If there is one problem in boxing, it is the fact that the top fighters rarely fight each other.  The solution is the same as the problem.  Money.  Money has stopped many fights from happening, yet it also has made some tremendous fights.  Money was bad enough, however now, there are also promoters (who you can argue are the spokesmen for the money), and the argument of the geographical location.   There are two fights that we may not see because of the above problems, and those are the Joe Calzaghe - Mikkell Kessler unification fight for the WBA, WBC and WBO super-middleweight titles, and Floyd Mayweather – Ricky Hatton for the bragging rights of who indeed is the most talented fighter.

It has to be asked, why these four cannot be more like the lower weight divisions, or fighters who are not from America and Europe’s wealthier countries.  Morales and Barrera had three amazing battles and they simply wanted to fight.  Their trilogy shows that the money does not make the best fighter. The desire to fight makes the best fighter.  Manny Pacquiao has been added into that mix as well.  After dismantling Barrera and having a controversial decision against Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao had a trilogy with Erik Morales.  Within these four fighters, there have been over seven or eight great fights.  Money was rarely an issue.  Why can’t the same thing happen with the best the sport has to offer?

If there is anyone that can test Joe Calzaghe, most would agree that it is Mikkel Kessler.  Calzaghe has never lost a fight and has dominated every opponent and at the age of 35, he is as fresh as a 20 year old.  Calzaghe has built a career by combining traditional boxing with some power as well and has a few crushing punches that one would not expect from such a technical boxer.    Kessler, on the other hand, is a much different type of fighter.  He’s seven years younger than Calzaghe at the age of 28 and has compiled an impressive resumé.  He may not have fought fighters who are as experienced as Calzaghe’s opponents, but he sure has dismantled them the same way.

Frank Warren has faced a lot of criticism for his promoting over the years.  After each fight Calzaghe is asked, who he would like to fight, and he says that he will have to see what the promoter says.  This is the problem with boxing in a nutshell.  The promoter is not the one in the ring putting his life on the line while he takes punches to the head and to the rib-cage.  ‘Who do you want to fight?’, has become, ‘who does your promoter want you to fight?’

So what is stopping this fight from taking place?  Money? Promoters? Surely it cannot be geography since there are many more countries in the world besides England and Denmark (Calzaghe’s and Kessler’s nation’s respectively).  Personally I am pretty sure that Las Vegas would welcome a fight like this.

We go lower in weight and we find Ricky Hatton the recognized champion at 140.  Both Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather have fought numerous opponents and have beaten them even on their worst nights.  Ricky Hatton, a tough body punching fighter, is considered to be Floyd’s potentially biggest threat.  Floyd’s speed, skill, defense and stamina along with his dedication indicate why he has annihilated nearly every opponent.  One may argue that he had a stumble against Jose Luis Castillo in their first fight; however, he did avenge his loss (morally not statistically) comfortably with a unanimous decision victory in the rematch.

Now it’s time for their question.  What is preventing this fight from taking place?  Floyd for the most part manages himself, and so does Ricky Hatton.  It must be the money.  Offers go overseas from both fighters and the figures are in the millions.  Geography is a problem here as well.  Ricky Hatton believes Manchester is a suitable location while Floyd thinks that Las Vegas would be the ideal place.  There is no surprise that each fighter wants to fight in his  backyard.

The one thing that Kessler, Calzaghe, Hatton and Mayweather have in common is that they are all undefeated.  However, despite all of them boasting about their records, they still have not had the fight that they need for everyone to believe that they truly are the best.  I am attempting to speak on behalf of the boxing fans across the world.  These fights need to take place.  If not for the fighters' wallets, or the promoters, or even the nations they represent, than for the fans.  The fans are the ones who make this sport.  Now as far as my prediction, I am not going to make any.  I am going to wait and see if these fights actually happen before I waste my breath thinking of an outcome to these events that may never take place.