Assuming that the very top of the middleweight division will be up for grab as Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin battle once or twice more to determine supremacy, attention should shift to those 160-pounders right below them and all the great fights right there for the making.
What’s left of the middleweight division is plenty compelling enough to inspire big bouts and wild interest that will send fans scurrying to find out boxing odds for Top Middleweight Fights.
Here’s a look at the five best middleweight fights to be made en route to determining the next challenger(s) for the ultimate winner of Alvarez vs. Golovkin:
Billy Joe Saunders vs. David Lemieux
This one would be a case of style vs. power for Saunder’s WBO middleweight title and the right to challenge the winner of Alvarez-Golovkin. Could Saunders and his boxing ability stifle and defeat the bombs-away power of Lemieux, who is one of the biggest one-punch powerhouses in the sport? This intriguing middleweight clash will have fans on the edge of their seats throughout the contest and for as long as it lasts.
Jermall Charlo vs. Martin Murray
Charlo, a former junior middleweight titlist, is now a full-time middleweight and already considered by many as one of the top three or four 160-pounders in the world. In Murray, Charlo will get a true test against one of the toughest fighters in the division that will determine whether the division newcomer is worthy of elite-level middleweight status or not.
Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko
In his last fight, Jacobs outboxed Gennady Golovkin for large chunks of their bout and many felt that he actually did enough to earn a decision victory. However, even in defeat, Jacobs’ stock rose greatly and he is now universally considered one of the top three fighters at 160. A battle against the tougher than tough Ukraine native, Derevyanchenko, who just scored a brilliant victory over the tough Tureano Johnson, would offer a tough, compelling challenge.
Demetrius Andrade vs. Andy Lee
Like Jermall Charlo, Andrade looks to invade the middleweight division after holding junior middleweight gold. When he remains active and stays focused, Andrade is one of the most talented, complete fighters in the game and would be an instant favorite against most everybody at 160 and a tough challenger for any of the division elite. Against the big-punching Irishman, Lee, Andrade will be pushed to perform at his overall best because, at any point, a heavy hand could land and immediately squash all plans for middleweight dominance.
Gabriel Rosado vs. Curtis Stevens
Realistically, this middleweight brawl would just be for fun. Both have already lost to Gennady Golovkin and neither would likely be able to compete with Canelo Alvarez. But this battle pitting Rosado’s veteran toughness against Stevens’ raw power would be a thriller for as long as it lasted. No matter who emerges victorious, the fans will be the real winners.
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