Boxing Is Back!

Just when critics claimed that boxing was all but dead, the unthinkable sees to have happened. The promoters, fighters, television executives, and seedy businessmen seemed to have come together in a valiant attempt to bring boxing back to its glory days. With the next six months stacked with great fights this could indicate a change in the trend of lackluster fights and sizzling scandal. This isn't the first time boxing has been against the ropes and like a cagey old veteran, you can never count out America's oldest sport. By Doug MacEwan

News late last week that welterweights Miguel Cotto and Sugar Shane Mosley have an agreement for a fight Nov. 10 in New York is another piece in a potential 2007 rebirth of a sport that was given last rites before and after Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s dull May 5 victory over Oscar De La Hoya. Finally, a well-worn metaphor taken from boxing by politicians during every campaign and sportswriters never seen at a ringside can be applied to the battered game itself: It's about to get off the mat. With the next six months packed with super fight after superfight its clear that the boxing community has taken notice of other combat sports, particularly MMA, that have eaten into its fan base.
With the recent announcement of the Cotto-Mosley fight boxing has put an exclamation point on its claim that its back, and better than ever. In Mosley there is some of that old quickness, familiar poise and lots of smarts. In Cotto there is a chance to finally occupy a starring role that has been vacant in Puerto Rico since Felix Trinidad's retirement. It has all the elements for a classic.

Then again, there are multiple chances for more than one fall classic, with Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik on Sept. 29, the Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera rematch Oct. 6, Mikkel Kessler vs. Joe Calzaghe on Nov. 3and Ricky Hatton vs. Mayweather on Dec. 8.
Reasons for the looming optimism rest in boxing's inherent nature. Like the boxers themselves, the business is at its best when threatened. That edgy resiliency has expressed itself in different ways through countless decades and repeated death notices.

This time around, it has one man to thank: Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Without the business threat from his mixed martial arts circuit, boxing still would be a mixed mess. For that, White already is boxing's promoter of the year. No matter what happens in 2007, there's no other contender.

Dana White and many others in the Mixed Martial Arts community would have you believe that boxing’s latest attempt to regain its fan base is too little too late. While that is yet to be seen I have a sneaking suspicion that there is too large of an investment from far too many powerful people to let that happen. In any case I look forward to watching what is sure to be the best boxing in recent memory.

Here is the Stacked Lineup

Sept.8: Fernando Vargas-Ricardo Mayorga (Showtime PPV)
Vargas' farewell fight should be a brawl against one of the most exciting and controversial fighters out there
Sept.15: Juan Manuel Marquez-Rocky Juarez (HBO PPV)
Marquez's first jr. lightweight defense headlines a stacked card.
Sept.22: Vitali Klitschko-Jameel McCline (Showtime)
Ex-heavyweight titlist Klitschko ends his 2½-year retirement against perennial contender
Sept.29: Jermain Taylor-Kelly Pavlik (HBO)
Middleweight champ Taylor faces legit No. 1 contender in the brutal Pavlik
Oct.6: Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera (HBO PPV)
This is the rematch many have anticipated since their first bout. Expect sparks to fly
Oct.6: Oleg Maskaev-Samuel Peter (Showtime)
Peter finally gets his long-awaited title shot against the tough Maskaev
Oct.13: Sultan Ibragimov-Evander Holyfield (TBA)
Holyfield goes for fifth heavyweight title. Rebirth or retirement at age 44?
Oct.13: Juan Diaz-Julio Diaz (HBO)
Lightweight unification bout between exciting young fighters
Nov.3: Joe Calzaghe-Mikkel Kessler (HBO)
Super middleweight unification bout and maybe the biggest fight in division history
Nov.10: Miguel Cotto-Shane Mosley (HBO PPV)
On paper, it's the best matchup of the year. Both fighters seem to be at the top of their game
Nov.17: Joan Guzman-Humberto Soto (HBO)
Hard-core fight fan's fight as Guzman defends jr. lightweight belt against grossly underrated Soto
Dec.8: Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton (HBO PPV)
Ready for the hype? Pound-for-pound king's encore to win over Oscar De La Hoya comes against undefeated British star