A “Top Rank Wishlist” – 5 fights we’d like to see
As we are into the third month of 2026, boxing fans have been able to see some interesting matchups with results that were either expected or were surprising. So far we have seen some big winners as Shakur Stevenson defeated Teofimo Lopez for the lineal title at super lightweight and Ryan Garcia beat Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. There may be some other big fights on the horizon that we can look forward to, but there is also potential matchups that would be interesting if they took place within the year.
While some fans like to look at what fighters under a promotional banner are doing in the ring, there is one that has had a good amount of success over the past few months – Top Rank. Fighters such as Xander Zayas, Keyshawn Davis, and most recently Emanuel Navarrete have scored big wins, and with Top Rank being one of the most popular promotional companies in the sport they would still be able to generate interest in fights that could be made.
A recent report from Brunch Boxing hints that a reunion between Top Rank and ESPN could be in the works, and if that is the case we could see boxing back on “the worldwide leader in sports”. They have been able to put events like Fury vs Wilder II & III plus Haney vs Lomachenko on ESPN PPV, but have also had events on the network itself that featured fighters like Shakur, Keyshawn, and Teofimo.
With the possibility that Top Rank could get back on ESPN, they have a number of fighters that could be featured on the network. However, there are a few fights that Top Rank could have that would be great for the sport if they do return to ESPN.
1. Rafael Espinoza vs Bruce Carrington
The featherweight division has been clamoring for a unified champion for years, and this could be the best fight possible in the division to do it. Espinoza has been dominant since winning the WBO title in 2023, with four straight knockout wins. Carrington won the WBC title in January, but he has been calling out Espinoza since last year. A fight between these two would be a great way to determine who the top fighter in the division is.
2. Brian Norman vs Tiger Johnson
Brian Norman is a former champion who lost to Devin Haney last November but remains a dangerous fighter in the welterweight division. At 25 years old, he can still make an impact and get back into the world title picture. Tiger Johnson has 17 pro fights but has risen up the rankings and has an impressive victory over Nicklaus Flaz. Both Norman and Johnson are rated 5 and 8 in the WBO respectively, and a fight between the two could be a barometer of where they are in their careers.
3. Emanuel Navarrete vs O’Shaquie Foster
As mentioned earlier in this article, Navarrete scored a big win as he stopped Eduardo Nunez to unify the WBO and IBF titles at super featherweight. He is a multi division champion and is considered by many as the top fighter in the division. Foster feels otherwise as he holds the WBC title and has been waiting for the opportunity to face Navarrete since 2024. He beat Stephen Fulton last December and was in attendance for the Navarrete-Nunez fight. There is word that Navarrete could be ordered to have a rematch with Charly Suarez, but if Navarrete and Foster are able to fight next, it would be unquestionably the best fight in the division.
4. Raymond Muratalla vs Abdullah Mason
Another fighter on Top Rank that got a big win this year was IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla who defeated Andy Cruz by decision in Las Vegas. That was a mandatory defense for Muratalla, meaning that he is open to facing one of the world champions in the division if he wants. One of those champions is Abdullah Mason who won the WBO title last November against Sam Noakes. He is the youngest champion in boxing at 21 years old but is one of the most exciting fighters with 17 knockouts out of his 21 wins. While we don’t think this fight is happening soon, it would be an intriguing matchup at 135.
5. Teofimo Lopez vs Keyshawn Davis
This one would be a grudge match that has been brewing for years. They have been on a fight cards together and have clashed on multiple occasions. Lopez won the unified lightweight title and was recently the lineal champion at 140 before losing to Shakur Stevenson. Davis was the former WBO lightweight champion before moving up to super lightweight and defeating Jamaine Ortiz. Lopez is currently ranked in the WBO and WBC at welterweight, but Davis did call out the current WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney a few weeks ago. If Keyshawn can call out Haney at welterweight, then there shouldn’t be much of an issue having him fight Teofimo Lopez at that weight…
