Boxing

Boxing’s 25 best under-25s: which British fighters made the list?

Published

12 months ago

November 18, 2025

ESPN’s annual ranking of the top 25 players under 25 is here. As always, British interest in the full list is high, and this year’s ranking is special considering who will take the top spot.

Since March 2024, Moses Itauma has fought six fights, nine rounds in total. In August, he advanced in the competition by defeating veteran Dillian Whyte, whom he finished in less than two minutes. His next fight is the American Jermaine Franklin Jr. on January 24, during which he wants to silence any questions about the hype.

Itauma is one of the most invigorating heavyweights in boxing, whom former champion Tyson Fury believes is the future of the division.

“Moses Itauma will eliminate all the venerable guys in the division,” Fury said in an Instagram story after Itauma’s victory over White. “[Oleksandr] Usyk, [Anthony] Joshua, [Jarrell] Miller. Whoever is there is so venerable. [Zhilei] Zhang, whoever the hell else is out there, Luis Ortiz. All these great names from the past.

“Even the one who took my belts [Usyk]. Moses will destroy it, because it is a fight between a juvenile man and an venerable man. And an venerable man can’t mess with a juvenile man.”

So who else is on the list of a mighty group of British fighters under the age of 25? Andreas Hale and Nick Parkinson look at this and provide some analysis.

1. Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KO)

Heavyweight rival
20 years
Ranking 2024: 10

Warrior: Itauma, an ESPN 2024 prospect, is not a person who can legally drink alcohol in America, but after a speedy and brutal 2025, she found herself at the top of this year’s list. Competing in the land of giants, the 6-foot-10 southpaw isn’t necessarily bigger than the top heavyweights, but he’s undoubtedly the future with his unique combination of size, speed and power.

Most significant moment or achievement: Heading into the White fight, the biggest question surrounding Itauma was whether his remarkable finishing prowess would continue once he started competing. That question was definitively answered when he defeated Mike Balogun and two-time interim heavyweight champion Whyte in 2025. Itauma stopped Balogun in two rounds – the third-longest fight of his career – in May and was assigned to fight Whyte, who was considered his toughest opponent to date. The fight against “The Body Snatcher” was not competitive.

Future prospects: To properly transform from a prospect to a contender to being the man everyone wants to see against Usyk in just two years is a huge testament to his potential. Itauma will begin his 2026 campaign against the hard-wearing Jermaine Franklin on January 24 and will try to do what Anthony Joshua couldn’t: stop Franklin. Then you will have to wait to see which heavyweight fighter will want to enter the ring with him. The scary thing is that Itauma still has four years to make this list.

10. Adam Azim (14-0, 11 KO)

Junior welterweight fighter
23 years venerable
Ranking 2024: 9

Warrior: The junior welterweight has a fan-friendly style, quick hands, a risky left hook and lightning-fast reflexes. He only had two appearances this year, but he did well in both. He stopped veteran Sergei Lipinets, who briefly held the IBF world title in 2017 and 2018, in nine rounds in February, then patiently broke down Kurt Scoby’s stubborn resistance in round 12 on November 15.

Most significant moment or achievement: At the most significant stage of Azim’s career, during the Chris Eubank Jr. match. vs. Conor Benn 2, which took place on November 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Azim was too skillful and experienced in the ring for Scoby. Azim dominated the early rounds with his jab and dropped his hands from round 8 onwards. He put Scoby under grave pressure in round 11 and ended the fight in the next round by landing a series of precise punches to the head and body. Dealing with Scoby’s nonsense during fight week was also a good learning experience for Azim as he moved on to bigger fights.

Future prospects: Azim is making steady progress and will face better opponents in 2026. The two governing bodies are ranked 9th and 10th, so he likely needs more wins to secure a title shot. One fight that would be popular: against English rival Dalton Smith, who challenges Subriel Matias for the IBF title on January 10.

12. Caroline Dubois (11-0-1, 5 KOs)

WBC women’s lightweight world champion
24 years venerable
2024 position: 16th

Warrior: Dubois defended his WBC lightweight title twice this year. She was promoted from interim champion to full world champion in December 2024 after Katie Taylor vacated the belt. Dubois previously complained that Taylor was holding back her career by refusing to fight her. She had a frustrating technical draw in January when Jessica Camara was deemed unable to continue following a cut. Dubois then passed Bo Mi Re Shin by majority vote in March, but has not boxed since.

Most significant moment or achievement: Dubois has a mighty arm, but she hasn’t stopped any of her previous six opponents. Her best performance remains a unanimous victory over Maira Moneo, whom she knocked down with a left hook in round 6 and thus won the interim WBC title in August 2024.

Future prospects: Dubois has been inactive since March while her promoter Boxxer signs a fresh UK television deal, with no confirmation of her next fight. The fight Dubois wants is a title unification fight with WBO lightweight champion Terri Harper, which would be one of the biggest fights in women’s boxing in 2026, if it happens.

18. Callum Walsh (15-0, 11 KO)

Junior middleweight fighter
24 years venerable
2024 position: 22nd

Warrior: The six-foot southerner hails from Ireland but has fought almost exclusively in the US. Walsh, who is trained by Freddie Roach in Los Angeles, says working on fishing boats at the age of 16 gave him a mighty work ethic, and that same challenging work has seen him make steady progress in 2025. After a stunning first-round knockout of Dean Sutherland in March, he scored a fifth-round technical decision win over Elias Espadas in June and won a unanimous decision. over Fernando Vargas Jr. in September. Vargas’ victory in front of a Netflix audience and headlining a card headlined by Terence Crawford’s victory over Canelo Alvarez helped raise Walsh’s prestige. Vargas stopped all but two of his 17 previous opponents, but Walsh showed skillful and skilled boxing to win by four rounds on the judges’ scorecards in the title fight.

Most significant moment or achievement: His quick victory over Sutherland, sealed with a left hand followed by a powerful right hook, highlighted Walsh’s potential. Sutherland was on the canvas after Walsh’s speed and arm strength proved too much for him.

Future prospects: IBF world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev will defend his belt against Josh Kelly in early 2026, and Walsh could be well prepared to fight the winner.

Boxing

Conor Benns $40 Million Dilemma: Zuffas Critical Crossroads for Future Success

Published

10 hours ago

November 10, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Conor Benn's $40 Million Dilemma: Zuffa's Critical Crossroads for Future Success"

Chris Mannix estimates Conor Benn will clear upward of $40 million across the Regis Prograis win, his knockout loss to Ryan Garcia, and a third bout. If that figure holds, Zuffa’s next move is simple: decide whether Benn is a long-term commercial asset worth rebuilding, or a depreciating commodity to cash out before the floor gives way.

Cheap preliminary bouts can shave operational overhead, but cost-cutting does not rescue a main event that draws too few buyers to carry elite purses. Denzel Bentley is a clean, in-house booking on paper, yet he brings virtually no promotional leverage outside hardcore circles. If Benn stumbles against a rugged domestic contender, his headliner status evaporates on a Tuesday-level attraction.

“Conor Benn in the last three fights, I would estimate he has made. Well, the last two and then there’s one coming up. He’s going to make north of $40 million. Very few fighters make that in their career,” said Mannix.

A third meeting with Chris Eubank Jr. remains a dependable box-office draw across the UK, but it offers zero forward momentum. Without a world title or fresh bad blood, a trilogy simply taxes the same domestic consumer base a third time. It functions as a lucrative exit strategy rather than a platform to expand Benn’s brand.

Shakur Stevenson provides stateside name recognition, yet the financial and stylistic variables work against Zuffa. Stevenson is a naturally smaller fighter moving up in weight. A Benn win does little to erase the Garcia beatdown, while a calculated twelve-round schooling by Stevenson leaves Zuffa covering two astronomical purses for a clinic that actively turns off casual ticket buyers. That dilemma also complicates distribution, as an American-led Stevenson bout targets a prime U.S. broadcast window, whereas an Eubank card requires a UK primetime slot to secure the gate.

If Zuffa intends to actually rehabilitate Benn, it needs a recognizable, established welterweight willing to stand in the pocket. The play is an opponent who commands respect on the marquee, yet offers the stylistic openings Benn requires to deliver a highlight-reel finish that makes his next event an easy sell.

Boxing

David Benavidez Sets Condition for Continued Partnership with PBC

Published

10 hours ago

November 10, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"David Benavidez Sets Condition for Continued Partnership with PBC"

David Benavidez is prepared to re-sign with Premier Boxing Champions following his December 5 bout against Michal Cieslak, provided his contract permits regular cross-platform appearances.

In an interview with Chris MannixBenavidez revealed he launched his own promotional banner, outlining an aggressive roadmap targeting Jai Opetaia in May followed by Oleksandr Usyk in September. The true worth of any future contractual commitment rests entirely on delivering those marquee bouts without bureaucratic delay.

“As long as we’re able to move freely and fight whoever, whatever network we want to do, then we can stay here,” Benavidez stated. “I want these fights to happen immediately.”

Benavidez gives PBC credit for letting him shop around on other networks. He needs that kind of leeway if he wants major unifications, simply because the money has to come from rival platforms or deep-pocketed outside backers.

Starting his own promotional company lets him push for co-promotional billing, a say on fight dates, and a piece of the TV rights. Still, none of that matters unless the opposing camps and money men sign off. Making a fight with Opetaia is one thing; putting together the numbers for a monster event with Usyk is a totally different ballgame.

Despite turning 29, Benavidez carries the mileage of a thirteen-year professional tenure. Eliminating the harsh cut to 175 pounds undoubtedly preserves his conditioning. Yet his relentless, close-range combinations naturally expose him to heavy return fire from full-sized cruiserweights. A punishing clash with Opetaia in May could result in facial cuts, orthopedic damage, or an abbreviated summer training camp ahead of a proposed September date with Usyk.

With Benavidez, the facial wear is catching up to the odometer. He turned pro at sixteen, but the real mileage is the gym work. His whole identity in camp has always been grueling, high-volume sparring where he plays the hammer, walking guys down and eating clean shots just to deliver five of his own. You can get away with that in your early twenties when the recovery is instant, but that kind of daily collision accumulates on a guy’s face and joints.

The weight shifts do not help either. Spending a decade draining a massive frame down to 168 pounds, ballooning between camps, then cutting to 175, and now suddenly filling out toward 200 changes facial structure dramatically. Once a fighter stops that severe water depletion cycle and carries heavier, solid mass into his late twenties, the baby fat is completely gone, and the facial tissue hardens up fast.

The real giveaway will be the first time he faces genuine adversity at cruiserweight. When guys age overnight on the outside, you watch the legs and the punch reaction. If the feet look heavy early or the reflexes to slip counters are a fraction of a second slower against a puncher like Cieslak or Opetaia, that weathered look in camp ceases to be cosmetic and becomes a fighting reality.

Boxing

Junto Nakatani vs Ramon Cardenas Set for February Showdown on DAZN

Published

18 hours ago

November 9, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Junto Nakatani vs Ramon Cardenas Set for February Showdown on DAZN"

Ronspo, though Yahoo! Japan, brings word of some interesting developments on the Japanese front. Per their update yesterdayU-NEXT’s as-yet unannounced NYE show will feature four-division champion Kazuto Ioka, former flyweight champion Daigo Higa, and reigning WBA light flyweight champion Daiya Kira, who will move up to 112 in a bid to become a two-weight champion in just his sixth pro fight.

Arguably more interesting is the second half of the article, which claims that DAZN will air pound-for-pound fixture Junto Nakatani’s (32-1, 24 KO) planned return in February. “Big Bang” has been on the mend since a brutal war with Naoya Inoue in Maybut now finds himself well-positioned to take “The Monster’s” place as the super bantamweight division’s kingpin upon Inoue’s planned journey to 126.

Per Ronspo, he’ll first have to get past Ramon Cardenas (28-2, 15 KO), who himself floored Inoue in a firefight for the ages last year. He and Nakatani own the top two spots in the WBC rankings and would reportedly square off for either an interim title or, if Inoue vacates ahead of time, the real thing. Regardless of the hardware at stake, there’s a ton to love about a matchup between indefatigable sluggers, and DAZN expanding into the Japanese market should make things significantly more convenient for the Americans with awful sleep schedules who otherwise have to navigate a fragmented broadcast scene.