Top Boxing Matches to Watch in 2025

Professional boxing had a great 2024, with many fans considering it the best year in recent memory. The investment from Saudi Arabia helped bring together the top fighters, managers, and promoters, leading to big fights.

Boxing fans enjoyed two unforgettable fights between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, as well as an exciting match between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol.

We saw Usyk become the first unified world heavyweight champion in more than 25 years and witnessed the rise of the powerful Daniel Dubois, who could shake up the division.

But what can boxing fans expect in 2025? Will there be more huge matchups, record-breaking pay-per-view sales, big-money fights, and even more buzz?

The schedule for the first half of 2025 is already filled with thrilling bouts, and they are coming up soon. The winners of these major fights will likely go on to face each other in huge matchups later in the year.

Top 5 boxing fights to watch this year

Naoya Inoue vs. Sam Goodman

It doesn’t feel too long ago that Usyk defeated Fury for the second time in Saudi Arabia. Since then, boxing fans have had a Christmas break and are now ready to enjoy another exciting season, starting in Japan on Friday, January 24th.

Naoya Inoue will face Sam Goodman in a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBC, and WBO world super bantamweight titles. The Ariake Arena in Tokyo will be the venue.

Monster unbeaten in 28 fights

Inoue, known as “Monster,” has a perfect record with 28 wins in 28 fights, 25 of those wins by knockout. The 31-year-old from Yokohama is the current champion and is a favorite to keep his title according to many major online sportsbooks.

Will he meet expectations and extend his winning streak to 29?

Inoue’s last fight was a stoppage win against TJ Doheny in seven rounds at the same arena back in the summer. He hasn’t gone the full 12 rounds since 2019, which is something to keep in mind when making predictions.

Australian unbeaten in 19

Goodman is traveling to Japan with hopes of pulling off an upset and taking the three belts back to New South Wales, Australia. The 26-year-old has a perfect record of 19 wins in 19 fights, with eight knockouts. He’s the underdog, but Sam knows that an upset win would be life-changing for his career.

Goodman is coming off a points win in Australia in July. That victory means six of his last seven fights have gone the distance. Will Goodman’s smooth boxing style be enough to impress the judges in Japan?

Brandon Figueroa vs. Stephen Fulton

The action moves to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a WBC featherweight world title fight on the first day of February. Figueroa aims to turn his interim title into a proper WBC belt by beating Stephen Fulton in a scheduled 12-round match. You can watch it live on Amazon Prime.

Heartbreaker out for revenge

Figueroa has a record of 25 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. He’s back in the ring with the only man who has defeated him, Fulton. The two first fought in late 2021, where Figueroa lost on a split decision at super bantamweight in Vegas.

Will the rematch see the same result, or can Figueroa get his revenge? He’s won three fights since that defeat, including two stoppage victories.

Cool Boy Steph seeks a double

Stephen Fulton has 22 wins and 1 loss, with his only defeat coming from Naoya Inoue in Japan, where he was stopped in eight rounds. There’s no shame in that loss, and Fulton will be looking to score a second victory over Figueroa after both fighters moved up in weight.

The rematch promises to be just as thrilling as the first and one that fans are eager to watch!

Jack Catterall vs. Arnold Barboza Jr

It’s UK vs. USA in Manchester on Saturday, February 15th, when Jack Catterall takes on Arnold Barboza Jr in a 12-round fight.

El Gato enjoys home support

Catterall is fighting in his hometown with a record of 30 wins and 1 loss. His only defeat came at the hands of Scotland’s Josh Taylor, but Jack fought back to win their rematch, pushing him higher in the rankings.

Now, Catterall is in line for big fights this year, but he knows he must impress against a tough opponent. He’s not just aiming for a win but to make a statement to the division with a global audience watching.

Visitor unbeaten in 31

Arnold Barboza Jr, from Los Angeles, comes to the UK with an undefeated 31-fight record. The 33-year-old is ranked ninth in the stacked super lightweight division and knows he can’t afford a loss if he wants to move closer to a world title.

A defeat in England would hurt Barboza Jr’s chances of competing for a world title this year, which makes him a dangerous fighter ready to spoil the plans.

Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitrii Bivol

Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol gave fans an unforgettable fight in Saudi Arabia last year, with Beterbiev winning by majority decision. The two will face off again on Saturday, February 22nd, back at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fight fans can watch the rematch, eager to see who will win this time. Will Beterbiev make it 2-0, or will Bivol get his revenge?

Beterbiev won the battle of the unbeaten

Russian fighter Beterbiev, who fights out of Canada, is unbeaten in 21 fights, and a 22nd win would be the biggest of his career. He narrowly won the first fight in October to unify the light heavyweight division, taking the decision after a tough battle.

Both fighters showcased their skills that night, with the scorecards showing a 2-0 decision for Beterbiev, though one judge had it as a draw. Fans can expect another close fight, with high-level boxing from the start.

Bivol hopes to go one better

Russian Dmitrii Bivol, based in Los Angeles, couldn’t have done much better in the first fight. He truly believed he did enough to win after hearing the final bell.

Beterbiev vs. Bivol was one of the few super fights that lived up to the hype, and Bivol played a major role in making it a great contest.

Dmitrii has the skills and boxing intelligence to fix any small mistakes from the first bout. He has spent the past four months preparing for the rematch, and with a record of 23-1-0 and 12 knockouts, he will look to improve. However, it’s unlikely he’ll win by knockout again, and this fight should go to the scorecards.

Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker

After seeing Oleksandr Usyk defeat Tyson Fury twice in 2024, the heavyweight division is heating up with contenders aiming to face the champion in his next defense. Daniel Dubois currently holds the IBF title after Usyk had to vacate it for his rematch with Fury.

The heavyweight division is once again exciting.

Dubois will likely face Usyk next, but he must first beat former champion Joseph Parker. The two will meet on a big card in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 22nd.

Triple D is a strong favorite

Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois has a record of 22-2-0, with 21 knockouts. The powerful Londoner has lost to Joe Joyce and Usyk, both by stoppage.

However, he scored the biggest win of his career when he stopped Anthony Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium last September, pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the year.

Dubois dominated Joshua, proving he’s a real threat in the heavyweight division. He also knocked Usyk down during their fight before losing to the champion in Poland. Now, he aims for another shot at revenge.

Daniel is fit, punches hard, and seems to improve with every fight. That’s why many consider him the favorite to win.

Kiwi boasts hard-earned experience

Joe Parker, from New Zealand, is a former world heavyweight champion who lost his title to Anthony Joshua when the British fighter was rising in the ranks. Since that loss, Parker has been part of some exciting matches.

A strong streak of wins has put him back in the running for another world title, and the 32-year-old knows he must take this chance. If he wins, we might see Usyk face Parker later this year.

Parker’s boxing record shows 35 wins and 3 losses, with 250 rounds of experience. He plans to use that experience to level the field against a champion with powerful knockout punches. To win in Riyadh, Parker needs to perform at his best and keep his opponent at a safe distance.