BERNSTEIN ON BOXING added the IBF and WBC belts to her collection. Both fighters looked spectacular in those outings, and this is as close to a 50-50 fight as you will ever see.
fights that are on tap for this year.
refereeing and scoring. Fans and pundits alike are wondering whether Roach is better than people thought or Davis just had an off night. The latter’s large fan base is eager to see their hero redeem himself. For Roach, it is
H Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev. Yes, some people wanted Bivol to face Benavidez next rather than completing this trilogy, but not one boxing fan
H Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford. In terms of marketability, this is the very definition of a megafight. There is debate about Crawford being able to climb so high in weight and be effective against Alvarez, but the Omaha great has never failed as a pro and he says he’ll be more than a worthy opponent for boxing’s biggest star. This match will garner coverage from all sports media and shine a light on the sport for casual boxing fans. It would be hard for me to imagine that among these already scheduled and virtually certain to be scheduled fights, we don’t get a classic or two – maybe more. All of this boxing action does not even take into account the many unannounced matches involving other stars and prospects for the rest of the year. I have maintained
doubts that this will be an excellent fight. These two men have carved out a special place for themselves in light heavyweight history. H Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev. This battle for 122-pound supremacy is the matchup that most fans have clamored for this past year or so. It will probably happen in September, and depending on the results of the fight, don’t rule out Inoue getting back in the ring in December to add even more luster to 2025. That could be against the always fun to watch Nick Ball. H Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois. This rematch, scheduled for July, has appeal because of the controversy in their first fight. Many feel that the body punch that dropped Usyk and delayed the fight for nearly four minutes was not a low blow, as it was ruled, and it
that boxing’s product has been consistently good in
Canelo vs. Crawford has all the elements of a superfight.
should’ve been a fight-winning punch for Dubois. This fight has further allure simply because fans appreciate any chance to see the great Usyk in action before his amazing career ends. H Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach. This rematch of their controversial draw has captured the imagination of fans for a variety of reasons. It is widely thought that Roach was robbed of a win by poor
recent years, whatever other issues the sport has faced. Now I will go one step further and suggest that the remainder will exceed the first half in terms of boxing excellence. Am I just a cockeyed optimist? Based on the evidence I see, I think I’m being a realist. If I’m wrong, quotes from this column will be plastered all over social media in December with clever memes to show what an imbecile I am. If I’m right, maybe one or two people will post something like this: “Great year in boxing. I think I remember a column in Ring Magazine that predicted this. That Doug Fischer guy really knows what he’s talking about.”
a chance to cement a position in the upper echelon of the sport.
H Mikaela Mayer vs. Lauren Price. This battle for the undisputed welterweight championship is one of the most appealing matches in women’s boxing. Both fighters pledged their desire to make it happen after their last bouts, in which Mayer defended her WBO title and Ring Magazine/WBA champion Price
The Usyk-Dubois rematch is threatening to become personal.
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