The Boxing Source “Wishlist” for 2025
In 2024, there have been a number of great moments and great fights in boxing. We had a few undisputed title fights as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk competed for heavyweight supremacy while Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol fought for the top spot in the light heavyweight division. The win by Ryan Garcia over Devin Haney surprised many in the boxing world, but that was rescinded with the news of Garcia testing positive for illegal substances. We also witnessed some spectacular knockouts like Angelo Leo taking down Luis Alberto Lopez in Alberquerque or Bakhram Murtazaliev stopping Tim Tszyu in Orlando. This made boxing very eventful and fans can look forward to good things in 2025. However, The Boxing Source would like a few fights to take place in 2025.
1. Terence Crawford vs Jermell Charlo at super welterweight
This one has been on the radar for The Boxing Source since July 29th 2023 when Crawford won the undisputed welterweight championship. Many fans knew that Crawford would move up to welterweight, and at the time Jermell Charlo was the undisputed champion at super welterweight. Later that year, Charlo fought Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight and fell short. He has not been in the ring since.
While Jermell Charlo has been inactive, Crawford scored a win over Israil Madrimov to get one of the titles that Charlo had. There have been multiple instances of Crawford stating that he wants to fight Canelo, however this fight would be the one that could be a more exciting bout.
2. Tank Davis vs Shakur Stevenson at lightweight
Both fighters are listed in The Boxing Source Pound For Pound Top 10, and they both have fights scheduled within the first three months of 2025 with Davis facing Lamont Roach Jr. on March 1st and Stevenson fighting Floyd Schofield on February 22nd. If both win those fights, they should be in a collision course later in the year. They will have challenges in front of them though, so they will have to be on their A-game in order for this matchup to be possible.
3. Zhilei Zhang vs Martin Bakole at heavyweight
Months ago, there was a possibility that this fight would happen as the IBF ordered the bout as a final eliminator. Instead, we will see Zhang face Agit Kabayel on February 22nd while we wait for Bakole to secure a date for when he will face Efe Ajagba.
The bout between Zhang and Kabayel is for the WBC interim heavyweight title, and if he wins it is likely that he wants a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk. If that fight doesn’t happen by the summer, why not have a bout between two giants?
4. Jermall Charlo vs Demetrius Andrade at super middleweight
Yes, both have had extended layoffs as their last fights took place in November 2023…but that doesn’t mean that this “grudge match” can’t take place in 2025. Over the past few months, Jermall has been rumored to be in fights against Thomas LaManna and Caleb Plant. While that has been the buzz with a bout against LaManna being possible for March 1st, a fight between Jermall and Andrade could still be possible.
5. Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr at super welterweight
This fight has been brought up multiple times over the years, as both were contenders in the welterweight division before Ortiz moved up to super welterweight and Ennis eventually became the IBF welterweight champion. After two defenses of the IBF title, Ennis is aiming to unify in the division and could face Eimantas Stanionis in the first quarter of 2025. Ortiz will be facing Israil Madrimov on February 22nd, and if he wins it could lead to a world title shot at 154.
There is a possibility that both Ennis and Ortiz could fight three times in 2025, and if that is the case let’s hope that one of those fights is against each other.
6. Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani at super bantamweight
Inoue has been the undisputed champion in the super bantamweight division for a year, and has defended that crown a couple times with stoppage wins over Luis Nery and TJ Doheny. He is scheduled to face Sam Goodman in January and there are rumblings that he could move up to featherweight after that bout. While Nakatani is currently at bantamweight, he can easily move up one division and challenge Inoue for what would be the biggest fight in Japanese history.
7. Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder at heavyweight
Years ago, this was on the wishlist of many as it would have been for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Now both have suffered multiple losses and are out of the top five in the division. However, the following that both fighters have makes this bout interesting as the winner would still be among the contenders at heavyweight while the loser would consider retirement.
It has been rumored that Wilder could face Francis Ngannou as Wilder is recovering from shoulder surgery. If that fight does not materialize, this is the best opportunity to finally have the fight that fight fans have been waiting for.
Those are the fights that have made the wishlist. There could be other fights that may be possible but were not in the radar. If there are any fights that are not on this list but you would like to see in 2025 feel free to list them in the comment section.
