COMMISSIONER’S CORNER BUCKLE UP FOR ’26 By Randy Gordon
3. Jaron Ennis vs. Bakhram Murtazaliev
to see each one of them take boxing away from you and me. You can’t have eight major carriers of boxing say “arrivederci” to boxing and expect the sport to thrive, much less survive. But now, thanks to Zuffa/TKO Boxing, the sport is punching its way back into our homes. The deal with Paramount+ begins in January. Major boxing matches will be coming our way very soon. It’s likely that some will even be on Paramount-owned CBS-TV. There will be, according to Dana White, “at least 12” events in 2026. That’s not “as many as.” That’s “at least!” Those words are truly something to say “Happy New Year” to.
explosiveness. She will leave no doubt in 2026 that she is P4P the No. 1 female boxer in the world. She is 14-0-1 (7 KOs) and nicknamed “The Animal” for good reason. I see Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder finally facing one another in 2026. It’s a fight that should have happened in 2017, when both were unbeaten titleholders. At this point, it doesn’t matter who wins, as their best days are small images in each man’s rearview mirror, but a Joshua-Wilder fight can be nothing but a short, exciting slobberknocker! Then there are my dream matches. As we know, dreams sometimes come true. I would love for this dream to come true: Laila Ali vs. Claressa Shields Claressa wants it. She wants her ultimate challenge. However, Laila hasn’t fought since 2007. She is 48. She has given thought to the match, but, as of this writing, has not made a decision. Don’t expect an Ali comeback. However, it would be a fun fight to watch. And there is this dream matchup: I thought about this matchup back in June, when I was inducted, along with the PacMan, into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. While waiting in a side room to be introduced, I was talking with Manny about the excitement he was feeling from being inducted and about his then-upcoming title challenge against WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios. I told him I had a question for him, a thought I’d had since I heard of his comeback. Just then, my name was called. He gave me a pat on the back and said, “Hold that thought. Go get ’em!” After each of us had delivered our acceptance speech, we were asked to pose for the cameras, each of us Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather II
Ennis has P4P No. 1 written all over him. The unbeaten Murtazaliev is one of the most fearsome – and avoided – world titleholders in boxing. An Ennis- Murtazaliev matchup is nothing less than a “Fight of the Year” candidate. Then I have these thoughts about what will happen in 2026: Terence Crawford will win a portion of the middleweight title, perhaps taking on the winner of Janibek Alimkhanuly and Erislandy Lara. It will be his sixth divisional title. The Inoue-Nakatani winner vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. After Inoue and Nakatani WOW the sports world with an unforgettable performance in Tokyo, the winner will take on the challenge of Rodriguez, who will be doing what Crawford did against Canelo Alvarez by moving up two weight divisions. In 2026, I see Andy Cruz beating Ray Muratalla on January 14 for the IBF lightweight title. Cruz will then face Keyshawn Davis – after Davis gets his head together and his career back on track. Jai Opetaia will face Gilberto Ramirez. Then, regardless of who wins, both will announce they are moving into the heavyweight division. I eagerly await the comeback of the man I call boxing’s most exciting fighter, Ryan Rozicki. I think his return in 2026 will lead him to win the Comeback of the Year. Teremoana Teremoana is an unbeaten 27-year-old Australian heavyweight who packs around 270 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame. He is a punching machine who brings the kind of excitement into the ring that Mike Tyson used to bring when he first turned pro. At the time of writing, Teremoana has had three fights in 2025, winning all by first-round KO, and he’s scheduled to fight a fourth time this year. I hope he fights every week in 2026. Nobody is more watchable and exciting than he is! Jasmine Artiga is 115 pounds of
Not everyone views Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao 2 in a negative light.
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As I think about the year ahead, there are three matches I would like to see more than any others. Here are my top three:
extending our fists wearing our newly acquired IBHOF ring. As we were lining up, he motioned me to stand next to him. As the Class of 2025 showed their rings, Pacquiao leaned close and asked, “What was that thought you had before?” I smiled. After the photos were taken, I turned to him and asked, “When you win the title, will you be calling out Floyd Mayweather for some, let’s say, ‘Unfinished Business?’ He smiled back and gave me a fist bump. Then he nodded his head. Nothing needed to be said. He wants the rematch. I believe $$$Mayweather wants it, too. I believe it will happen in 2026. Floyd will use his play exhibition with Mike Tyson in the spring of 2026 as a sort of tuneup.
1. Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani
There will be no bigger matchup in the sport than the clash of these two Japanese megastars. First, they must each get past undefeated opponents on the same card on December 27 in Riyadh. Should that happen, they’ll face each other in May at the Tokyo Dome, packed with over 55,000 rabid boxing fans lucky enough to watch my pre-pick for “Fight of the Year.” Moses Itauma I’d be shocked if this one actually happens in 2026, but it most definitely is a fight I want to see. The holdup on this matchup is that Itauma – who will be 21 on December 28 – has only had 13 fights, totaling just 26 mostly partial rounds of action. His two decision wins have been in six-rounders. A fight against the super-resilient and heavy-handed Wardley would be career suicide for Itauma, in my humble opinion. 2. Fabio Wardley vs.
A side from my pet peeve in boxing – I wish boxers would fight more than twice a year – I think 2025 was a very interesting year. I also think 2026 is going to be even better and more exciting. The Zuffa Boxing deal with Paramount+ is going to be huge. Over the last 35 years, our great sport has been taken away from potential new fans with the slow and continued
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Jaron Ennis is finally within reach of elite- level matchups to prove his potential.
In 2026 I also hope for the retirement – the hanging up of the gloves – of a great fighter. The fighter’s name is Oleksandr Usyk. If he hangs around and beats guys like Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma, are we going to remember him more for beating them or getting crushed by them, which just may happen if he stays around too long. I say the latter.
disappearance of broadcast vehicles. One by one, they left. ABC … CBS … NBC … USA Network … The MSG Network … HBO … Showtime … ESPN. At some point, I worked for all of them except ABC and CBS. It was tough
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