Saul Alvarez vs. Amir Khan Headlines 10 Fights to Watch in the Month of May
If some months in the year offer slim pickings for boxing fans, May is the fighting equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
There are major contests taking place in both Britain and the United States, plus intriguing bouts in New Zealand and Russia. It's a global feast of fights.
The pick of the action in May sees Saul "Canelo" Alvarez defend his WBC middleweight belt against Amir Khan (even if the contest is actually happening at 155 pounds, not 160).
The upcoming month is also a busy time for the heavyweights, while Brits Tony Bellew, Ricky Burns and Anthony Crolla all face sizeable challenges on home soil.
Here, Bleacher Report marks your card by picking out 10 bouts not to be missed in May.
Anthony Crolla vs. Ismael Barroso
1 of 10
When: May 7
Where: Manchester Arena; Manchester, England
Anthony Crolla defends the WBA lightweight title in his own backyard when he faces Ismael Barroso in Manchester.
"Million Dollar" (30-4-3, 12 KOs) finally hit the jackpot in November 2015, stopping Darleys Perez with a body shot to become the WBC champion at the second attempt.
However, Barroso (19-0-2, 18 KOs) is a seriously tricky foe to face in a first defence.
The Colombian travelled to England last year and flattened Kevin Mitchell. The impressive victory promoted the southpaw to the position of mandatory challenger.
Crolla, who was at ringside in London to watch Barroso win, told Sky Sports News HQ (h/t Stephen Turner of SkySports.com): "I'm expecting the toughest fight of my career, and certainly he's seen as the most dangerous lightweight on the planet, but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."
Kubrat Pulev vs. Dereck Chisora
2 of 10
When: May 7
Where: Barclaycard Arena; Hamburg, Germany
Former champions Kubrat Pulev and Dereck Chisora meet for the vacant European heavyweight title in Germany.
Bulgarian Pulev (22-1, 12 KOs) knocked out Alexander Dimitrenko to claim the belt in 2012. He defended it once—stopping Alexander Ustinov in the same year—before advancing to world level.
With Pulev vacating, Chisora (25-5, 17 KOs) stopped Edmund Gerber to scoop up the vacant strap in 2013.
The Englishman had appeared to be in line to fight compatriot Anthony Joshua in April. However, negotiations broke down over the revenue split, per Tom Hopkinson of the Mirror.
Joshua sidestepped conquering Europe to go after a world title (and quickly became the new IBF champion), giving Pulev and Chisora the chance to kick-start their careers.
Saul Alvarez vs. Amir Khan
3 of 10
When: May 7
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Very few fights are suddenly announced out of the blue. Social media normally finds out long before everything is made official.
However, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Amir Khan caught the boxing world by surprise when they confirmed they would meet on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Canelo (46-1-1, 32 KOs) puts his WBC middleweight belt on the line, although the bout will take place at a catchweight of 155 pounds.
So, will Alvarez's size be too much for his opponent to handle?
Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) is known for having fast hands, yet he has never fought previously above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.
The Englishman will hope to prove he hasn't bitten off more than he can chew, but he deserves great credit for taking on such a monumental task.
He could also ruin the possibility of a Canelo-Gennady Golovkin unification bout later in the year.
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Naoya Inoue vs. David Carmona
4 of 10
When: May 8
Where: Ariake Colosseum; Tokyo, Japan
Bleacher Report's Briggs Seekins selected Naoya Inoue (9-0, 8 KOs) as the sport's best young fighter.
The man nicknamed "Monster" had a quiet 2015, appearing just once.
It was still an impressive display, knocking out Warlito Parrenas in Round 2 to retain his WBO super flyweight title.
At 23, Inoue still has plenty, plenty, of time on his side.
Next up he faces David Carmona (20-2-5, 8 KOs)—a Mexican who drew with Parrenas last year. That may not bode well for the challenger's chances on May 8, but watching Inoue fight is always fun.
Lee Haskins vs. Ivan Morales
5 of 10
When: May 14
Where: Ice Arena; Cardiff, Wales
Lee Haskins managed to take the IBF bantamweight title from Randy Caballero without throwing a single punch.
Caballero surrendered the belt on the scales, failing to get remotely close to the 118-pound limit ahead of his scheduled defence against Haskins in Las Vegas last November.
Now the new champion faces Ivan Morales (29-1, 17 KOs) in his first defence.
Haskins (32-3, 14 KOs) heads a card at the Ice Arena in Cardiff, Wales, that Barry McGuigan's Cyclone Promotions co-promotes.
Sanigar Events—the Englishman's full-time promoters—will hope the bill can be the first of many on Welsh soil, though for that to happen their man must beat Morales.
Carlos Takam vs. Joseph Parker
6 of 10
When: May 21
Where: Vodafone Events Centre; Manukau City, New Zealand
Heavyweights Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker meet in New Zealand, the latter's homeland, to decide who will be next in line to face IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker is seen as a fighter with serious potential.
He has reeled off 18 straight victories as a pro, with 16 of those wins coming inside the distance.
Takam (33-2-1, 25 KOs) was born in Cameroon but is now based in France. At the very least, the 35-year-old should give Parker his toughest test to date.
Ricky Burns vs. Michele Di Rocco
7 of 10
When: May 21
Where: The SSE Hydro; Glasgow, Scotland
Just what has Ricky Burns got left in the tank? That is the big question as the Scotsman bids to become a three-weight world champion.
The Rickster—hardly a nickname that took a great deal of thought—steps up again to super lightweight to fight Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA title.
Burns (39-5-1, 13 KOs) is a former champion at super featherweight and lightweight, yet he has never been quite the same since Raymundo Beltran broke his jaw during a dubious draw in 2013.
However, he is confident he will come out on top in Glasgow, telling Matchroom Boxing: "Di Rocco is a tough guy, and he will bring the best out of me—but it’s a fight I’m so confident I will win and give my fans a great show."
Italian Di Rocco (40-1-1, 18 KOs), a European champion at the weight, is an experienced campaigner, albeit he has spent the majority of his career fighting in his homeland.
Alexander Povetkin vs. Deontay Wilder
8 of 10
When: May 21
Where: Khodynka Ice Palace; Moscow, Russia
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder heads to Russia to take on Alexander Povetkin.
Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) may not find it quite as hostile as Sylvester Stallone's character in Rocky, but travelling to Moscow will be a good test of the American's temperament, as well as his talent.
Per Isaac Robinson of SkySports.com, Wilder has dredged up memories of the Cold War in the media: "My expectation is, of course, to win. To come back with that victory for America. This is a big fight, not just for myself, for America. It's like Russia versus America."
Wladimir Klitschko is the only man to have beaten Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs).
Since that defeat, the Russian has reeled off four straight stoppage victories to pave the way for another opportunity at a major title.
Jermall Charlo vs. Austin Trout
9 of 10
When: May 21
Where: The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
May 21 is a big date in the Charlo family calendar as both brothers fight on the same Las Vegas bill.
Jermall (23-0, 18 KOs) defends his IBF super welterweight title against Austin Trout, while twin Jermell (27-0, 12 KOs) can add the WBC belt to the Charlo collection when he faces John Jackson.
Trout (30-2, 17 KOs) is a former world champion who has won four straight since suffering back-to-back defeats against Saul Alvarez and Erislandy Lara in 2013.
As for Jackson (20-2, 15 KOs), he gets a shot at a major belt despite fighting just three times since the start of 2014.
Also on the card, Lara meets Vanes Martirosyan in a rematch of their 2012 bout that was ruled a technical draw due to a cut the former suffered after a clash of heads.
Tony Bellew vs. Ilunga Makabu
10 of 10
When: May 29
Where: Goodison Park; Liverpool, England
For a man who appeared in the motion picture Creed, Tony Bellew has the chance to be part of his own real-life Hollywood story on May 29.
The cruiserweight is booked to face Ilunga Makabu in Liverpool, but it's not your normal card for two reasons.
First, the fight for the vacant WBC strap takes place on a Sunday—a rarity in the sport.
Second, Bellew (26-2-1, 16 KOs) has the chance to become a world champion at Goodison Park—the home of his beloved Everton Football Club.
The Bomber is adamant he will get his happy ending, per the Press Association (h/t the Guardian): "I was born to lift that belt on 29 May, I’ve achieved my dream getting this fight on, I know I’m going to win, I can’t and won’t be defeated at Goodison Park—the greatest stadium in the world."
However, Makabu (19-1, 18 KOs) will be out to rewrite the script.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but now living in South Africa, the southpaw lost his pro debut but has made a habit of knocking out opponents since the early setback.
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