5 Boxers Who Can Save Boxing from Irrelevance

On Wednesday, Evander Holyfield contributed a piece to The Players' Tribune about the lack of action in today's boxing world.

He stated: "The concept of fighting is simple: Hit the other guy and don’t let the other guy hit you. Today, there’s a whole lot of trying not to get hit and not a whole lot of hitting. How can you have a boxing match if guys aren’t throwing and landing punches?"

The fight billed as "The Fight of the Century" pitting Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao may have been a huge let down to many fans. In the eyes of some fight fans, it may have tarnished the reputation of boxing, as Holyfield highlighted.

Boxing aficionados may claim that those who do not appreciate the Mayweather style do not appreciate the sport. 

There is no doubt Mayweather is a brilliant tactician, but Mayweather over the past few years has made his matches looking more like a business decision than a legendary fight to remember.

There will be no Mayweather fight that equates to Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns or Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward. 

Going back to the argument that Holyfield was making: 

"

That used to be the mentality — boxers went into the ring to fight. They wanted to knock people out. They wanted to take the decision out of the judges hands. Today, instead of boxing for the knockout, fighters are boxing for the decision. Instead of fighting to win, they’re fighting not to lose and they’re getting rewarded for it.

"

While many of the fighters on the list have a high knockout win percentage, a win that ends in a decision doesn't mean a fight lacked in any excitement. 

These are five fighters who can erase the sour taste from the disappointment of "The Fight of the Century" and bring some relevance to the sport again. 

Honorable Mention: A Rematch Between Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov

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This fight was supposed to whet our appetites for Mayweather/Pacquiao the following week. Instead, this fight eclipsed MayPac in action and came closer in earning the moniker of "Fight of the Century." 

The intense drama of the fight swung back and forth between both fighters, and it was just 12 rounds filled with blood and excitement. Matthysse eked out the majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 115-113).  

Ringside experts, such as Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole and ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, predicted this would be the fight to watch in 2015, and their predictions couldn't have been any more accurate.

This fight, combined with the Terence Crawford/Thomas Dulorme matchup on the same day, may have been more worth the $100 than MayPac. 

5. Deontay Wilder

Isaac Brekken/Associated Press

Sure, he may have been criticized in Holyfield's article for not being more aggressive in his last fight against Bermane Stiverne, but in 33 fights, he has 32 knockouts.

Before his fight with Stiverne, he had knocked out every single one of his opponents before the fifth round. 

People love knockouts, and Wilder has proven over and over that he can deliver what the fans want to see.

And he is the first American heavyweight champion in eight years.

While he may have a way to go to prove he is worthy of a fight against Wladimir Klitschko, Wilder is a dominant win or two away from gaining more eyeballs on him. 

He is scheduled for his first title defense against Eric Molina in Birmingham, Alabama on June 13, per AL.com. 

4. Keith Thurman

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If there is someone who could beat Mayweather, it is definitely Keith Thurman (OK, I know you have heard that before). 

While he may not have the hand speed of Pacquiao, Thurman is a better technician and counterpuncher than the Pac-Man. He sets his punches up beautifully behind his jab, utilizes angles and has excellent head movement. 

Thurman is also younger and bigger than Pacquiao, so it's possible he could better utilize the strategy that could defeat Mayweather by using those angles. 

He has 21 knockouts in 26 fights. Just like Mayweather, he also has a zero in his loss column. But unlike Mayweather, he doesn't care about dropping it.

He stated after last weekend's bout, "You know I want to fight him, baby, especially after seeing that beautiful performance, man. I told you guys, I have an 0, I'm not afraid to let it go. Floyd's beat everybody. I don't care if Floyd beats me."

Somebody please make that fight happen. 

3. Terence Crawford

LM Otero/Associated Press

Crawford was ESPN's Fighter of the Year in 2014, and the Omaha-native has definitely arrived. 

The reason Crawford is such an exciting fighter is that he brings a sense of drama to his fights. In his fights against Yuriorkis Gamboa and Thomas Dulorme, Crawford started out slow. But instead of panicking as his opponents punished him early, Crawford maintained his composure.

Eventually, he figured out his opponents' games and was able to floor both Gamboa and Dulorme several times before finishing them off for the victory.

Just like a Hollywood story arc, Crawford puts himself in a bit of a difficult predicament, but he weathers the storm and comes out victorious.  

2. Gennady "GGG" Golovkin

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Outside the ring, Golovkin has a Pacquiao-like aura to him. He's humble, polite and always smiling. Overall, he's a really nice guy. 

However, with a 32-0 record, combined with 29 knockouts, including a streak of 19 KOs, GGG has destroyed everyone placed in front of him.  

Golovkin has power in both hands and throws some beautiful combinations. He's constantly moving forward, thus controlling the ring and putting pressure on his opponents. 

However, GGG has yet to rack up a notable win on his resume and should be put to the test against fighters such as Miguel Cotto or Canelo Alvarez. 

Golovkin fights on May 16 against Willie Monroe, Jr.  

1. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez

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According to Bleacher Report's Kelsey McCarson, if there is a fighter who could take the superstar crown post-Mayweather, it is Canelo Alvarez. 

He is the only fighter in this ranked list with a loss, albeit a loss to Mayweather. 

But just like all the other Mexican legends, he is a fighter who is willing to go out on his shield. 

Canelo's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, stated to McCarson: "It’s exciting and it’s fun because it makes the job that much easier. You really need no promotion for Canelo. He sells himself, and the fact that he wants to fight the very best makes my job even easier. I sometimes have to hold him back from himself."

McCarson also noted that De La Hoya believes Alvarez has that "old-school mentality," which means he is willing to fight the best, even if it means losing, just like Thurman. It is something boxing fans have been waiting to hear from their top fighters for a long time.

If there is any question to the draw of Canelo, his fight against James Kirkland this Saturday at Minute Maid Park in Houston has sold over 30,000 tickets, according to Dan Ambrose of BoxingNews24.com.

As Pacquiao and Mayweather make their exits from the sport of boxing, it is the 24-year old Mexican sensation who will take the lead in ushering boxing into a new era.