5 fights we want to see boxing deliver in 2026

The start of any new boxing year brings a familiar mix of hope, expectations and lists. Twelve months in which the sport will be celebrated, criticized, dissected and sometimes ridiculed – but no matter how hard it tests our patience, we always come back for more.

But events in the ring rarely disappoint. January alone offers a real superfight, with Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson rolling the dice against each other. And while this period of the calendar is often associated with sleepless nights and algorithm-driven distraction, there’s plenty to keep fight fans going after the opening weeks.

So, what awaits us once January fades away? At Boxing News, we’ve scoured the divisions and picked five fights that we not only want to see, but that we think the sport desperately needs. We begin in one of boxing’s most vibrant strongholds: Japan.

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani – Undisputed super bantamweight title

December 27, 2025 It was supposed to whet the appetite. Two separate bouts are designed to start a Japanese super-fight that has been years in the making. Inoue beat David Picasso, while Nakatani left Riyadh lucky to maintain his unbeaten record after defeating Sebastian Hernandez.

The results have widened the perceived gaps. Inoue remains the definitive essay; Nakatani, still adjusting to the super bantamweight division, suddenly looks like a contender rather than an equal. Does this dilute the plot? Not remotely. With May and the Tokyo Dome being debated – which will likely be attended by 50,000 fans – this is the kind of occasion that will stop the sport in its tracks. A great power ruling against a man who dares to seize his throne.

Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Virgil Ortiz – Super welterweight

Boxing has reached a point where risk is no longer a dirty word, and unbeaten records are becoming increasingly expendable. The Riyadh season has helped change that mentality, but this fight needs to happen regardless. Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya need to find common ground and deliver the contest set at 154 pounds.

Ennis’ speed, accuracy and fluidity in the face of Ortiz’s constant pressure and punching power is a match worthy of division history. It elevates the winner to the place every elite fighter craves. The signals were mixed. They can’t let this become another great fight slip through boxing’s fingers.

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev III – Light Heavyweight Unification

The interconnected rivalry demands a solution – especially when neither man shows any tangible decline. Bivol and Beterbiev proved with two fights that the year-end classics don’t have to be slapdash wars. Instead, their contrasting styles produced elite-level tension and technical excellence.

It has been almost a year since Bivol’s recovery, with surgery keeping him inactive, while Beterbiev hopes rest has fully restored him. Despite David Benavidez’s ambitions, the top two light heavyweights remain Bivol and Beterbiev. Boxing needs a rubber match.

Hamza Shiraz vs. Christian Mbele – WBC middleweight title

With the 168-pound landscape changing following the retirement of Terence Crawford, the division awaits a new holder. Canelo Alvarez may still hold that status, but contenders like Shiraz and Mbeli could announce themselves by winning their first world title.

The World Boxing Council ordered this fight – and for good reason. Shiraz brings size, reach and growing authority; Mbele brings relentless production and constant pressure. Shiraz looked devastating against Edgar Berlanga, while Mbili was lucky to draw with Leicester Martinez. The patterns promise intensity, momentum swings and real danger.

Anthony Ulascuaga vs. Masamichi Yabuki – Flyweight unification

Japanese boxing has been one of the great success stories of the sport in 2025, and Olascuaga and Yabuki have been integral to that rise. They both thrived on activity, opportunity and momentum, making them two of the most dangerous players in the division.

Aggressive, fan-friendly and extremely sexy, their styles seem tailor-made for each other. Olascoaga’s star continues to rise, while Yabuki is rejuvenated since his loss to Kenshiro in 2022. The timing is perfect. This has all the ingredients needed for a “Fight of the Year” contender.