (20-0) and New Zealander Joseph Parker (24-0) make their own inroads towards the magic 50-0 mark. The evening of 29 April saw Joshua turn one belt into three, with an
11th round stoppage of Wladimir Klitschko. For Parker, the process of going unbeaten has proven to be less straightforward. That noted, the fact that his last three fights have ended in a decision win is more a reflection of his fighting style, and the recent hike the quality of his opponents. Indeed, Parker’s character was tested to new limits back on 23 September, when he won via majority decision over Hughie Fury – on Fury’s very own Manchester territory.
Although both Joshua and Parker are still a long way off being a genuine threat to the vastly experienced Wilder, it is a rare event indeed to see the heavyweight belts in existence distributed amongst men from three continents. While 2017 may not be remembered for anything other than Mayweather’s record-breaking antics, those who truly appreciate the spirit of the noble sport will see it as a bridge to a new era of entertainment, unpredictability and the rebirth of a ‘true’ champion.
December, the twelfth and final ‘round’ of 2017, promises to be a worthy climax to an enthralling year in boxing, and there can be no prizes for guessing which fight will be the most exalted.
David Haye v Tony Bellew
– 17 Dec
Just eight short months ago, Bellew claimed a ‘shock’
stoppage win over Haye in the eleventh round. With any late stoppage in a high-profile fight, there is nearly always justification for a rematch, and the two will meet once again at the O2 Arena on 17 December. While rumors of a mandatory third fight remain rife, there is an equally viable belief that a second win for Bellew would end all interest in the current ‘beef’ between the two.
One notable difference in the equation will be the absence of head trainer Shane McGuigan in Haye’s corner. It was, infamously, his decision to throw in the towel which handed victory to Bellew, and it would ultimately cost him his job. Though some would sympathize with Haye, most people would agree that Haye’s new trainer, Ismael Salas, has not been granted sufficient time to create a winning formula ahead of the looming clash.
Time is the only unbeaten foe in professional boxing, and with Haye now 36 years old and prone to injuries and cuts, the odds have shifted firmly in favor of Bellew. Haye’s battle plan is now very clear: quite simply, it is on him to make the most of his one remaining asset – power. He will be extremely fortunate to connect with one of his famous ‘Haye-makers’, but if he is able to do so, the dynamic of the fight will change drastically – and probably to a losing end for Bellew.
Powerful though Haye may still be, Bellew holds all the cards. Psychologically and physically, he is the more conditioned of the two men and should once again vanquish his long-term foe at some point in the final third of the fight.
Four to watch
Away from the apparently never-ending feud between Bellew and Haye, December sees five other major fights take place.
Miguel Cotto v Sadam Ali – 3 Dec
The final month of the 2017 boxing calendar opens with 37-year old Cotto taking on a man eight years his junior. Ali’s failed coup on the WBO welterweight title, back in March 2016, was a major setback, but one apparently overcome by three successive victories. The latest of these came on 29 July via unanimous decision over Venezuelan fighter Johan Perez.
Ali’s relative inexperience may also leave him vulnerable to Cotto’s specialist left hook, which further fuels the reasoning behind Cotto’s status as a –900 favorite.
Vasyl Lomachenko v Guillermo Rigondeaux – 10 Dec
Although Rigondeaux will be moving up two weight classes to face Lomachenko, this is set to be one of December’s most eagerly anticipated bouts outside the heavyweight division. Both face off on the back of extraordinary amateur records, which come to a combined total of 859 wins and 13 losses. For his part, Rigondeaux is now 17-0, winning three of his last four bouts by knockout.
Heavy favorite Lomachenko has never looked back since a 2014 defeat to Orlando Salido, which was a failed WBO International featherweight title defense that took his record to 1-1. In the interim period leading up to his looming fight with Rigondeaux, the Ukrainian southpaw has been unstoppable, embarking on a run of eight consecutive wins – the last six of which have come by way of knockout or an opposition corner retirement.
Jeff Horn v Gary Corcoran –
13 Dec
Corcoran is by no means a distant outsider ahead of this clash, and with this fight representing Jeff Horn’s first defense of the WBO welterweight title, the -500 favorite does not yet have the momentum of a consummate belt holder. What Horn lacks in ‘momentum’ he more than compensates for with raw knockout power, winning 61% of his fights by that most time-honored of methods.
Deadly though Horn is with his knockout punches, many believe that
his July win over Manny Pacquiao was also as much of a physical drain as a shock, and this can only play into the gloves of the underdog. Corcoran has also improved his knockout rate in recent years, although a defeat to Liam Williams is still painfully fresh in the memory. All signs point to a rampant win for Horn, although Corcoran still has more than enough ability to go the distance.
Billy Joe Saunders v David Lemieux – 16 Dec
By far the hardest fight to call, Saunders (25-0) is only a marginal favorite by virtue of his opponent’s excellent knockout rate. Saunders’ most recent win came after a watershed victory over Willie Monroe Jr. which many believe was the British battler’s first real ‘acid test’. It was one passed with flying colors, and while he possesses more than enough ability to withstand a barrage of punches from Lemieux, this will be yet another stern test of his true credentials.
For all Lemieux’s punching power, which provides bettors with justification to back him, recent fights have shown that his chin is a distinct weak spot. While Saunders’ style is not that of a power fighter, he can capitalize on his opponent’s weakness with the correct training strategy in the lead up to the fight. Quite simply, this one is too close to call, and a decision win appears inevitable – it is simply a question of identifying a winner.