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5 fights we would like to see in boxing in 2026

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7 months ago

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5 fights we want to see boxing deliver in 2026

The start of each recent boxing year brings with it a familiar mix of hopes, expectations and lists. Twelve months during which the sport will be praised, criticized, analyzed and sometimes ridiculed – but no matter how much it tests our patience, we always come back for more.

However, the action in the ring rarely disappoints. Just in January, there was a real superfight in which Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson rolled the dice against each other. And while this period in the calendar is often associated with tranquil nights and algorithm-driven entertainment, fighting game fans have much more to look forward to beyond the opening weeks.

What awaits us when January comes to an end? At Boxing News, we have scanned the divisions and selected five fights that we not only want to see, but we believe the sport desperately needs. We start in one of boxing’s most dynamic strongholds: Japan.

Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani – Undisputed super bantamweight title

December 27, 2025 was supposed to whet your appetite. Two separate fights designed to spice up an all-Japan superfight that has been years in the making. Inoue duly outclassed David Picasso and Nakatani left Riyad elated, having maintained his undefeated record after defeating Sebastian Hernandez.

The aftermath widened perceived gaps. Inoue remains the finished article; Nakatani, still adjusting to the super bantamweight division, suddenly looks more like a challenger than an equal. Does this blunt the plot? Not remotely. With May and the Tokyo Dome – potentially in front of 50,000 fans – the likely setting, it’s the kind of occasion that puts sports on hold. The reigning superpower against the man who dares to take the throne.

Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz – super welterweight

Boxing has reached a point where risk is no longer a sullied word and unbroken records are becoming increasingly redundant. Riyad’s season has helped change that attitude, but this fight still has to happen. Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya must find common ground and fight in a decisive 154-pound competition.

Ennis’s speed, accuracy and fluidity versus Ortiz’s relentless pressure and powerful power was a matchup worthy of division history. It elevates the winner to the place every elite fighter desires. The signals were mixed. They can’t let this become another great fight that got out of boxing’s control.

Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev III – featherlight heavyweight unification

A competition in which they are tied at one apiece needs to be resolved – especially when neither competitor has shown significant decline. Bivol and Beterbiev proved in two fights that year-end classics do not have to be reckless wars. Instead, their contrasting styles produced elite-level tension and technical excellence.

Almost a year has passed since then Bivol’s redemptionthe surgery kept him inactive, and Beterbiev hopes that the rest allowed him to fully recover. Despite David Benavidez’s ambitions, Bivol and Beterbiev remain the two best featherlight heavyweights. Boxing needs a rubber match.

Hamzah Sheeraz vs Christian Mbilli – WBC super middleweight title

With the 168-pound division still in flux following Terence Crawford’s retirement, the division is waiting for a recent standard-bearer. Canelo Alvarez may still hold that status, but challengers like Sheeraz and Mbilli could announce themselves by winning their first world title.

The WBC ordered this fight – and for good reason. Sheeraz delivers size, reach and growing authority; Mbilli offers unrelenting performance and constant pressure. Sheeraz looked deadly against Edgar Berlanga, while Mbilli was lucky to draw against Lester Martinez. The styles promise intensity, energetic fluctuations and real danger.

Anthony Olascuaga vs Masamichi Yabuki – flyweight unification

Japanese boxing was one of the sport’s biggest success stories in 2025, with Olascuaga and Yabuki playing key roles in that growth. Both have developed through activity, ability and momentum to establish themselves as two of the most unsafe fighters in the division.

Aggressive, fan-friendly and heated, their styles feel tailor-made. Olascuaga’s star continues to rise and Yabuki is recovering from his loss to Kenshiro in 2022. The time is perfect. This has all the makings of a fight of the year contender.

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Boxing

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

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7 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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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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Boxing

Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshuas Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns

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9 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshua's Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns"

Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.

Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.

Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.

Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.

Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.

“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”

The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.

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Boxing

Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshuas Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

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9 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshua's Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Anthony Joshua may have earned a knockout win over Kristian Prenga but the fight certainly didn’t unfold as most people expected.

Joshua was facing the Albanian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and it looked like a massive upset could be on the cards when he was dropped twice in the opening round.

‘AJ’ was able to recover and went on to secure a second round knockout victory to prevent the shock lossseemingly paving the way for the battle against Tyson Fury later this year.

One man who was ringside to witness the battle was former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellewand he praised Joshua’s ability to turn things around in the fight after describing it as ‘chaos’.

“We predicted round two but I don’t think we foresaw that. That was chaos. He doesn’t see the uppercut coming and finds himself on the floor without knowing how he got there.

“The second one he did see it coming and he was able to clench down on the jaw. He got up and then the experience that he has he used tonight because he tied him up. Against Andy Ruiz he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t know how to do that, but tonight he did.

“He showed once again there is no quit. To be that hurt in the first round and get up, that’s the recoveries of power. People talk about your chin, but it’s not, it’s the level of fitness that gets you up from the floor.

“When Joshua gets a fighter hurt he’s the best finisher in the division. Whenever he hurts someone they’re gone. I haven’t seen him drop anybody and they survive, only Andy Ruiz. He’s a ruthless finisher.”

The clash between Joshua and Fury is now expected to be announced soon for later this year, after Fury won his own interim fight on Friday by defeating Mariusz Wach.

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