Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao finally got together in the ring after five years of anticipation and buildup.

It wasn’t just a fight, it was the event that was supposed to bring boxing back to life.

Instead, the fight was a complete dud with Mayweather winning the fight by unanimous decision.

David Becker/UPI

The question asked now has to be: did the Mayweather-Pacquiao mega-fight kill boxing?

For all the hype that was produced, the fight obviously didn’t live up to the billing.

Where can boxing fans turn now?

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

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Mexican sensation Saul “Canelo” Alvarez who hammered James Kirkland last weekend, has potential to be really special.

Naoki Fukuda

At age 24, Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KO’s) already has a large fanbase.

He has power in both hands and also is willing to fight anybody.

He values learning something from each fight regardless of a win/loss/draw.

Fight freaks need Canelo to be the man in boxing once Mayweather and Pacquiao hang up their gloves.

Potential fights with Miguel Cotto and Gennady Golovkin down the line, promise excitement and are guaranteed to give fans their money’s worth it.

Pencil Canelo in as boxing’s next big thing.

Keith Thurman

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More than two months removed from an impressive unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero, Thurman, 26, (25-0, 21 KO’s) is a scary opponent for anybody.

Naoki Fukuda

Trading with Thurman would guarantee you nothing less than a hospital bed.

He has already called out Mayweather and has no fear in losing to the best fighter in the world so that’s not a problem for him.

The problem will be getting anybody brave enough to step in the ring with him.

“One Time” isn’t just a slugger either.

He can sit on the outside and box effectively as well until he finds an opening on his opponent.

He still needs to be marketed however, with casual boxing fans unaware of who he is.

If Thurman can build his name up by adding notable names to his resume, he can also play a huge role in keeping boxing relevant.

Terence Crawford

BOX REC

The 27-year-old out of Omaha, Nebraska flat out keeps you on the edge of your seat.

In his last contest against Thomas Dulorme, Crawford struggled out of the gates until he found a way to stop Dulorme in round 8.

Crawford’s slow starts cause him to pick up the pace as the rounds go on as also shown in his thrilling battle against Yuriorkis Gamboa.

WILL HART

He still hasn’t had that signature win yet however.

That moment could come next year vs. Manny Pacquiao.

If that fight is made and if Crawford is able to put pressure on the Filipino, then we could be looking at an upset victory.

If Crawford doesn’t get that fight, he has to go all out and fight the best man available.

This mindset coupled with an intriguing style makes Crawford a contender for years to come.

Conclusion

There may not be an event as big as Mayweather-Pacquiao ever again and it might’ve put boxing to sleep  but Canelo Alvarez, Keith Thurman, and Terence Crawford will wake boxing up and keep it alive for the immediate future.