Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin and 4 Superfights to 'Save the Sport of Boxing'

Boxing died last weekend. Except it didn't. 

The Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao superfight topped five million pay-per-view sales, as reported by Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, obliterating the previous record of 2.5 million set by Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. 

Those numbers hardly reek of a corpse. But oblivious bystanders will plead to you that "boxing is dead and Mayweather-Pacquiao killed it" because the fight didn't end up being the second advent of Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns. (And who honestly thought it would?) 

Boxing isn't dead, and it isn't in need of a savior.

Who picks up the proverbial torch after Mayweather retires is up in the air. But applicants are plentiful. From the outspoken American heavyweight Deontay Wilder and the charming middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, to the redheaded fistic sensation Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

It's unclear. But it's better that way. If the sport invested its entire future into one superstar, the future could come collapsing down, quite literally, as quickly as it takes for that one fighter to be knocked out. 

The sport endures, delivering the most high-profile fight there has ever been just last weekend.

If Mayweather-Pacquiao is possible, just about anything is. And now spoiled fans the world over have caught the megafight fever.

Here are four superfights with enough starpower and guaranteed action to save a dying sport—even if boxing isn't one.

Saul Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Why Fans Want To See It

There are few boxers today who speak to the fighting spirit of yesteryear like Alvarez and Golovkin. Each is unafraid of taking big fights

The collision course for these two lethal combination punchers has been set, fighting a week apart from each other in the month of May. And Alvarez's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, had good news in regard to the superfight, telling Lyle Fitzsimmons of CBS Sports, "He's eventually going to fight Golovkin."

The Mexican superstar, however, has another dynamite puncher to worry about first in James Kirkland on May 9 in Houston, Texas. And Golovkin needs to storm past the slick Willie Monroe Jr. the week after in Inglewood, California, to keep this clash of offensive powerhouses alive.

Projection Date and Location

Canelo may not be the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, but he calls the shots for his own career.

While De La Hoya continued to comment on the superfight, telling Fitzsimmons that he'd like to see Golovkin "challenge a big name" and become a real pay-per-view attraction before he organizes the showdown with his fighter, Alvarez didn't let his promoter's desires get in the way of his fight with the stylistic nightmare Erislandy Lara last year.

If Canelo wants to put on a show for the fans and fight the best (which he does), and the fans want Canelo-Golovkin (which they do), he—and, in turn, Golden Boy—will make it happen.

In theory, the fight could take place on Cinco de Mayo weekend, May 7, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Roman Gonzalez vs. Naoya Inoue

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Why Fans Want To See It

Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez is the undisputed king of the lower weight classes, picking up world titles and demonstrating unearthly hitting power over world-class boxers from minimumweight to flyweight. He ranks among the top 5 pound-for-pound boxers in the world, according to anyone who knows what he's talking about.

Gonzalez is expected to make quick work of longtime flyweight contender Edgar Sosa in his long overdue HBO debut on May 16, and a superfight with current No. 1 junior bantamweight Naoya Inoue is on the back of every hardcore boxing fan's mind. 

Inoue, 22, a professional of just eight fights, was arguably 2014's fighter of the year, knocking out Adrian Hernandez and Omar Andres Narvaez for the right to call himself the best fighter in the 108- and 115-pound divisions.

Gonzalez and Inoue are the biggest names below 122 pounds and a must-see fight.

Projection Date and Location

The boxing fanbase in Japan is a rabid bunch. After trouncing esteemed Japanese warriors like Katsunari Takayama and Yutaka Niida over half a decade ago, the Nicaraguan Gonzalez has fully earned their respect, fighting there four out of his last six fights with the crowd showing overwhelming support. 

Japan's own "Monster" Inoue is obviously a hot commodity, as well. His destruction of former champion Narvaez at the end of December amassed over 9.5 million television viewers, per Asian Boxing.

Inoue is likely to make his return to the ring in August after suffering a hand injury that was originally feared to sideline him for the entire year.

Chocolatito's promoter, Akihiko Honda, said back in January, per BoxingScene, that Teiken Promotions is interested in having the two headline a New Years Eve card at the end of 2015.

Make that fight in Japan with a time adjustment for an American audience and we have ourselves a gigantic superfight—no matter how small they happen to be physically.

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Deontay Wilder

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Why Fans Want To See It

Deontay Wilder holds the only heavyweight strap that doesn't belong to Wladimir Klitschko.

Wilder is the brash American heavyweight with the crippling punching power the world has been waiting for. Still rough around the edges—having only picked up the sport at 21—he's whom the public want in the ring across from Klitschko.

After Klitschko's frustrating and hesitant performance against Bryant Jennings last month, the Ukranian has probably never seemed more vulnerable. 

He's adamant about fighting Tyson Fury next in September or October, per The Telegraph's Gareth A Davies. Wilder will reportedly be returning to his home state of Alabama for a voluntary title defense against an unheralded Eric Molina.

Projection Date and Location

After lifting the WBC heavyweight title from Bermane Stiverne in January, Wilder told ESPN he had his eyes set on a unification bout with Klitschko by the end of the year, but now, per Tha Boxing Voice, he says it's going to take a miracle to make it happen before 2016.

The "Bronze Bomber" is expected to face the winner of the May 22 title eliminator between Alexander Povetkin and Mike Perez. 

While Wilder, given his questionable competition, hasn't yet completely proven himself capable of beating someone like Povetkin—a fine combination puncher and the sequestered No. 2 heavyweight in the world—if he manages to do so, a showdown with Klitschko would be a very lucrative bout. And at Madison Square Garden in New York, it would join a long list of memorable heavyweight title matches that include admired names like Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey and Muhammad Ali.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Terence Crawford

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Why Fans Want To See It

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has big plans for Terence Crawford. He's planned on matching Crawford up with Pacquiao since at least 2014. Pacquiao's shoulder surgery won't change that.

Nicknamed "Bud," Crawford, 27, picked up his second world title in as many weight classes last month when he shattered Thomas Dulorme in six rounds. It was his first contest at junior welterweight in two years, but he looked the size of junior middleweight come fight night.

The Nebraska native can throw every punch in the book, he can crack with both hands and he switches between southpaw and orthodox effortlessly. He's a good-looking kid with an even better looking record of 26-0, 18 KO.

Crawford looks every bit the part of boxing's next superstar.

But as Mayweather and Pacquaio before him, he needs that defining marquee win to build him into a pay-per-view hit.

Pacquiao had De La Hoya. Crawford will eventually have Pacquiao—no matter how banged up Pac-Man comes out of surgery.

Projected Date and Location

Pacquiao underwent surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff heard 'round the world and could be out of action for up to a year, per The Guardian. 

Crawford will continue to acclimate himself to the junior welterweight waters in the meantime. Most of the more recognizable 140-pounders (such as Danny Garcia, Lamont Peterson and Adrien Broner) are currently managed by Al Haymon—who doesn't play nice with Arum—so Top Rank is surely waiting with bated breath to sacrifice Pacquiao up to Crawford when the former returns.

And Las Vegas must be where they hope to build his brand.