This much is clear, no matter what the result of the September 13 showdown between Saul Alvarez and Terence Crawford is, both future Hall-of-Famers are much closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.
'Canelo' turned 35 over the summer while 'Bud' will be 38 years come September 28. In many ways they represent the generation post-Mayweather and Pacquiao. Come 2027 there is a pretty good chance that neither will be active fighters. At the very least, they will be past their primes.
Crawford has become, if not a transcendent figure, a star within the sport. A guy who can sell in his hometown and be involved in major pay-per-view events (like he was against Errol Spence in 2023). Alvarez is a legitimate crossover superstar and you could argue he was the last true pay-per-view attraction (sorry 'Tank' Davis cultists) the game has had.
So, who comes after them?
@lunatoonboxing
Well, it takes more than ability. There are plenty of boxers who have great skills and talent but for whatever reason, they never truly become stars. There are many variables involved in this and unfortunately, some are out of the boxers control.
But here's a list of five guys who have high ceilings and could be next in line. (Keep in mind, my list is limited to fighters from North America, so the likes of Moses Itauma, are not included.)
- Jesse Rodriguez: At just 25 years old, 'Bam' already has a full resume'. He became a unified champion at 112 while nothing victories over the likes of Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Sunny Edwards. At junior bantamweight he has scored stoppages of Sunny Edwards and Phumelela Cafu to become a unified champion, once again. Now he faces 'Puma' Martinez in November to try and add a third belt at 115.
Matchroom Boxing
There's a lot to like about Rodriguez, he's a multi-dimensional boxer who can both box and punch. He's a crowd-pleasing technician. It helps that he's Mexican-American, and you can envision him drawing big numbers in his hometown of San Antonio down the line. The only downside is that he's a 'small' fighter who have traditionally had problems gaining traction with the casual fan in the States.
- David Benavidez: 'the Mexican Monster' long been a fan favorite, and he is starting to become an attraction in Las Vegas. He's still just 28 but the question is if he will ever get that fight that will put him over the top with the public? A showdown with Alvarez would have been that fight but Alvarez didn't seem too interested in that match-up for whatever reason.
But now that Benavidez is allowed to take Turki's money in Saudi Arabia, perhaps more avenues to big fights will be available to him. He faces Anthony Yarde on November 22, and there is some talk that he could be taking on Artur Beterbiev next year.
PBC
Regardless, boxing fans love and action and knockouts, for the most part Benavidez has delivered that throughout his career.
- Emiliano Vargas: Admittedly, this is a bit of a longer-term projection, but this young man seems to have come straight out of central casting. He's got the lineage, the looks and seems to be coming along well as a fighter. And when you talk to him, you can just feel how polished he is. While the youngest Vargas hasn't faced any monsters (and no, I don't mean Naoya Inoue) just yet, he is been scoring a series of highlight knockouts in 2025.
HUGE KO! Emiliano Vargas Demolishes Alexander Espinoza In The First Round | FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS
Keep this in mind, he's just 21. In his early 20's, his father was facing the likes of Winky Wright, Ike Quartey and Felix Trinidad. Fernando Sr. has made it clear that he would never allow any of his sons to take a similar path to their careers. They want this career to play out over the long term.
- Abdullah Mason: OK, another projection here, but I'm trying to think five years ahead here. I've been a big believer in Mason since the time he inked a deal with Top Rank as a teenager back in 2021. This is a quicksilver southpaw with speed and power. He has notched numerous eye-opening KO's during his career while gaining significant exposure on ESPN.
Top Rank/Mikey Williams
Now, like Vargas he's just 21. Time is on his side, and you get the sense that he's still needs some seasoning but he is facing Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title in Saudi Arabia. There are question about his punch resistance after his two trips to the canvas last November against Yohan Vazquez. At times he reminds you of a sports car without breaks. But hey, who doesn't love a fighter who is a bit vulnerable?
Mason seems to come from good stock and you see potential for him to be a draw in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, in the future.
- Vergil Ortiz/Jaron Ennis: Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm cheating here, because these two would make six boxers I'm listing. But to me, these guys have been tied together for a few years when they were young welterweights on the way up. They were both held up by Spence and Crawford circling one another for a few years. While 'Boots' eventually became a unified belt-holder at 147, Ortiz's body gave out before he could win a belt as a welterweight, but he has quickly put together a solid run as a junior middleweight.
Riyadh Season
At the end of 2024, there was a lot of talk of these two finally squaring off. Predictably, this fight didn't come off with both sides pointing the finger at one another. But now they are both junior middleweights, with Ortiz facing Erickson Lubin in the fall, and Ennis facing Uisma Lima. There should really be no issues in them clashing -- should they both come out victorious as expected -- by early 2026.
Ortiz is currently 27, Ennis 28. There is no law that says that standout American boxers have to be beyond the age of 30 to face one another, contrary to popular belief. The winner would clearly become a much more relevant fighter to the public.
