Now that the unnecessary Sam Peter vs. James Toney rematch is done, with Peter winning far more convincingly and Toney disputing the decision far less convincingly than they did after their first bout, it’s time to start untangling the heavyweight clog of champions.
Peter’s easy unanimous-decision victory Saturday night positions him to face World Boxing Council champion Oleg Maskaev.
Also possible is a title shot against International Boxing Federation champion Wladimir Klitschko, which would give Peter a chance to avenge his only defeat.
Regardless of who fights Peter this year, his rising presence should infuse a bit of excitement across the top heavyweight rungs now occupied by champions Klitschko, Maskaev, Nikolai Valuev in the World Boxing Association and Shannon Briggs in the World Boxing Organization. At best, they might be nudged into an elimination box-off to establish one king of the hill.
Any movement in that direction and away from protecting these champions from each other would be welcomed.
So far, the only surefire mega-fight slated for 2007 is Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya. Although their May 5 matchup is officially for De La Hoya’s 154-pound title, it is really the charismatic De La Hoya seeking to punctuate his Hall of Fame career by beating the man who is currently boxing’s consensus best pound-for-pound fighter.
It’s unlikely that any other fight this year can top that bout’s box-office potential. But there are some enticing possibilities:
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– Undefeated Joe Calzaghe, the best at 168 pounds, would likely find his best payday against 160-pound champion Jermain Taylor.
– If Taylor isn’t ready to move up in weight, a rematch against Winky Wright would be more deserving than Peter-Toney II. Many of us believed Wright won their first bout, which was declared a draw.
– Will some worthy opponent please step in against often-overlooked Wright, who hasn’t lost a fight in seven years at 150-160 pounds?
– If Ricky Hatton remains undefeated this month, he should consider Jose Luis Castillo as a finale at 140 pounds, then move up to 147 to challenge big names like Miguel Cotto, Mayweather or De La Hoya.
– Manny Pacquiao, currently the strongest challenger to Mayweather as best pound-for-pound fighter, could fight a rematch against iconic but past-his-prime Marco Antonio Barrera at 130, or move up to 135 for Diego Corrales or Joel Casamayor.
– If Bernard Hopkins is not going to retire, he should think about facing Calzaghe or offering Antonio Tarver a rematch rather than considering a move up to heavyweight.
None of the above is being negotiated yet.
Instead, these matchups are scheduled for early 2007:
Valuev will defend his WBA heavyweight title against Jameel McCline on Jan. 20 in Switzerland.
Also on Jan. 20, Hatton will face Juan Urango in Las Vegas for Urango’s IBF 140-pound super-lightweight title. Castillo faces Herman Ngoudjo on the undercard. Hatton told reporters this week that “being short (5 feet 7 inches), I’m not really built to move up in weight.”
Nonetheless, he said he might go up to 147, train twice as long as the seven weeks he had before fighting welterweight Luis Collazo, and then seek a fight against Cotto or Mayweather.
In a Feb. 3 doubleheader in Miami, Thomas Adamek will defend his WBC light-heavyweight title against Chad Dawson, and Jesus Chavez will defend his IBF lightweight title against Julio Diaz.
There will be no title at stake, but welterweights Shane Mosley and Collazo bring solid credentials to their Feb. 10 showdown in Las Vegas.
Mosley has held multiple titles from 135-pound lightweight to 154-pound junior middleweight. Collazo rose from a first-round knockdown to nearly upset Hatton last year.
Briggs will defend his WBC heavyweight title Feb. 17 against Sultan Ibragimov in Atlantic City.
And April 7 in Cardiff, Wales, super-middleweight champion Calzaghe will defend his IBF and WBO titles against Peter Manfredo.
Challengers Manfredo and McCline each will have a fighting chance once the bell rings. But neither deserves that opportunity.
McCline, who has beaten a string of journeymen after losing to the likes of Klitschko, Chris Byrd and Calvin Brock, has at least one advantage over previous Valuev opponents. At 6-8, McCline gives up only 4 inches to the Russian champion.
Manfredo’s main claim to worthiness is appearing on “The Contender” TV boxing show, where he lost in the final.
Meanwhile, Wright, who has beaten top names such as Mosley, Felix Trinidad, J.C. Candelo and Bronco McKart, cannot win for winning.
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