There are high hopes for English boxing in 2004, with fighters on the verge of the big time and explosive matches to be made.
Highest hopes rest with Manchester's Ricky Hatton, while the heavyweight scene promises to be extremely volatile.
After his sojourn to America, Audley Harrison will return to test his credentials against a raft of home-grown talent.
British champion Danny Williams fights Michael Sprott again in January, while Julius Francis faces English champion Matt Skelton two weeks later.
Throw the unpredictable Herbie Hide into the mix and you have a potentially tumultuous year ahead.
At featherweight, Michael Brodie could get a rematch with Korea's Injin Chi after their WBC match in September ended in a controversial draw.
 | BIG FIGHTS TO HOPE FOR: Hatton v Tszyu (Aus) A Harrison v Hide Takaloo v De la Hoya (US) Brodie v S Harrison (Sco) Nelson v Maccarinelli (Wal) |
But the big domestic fight would be Brodie against WBO champion Scott Harrison of Scotland.
Light-heavyweight Clinton Woods is another man hoping for a rematch after his IBF clash with Glencoffe Johnson was squared in November.
And European middleweight champion Howard Eastman will also be holding out for a world title tilt in the next 12 months.
As for WBO cruiserweight king Johnny Nelson, he could find himself in with Welsh banger Enzo Maccarinelli if promoter Frank Warren can swing it.
King of the ring: Hatton seems to be on a collision course with America's Sharmba Mitchell following his destruction of Ben Tackie.
If "The Hitman" can dispose of Mitchell, light-welterweight king Kostya Tszyu would be the logical progression.
There has even been talk of staging the Mitchell fight at Manchester City's home ground - proof of Hatton's growing importance to the sport in England.
 Froch is undefeated in 10 fights |
One to watch: Nottingham's Carl Froch extended his perfect sequence with five wins in 2003 and should move into domestic title contention. The super-middleweight, once a highly-regarded amateur, has the advantage of being tied to the BBC and is potentially the stuff of back-page headlines.
Keep one eye open too for cruiserweight David Haye, light-middleweight Takaloo, welterweight David Barnes and super-featherweight Michael Gomez.
Fading stars: It's the question on everybody's lips: Will Lennox Lewis fight Vitali Klitschko for a second time in 2004?
Lewis may decide last year's scrappy win over the Ukrainian was a far-from-fitting finale and lift himself for one last fling.
As for Naseem Hamed, whether we will see him in a ring again remains anyone's guess.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
