We’re two weeks into 2025 and the boxing world is waiting for the schedule to break out of its post-holiday slump.
Things started to get interesting in February with fights like David Benavidez vs. David Morrell and the undisputed light heavyweight championship rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. From there, big fights should continue and take place as boxing tries to top off an exciting 2024 with an even bigger 2025.
Let’s take a look at five things we’re looking forward to in the new year.
1. Seeing the continued rise of Saudi Arabia’s control over the boxing landscape
While it’s unclear whether this will prove a long-term boon or bane for boxing, there’s no denying the impact the Turkish Alalsikh and Saudi Arabia have had on the boxing landscape over the past few years. With more big fights taking place on Saudi soil, Riyadh feels like it is fast replacing Las Vegas as the “fight capital” of boxing.
Alalsikh has made it clear that he only wants to accelerate his efforts to gain momentum in the sport, and his purchase of the iconic Ring magazine supports that talk. How Saudi involvement continues and shapes the present and future of the sport is boxing’s biggest story.
2. Can the heavyweight continue his momentum?
Heavyweight boxing spent several decades at its lowest point in its history from the 1990s to parts of the 2010s, but the past few years have breathed new life into the sport’s glamor department. The rise of Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua provided superstar faces for the division before Oleksandr Usyk stepped up after winning at cruiserweight. Usyk combined four world titles with a win over Fury in 2024 before being stripped of the IBF to proceed with a contracted rematch. The IBF title ended up around the waist of Daniel Dubois, who scored a crushing knockout of Anthony Joshua to further signal a changing of the guard.
Both Usyk and Dubois were in the running for 2024 Fighter of the Year honors and could now be heading into their respective rematches. Other intriguing names in the division have either built more momentum or popped into the conversation over the past year, and now we’re set for great pairings like Dubois vs. Joseph Parker, Martin Bakole vs. Ife Azagba or Anthony Joshua and Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit. Kabael.
anger Recently announced his retirementWhich may not be the same as his previous three retirement announcements, but the heavyweight superstar could carry the momentum into the future.
3. Can Canelo Alvarez find a meaningful fight?
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has long been not only one of the biggest names in boxing, but also among the greatest in the ring. The last few years, however, have seen Alvarez fail to fight at the level that fans want to see while gaining his reputation. Since risking the jump to light heavyweight for the second time in his career, ultimately losing to Dimitri Bivol, Alvarez has played it safe in his choice of opponents. His refusal to face top contenders David Morel and David Benavidez saw the pair jump to light heavyweight where they are set to meet in February for a shot at the undisputed 175-pound championship.
Failing to fight Morel and Benavidez was a blow to Alvarez’s reputation like never before in his career. Instead of daring to be great one more time, Alvarez talked about money not being good enough to face Serra. Looking at the super middleweight rankings, there aren’t many inspiring names as potential Alvarez challengers, but the Mexican legend’s legacy will suffer if he can’t figure out how to get back into a fight that is both challenging and supportive. want to see
4. What’s next for ‘The Monster’?
Naoya Inoue has emerged as a seemingly unstoppable force over the past decade as he’s gotten better year after year and won division after division. Knocking out Luis Neri — in a fight where Inoue suffered the first knockdown of his career — and TJ Doheny to remain the undisputed junior featherweight champion in 2024 felt like a down year for Inoue because of how electric his previous few campaigns had been. At a certain point, a fighter becomes so dominant that the only question fans can ask is “What’s next?”
Ino was set to fight huge underdog Sam Goodman in late December, but the fight was delayed due to an injury Goodman suffered in training and then canceled altogether on January 24 when the Aussie suffered a second cut. Goodman is replaced by Kim Ye-joon, who is not expected to be any better than Goodman, and everyone is already waiting to see what Ino does for the rest of the year.
Can Inoue continue to move up in weight, having previously said junior lightweight was as high as he believed he could go, and gun for the featherweight titleholder? Will Murodjan Akhmadaliv get his shot at Inno? Or will another undefeated Japanese star in WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani step up for an all-Japan showdown? No matter what the next step is, boxing fans should enjoy Inoue as long as he’s around.
5. What American star will make the big move?
Names like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson and Jaron Ennis, have provided some excitement for the future of American boxers over the past few years. In addition to their in-ring prowess, almost all of these fighters have interesting — if often controversial — personalities outside the ring.
Haney is still reeling from the loss to Garcia, which was handed a one-year suspension after Garcia failed multiple drug tests. Lopez seems to be on a perpetual emotional roller coaster. Stevenson’s recent lackluster but winning performances have seen him try to embrace a borderline villainous persona outside of the ring.
2025 could be the year where those fighters try to take big steps in their careers as they have passed the point of being young future stars and are now the collective face of American boxing. To keep the sport healthy in the country, it needs fighters and fights that attract attention. Each of those men can do it with their big personalities, but can they step up to the big fights and do the rest?
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