Fights we want to see: Usyk-Parker, Teofimo-Rolly and Joshua-Paul?

After a play wherever Oleksandr Usyk ratified his presumption arsenic the champion pound-for-pound combatant successful the satellite by demolishing Daniel Dubois successful 5 rounds, and boxing's lone eight-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, made his anticipated instrumentality aft 4 years distant from the ringing successful a bulk gully against Mario Barrios , we crook to the remaining boxing calendar successful 2025.

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, 2 of the champion fighters successful the world, volition conscionable successful the biggest combat of the year connected Sept. 13 for the undisputed ace middleweight championship. But what are the different imaginable large fights to look guardant to for the remainder of 2025 and beyond?

Nick Parkinson shares his privation database and explains wherefore these matchups should get made.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Joseph Parker

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How Oleksandr Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion again

Take a look astatine the numbers down Oleksandr Usyk's triumph implicit Daniel Dubois astatine Wembley Stadium.

Before we tin perchance get into a trilogy with Tyson Fury, Usyk could usage a combat to acceptable it up, and warring Fury's person Parker -- the WBO mandatory challenger -- does it nicely.

Fury confirmed past Saturday successful London that helium would beryllium returning to the sport, but not until adjacent year. Fury has not fought since losing a rematch with Usyk successful December 2024.

Usyk's adjacent fight, then, volition each beryllium astir him winning and mounting up the Fury fight. Queensberry Promotions' Frank Warren, who promotes Parker, likes the idea of Parker, a erstwhile WBO champion, challenging Usyk nextk.

Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) trains with Fury successful Morecambe, England, and has revived his vocation with trainer Andy Lee pursuing a KO nonaccomplishment to Joe Joyce successful 2022. Since that setback, Parker has produced the champion performances of his career, including a wide determination win implicit erstwhile WBC champion Deontay Wilder successful 2023, a bulk determination over Zhilei Zhang successful May 2024 and a speedy stoppage of Martin Bakole successful February. Parker, who made 2 defenses of the WBO loop earlier losing it successful a rubric unification fight against Joshua successful 2018, is much experienced than different high-ranked contenders specified arsenic Fabio Wardley, Moses Itauma and Agit Kabayel.

Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs), the WBC interim heavyweight champion, has been calling connected Usyk to look him and has a convincing lawsuit aft KO wins implicit Zhang and Frank Sanchez. But Parker's relation with Fury, which would assistance physique the imaginable Usyk vs. Fury trilogy fight, and the information Usyk needs to combat Parker adjacent to clasp connected to the WBO loop makes Parker a amended option.

Teofimo Lopez vs. Rolando "Rolly" Romero

These 2 were the biggest winners of the surreal Times Square boxing paper successful May, and it is simply a logical combat for them some to advancement toward the apical of a crowded welterweight division. It is simply a bully matchup betwixt the method qualities Lopez possesses versus the earthy powerfulness and unpredictability that Romero displayed successful New York.

Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs), the WBO inferior welterweight champion, produced an improved show connected that New York card, defeating Arnold Barboza Jr. by unanimous decision,and facing Romero would beryllium a bully archetypal measurement astatine welterweight.

Also connected that card, Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) produced a large daze erstwhile helium dropped Ryan Garcia with a near hook connected his mode to a unanimous determination win successful a large upset for the WBA "regular" welterweight title. It was the latest twist successful Romero's career, which has seen him suffer by stoppage successful lightweight and inferior welterweight rubric fights to "Tank" Davis and Isaac Cruz, people a triumph by arguable stoppage against Ismael Barroso for the WBA inferior welterweight rubric 2 years agone and past measurement up a part to bushed Garcia for the biggest triumph of his career.

Romero's brawling benignant could play into the hands of a slick boxer specified arsenic Lopez, but Romero's triumph implicit Garcia showed helium tin besides disrupt slick boxers.

It's a combat that would get attraction owed to the trash-talking some are prone to, and determination is simply a communicative astir a sparring league betwixt them successful 2017 that volition get revisited. It is simply a rivalry that volition physique into a grudge lucifer that sells.

Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul

If this happens, and determination is superior speech of it, Joshua, a two-time satellite champion, volition beryllium surrendering immoderate of his legitimacy by warring a little competitory hostile for a lucrative payday.

Joshua (28-4, 24 KOs) has not fought since being dropped 4 times successful a fifth-round KO loss to Daniel Dubois past September for the IBF satellite title. Elbow country is expected to support Joshua retired until precocious this year.

Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer is precocious connected assurance pursuing his June triumph implicit Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., , but Chavez was agelong past his champion and had ne'er been astatine the level Joshua has operated at. Joshua is coming disconnected a loss, but Paul needs to rewatch what Joshua did to erstwhile UFC champion Francis Ngannou conscionable 2 fights agone past March. Joshua is not washed up and should beryllium warring amended opponents, specified arsenic Dubois, Moses Itauma, Fabio Wardley oregon adjacent Deontay Wilder. But warring Paul would make worldwide interest, and it's a combat that Joshua should easy win.

Shakur Stevenson vs. Conor Benn

With Benn's rematch vs. Chris Eubank Jr. in jeopardy of happening connected Sept. 20 arsenic planned connected the brink of collapse, the English boxer could beryllium looking for an alternate large fight, and WBC lightweight champion Stevenson would beryllium an absorbing option.

Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs), volition person to measurement up from lightweight to inferior welterweight to look Benn (23-1, 14 KOs), who mislaid a unanimous determination to Eubank successful a non-title middleweight bout successful April.

While Stevenson has the vantage of being a much skilled boxer, aft a distinguished amateur career, Benn, who lone had a little amateur career, volition person the payment of size. It's a classical boxer vs. slugger encounter.

Stevenson is coming disconnected an entertaining and assertive show vs. William Zepeda earlier this month. Still, it could beryllium a amusive build-up with plentifulness of back-and-forth connected societal media.

Benn could beryllium tempted to look Stevenson portion helium waits to spot if the rematch with Eubank volition happen, oregon his imagination combat against Gervonta "Tank" Davis tin go a world successful 2026.

Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron

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Taylor beats Serrano for 3rd clip to implicit trilogy

Katie Taylor wins by bulk determination to decision Amanda Serrano for a 3rd clip and clasp her title.

Taylor doesn't look keen connected this one, but galore fans are, and it is the astir logical adjacent combat for the Irishwoman if she decides to container on. When asked astir a imaginable trilogy combat with Cameron, Taylor said Cameron has to beryllium herself erstwhile again earlier they meet.

"I deliberation Chantelle has to spot if she tin merchantability retired a 1,000-seat arena first, I deliberation I've made her much wealth than she truly deserves, to beryllium honest," Taylor said aft her determination triumph implicit Amanda Serrano connected July 11.

After ending each arguments with 3 victories successful the trilogy with Serrano, Taylor should see a 3rd brushwood with Cameron, the lone pistillate to bushed her successful the nonrecreational ranks. Taylor could besides see status aft outstanding amateur and nonrecreational careers, which has helped alteration the popularity of women's boxing.

After Taylor's rivalry with Serrano was settled, Cameron is present Taylor's biggest rival. Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs), the undisputed inferior welterweight champion, is No. 2 connected ESPN's pound-for-pound rankings, and Cameron (21-1, 8 KOs), the WBC interim champion, is No. 4.

Cameron inflicted Taylor's lone defeat with a bulk determination successful May 2023, earlier Taylor gained revenge besides successful a bulk determination triumph successful November 2023.

"I'm told I volition combat the victor of Katie versus Amanda, due to the fact that I'm the WBC interim champion," Cameron told ESPN recently. "[But] I don't accidental I'm assured of getting a 3rd combat with Katie though, due to the fact that the trilogy combat with her should person happened a agelong clip ago."

This combat astir apt hinges connected whether Taylor decides if her vocation is present finished, but if it happens, it would beryllium 1 of the astir anticipated fights successful women's boxing successful what's near of the year.

Jai Opetaia vs. Gilberto Ramirez

Opetaia, the IBF champion, has been the ascendant ruler astatine cruiserweight for a fewer years, but helium present has a superior rival to his crown successful Ramirez, who has unified the WBA and WBO titles.

A matchup betwixt these 2 successful a three-belt unification combat would bring a uncommon spotlight to the cruiserweight division, which gets little attraction than different value classes.

It is the astir logical enactment for Opetaia (28-0, 22 KOs) different than stepping up to heavyweight, and some fighters person dreams of achieving undisputed status, which could motorboat their careers astatine heavyweight conscionable similar it did for Oleksandr Usyk.

"I'm sick of each the excuses and delays," Opetaia said, referring to Ramirez aft breaking Claudio Squeo's jaw in a fifth-round KO win backmost successful June. "I respect what Ramirez has accomplished, but I cognize I'm connected different level." Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) besides made a rubric defence past month, with a unanimous determination triumph implicit Yuniel Dorticos. However, Ramirez was much awesome erstwhile helium dominated Chris Billam-Smith successful a unification combat past November.

Ramirez mightiness beryllium tempted to marque the combat if a matchup against WBC champ David Benavidez does not materialize.