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5 fights we would like to see in boxing in 2026

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5 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

Elijah Holyfield wins his WWE Evolve debut with an Uppercut Finisher

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2 hours ago

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June 5, 2026

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Elijah Holyfield, son of former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, won his first WWE Evolve match on June 3, defeating Kai Kavari in the company’s developmental program.

According to material published by Bleacher ReportHolyfield ended the fight with a right hand and pinned Kavari. WWE calls the finisher “The Uppercut”, a move modeled after his father’s boxing. Pro Wrestling Dot Net reported that the fight lasted 1 minute and 14 seconds.

According to SEScoops, Holyfield went through a series of Stinger Splashes and Spinebusters before delivering the final blow.

His father, a former cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, built much of his ring identity on body striking and combination work during a career spanning the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

From the NFL to the ring

Holyfield’s path to WWE didn’t go through boxing. He played running back at the University of Georgia and signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. He appeared in one regular-season NFL game during the 2020 season.

A 2022 knee injury he suffered while on the Bengals’ roster ended his football career and redirected him toward wrestling.

WWE path

Holyfield signed a WWE developmental contract in November 2024. He competed in the first season of the WWE reality show LFG (Legends and Future Greats), where he mentored The Undertaker and earned a contract that placed him on the Evolve brand.

His ring debut was delayed due to injury. According to multiple wrestling outlets, he suffered a torn bicep in delayed 2025 and required surgery. He is 27 years ancient.

The June 3 episode of Evolve was taped at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida and streamed on Tubi in the United States.

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Boxing

Katie Taylor says the September 5 fight will be her last

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4 hours ago

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June 5, 2026

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Image: Katie Taylor Says September 5 Fight Will Be Her Last

Katie Taylor’s farewell fight is now official.

On Thursday, Matchroom Boxing announced that Taylor will return to Dublin’s Croke Park on September 5 to defend her WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles against undefeated French challenger Flora Pili. The vacant WBC title is also at stake, giving Taylor a chance to become a three-time undisputed champion.


The event will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN and is expected to attract over 80,000 fans to Ireland’s national stadium.

“It seems like the perfect way to end – to become Undisputed Champion once again on our national stadium that holds such a special place in Irish hearts. I’m grateful that this is happening and I can’t thank the people of this country enough for the support I’ve received over the years.

“People have traveled all over the world following my career and I hope I can return the favor with a confident performance on September 5. I have no illusions that Flora will pose a very arduous challenge; she is undefeated as a professional and has a good amateur pedigree, so I have the utmost respect for her.

“I have been blessed to have achieved more in this sport than I could have ever dreamed of, but fighting in Croke Park is truly the icing on the cake. I hope this event inspires a whole recent generation to take up sport and follow their passions.”

Taylor enters the fight with a 25-1 record. The event, which will take place on September 5, will be the first professional boxing event held in Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought Alvin Lewis there in 1972.

Pili brings an undefeated record of 12-0 to the fight and will be looking for the biggest victory of his career. Tickets go on sale June 12 via Ticketmaster, with pre-sales starting earlier this week.

If successful, Taylor will retire as a three-time undisputed champion.

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Last update: 2026/06/05 at 11:27

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Boxing

‘Rico’s eighth place in the rankings is crazy’ – three leapfrogged WBC heavyweights want Verhoeven next

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5 hours ago

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June 5, 2026

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Rico Verhoeven appears behind heavyweight contenders Andrii Novytskyi, Labinot Xhoxhaj and Guido Vianello after the WBC elevated the Dutch kickboxing champion to number eight in its heavyweight rankings.

World Boxing News spoke to three heavyweights who sacrificed themselves in the WBC rankings to give Rico Verhoeven his due for pushing Oleksandr Usyk to the eleventh round.

The Dutch kickboxing superstar debuted at number eight in the latest WBC heavyweight rankings, despite having only boxed twice as a professional.

The decision pushed several established contenders down the list, including undefeated Ukrainian Andrii Novytskyi, European champion Labinot Xhoxhaj and Italian challenger Guido Vianello.

“It’s My Time”

After Verhoeven’s arrival, Novytskyi dropped to twelfth place.

The 30-year-old Ukrainian is undefeated with a record of 16-0 and 12 knockouts, and gained momentum thanks to victories over Alexander Flores and David Zegarra.

When asked about Verhoeven’s ranking, Nowycki told WBN: “I think it’s my time to fight Rico.”

“Number Eight Is Crazy”

Vianello was even more candid.

The Italian heavyweight, who has wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov and Alexis Barriere, questions Verhoeven’s position while praising his performance against Usyk.

“Rico eighth in the WBC rankings is crazy!” Vianello told World Boxing News.

“I can fight him wherever and whenever he wants.

“In the match against Usyk, he deserved to continue the fight for another round and not be stopped.

“Now he can fight me.”

Vianello became the first ranked heavyweight to openly question Verhoeven’s stance while also volunteering to fight him.

Many observers felt the Dutchman had exceeded expectations in Egypt. Others are not convinced that a single professional defeat should give him an advantage over established rivals.

Mark Robinson

Ready for anything

In the latest rankings, Xhoxhaj ranks lower than Verhoeven, even though he holds the European heavyweight title.

The Kosovo-born contender, who boasts a record of 22-0-1 and 17 knockouts, has made it clear that he is open to any opportunity that comes his way.

“I’m prepared for anything, whether it’s Rico Verhoeven or not,” Xhoxhaj told WBN.

Next move

It’s clear from the comments that all three men currently ranked below Verhoeven would welcome the opportunity to test the former GLORY champion.

The WBC has already praised Verhoeven’s performance in the fight against Usyk, while BoxRec assessed his place among heavyweight contenders in a much less favorable manner.

All three will face Verhoeven in the blink of an eye.

It remains debatable whether Rico will risk losing to another challenger ahead of his proposed rematch with Usyk.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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