Boxing is in a great place right now, where the fans are getting great cards throughout the year. This was not always the case as big money fighters were not fighting each other in years past due to the risk, reward ratio not being worth it.

The money is now there to make the bigger match-ups happen and the fans have benefitted so far this year with fights like: Shakur Stevenson vs Teofimo Lopez, Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz, Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Nunez, Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani, O’Shaquie Foster vs Raymond Ford and Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, among many others.

What are some of the fights that need to happen at the end of this year or beginning of next year?

Devin Haney vs Somebody

The last time we saw Devin Haney in the ring. He was winning the WBO Welterweight belt in a dominant win over Brian Norman Jr. This was in November, its time for Haney to get back into the ring and he has lots of options for possible opponents.

The biggest money fight would be Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia II. The first fight is not an official black mark on Haney’s resume but its an event that fans will not let him forget. This is a huge match-up for both sides. It is not just a welterweight title unification match, but its a chance for redemption for each fighter.

Another big time match-up for Devin Haney would be Keyshawn Davis. Davis had trouble making the 140-pound limit for his last bout against Nahir Albright. Davis had very little trouble in the fight itself and won by wide unanimous decision. This performance has put him in position for a world championship bout at 147 pounds and Haney is his target. The build-up for this fight would be great as there is no love lost between these two great boxers.

Another fight that has been rumored is Devin Haney vs Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson last fought in January and dominated a very good Teofimo Lopez. The obstacle that could stop this fight from happening is the weight classes. Stevenson is at 140 and may not be willing to come up to 147, while Haney may not be willing to go below 147.

The Monster vs The Bam

Naoya Inoue defeated Junto Nakatani on May 2nd to defend his undisputed 122-pound title in a big time match-up and is set to have another big time match-up at the end of this year or beginning of next year. The hope is that we get Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez.

On Saturday, June 13th, Bam Rodriguez moved up to 118 pounds and knocked out, a very game, Antonio Vargas to become the WBA bantamweight champion. Rodriguez can stay at 118 and pursue an undisputed crown or move up to 122 to make a mega fight against Inoue.

This is a massive match-up of the smaller weight classes where Inoue will be a betting favorite but Rodriguez has the skills to be a very live underdog.

Dmitry Bivol vs David Benavidez

David Benavidez had maybe the most impressive performance of 2026, so far. He absolutely destroyed Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on May 2nd to become a unified champion at cruiserweight.

Dmitry Bivol came back from injury to defeat Michael Eifert by unanimous decision. If Benavidez is willing to come back down to light heavyweight, this will be one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Bivol has never shown interest in going up to cruiserweight but that maybe a possibility as well. I just hope that we get the fight, no matter the weight class.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven II or Verhoeven vs Top Heavyweight

On May 23rd, Oleksandr Usyk took on Rico Verhoeven and Usyk won in very controversial fashion. The fight was close and I had Verhoeven ahead on my scorecard going into the 11th round. Usyk knocked Verhoeven down with a counter uppercut late in that 11th round.

Verhoeven got up and Usyk went on the attack then referee decided to stop the fight with one second left in the round. Fans and pundits reacted to this decision with lots of criticism.

Verhoeven fought well enough to earn a rematch but this was his first professional boxing match after a great kickboxing career. So, I wouldn’t mind seeing him against another top heavyweight. The question is, can he follow up or was this a fluke?

Mixed Martial Arts legend, Francis Ngannou, fought very well against Tyson Fury and lost a close decision but then followed it up with a match against Anthony Joshua. Joshua smoked his boots and knocked him out in the second round. Can Verhoeven show that he is a real heavyweight contender against a fighter like Frank Sanchez, Jared Anderson, and Filip Hrgovic.

I can’t wait to see Rico Verhoeven in the ring again, against Usyk or another top heavyweight.

Alycia Baumgardner vs Amanda Serrano

Alycia Baumgardner is a growing star in boxing and Amanda Serrano is an absolute legend. Baumgardner won by unanimous decision over Bo Mi Re Shin in April and Serrano destroyed Cheyenne Hanson on May 30th. This sets up for perfectly for a mega fight later this year.

This would be a great style match-up that the casual and die-hard fans will enjoy. They are both under the umbrella of MVP promotions, so this fight shouldn’t be hard to make. Its a win-win for MVP and ESPN with the viewership it would bring.

What are the match-ups that you want to see for the second half of 2026?