As was recently noted, there isn't much on the boxing schedule to begin 2025. So I asked on Twitter: which fights did boxing fans yearn for this year? I got a wide variety of replies on X.
So what are the fights that I want to see in '25. Well I narrowed my list down to five and for the most part I kept it pretty simple. There's really no reason to overthink this kind of stuff. Generally, I want to see bouts that pair the best in the sport, or the premiere guys in a particular division, with real ramifications.
Or fights that will do big business and create interest among the general fan base.
So here it is, my five for '25...
- Saul Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford
Yeah, yeah, I get it, there is a huge size difference between 'Canelo', the reigning super middleweight champion, and 'Bud', who is now the current WBA junior middleweight titlist. But I am intrigued by this match-up because Crawford is the ultimate competitor, unlike some of the other recent foes of Alvarez, he will actually -- in the words of Herm Edwards -- play...to...win...the...game.
German Villasenor
And stylistically, Crawford's mobility and fluidity will trouble Alvarez. The flipside is how will Crawford ever truly hurt the Mexican star, and how will he take his punches? I'd like to find out. There is growing buzz that this may actually happen at some point this upcoming year.
Currently, Crawford is rated number three in the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound rankings, while Alvarez is seventh.
- Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
OK, if you are a cynic you'd label this the 'Oleksandr Usyk Loser Bracket Bowl' but we would never do that. Not us. Now, is this fight at peak value in 2025, as opposed to a few years ago when both were reigning heavyweight champions and unbeaten?
Of course not, a lot has happened since that point in time, but this is still a fight that holds an incredible amount of interest in Britain. And this is a caveat I have for this bout -- it has to take place in England in one of their big stadiums, such as Wembley. While 'the Gypsy King' is coming off his second consecutive loss to Usyk, Joshua was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in his last outing. But still, the public in the UK still wants to see this.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
This would be one of those fights that if it never happened, would be a huge void in boxing history. Both have sizable and loyal fan bases, and the build-up to this event would be huge. It may actually end up being a pretty entertaining scrap to boot.
- Jesse Rodriguez vs Junto Nakatani
So while most are talking up a potential all-Japanese battle between Naoya Inoue and Nakatani, it says here that a bout between 'Bam' Rodriguez and Nakatani should come first. Both Nakatani and 'Bam' are multi-division world champions, and now listed on pound-for-pounds lists. (Rodriguez is number six on Ring Magazine's list, while Nakatani is number nine.)
Matchroom Boxing
Currently, the 27 year old Nakatani is the WBC bantamweight champion. He's a long, lanky southpaw who has honed his all-around skills under the direction of the respected Rudy Hernandez in Los Angeles throughout the years. While Rodriguez is the WBC junior bantamweight champion, and has one of the most impressive resumes of any boxer in recent years. He is a sharp craftsman, and pundits like Tim Bradley believe he is the best young (under 25) fighter in the sport.
The winner of this bout, clearly becomes the top young challenger for 'the Monster'.
- David Benavidez vs Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol winner
So Beterbiev and Bivol engage in their rematch on February 22nd for the light heavyweight championship. Benavidez faces David Morrell on February 1 for the WBC interim 175-pound title. This is a fight that in theory should not be all that difficult to consummate (but this is the boxing business). It should be clear at this point that Benavidez will never get that fight with Canelo.
Riyadh Season
So with that said, if Benavidez gets by Morrell, he would be the biggest name at light heavyweight among the contenders. Now, the supporters of Joshua Buatsi and Anthony Yarde may disagree, but in the States it's clearly Benavidez.
Beterbiev and Bivol have two distinctly different styles inside the ring. But Benavidez's pressure ffits with both of them very well.
- Gervonta Davis vs Shakur Stevenson
A classic boxer-puncher, match-up. 'Tank' is one of the hardest punchers in the sport (28 stoppages in 30 bouts), while Stevenson has a reputation for being one of the most sound boxers in the game. But here's the reality, Davis, with his large fan-base, probably doesn't need the fight nearly as much as Stevenson wants it.
Showtime Sports
Davis is a boxer who has drawn very well in several markets in America, and therefore has been insulated by largely safe matchmaking in recent years. Stevenson, who has become a legitimate draw in his hometown, Newark, has been largely frustrated by the inability to land significant fights. There's a reason why people have avoided him -- he's incredibly difficult to decipher inside that ring. He will face the green Floyd Schofield on February 22 in Saudi Arabia.
Currently, Davis is rated number one in the lightweight division, while Stevenson is third. For Davis a victory would legitimize his claim as an elite prizefighter. For Stevenson, it would legitimize him as a star.
