The new year is upon us, so here are things I'd like to see in boxing in 2017:

For the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight title fight in April to be exciting and memorable. And for the winner to face Deontay Wilder in his next bout.

Francisco Vargas in a rematch with either Orlando Salido or Takashi Miura. And if that doesn't materialize, Salido-Miura.

The return of Floyd Mayweather. Yeah, we miss him.

A unification fight between Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez and Naoya Inoue. This could be a special fight.

For the best to fight the best far more frequently.

For Top Rank's Bob Arum and Haymon to make real fights between their fighters, not the occasional mismatch. They could start with a featherweight unification fight between the Carl Frampton-Leo Santa Cruz II winner and Oscar Valdez.

For Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions to live up to the initial mission statement of regular big-time fights on free television.

For President Obama to pardon Jack Johnson before leaving office later this month.

For Keith Thurman-Danny Garcia to live up to the considerable hype.

If Manny Pacquiao is going to continue boxing, for him to face a serious opponent in an interesting fight: Terence Crawford.

A world title shot for Errol Spence Jr., the best young talent in boxing.

The battle of Long Island between light heavyweights Joe Smith and Seanie Monaghan.

The continued superb work of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association and its president, Dr. Margaret Goodman.

For every sanctioning body to take random drug testing as seriously as the WBC and its president, Mauricio Sulaiman.

Just get it done already: Kell Brook vs. Amir Khan.

Significant reform in the way the International Boxing Hall of Fame balloting is conducted, including a percentage threshold for inductees to reach, not just that the three highest vote-getting modern fighters are automatically elected.

The spotlight to shine on the cruiserweights, where there is a slew of talented and exciting fighters -- Marco Huck, Oleksandr Usyk, Murat Gassiev, Denis Lebedev, Mairis Briedis, Krzysztof Glowacki and Yunier Dorticos -- who could make a series of outstanding bouts

For the political hacks in New York to get rid of the new insurance law that has killed smaller boxing cards in the state, but does absolutely nothing to address the real issues of improving health and safety for fighters.

Miguel Cotto vs. Timothy Bradley Jr.