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Nick Parkinson
Among the world’s greatest boxers are in motion in July, and this month additionally will characteristic the return of a boxing legend on the age of 46. From Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at junior bantamweight, this month has world title fights that includes the very best in a number of divisions — and on the pound-for-pound list.
Manny Pacquiao, probably the greatest boxers of the trendy period, makes his ring return after practically 4 years out, and there is additionally the trilogy fight between undisputed junior welterweight champ Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which is probably the toughest combat to foretell the result.
Such is the standard of this month’s choices that there isn’t a place on our best-of-July checklist for fights similar to Alberto Puello vs. Subriel Matias for the WBC junior welterweight title, undisputed girls’s junior light-weight champion Alycia Baumgardner vs. Jennifer Miranda and the welterweight conflict between Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank.
What are the very best fights this month and why must you watch them? ESPN ranks the fights for you.
Odds correct as of July 3. All odds by ESPN BET
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10. Claressa Shields (-2500) vs. Lani Daniels (+1100) – July 26 in Detroit (DAZN)
What’s at stake: Shields’ undisputed girls’s heavyweight championship
Shields, boxing’s first undisputed world champion in three weight lessons, defends her girls’s heavyweight titles in entrance of her dwelling followers in opposition to an skilled opponent. The chances may appear stacked in Shields’ favor, however Daniels is a former IBF champion who has gained her final seven fights. The New Zealand-based boxer ought to give the native hero a better combat than her final one, during which Shields widely outpointed Danielle Perkins to be topped undisputed heavyweight champ in February.
9. Bruce Carrington (-5000) vs. Mateus Heita (+1600) – July 26 in New York (ESPN/ESPN+)
What’s at stake: The vacant WBC interim featherweight title
3:56
Bruce Carrington’s highway again to the ring after his brother’s tragic demise
Boxer Bruce Carrington particulars the demise of his brother, Michael Hayden, and his journey again to the ring forward of his combat on Sept. 27.
“Shu Shu” Carrington can e-book himself a world title shot with a victory over Heita, and in his present type, he seems good to attain that. Carrington may even be made full champion if he extends his unbeaten report, as WBC featherweight champion Stephen Fulton is stepping up a division for his subsequent combat (in opposition to O’Shaquie Foster on Aug. 16) and should resolve which division he’s staying in. Carrington has been calling out the champions, however that is his first 12-round scheduled combat. The Brooklyn-based boxer seemed convincing in March when he turned the primary boxer to cease Enrique Vivas, and it would not be a shock to see him go in search of a KO.
8. Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia – July 26 in New York (ESPN/ESPN+)
What’s at stake: The vacant WBO junior middleweight title
Zayas faces a tricky opponent in his first try and win a world title, however he has sufficient high quality to prevail and be hailed because the successor to the likes of Puerto Rican boxing greats Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad. Garcia seemed spectacular when he stopped Charles Conwell in April, and the powerful Mexican’s energy punching could possibly be an issue for Zayas if he will get drawn right into a brawl. However Zayas, who has been an expert since he was 17, is a gifted and effectively skilled boxer, and this must be his second of glory. When he outpointed Patrick Teixeira in June 2024, Zayas successfully focused the physique. And if he bins to his potential once more, he can have an excessive amount of selection for Garcia to beat.
7. Edgar Berlanga (-120) vs. Hamzah Sheeraz (-105) – July 12 in Queens, New York (DAZN)
What’s at stake: An opportunity for Sheeraz at a superfight in opposition to Canelo Alvarez
Sheeraz is among the choices for a profitable combat in opposition to undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Canelo in February, in response to Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Basic Leisure Authority. However first Sheeraz must win his tremendous middleweight debut in opposition to a former world title challenger. Berlanga seemed subdued and cautious in a wide decision loss to Alvarez in September, however he bounced again with a first-round win over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in March. Speak of Sheeraz combating Canelo subsequent 12 months aggravated Berlanga throughout DAZN’s “Face Off” present launched on June 30, and consequently you may see him go in search of the KO. There’s a lot on the road for Sheeraz, and he should do higher than in his final combat, during which he challenged Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title. Sheeraz failed to return to grips with Adames, who ended Sheeraz’s 15-fight knockout streak in a split draw in February. Does Sheeraz have what it takes in opposition to elite-level opposition, and can the transfer up in weight class go well with him?
6. Sebastian Fundora (+120) vs. Tim Tszyu (-150) 2 – July 19 in Las Vegas (Amazon Prime Video PPV)
What’s at stake: Fundora’s WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles
After a disastrous 2024, Tszyu might be out to revive his repute and mend his profession — if he can beat 6-foot-5 Fundora in a rematch. Tszyu misplaced a break up resolution in a massacre of an encounter with Fundora in March 2024, when the 5-foot-9 Tszyu suffered a cut over his hairline in Spherical 2, and he was dropped 4 occasions in an much more damaging third-round TKO loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev in one other world title combat in October. Tszyu gained some confidence with a fourth-round stoppage win over Joseph Spencer in April, however the query stays unanswered: How a lot harm did final 12 months’s two defeats do? Fundora stopped Chordale Booker in four rounds in March, and Tszyu should produce a career-best efficiency to beat the large American.
5. Shakur Stevenson (-1200) vs. William Zepeda (+650) – July 12 in Queens, New York (DAZN)
What’s at stake: Stevenson’s WBC light-weight title
0:45
How Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC light-weight title
Recap Shakur Stevenson’s second WBC light-weight title protection together with his win over Josh Padley.
Stevenson seemed sharp in his last outing in opposition to substitute opponent Josh Padley — however now comes a more durable take a look at. The 27-year-old from New Jersey splits fan opinion, with some saying his defensive model is a turn-off. Different fighters might generate extra pleasure, however there isn’t a denying Stevenson’s technical capability, precision and protection. Zepeda is unbeaten however he wanted to stand up from the canvas in Spherical 4 to defeat Tevin Farmer by break up resolution final November, earlier than going the distance once again in opposition to Farmer within the rematch. His aggressive, pressure-fighting model might go well with Stevenson’s counterpunching on the again foot.
It’s price conserving the religion in Stevenson’s undoubted expertise, however he wants to indicate greater than a good, backpedalling protection in opposition to Zepeda if he’s to create curiosity in followers and promoters. A cautious, safety-first strategy just isn’t going to assist him make a conflict with Gervonta Davis. If Stevenson adopts a extra aggressive strategy, it won’t solely be good for his reputation but in addition make for a greater combat, as Zepeda is a high-volume puncher.
4. Jesse Rodriguez (-2500) vs. Phumelele Cafu (+1100) – July 19 in Frisco, Texas (DAZN)
What’s at stake: Rodriguez’s WBC junior bantamweight title and Cafu’s WBO junior bantamweight title
That is the primary alternative this 12 months to see arguably boxing’s most enjoyable fighter.
“Bam” Rodriguez, from San Antonio, is in ruthless type and will bulldoze his method to changing into a unified champion at a second weight class. “Bam” defeated Pedro Guevara in Spherical 3 in November to defend his WBC junior bantamweight title, after knocking out Juan Francisco Estrada a 12 months in the past and, earlier than that, forcing Sunny Edwards to retire in a flyweight title unification bout in December 2023. The win over two-division champion Estrada was significantly spectacular, and the uppercut that left Guevara stretched out on the canvas was brutal.
Rodriguez should be cautious of Cafu’s energy — the South African dropped Kosei Tanka in a break up resolution win in October 2024 — however Rodriguez is presently probably the greatest pound-for-pound fighters on the earth, so count on pleasure in opposition to Cafu.
3. Manny Pacquiao (+260) vs. Mario Barrios (-350) – July 19 in Las Vegas (Amazon Prime Video PPV)
What’s at stake: Barrios’ WBC welterweight title
One reality says all of it about this combat: Barrios was born 4 months after Pacquiao started his skilled profession 30 years in the past.
Many consider Pacquiao shouldn’t be wherever close to an expert boxing ring at 46 and after practically 4 years retired. However that won’t cease thousands and thousands in his native Philippines and elsewhere from tuning in to observe Pac Man’s quest to change into the oldest welterweight champion in historical past. Solely two boxers, heavyweight George Foreman and light-weight heavyweight Bernard Hopkins, have gained world title fights on the age of 46 or older.
The final time we noticed Pacquiao he was a a lot slower model of himself in a unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021. Pacquiao has had 72 skilled fights and has conquered eight weight divisions. If there’s one boxer that may defy Father Time, it’s Pacquiao, who can also be attempting to interrupt his personal report as boxing’s oldest 147-pound world champion (he beforehand did it at 40 years, 215 days). If Pacquiao pulls it off, there might be no higher sports activities story this 12 months.
2. Oleksandr Usyk (-400) vs. Daniel Dubois (+300) 2 – July 19 in London (DAZN PPV)
What’s at stake: Usyk’s WBC, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles and Dubois’ IBF heavyweight title
0:30
Dubois vows to go away ‘little doubt’ forward of Usyk rematch
Daniel Dubois speaks concerning the controversial low blow from his first combat in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk has a two-fight exit plan for his profession, and when he is gone we are going to miss him. He has dominated in a four-year reign as heavyweight champion, twice beating every of the 2 greatest different boxers of his period, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. However Dubois brings knockout energy — simply ask Joshua, whom Dubois stopped in the fifth round in September. Dubois challenged Usyk two years in the past and claims he scored a legitimate knockdown with a body punch, nevertheless it was dominated a low blow. Usyk was given time to get better and ultimately overwhelmed Dubois, stopping him in Spherical 9. Undisputed heavyweight title fights are uncommon, and if Usyk achieves undisputed standing for a 3rd time (he has already accomplished it as soon as at cruiserweight, as soon as at heavyweight), you may be witnessing historical past.
1. Katie Taylor (+135) vs. Amanda Serrano (-170) 3 – July 11 in New York (Netflix)
What’s at stake: Taylor’s undisputed girls’s junior welterweight championship
0:56
Katie Taylor edges out Amanda Serrano in controversial resolution
Katie Taylor defeats Amanda Serrano to stay undisputed champion at AT&T Stadium.
Their first two fights have been so good and aggressive that Taylor and Serrano will run it again for a 3rd time at Madison Sq. Backyard. Girls’s boxing has not seen a higher rivalry, which has produced two enthralling fights determined by razor-thin — and disputable — choices. In 2022, they turned the primary girls to headline a boxing card at the Garden, and it was such a great combat that it led to a 2024 rematch that was streamed on Netflix and shattered information by averaging 74 million viewers globally, changing into the most-watched girls’s sporting occasion in U.S. historical past. The rematch was named Women’s Fight of the Year by ESPN. Taylor earned scores of 95-94 from all three judges, however Serrano was sad after struggling a lower over her proper eye in Spherical 4 from a headbutt (Taylor was deducted some extent in Spherical 8 for headbutting). Serrano was bold and efficient regardless of the harm, which makes this trilogy combat arduous to name. Will Taylor get penalized once more for extra use of the pinnacle, and the way decisive will that be? Can Taylor repel Serrano’s early stress to as soon as once more dominate the later rounds?