As another year of boxing action comes to an end, here are the fights, fighters and finishes that stood out
As another year of boxing comes to an end, it’s the perfect moment to look back on 2025 and reflect on what kept us in love with a sport that, at times, can frustrate and disappoint.
We’ve seen undisputed-title fights at various weights, with Oleksandr Usyk reclaiming that status at heavyweight – only to give it up for the second time in a year – and Terence Crawford making history as this era’s only three-weight undisputed king, a feat that gave way to his retirement.
There have been major domestic events in Britain, too, such as Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn’s pair of grudge matches, the first of which delivered on the bitterness and hype, and the second of which saw Benn earn revenge.
And crossover boxing has continued to thrive, to the dismay of many traditionalist fans, with December bringing a bout between Anthony Joshua and YouTuber Jake Paul and a fight featuring controversial influencer Andrew Tate.
Those latter fights do not feature below, mind, as we delve into the best of boxing in 2025 – and make a bold prediction for 2026...
Best fighter
Jack Rathborn: Terence Crawford. Before retiring this month, Crawford produced a masterclass against Canelo Alvarez in September, catapulting up in weight while retaining that trademark majestic movement and supreme control to upset the odds and become a three-weight undisputed champion. That final piece, unprecedented in men’s boxing in the four-belt era, is the final bauble on a glistening tree of accolades that forces his name into the conversation of greatest of his generation.
Alex Pattle: I don’t think any individual feat matches Crawford’s, but if we’re looking at an alternative argument from another top pound-for-pound boxer, Naoya Inoue’s activity makes him a fair choice. The undisputed super-bantamweight king, who previously held all the major belts at bantamweight, has gone 3-0 in 2025 to stay unbeaten overall, seeing off Ye Joon Kim, Ramon Cardenas, and Murodjon Akhmadaliev – and with a fourth fight scheduled for 27 December. That volume of activity is not close to being matched by any other fighter around Inoue’s level (not that there are many such boxers). That said, this will look a silly pick if the Japanese “Monster” fails against David Picasso this week... and Inoue wasdropped by Cardenas in a worrying moment of vulnerability.
Best fight
JR: Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith. Twelve gripping rounds with the underdog Smith prevailing on points. The sixth round will live long in the memory. You couldn’t help but wince at the body work dished out by both men, with the momentum swinging between each combination as both fighters poured on the pressure. It was the kind of fight that Buatsi needed to showcase his full array of skills and character in the ring. Smith will move onto better things, namely a world-title shot, but another win for Buatsi in the interim and (whisper it) a rematch at the back end of 2026 could be a domestic cracker to fill an arena.
AP: Again, it’s a very strong pick from Jack, so for the sake of variety I’ll go with Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2. This was scintillating for very different reasons to Smith vs Buatsi; rather than being a chaotic, bewildering brawl like that fight, Bivol’s redemption against Beterbiev was an exhibit of finely-tuned skills and tactics, with Bivol needing to be practically perfect to avoid Beterbiev’s power and outpoint the undisputed light-heavyweight champ. Along the way to becoming the first man to beat his fellow Russian, Bivol paced the fight so well – not just from round to round, but from minute to minute, really picking his moments to absorb pressure and to apply it.
Best knockout
JR: Brian Norman Jr on Jin Sasaki. The American dished out a couple of nasty left hooks to send the Japanese fighter tumbling twice early on, though Sasaki displayed admirable resilience to climb off the canvas and dish out his own punishment. That was until a ruthless Norman delivered another vicious left hook, showing an opportunistic side to his arsenal as Sasaki’s guard dropped. With Sasaki out cold and landing with a thud flat on his back, the nature of the knockout was enough to even send a chill down down Norman’s spine as he compassionately dropped to the canvas to check on his opponent.
Brian Norman Jr’s knockout of the year contender against Jin Sasaki back in June 😲💥
— BoxingEnthusiast (@BoxingEnth) November 22, 2025
Can Norman do the same to Haney tonight? pic.twitter.com/4bkAxMQmtg
AP: Fabio Wardley on Justis Huni. This one is not so much about the aesthetics and/or brutality of the punch, unlike Norman Jr on Sasaki; it is more about the moment around the KO. Ten rounds into his homecoming fight with Huni, Wardley was trailing badly. His unbeaten record was on the line, as were his hopes of a world-title fight in the near future. But then, with an abrupt violence that would make WWE icon Randy Orton proud, Wardley produced a one-hitter quitter out of nowhere. Huni walked flush onto a perfectly-timed, rapid overhand right, which saw the Aussie collapse into himself. Ipswich Town FC’s Portman Road erupted, Huni – beaten for the first time – could not answer the count, and Wardley moved within a fight of a world title.
Best event
AP: Eubank Jr vs Benn 1. You can criticise the matchmaking here (many certainly did), given the natural size disparity between Eubank Jr and Benn, but by the time the Britons shared the ring in April, their feud was no longer a gimmick built on their fathers’ old grudge; this was bitter and personal, and that showed in the 12 rounds of savagery at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Eubank Jr and Benn both showed immense heart to overcome moments of adversity, and both left Spurs severely swollen, but it was Eubank Jr who produced the better boxing to win a decision and set up a sequel at the same venue. November’s rematch was memorable for its final round, but it was never likely to match the original – especially given April’s late drama of Eubank Sr arriving with his son, despite years of condemning this match-up. That moment was one for the ages, raising genuine goosebumps.
JR: Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2. “The Last Crescendo”, as it was officially crowned, this card was a whirlwind of an evening with gripping contests early on, all the way through to a generation-defining rivalry reignited in the main event: the rematch between Beterbiev and Bivol. Before then, we had: the aforementioned Buatsi vs Smith fight of the year candidate; Agit Kabayel delivering a KO of the year contender; a controversial draw in Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz; two pound-for-pound stars in Skakur Stevenson and Vergil Ortiz Jr; and heavyweight contender Joseph Parker, tasked with fighting Martin Bakole after Daniel Dubois pulled out two days out from the fight. Rarely does value attach itself to pay-per-view cards, but this is perhaps the highest note struck by Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh in his dominant spell in boxing. It had intrigue, drama and history throughout.
Bold prediction for 2026
AP: AnthonyJoshua vs Tyson Fury will finally happen. “Bold” is important here, because I’m not surely I really believe this, but there’s a logic to it – a logic that goes beyond the recent rumours of a 2026 showdown. Yes, there have been moments in the past where “AJ” vs Fury made more sense than it does now, but consider this: the key figures behind Saudi Arabia’s boxing drive do not like Jake Paul, and their retaliation to the YouTuber’s fight with Joshua might be to go further than ever in a bid to make this all-British clash.
Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidarian told The Independent recently: “One hundred per cent there was a desire and attempt to (A) control [Paul vs Joshua] and (B) give Joshua alternatives not to do this fight. I have to give credit to AJ and Matchroom, because they have a great relationship with Turki Alalshikh and could have said: ‘Let’s figure out how to do something else.’” The Saudis gave Canelo Alvarez an eye-watering sum of money to steal him away from a bout with Paul this year, and while Joshua vs Paul went ahead in the end, Fury vs Joshua could be the Saudis’ counter-punch.
JR: The domestic fight of a generation? Perhaps not, when you consider the bitter feud between Eubank Jr and Benn, while Joshua and Fury may just finally settle their differences to pack out another stadium in 2026. But patience is needed when two domestic warriors on the rise meet, which is what would define a clash between Adam Azim and Dalton Smith, though the latter has a magnificent contingency plan.
That plan may deliver on ambition, but the glitz, glamour and money can only snowball with a dance partner who equally resonates with the public. See George Groves and James DeGale and their premature meeting, with the bout naturally boosting Groves’s rise – towards stardom, Carl Froch and, eventually, a world title. DeGale was good enough to rebound and achieve greatness, too, which is exactly what should be the mindset between Azim and Smith’s camps.
The fight has been discussed for so long now that Smith took his ball and went home, striking a deal for a scrap with Subriel Matias, which is happening next month despite his rival testing positive for a banned substance. The WBC super-lightweight title could heighten this contest foes further still, sealing their rightful places at the top table in British boxing. The bold prediction is that it happens and sells out an arena back home in the second half of next year.
Category: General Sports
