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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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Mike Tyson puts pressure on Oleksandr Usyk for his next fight

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Mike Tyson poses with WBC mandatory heavyweight challenger Agit Kabayel as the German contender displays a championship belt during a public appearance in Germany

Mike Tyson has joined the growing chorus calling for Oleksandr Usyk to fight Agit Kabayel again, amid continued uncertainty over the heavyweight champion’s future plans.

Appearing in a video posted to Kabayel’s Instagram account from the Berlin meeting, Tyson made his position clear.

“Come Usyk, come for us, baby. We need that money, baby, come for us,” said the former undisputed heavyweight champion.

The news came as Kabayel once again tried to get Usyk’s attention after years of working towards an opportunity he felt he already deserved.

Kabayel is getting more and more impatient

The undefeated German has been establishing himself as a must-see over the years and was officially confirmed by the WBC as Usyk’s next challenger following the champion’s controversial victory over Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has already stated that the fight should take place before the end of the year.

“Agit is the WBC interim champion and mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk,” Sulaiman said. “He deserved his stripes.”

Despite this position, the situation is still not uncomplicated.

Usyk still has a huge advantage as the heavyweight division’s biggest dynamic attraction and could, however, opt for a more lucrative rematch with Verhoeven.

The Germans are waiting

Klitschko’s former manager Bernd Boente recently told WBN that the Usyk vs. Kabayel will be the main event in Germany.

Boente believes the country’s enormous Ukrainian population would aid create a stadium atmosphere not seen in German boxing since Klitschko’s days.

Usyk’s fight with Kabayel would live up to all expectations. The German gets the chance he deserves, Usyk fulfills his mandatory duty, and Germany becomes one of the biggest heavyweight events in years.

Whether this will happen is a completely different matter.

Master without a punch?

If Usyk chooses Rico Verhoeven’s bigger payday instead, Kabayel could become heavyweight champion without pulling any punches.

The irony is that the opportunity he has been chasing for years may come through paperwork rather than victory in the ring.

This result would immediately create another problem. The German heavyweight champion is a valuable commodity, but filling a football stadium in the first defense requires the right opponent.

Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder remains one of the few names available who could turn his title defense into a major event in Germany if the Usyk fight falls through.

Wilder is ranked seventh in the WBC rankings as of June 2026.

For now, however, Kabayel is focusing on the champion himself.

The WBC has already confirmed he is the mandatory challenger to Usyk, Boente believes the fight should take place at a German stadium, and Mike Tyson has publicly joined the campaign.

The final decision now rests with Usyk, even though Iron Mike publicly supported Kabayel’s call.


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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Eddie Hearn names Christian Medina as a potential next opponent for Bam Rodriguez

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Image: Boxing Results: Christian Medina Retains WBO Title Over Adrian Curiel

“My answer is to talk to Robert Garcia and Bam, you know, it’s one fight at 118 pounds,” Hearn told DAZN Boxing after Rodriguez stopped Vargas in six rounds to win the WBA bantamweight title. “We also have Chispa Medina. This is a great unification fight that must be fought between the two of them.”

The comments show a different perspective on the debate that has been raging around Bam Rodriguez since his last victory. A lot of attention was focused on the Naoya Inoue fight, especially after trainer Robert Garcia indicated that he would prefer Bam have one more fight before moving on to fight the undisputed super bantamweight champion.

If Garcia remains committed to keeping Rodriguez at bantamweight for his next fight, Medina (27-4, 19 KO) would be a logical option. Instead of competing in a non-title fight, Rodriguez would have the opportunity to unify the WBA and WBO championships in just his second appearance at 118 pounds.

Rodriguez (25-0, 18 KO) moved up from super flyweight to dethrone Antonio Vargas by sixth-round knockout in Glendale, Arizona, becoming a three-division world champion at the age of 26.

Hearn later reminded fans that the main goal remains a future fight with Inoue.

“The deal has to be right. The offer has to be right,” Hearn said. “I know Bam will do it, without a doubt. Robert will do it too. But we have a long-term future in this sport. Belts up for grabs at 118 pounds.”

Hearn’s comments changed the discussion about Rodriguez’s next move. Rather than speculate on Inoue’s future showdown, promoter Matchroom considered WBO champion Christian “Chispa” Medina as a realistic option for Bam’s next fight.

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Roy Jones Jr admits there is one fighter he wouldn’t want to face: ‘He’s explosive and mean’

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Roy Jones Jr admits there is one fighter he wouldn’t have wanted to face: “He’s explosive and mean”

Roy Jones Jr named another Hall of Famer whose speed would pose major problems if they ever collided in the ring.

The American had remarkable speed himself, particularly during his dominant run between middleweight and airy heavyweight, with his only defeat coming against Montell Griffin in 1997.

Even then, Jones was only disqualified for punching Griffin while he was on one knee, and eventually won the rematch via first-round stoppage later that year.

Regardless of this flaw, the pound-for-pound legend was almost untouchable throughout his prime, yet he admits that fellow icon Sugar Ray Leonard would have been a tough matchup.

While Jones was arguably most effective at 168 to 175 pounds, Leonard scored two of his most crucial victories – against Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran – at 147 pounds.

He then moved up to middleweight and, most importantly, he won a razor-thin split decision against Marvin Haglerbefore a rematch with Hearns at the 164-pound catchweight in 1989.

At this point, Leonard had everything behind him, and yet even at middleweight, “Sugar Ray” would be considered a fierce opponent for Jones.

In a social media clip reposted by BeeBoxJones explains that Leonard’s speed and malice would cause him problems.

“I never really wanted to fight [Leonard]. I knew that [against] a swift fighter like him, the jab is your problem – you can’t [keep] punch in the face.

“If you let him move around and do what he wants [wants to] do this, he will beat you because he is very compact tempered and very mean.

Ultimately, Leonard ultimately retired following a loss to Hector Camacho in 1997, though admittedly both he and Jones were shadows of their former selves before they hung up the gloves.

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