Five attractive fights boxing fans can hope to see in 2017

Months after settling a lawsuit that claimed boxing manager Al Haymon was seeking with his 200-fighter Premier Boxing Champions to monopolize the sport, veteran promoter Bob Arum halted a years-long feud and made a fight deal last week with Haymon.

Arum, after securing an HBO investment for unbeaten, two-division junior-welterweight champion Terence Crawford’s next title defense, struck a deal with Haymon to make gritty Covina fighter John Molina Jr. as Crawford’s opponent Dec. 10 in Omaha.

This widens the possibilities for compelling matchups since Arum, too, presides over a wealth of talent, including many in the featherweight and welterweight weight classes.

But which potential Arum-Haymon pairings are most interesting?

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao II: Pacquiao has to take care of his business Saturday against 8-1 underdog Jessie Vargas, but a rematch of the richest fight in history between a healthy, revitalized Pacquiao and long-sidelined Mayweather could be the match everyone wanted to see in the first place.

2. Vasyl Lomachenko-Leo Santa Cruz: Not many boxers are willing to take on the two-division champion Lomachenko, but one is Santa Cruz. And if both win their coming bouts, this would be the ultimate action fight.

3. Carl Frampton-Oscar Valdez: The Jan. 28 Frampton-Santa Cruz outcome will help determine their paths, and either would be an ideal glamour foe for Valdez, who defends his featherweight belt Saturday.

4. Timothy Bradley Jr.-Shawn Porter: A perfect fight for February. Both welterweights are coming off a loss and each loves to brawl.

5. James DeGale-Gilberto Ramirez: Arum said he’s long been a fan of Haymon-aligned super-middleweight champion DeGale and expects the Brit to defeat fellow champion Badou Jack in January. That could lead to a date with unbeaten belt-wearer Ramirez of Mexico.

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