Making bold predictions for the year in boxing got easier in 2025, with so many “dream” fights already on the schedule or in negotiation and close to being announced.
Chances are we’ll see Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford later this year. Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia will have tune-up fights before they meet in an anticipated rematch slated for October. Tyson Fury has retired, but he has said that four times before and those “retirements” ended quickly. A fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua could happen in London. And ESPN’s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, Naoya Inoue, could be returning to the U.S. for the first time since 2021.
But is 2025 also the year where we see the last of heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk or undisputed women’s junior welterweight champ Katie Taylor?
Here are Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson’s bold predictions for 2025:
Wladimir Klitschko will attempt to break George Foreman’s record
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, floated the idea of the Hall of Fame boxer returning to the ring at age 48 and Klitschko seemed open to the possibility. He told Fight Hub TV last month there’s “ambition to break the record” of the oldest heavyweight to win a world title and that he never stopped training.
Indeed, Klitschko, a former heavyweight champion, appears to be in incredible shape, and if anyone could do it, it’s probably him. He didn’t take much damage during his career and has the jab-and-move style that could age gracefully.
Of course, this would still be a Herculean task, just as it was when Foreman repainted the title at age 45 with a knockout of Michael Moorer in one of the most shocking moments in sports history.
Klitschko has taken care of his body and his 48 is probably a lot fresher than Foreman’s 45.
Klitschko was adamant he wouldn’t consider a fight with his countryman Usyk — who could blame him? — and a fight with the winner of Daniel Dubois-Joseph Parker would give him a much better chance to do the impossible. — Coppinger
Oleksandr Usyk will retire in 2025
Usyk has nothing left to prove and really no one else to fight after he’s virtually cleaned out the top of the heavyweight division. The Olympic gold medalist defeated Anthony Joshua twice and added a pair of wins over Tyson Fury last year.
That’s four combined victories over the glamour division’s top two stars. After this latest win over Fury, Daniel Dubois stepped in the ring to call for a rematch, which Usyk entertained. But will Usyk be motivated for a rematch with an opponent he already dominated and stopped with a jab?
Sure, there are other fights out there for Usyk. If Joseph Parker defeats Dubois when they meet on Feb. 22 for the IBF world title, Usyk can fight Parker for the title that was stripped from him to become undisputed champion once again. Then there’s Martin Bakole or the winner of Zhilei Zhang-Agit Kabayel, who also fight on that February card.
But Usyk is set to turn 38 this year, has earned nine figures during his illustrious career and perhaps most of all, still lives in war-torn Ukraine with his wife and children.
Usyk has been vocal about Russia’s invasion and could turn his attention to issues at home just like two other former heavyweight champions: Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. — Coppinger
Katie Taylor will have her last fight in 2025, after a farewell night at Croke Park, Dublin
Taylor’s preference is for a trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano in Dublin this spring, but Serrano’s reluctance to travel to Ireland after complaining about two decision losses going against her in their previous bouts means Taylor may have to look at other options for her next fight.
And there is no shortage of opponents wishing to face Taylor, an undisputed world champion at lightweight and junior welterweight. There is another trilogy bout against Chantelle Cameron, a rematch with Natasha Jonas, or a fight with recently crowned WBC lightweight champ Caroline Dubois. Cameron has faced Taylor in Ireland before and with the score at 1-1, is the hardest option for Taylor. Cameron, 33, is the WBC interim junior welterweight champion and is naturally bigger than Taylor, while Dubois looked vicious in her last fight earlier in January.
According to Taylor, having the chance to fight at Croke Park, an outdoor stadium in Dublin, “would be the pinnacle of my career,” so don’t be surprised if a name other than the above is in the opposite corner if she lands the fight.
At 38, Taylor does not have much left in her career. She is running out of things to achieve and some opponents believe now is a good time to face her.
In November, Taylor and Serrano averaged an estimated 74 million live viewers globally on Netflix, when Taylor prevailed by a one-point margin on all three scorecards to remain undisputed junior welterweight champion. Fighting at Croke Park will be another big night, and it might convince Taylor to hang it up before turning 40. — Parkinson
Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua in 2025
Yes, Fury announced his retirement this week (again) and perhaps this time he really means it. After all, Fury’s situation is vastly different from the other times he claimed retirement. This time, he’s coming off two consecutive losses for the first time in his career.
Perhaps the reality that he’s now the clear-cut second-best heavyweight in the world is enough to step away. Without the pursuit of being the world’s best, just maybe Fury doesn’t find the motivation to endure another grueling training camp.
On the other hand, a megafight with Joshua is on the table, even if it should have happened five years ago. Joshua called for the fight last week, and it still figures to represent the biggest fight in British boxing history.
Fury already has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars, and the spotlight Fury relishes won’t be there forever. The temptation to bask in it yet again might prove too much to pass up.
At some point in 2025, Fury will become bored and he’ll do the logical thing: sign to fight Joshua, a bout he’ll be favored to win, to earn another massive payday.
Then, he can step away from the sport on a high note rather than back-to-back losses. — Coppinger
Dmitry Bivol dominates Artur Beterbiev in the rematch to become undisputed light heavyweight champion
When they met in October, it was a high-quality encounter that split opinions because it was so close, but this time Bivol will make adjustments to utilize his movement and slick combinations. Bivol lost his unbeaten record to Beterbiev, and next month they return to Saudi Arabia for the anticipated rematch.
Beterbiev, 39, is one of the most dangerous punchers in boxing but Bivol took him the distance for the first time in his career after showing masterful defense. Many believed Bivol should have won that fight, and this time around he will keep the same intensity until the final bell, after slowing in the final two rounds in October.
Both are top-10 pound-for-pound boxers, but Bivol, 34, has a slight edge in boxing IQ and if he can limit Beterbiev’s attack, he will outland him to win a decision by a comfortable margin and leave fans calling for a deciding trilogy fight. — Parkinson
Joseph Parker will upset Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title
Parker won the WBO heavyweight title in 2016 when he outpointed Andy Ruiz Jr. All these years later, Parker is just 31 years old as he approaches his first opportunity to become a two-time heavyweight champion.
And the timing couldn’t be better for Parker as he enjoys a career resurgence. The New Zealander’s last two fights were decision wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang that lifted Parker to the No. 4 spot in ESPN’s heavyweight rankings and showed why he’s a dangerous challenger for Dubois. Parker boxed well off the back foot in both fights and used lateral movement to befuddle the much taller opponents.
Parker displayed his power when he hurt Wilder in the lopsided upset win and his toughness when he survived two knockdowns against Zhang. He’ll have to contend with Dubois’ explosive power and surging confidence as he comes off a fifth-round KO victory over Anthony Joshua in September.
But if Parker can keep Dubois on the end of his jab and use his superior footwork to outbox him, he can pull off a third consecutive upset and put himself in position for a shot at unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. — Coppinger