Boxing fans are more used than most to the feeling of hope being swiftly replaced by a crushing sense of disappointment.
Far too often the fights we all want to see fail to materialise, and for every great match-up made there are countless others harpooned by boxing politics.
But that doesn’t stop us dreaming of the blockbusters and this past week two excellent fights for 2016 inched closer to reality.
– INTERVIEW: The Ultimate Iceman Chuck Liddell
– FIGHT CLUB: Crawford could spoil Pacquiao's party
The first should finally give some direction to the infuriating career of Andre Ward, who is now set to make the logical and long overdue step up to light-heavyweight with the ultimate aim of facing Sergey Kovalev, the division’s main man, and holder of three of the major belts at 175 pounds.
Ward has signed a three-fight deal with HBO – who also have Kovalev under contract – and we’re told the final instalment of that partnership will be a showdown with the Russian at the back end of next year. We’re also told that Kovalev has agreed to all of this.
The 31-year-old Ward was once considered only second to Floyd Mayweather Jr in the pound-for-pound stakes but his inactivity has become a source of widespread derision.
He hasn’t had a credible rival at super middleweight since beating Carl Froch in late 2011, and carries the frame to be more than competitive against bigger men.
And a fight with Kovalev makes sense on so many levels for both.
Ward would reclaim relevance and respect, it’s a chance to be involved in his first big event in years, and also for the 2004 Olympic gold medallist to become a two-weight world champion.
Promotional disputes mean Kovalev cannot secure a fight with Adonis Stevenson, the man who holds the only major belt he doesn’t, and as such has run out of opponents, to the point where his next outing will be an unnecessary rematch with Jean Pascal, who he bombed out back in March.
As well as all of that straightforward reasoning, it’s a tantalising match-up with plenty of narrative for the promoters and TV network to work with. Both are unbeaten and boast contrasting styles with, perhaps, the tools required to beat the other.
Ward’s slick technique and defensive mastery will pose problems Kovalev hasn’t faced before, while the Russian’s sheer physical strength and obscene punching power are far more potent than anything Ward has dealt with previously. It’s a fascinating prospect and a potentially career-defining fight for both men.
Meanwhile, the second piece of good news this week – particularly for British fans – was a slew of reports that we might finally see Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg in the ring together next April.
Negotiations between the two camps have been on-off for what feels like an eternity but it seems common sense might finally prevail. It’s the biggest fight available, the most lucrative pay day for the super bantamweight rivals and in all likelihood an all-action scrap for the fans to enjoy.
When this fight was first seriously talked about, most would have had Ulster’s Frampton as a clear favourite.
But Quigg has looked more and more impressive with every fight and has inflicted some savage knockouts, including a two-round blowout of Kiko Martinez, who had lost to Frampton twice but took him the distance in the second fight.
Conversely, Frampton showed his first signs of weakness when he laboured to victory on his American debut against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in July.
The Jackal was brought to his knees twice and given a standing eight count in a chastening first round. They weren’t heavy knockdowns, but it was the first time he’d truly been troubled.
There have been many false dawns with this one but should it be made, along with Ward/Kovalev, that would be two good reasons to be excited about 2016.
