Boxing is rolling into 2026 with a packed calendar, shifting champions, and a growing global footprint. From heavyweight power plays to women’s title unifications, fans have more high-stakes action to follow than ever. Below you’ll find the near-term schedule plus a forward look at the bouts and storylines likely to shape the year.
Upcoming Boxing matches (December 2025 – February 2026)
| Date | Fight | Division / Title | Location | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2025 | Kubrat Pulev vs. Murat Gassiev | WBA Heavyweight Title | Dubai, UAE | Match TV |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Badou Jack vs. Noel Mikaelyan | WBC Cruiserweight Title | Los Angeles, USA | Amazon Prime PPV |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Diego Pacheco vs. Kevin Lele Sadjo | Super Middleweight | Stockton, USA | DAZN |
| Dec 17, 2025 | Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Nonito Donaire | WBA Bantamweight Title | Tokyo, Japan | U-Next |
| Dec 19, 2025 | Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua | Heavyweight (8 rounds) | Miami, USA | Netflix |
| Dec 27, 2025 | Naoya Inoue vs. David Picasso | Undisputed Jr. Featherweight | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | DAZN |
| Jan 3, 2026 | Amanda Serrano vs. Erika Cruz | WBO/WBA Women’s Featherweight | San Juan, Puerto Rico | DAZN |
| Jan 10, 2026 | Agit Kabayel vs. Damian Knyba | WBC Interim Heavyweight | Oberhausen, Germany | DAZN |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin | Heavyweight | Manchester, UK | TBA |
| Jan 31, 2026 | Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou | WBO/WBA Jr. Middleweight | San Juan, Puerto Rico | DAZN |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia | WBC Welterweight Title | TBA | TBA |
| Nov 14, 2025 | Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis | Lightweight | Atlanta, USA | TBA |
Predicted / anticipated fights for 2026
| Potential Fight | Division | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III | Women’s Lightweight | Highly anticipated |
| Oleksandr Usyk vs. Moses Itauma | Heavyweight | Rumored |
| Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez | Super Middleweight | Fan-requested |
| Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua | Heavyweight | Potential matchup |
| David Benavidez vs. Canelo Alvarez | Super Middleweight | Long-awaited |
Upcoming Boxing fights & events 2026
The winter stretch sets the tone for the year. December closes with a fascinating mix of title defenses, contender tests, and crossover spectacle, while January and February begin to sort mandatory challengers from hype. Keep an eye on Riyadh cards in particular: Saudi events have become a reliable home for elite matchmaking and undisputed-level stakes, and DAZN’s Riyadh Season series continues to anchor that schedule.
Beyond the dates listed above, promoters are already circling spring and summer weekends for unifications at heavyweight, super middleweight, and the women’s lightweight/featherweight lanes. The likely rhythm of 2026 is simple: big belts, big venues, and fewer “stay busy” fights.
Latest Boxing news & headlines
The last weeks of 2025 delivered a few headline-shapers. Unified heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk has openly targeted a 2026 blockbuster and mentioned Deontay Wilder as a preferred opponent, restarting the heavyweight merry-go-round.
On the pound-for-pound side, Terence Crawford’s situation is messy after the WBC stripped him of its super middleweight belt over unpaid sanctioning fees, a rare administrative twist that could reshape the division’s title path in early 2026.
Meanwhile, cruiserweight standout Jai Opetaia finished 2025 with another emphatic win and continues to talk about unification or a future move to heavyweight, which would add a fresh threat to the top tier.
Current Boxing champions & rankings 2026
At the top of the sport, several divisions enter 2026 with clear pecking orders. Heavyweight is led by Usyk, who has recently reclaimed undisputed status and still controls most of the belt landscape going into the new year.
Across other classes, the major sanctioning bodies’ top-15 lists are unusually active, with interim titles and final eliminators stacked to create mandatory shots by mid-year. Rankings volatility is especially high at bantamweight, super lightweight, and welterweight, where multiple champions are within one signature win of unification talks.
Heavyweight division updates
The heavyweight story for 2026 has three layers: Usyk’s next mega-fight, the rise of young contenders, and the lingering “last great matchup” narratives. The biggest short-term mover is Moses Itauma, who is lining up a crucial January test and has been positioned by the WBC for a final eliminator route toward Usyk.
Veteran names still float around the top five, but the division is trending younger and faster. If a Fury–Joshua clash gets finalized, it would be more about legacy than belts; if it doesn’t, expect a springtime unification chase featuring whoever emerges from the eliminator tournaments.
Late-2025 title fights set a high bar for drama. Opetaia’s successful defense reinforced his grip on cruiserweight and kept unification pressure on the other belt holders.
We also saw administrative “results,” not just ring ones: Crawford losing the WBC strap effectively creates a mini-tournament for that belt, and the winner will likely face the remaining unified champion(s) to settle the division in 2026.
Women’s Boxing highlights 2026
Women’s boxing enters 2026 with deeper talent pools and more genuine rivalries than ever. Amanda Serrano remains a central figure at featherweight, while Katie Taylor’s presence keeps the lightweight scene commercially hot and strategically important for unification.
Another trend to watch is youth breaking through quickly. Fighters like Gabriela Fundora and other teen/early-twenties champions signal a fast-cycling era where title reigns can change hands in a single breakout year.
Boxing betting odds & predictions
Early 2026 cards offer interesting betting shapes. Title fights such as Pulev–Gassiev or Tsutsumi–Donaire tend to open with conservative champion-favored lines, but age, recent activity, and travel logistics can swing those odds hard in fight week.
For speculative looks, heavyweight eliminators and women’s trilogy rumors draw the most market attention. A good rule for 2026: weigh momentum and stylistic matchups above brand name, because the current schedule is built to force high-risk pairings rather than soft defenses.
Fighter profiles & interviews
Oleksandr Usyk continues to blend elite ring IQ with a busy negotiating agenda, and his calm confidence about 2026 opponents suggests he’s hunting a defining final run.
Moses Itauma is the breakout heavyweight prospect to learn now. His team frames early-2026 fights as the last step before full title contention, a rare public timeline for someone so young.
Amanda Serrano & Katie Taylor remain the rivalry that sells women’s boxing at scale, and any hint of a third fight instantly reshapes multiple divisions’ plans.
Pay-per-view & streaming schedule 2026
Streaming fragmentation is still the norm, but the pathways are clearer than they were two years ago. DAZN remains the backbone for many international title cards and Riyadh Season events, while Amazon Prime PPV is increasingly tied to marquee U.S. nights.
One notable shift: Riyadh Season shows are trending toward being included for subscribers rather than priced as standalone PPV, which could widen audiences for early-2026 mega-cards.
Boxing event locations & tickets
2026 continues boxing’s era of destination events. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and major U.S. arenas are bidding for undisputed-level fights, while traditional hubs like the UK, Japan, and Mexico keep delivering passionate crowds for divisional showcases.
Ticket strategy is simple: for premier cards, presales can move fast, especially in Riyadh and Las Vegas-style weekends. If you’re traveling, lock lodging early and watch for last-minute undercard upgrades, which often turn a “good” show into a must-see one.