Five high-profile fights sure to save the sweet science

	If the Klitschko brothers traded in the tuxes for trunks and swapped the thumbs for gloves, boxing might just indeed be back. Rolf Klatt/WireImage.com
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LAS VEGAS -- Nearly 24 hours have passed since Saturday night's epic battle between Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya. The crowds have thinned out (or as much as they can in a casino) and the celebrities have all gone home.

But the questions remain.

There are a number of high-profile fights (Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright, Wladimir Klitschko-Lamon Brewster) already on the books in the coming months. But in order for boxing to use De La Hoya-Mayweather as a springboard, there are plenty of other fights to be made. Boxing may have been given a shot in the arm Saturday night, but it has not been saved. Making these fights, however, may do just that.

Floyd Mayweather vs. Antonio Margarito

It would be wholly unfair to Mayweather to suggest he is ducking Margarito, but in the past 18 months Mayweather certainly hasn't jumped at the chance to get in the ring with him. Last summer Margarito's promoter, Bob Arum, who used to promote Mayweather, offered Mayweather an $8 million guarantee to step in the ring with the WBO welterweight champion. Mayweather passed, citing Margarito's lack of credentials for such a fight.

A fight with Margarito now, however, would seem to be a natural fit. In July, Margarito is schedule to fight Paul Williams and should he best the lanky fighter, Margarito would certainly be considered by many worthy of a shot at boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter. A terrific puncher, Margarito would be the most powerful fighter Mayweather has ever faced while taking this fight would allow Mayweather to drop back to welterweight, his more natural weight class.

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Vitali Klitschko

We can dream, can't we? A Klitschko-Klitschko fight would be the most celebrated heavyweight bout since Tyson-Lewis -- and would be without question far more competitive. On Saturday, Wladimir dismissed the notion, but a few months ago Vitali left the door open for a sibling rivalry when he announced his return to the ring.

A fight between the two Klitschko's could also be the closest thing to title unification boxing has seen in decades. Wladimir, who holds the IBF and IBO titles, will likely challenge Shannon Briggs for his WBO belt later this year while Vitali will face the winner of WBC champion Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter in September. Should the two decide to lace them up, the winner would unquestionably be considered the best heavyweight in boxing.

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manny Pacquiao

This is a fight that has been brewing since '04, when Marquez survived three first-round knockdowns to earn a draw with Paquiao, who is generally regarded as the top contender at whatever weight class he chooses to compete in. Some questionable decisions by Marquez's management killed a potential rematch so the issues between the two have yet to be decided.

Pacquiao has looked bored in his last two wins over Erik Morales and Jorge Solis while Marquez has reclaimed his stature with a victory over Marco Antonio Barrera. The hitch here is that Marquez is represented by Golden Boy while Pacquiao is linked to Arum, De La Hoya's bitter rival. Still, this is a match that Marquez has openly pined for over the last year and if public support is strong enough, the promoters will have to get out of each others way on this one.

Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler

It is criminal if this fight doesn't happen. Calzaghe and Kessler are the unquestioned princes of the super middleweight division. Both are unbeaten. Both are European, meaning they could probably pack 30,000 people into a stadium anywhere across the continent. And both carry championship belts, Calzaghe the WBO title and Kessler the WBC and WBA straps.

The sticking point appears to be Calzaghe, who is seemingly unwilling to fight Kessler on any terms. He has called out middleweight champion Jermain Taylor while Kessler twists in the wind. I don't want to discount what Calzaghe has accomplished in his career, but The Pride of Wales has never fought outside of Europe and rarely leaves the comfort of the United Kingdom. Sometimes fighters become too attached to their legacy and turn down dangerous fights to protect it. Calzaghe may be one of those fighters.

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Miguel Angel Cotto

A perfect fight for De La Hoya. Cotto is undefeated and rising fast in the welterweight division. His June fight with Zab Judah will likely cement his status as the top welterweight this side of Shane Mosley (and we know Oscar isn't fighting him). The prospect of taking on another undefeated fighter could be intriguing to De La Hoya; right now that may be the only way to motivate him back in the ring.

He would, however, have to drop back to the ranks of welterweight. Cotto moved up from junior welterweight last year and is unlikely to be able to make the 154 pound super welterweight limit. Still, a svelte and conditioned Oscar against a powerful Cotto who has 24 wins by KO would appeal to the boxing purist while such a fight would introduce Cotto to the national landscape.