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2025 Box Contenders: Who can win Fighter of the Year?

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The remaining four months in the 2025 boxing schedule, there is no clear frontator for Fighter of the Year. From the unilateral impact of Daniel Dubois through Oleksandra Usyk to Dmitry Bivol, who avenged his defeat with Artur Beterbavier for the undisputed lightweight championships, great results took place throughout the year. However, there is no performance that creates a sufficient distance to distinguish one warrior from the package.

There are still several solemn fights in this year’s schedule that can bring performances in conversation. Terenka Crawford challenges Canelo Alvarez about the unquestioned super -medium scale championships that stands out. However, several other fighters also have the option of strongly closing the year and justification.

We look at some of the fights that have already been announced, as well as the fighters we expect again before the end of the year. What will they have to do to strengthen their place as the warrior of the ESPN 2025 year?


Terenca Crawford, if he defeats Canelo Alvarez

Yes, it would be the only fight of Crawford this year, but the transfer of two weight classes in order to overcome Canelo stapling to the pounds and become a three -part unquestioned master would have a greater value than two or three fights anyone else.

There was a time when we thought Crawford would be too tiny for Errol Spence Jr., when they met at the undisputed welterweight championships in July 2023 and we saw how it went. For Crawford, who began his championship in 135 pounds, to advance up and beat Canelo, all time, who has never lost in 168 pounds, would be a revelation. Let’s not forget that Crawford will be 38 years aged in September and is almost three years older than Canelo.

Depending on how Crawford was to win, he would not only strengthen his place as a warrior of the year, but also would lead to solemn consideration, where the career “Buda” is one of the biggest boxers.


Rolando “Rolly” Romero, if he lands in Manny Pacquiao and wins

Losers with a knockout from Gervont “Tank” Davis in 2022 and Isaac Cruz in 2024 left Romero as an opponent, not a future candidate for Fighter of the Year. However, he upset the apple stroller, defeating Ryan Garcia with a unanimous decision in May and is high on the list of potential Pacquiao opponents during his next fight.

The Pacquiao manager, Sean Gibbons, mentioned Romero by name and aims to the Philippine legend to return to the ring before the end of 2025 with aspiration to break his own record as the oldest warrior who became a welterweight champion (Pacquiao ends on December 47), the fight with Master WBA has a lot of sense.

As for the fight itself, Romero still has a significant power to hit and looked enormous against Garcia. While the fight against Garcia was not Barnburner in any episode of imagination, Romero showed several recent wrinkles in his game and defended the left hook very well against Garcia’s trademark. If he could beat Pacquiao, he would have a prize claim.


Katie Taylor, if he faces Chantelle Cameron

After closing the book about the Amanda Serrano trilogy with a clear win in July, Taylor can finally go on and chase another opponent. The fight, which is the most sensible for the undisputed welterweight master, is a rubber match with Cameron, the only warrior who defeated Taylor in his professional career.

The fight is simple to do when Cameron has signed a contract with Jake Paul’s most valuable promotions and debuting promotional on Taylor-Serrano 3 Undercard, a unanimous decision on Jessica Camar.

Cameron defeated Taylor by the decision of the majority in May 2023 and lost a narrow decision in the rematch in November 2023. Given the strictly imported nature of the first two meetings, the third fight is an obvious choice. If Taylor could win impressive, it would be challenging to ignore the Fighter of the Year conversation.


Nayya Inoue, if he defeats Murodjona Akhmadalieva and take another fight in December

This year, “The Monster” was crazy with the knockout Ye Joon Kim and Ramon Cardenas and will take the third fight in 2025, when he will face Akhmadaliev on September 14. While the very victory over “MJ” may not make Inoue be the fourth fighter of the year, the fourth fight in 2025 will certainly put him in the conversation.

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the general entertainment authority of Saudi Arabia, announced the plans of the December battle card, in which Inoue defended his unquestioned Junior Junior Championships in WBC, David Picasso, who decides to most against Kyonosuke Kameda on Barrio-Mario.

If Inoue can go 4-0 with four knockouts this year, he could come out with distinction.


Moses Itauma, if he faces the 10 best bulky scales

Ituma is only 20 years aged, but he has gone from the perspective to compete in the blink of an eye. His annihilation of Dillian Whyte in the first round of August 16 was a terrifying example of his potential. Between the Mike Balogun’s two -level couple in May, the heavyweight herd of Ituma glides through the roof. In 2025 he dealt with in less than six minutes of fighting, and return before the end of the year is very likely.

Ituma mentioned the fight against the strong Jermaine Franklin for a lap. However, with Franklin fighting now on Canelo-Crawford Undercard, Ituma will have to look for an opponent elsewhere, and the fight against TOP-10 can be a strenuous way.

Filip Hrgovic, who defeated David Adeleye to Podkard Itauma-Cyte, makes sense. Or Itauma can continue to fight the former momentary champion of Zhilei Zhang, who lost to Agit Kabayel in February. If Ituma fights with any best weight and wins, it will be challenging to exclude it from the conversation.


Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, if he defeats Fernando Martinez

Rodriguez added to his collection of belts in smaller weight classes in 2025 with an impressive stop of the 10th round of Phumelele Cafu in July to become the Bantamweight WBO champion. He was already the owner of the WBC title. The 25 -year -old Rodriguez is still impressive on his newborn career and is to face the owner of the IBF Martinez title in November on the arranged Ring IV card, headed by David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde.

The way Rodriguez still sends opponents is extremely opening eyes, and he will have the opportunity to take an invincible record of another warrior and closer to the undoubted 115 pounds. A lot would have to go on his way, outside of him, winning this fight so that Rodriguez take Fighter of the Year Honors, but “Bam” is always in conversation.


Shakur Stevenson, if he moves to 140 pounds or defends his 135 title before the best claimant

Stevenson has 2-0 in 2025 with the dominant victories over Josh Padley and William Zeda. His ability was never questioned, and his invigorating fight against Zepeda in July, oppressing nutsayers who claim that Stevenson’s fights are tedious. He hunted for fighting with Gervont Davis and Teofimo Lopez. With Davis closed to fight Jake Paul and Lopez still on the radio after Stevenson called for the fight for 140 pounds, Stevenson’s options for a great fight for closing 2025 are restricted.

There is always a possibility that he will visit the previously planned fight against Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield. They were to meet in February, but Schofield had to withdraw due to illness. Schofield returned in June when he destroyed Farmer Tevin to Undercard Jake Paul-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The fight between Stevenson and Schofield would now be much larger than it was originally planned.

Stevenson can also continue to fight the IBF Richardson Hitchins Hitchins Hitchins Health Master or compete in a 135-pound unification against the owner of the IBF Raymond Muratalla titles. None of these fights would make Stevenson Shoo-in for Fighter of the Year, but if he contributes to another dazzling performance, you never know.

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Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold

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"Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold"

Otto Wallin, the heavyweight who left Tyson Fury covered in blood and was later stopped by Anthony Joshua, suffered another crushing setback when Vladyslav Sirenko knocked him out cold in the final round of their Zuffa Boxing clash in New York.

Wallin was trailing on all three scorecards before Sirenko landed a devastating right hand followed by a left hook in the closing seconds of the tenth and final round.

The Swedish southpaw crashed to the canvas and remained down long enough for a stretcher to be brought into the ring, although he later sat up and responded to medical staff.

From Tyson Fury Scare To Another Knockout

Wallin’s career has become one of the heavyweight division’s biggest “what if” stories.

In 2019, he came within touching distance of ending Tyson Fury’s unbeaten record after opening a horrific cut above the Briton’s right eye that required 47 stitches. Many believed the contest could have been stopped before Fury battled through to win on points.

Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News three years later, Wallin insisted the fight would have been waved off had the roles been reversed.

“I think the cuts that he had were very bad. He had 47 stitches after the fight. If I had those cuts, the doctors would have stopped the fight, for sure,” Wallin told WBN.

Despite that disappointment, Wallin rebuilt his career by defeating current WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev before earning high-profile clashes with Joshua and Derek Chisora.

His defeat to Joshua ended in a fifth-round stoppage. This latest loss to Sirenko marks the second knockout defeat of Wallin’s career and leaves the 35-year-old facing the toughest questions yet over his future.

Zuffa Boxing

Vladyslav Sirenko Scores Career-Best Win

For Sirenko, the victory represented the biggest win of his professional career.

The Ukrainian improved to 23-1 with 20 knockouts by stopping one of the heavyweight division’s most respected contenders after bouncing back from last year’s defeat to Solomon Dacres.

Wallin once looked destined for another world title opportunity after pushing Fury to the brink and defeating future WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev.

Two knockout defeats later, that dream looks further away than ever.


About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

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Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: He Will Take Over

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Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: "He Will Take Over"

Terence Crawford believes one man will follow in his footsteps and retire as an unbeaten world champion, essentially becoming a generational great in the process.

‘Bud’ became not only a world champion but a three-division undisputed king, ending his career with a legacy-defining unanimous decision triumph over Canelo Alvarez.

Even before that, Crawford was considered an elite pound-for-pound operator for over a decade, with many believing his most complete performance came against Errol Spence Jr in 2023.

But while the American is perhaps in a class of his own, he nonetheless believes that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson can achieve a similar degree of success.

The 29-year-old claimed a career-best victory in January, losing just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez with a masterful unanimous decision victory.

Having now signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, though, it remains to be seen whether he defends his WBO super-lightweight title or pursues opportunities elsewhere.

Either way, Crawford has told Fight Hub TV that Stevenson has the mental and physical attributes to remain unbeaten at the highest level.

“I think Shakur [will take over]for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart]takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym. [Is he beatable?] Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.”

Since inking a promotional deal with Zuffa, Stevenson has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as two potential opponents who would cement his greatness.

The slick southpaw could therefore compete anywhere between lightweight and 147lbs, depending on which division offers the most realistic opportunities.

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Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

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"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.

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