Too often in boxing, fights that are craved by fans of the sport get left unmade as politics and television deals continue to have too much of an influence on men who just want to prove themselves to be the best.
However, over the past 12 months, progress has been made away from the ring and as we head into 2015, there appears to be an increasing possibility of some of the sport's fantasy fights coming to fruition at some stage in the near future.
Below, Sports Mole suggests five showdowns that should be made during the next 12 months.
1. Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Manny Pacquiao/Amir Khan
For years, the possibility of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao sharing a ring is one that has whetted the appetite of almost everyone within the boxing fraternity, but for one reason or another, it hasn't been considered realistic that a deal could be reached.
However, giant strides have seemingly been made over the past seven days after Mayweather openly displayed a willingness to face Pacquiao by declaring that he wanted the fight to happen on May 2 in Las Vegas. The pound-for-pound king indicated that negotiations could be extensive, but if both men are eager to sign on the dotted line, there is every chance that the biggest fight in boxing could happen in the spring.
© Getty Images
A third man that can be thrown into the equation is Amir Khan. It's no secret that the 28-year-old craves an opportunity to fight Mayweather, and after he comfortably disposed of the talented Devon Alexander last weekend, more people are starting to believe that the Brit has what it takes to inflict the first defeat of Mayweather's glittering career.
It remains to be seen whether Khan can secure a showdown with Mayweather, or indeed Pacquiao, a man who he has sparred with in the past, but despite the welterweight division being stacked with major names, only a bout between two of these three men would be regarded as a "mega fight".
2. Saul Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin
Despite losing his unbeaten record to Mayweather in 2013, 24-year-old Saul Alvarez remains a high-profile name at the top of the sport and despite already having 46 fights, he should have his best years ahead of him. What is currently hindering the Mexican is his place in a light-middleweight division that doesn't possess the star quality to make stellar matches but there's a possibility that Alvarez could face Miguel Cotto in the spring.
However, despite that meeting being as intriguing as it is lucrative, hardcore boxing fans may prefer Alvarez to go to war with Gennady Golovkin, the man considered to be, pound-for-pound, the biggest puncher in the sport. The Kazakh has put together 18 successive stoppages with a 19th being targeted against Brit Martin Murray in February.
If Golovkin comes through that, the possibilities are endless. He could target a unification clash with one of Andy Lee or Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO title, but fans want to see him in the biggest fights, and at a time where he is trying to enhance his marketability, facing Alvarez in Las Vegas makes sense.
3. Sergey Kovalev vs. Adonis Stevenson
Over the past two years, the light-heavyweight division has seen a number of different boxers hold titles in the various organisations, but three men - Bernard Hopkins, Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev - have long been considered the stand-out names.
With Hopkins arguably out of the equation after being pummelled during 12 one-sided rounds against Kovalev last month, that should increase the possibility of the remaining pair locking horns in 2015, but so far, while Kovalev remains keen, the signs are less positive coming from the Stevenson camp.
© Getty Images
The Canadian had the opportunity to face Kovalev in 2014 before opting to face the unknown Dmitry Sukhotsky on Friday night. Providing that he comes through that, which he should in convincing style, calls will intensify for the 37-year-old to meet Kovalev, who first meets Jean Pascal.
If Kovalev beats Pascal in Quebec, there appears little reason for the Russian not to return to Canada in the summer to go toe-to-toe with Stevenson. It's one of the biggest fights in boxing and national pride would be on line for Stevenson if his compatriot is outclassed by the Russian.
4. Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg
After making their way up the ranks at a similar pace, the question of who would win in a match between super-bantamweight duo Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg is one that has existed for the past 24 months, and depending on who you ask, it's one that could see a different answer each time.
An all-British showdown has been put off in the past until both men have world titles to ensure that the biggest spectacle possible can be guaranteed, and with Frampton possessing the IBF belt and Quigg holding the WBA strap, this is a fight that not only attracts interest in England and Northern Ireland, but to some degree, a world level too.
Frampton's mandatory obligations and hand surgery for Quigg means that nothing will happen until the summer at the earliest, but with Eddie Hearn, promoter of Quigg, eyeing a bout in both Belfast and Manchester, every effort should be made for the fights to happen in July and November of this year.
5. James DeGale vs. George Groves II
© Getty Images
The rivalry between James DeGale and George Groves is one that stems all the way back to their time in the amateurs but the tension between the two has only heightened after making the transition into the professional ranks.
When the pair met in 2011, Groves earned a close points decisions over his fellow Londoner before going on to face Carl Froch twice in the space of seven months, with their rematch becoming the biggest fight in the history of British boxing.
Groves's rise to prominence has been in sharp contrast to DeGale who, despite becoming European champion, delivered several uninspiring performances before arguably edging past Groves in the pecking order with impressive wins over Brandon Gonzales and Marco Antonio Periban.
We have reached a stage where both men are mandatory challengers for the WBC and IBF titles respectively, but with the Dirrell brothers, Anthony and Andre, likely opponents next year, there is the possibility of the two Brits squaring off for the soon-to-be-vacated IBF strap in April.
