When boxing was at its peak, it was hard to match any other sport in the world.
Nowhere was this more evident than on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when powerhouse boxers Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev clashed in a rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight crown.
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Bivol vs. Beterbiev has long been regarded as one of the most exciting fights in boxing, so when the sport finally takes place in October 2024, all eyes in the boxing world will be on the city of Riyadh to witness what is expected to be a great fight. The two put on a brilliant performance in their opening match, which was fought at the highest level the sport has to offer – but that’s not what got people talking. That night, Beterbiev was undisputedly crowned champion via majority decision, but ironically his claim to being the best light heavyweight in the world remains highly controversial.
While two judges thought Beterbiev’s performance was good enough for his hand to be raised, many in the fight world disagreed. It wasn’t a robbery by any means, but many observers felt Bivol had done enough to earn a narrow victory. Turki Alalshikh, who financed the match through Riyadh Season Company, also disagreed with the scorecard and a rematch was immediately called.
Bivol and Beterbiev haven’t exactly been in the spotlight either. Their second meeting was the main event of a fight that many considered boxing’s best in more than two decades. Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi kicked off the night in their Fight of the Year battle for the WBO interim light heavyweight title (yes, you read that right). Zhang Zhilei and Ajit Kabayel knocked each other down, Hamza Shiraz’s showdown with Carlos Adams sparked controversy, Virgil Ortiz Jr. had a career-best win, and Joseph Parker easily defeated substitute Martin Bakole in the backcourt. It was a brilliant night, with pressure mounting on modern-day greats Bivol and Beterbiev to finish with one of their best games in recent times.
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They definitely did not disappoint.
Bivol started the fight with his accurate jab – one of the best in boxing – and managed to add to his tally by landing eye-catching jabs in the early rounds, just as he had done in the first fight.
In their first fight, Beterbiev came out strong starting in the sixth round, but in the rematch, Beterbiev’s forward pressure and power punches won the fight starting in the fourth round. Beterbiev continues to get stronger – he’s the more active fighter, using his relentless aggression and punching power to trouble Bivol. By the seventh round, Beterbiev was not only ahead, but the momentum was firmly in his favor.
At that point, it looked like Bivol would be a long way from winning the rematch and Beterbiev would have his night again – but then Bivol did what only great champions can do. He made the adjustments that turned the situation around, using his footwork to evade Beterbiev’s pressure and proving himself in the fight with combinations. Suddenly, Bivol became an elusive target for Beterbiev. Beterbiev tried to break the distance but fell victim to Bivol’s precise four to five punches.
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Bivol’s second resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time. Just as Beterbiev was getting ready to get back into the fight, he started to slow down. Bivol controlled the fight from the 8th to the 11th round, and although Beterbiev narrowly won in the 12th round, it was not enough for him to retain his belt. This time, the judges were right and Bivol was the undisputed champion in a fierce fight that embodied the sweet science of boxing.
The pair were supposed to launch a trilogy in the second half of 2025, but that hasn’t happened yet. Bivol is expected to make a mandatory IBF title defense against Michael Evert in the spring of 2026 and hopes to get a third fight against Beterbiev in the summer.
Dmitry Bivol waves goodbye to 2025 as the Uncrowned Fight of the Year Champion.
(SOPA photo via Getty Images)
2. Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Connor Benn 1
Boxing fans could tell long before a punch was thrown that Chris Eubank Jr.’s fight against Conor Benn was going to be a special night for British boxing.
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This is a battle that has been brewing for nearly three years. Failed drug tests, beaten eggs, and the loud protests of Chris Eubank Sr. were among the many obstacles we were forced to overcome. When fight day finally arrives, boxing fans are hoping that the fight will live up to the hype after waiting for the second generation of the fight.
It ended up being presented in dramatic form sooner than anyone expected. Just hours before the main event, Eubank Sr.’s shocking arrival was accompanied by a cacophony of noise. British boxing legend Eubank Sr. claimed throughout the build-up that he would not be attending the fight, declaring it a mockery of the sport, but in true Eubank style, when the cameras were there, he was there too.
As a historic battle officially begins, Eubank Jr. and Ben know better than to reveal their last names. Benn put pressure on the bigger and more technically intelligent Eubank for 36 minutes. It’s a heart-over-head strategy. He was attacked several times by Eubank, but he was content and hoping he could land a punch.
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Benn got his first big break in the fight, shocking Eubank with a left hook in the third round. Eubank, who had been on the back foot throughout the first half of the fight, used his size and strength advantage to start going head-to-head with Ben starting in the seventh round. Benn suffered a knee buckle from Eubank’s uppercut in the eighth round and endured plenty of punishment in a thrilling 12th round at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Eubank was declared the winner after 36 minutes, but both men’s shares rose on the night. Ben’s optimism was what made this game so exciting, but in the rematch, he was much smarter – and the result was one a lot of Different.
3. Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Knox
When two young, undefeated, talented fighters put everything on the line for a fight for their first world title, how could it not result in something brilliant?
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Abdullah Mason was considered one of the best prospects in boxing at the time, but if you asked Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, they would say the same thing about their man Sam Knox. Knox’s chances in the November fight were severely underestimated, and although he didn’t win, he was considered a legitimate contender at 135 pounds.
Mason fought Knox in a 12-round grueling fight at the ANB Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Knox forced Mason into a close trade, and for 36 minutes, Mason showed he has the heart of a champion. It was a contest full of ebbs and flows, with neither side completely able to stay ahead of the other. Mason hurt Knox with body shots in the 10th round, but Knox bit his gum shield, survived the round and got the win in the penultimate round.
Mason becomes youngest male boxing world champion yet – but he has to do it difficult Way.
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4. Naoya Inoue VS Ramon Cardenas
Inoue has not competed outside his native Japan since June 2021, and when he fought Michael Dasmarinas that night four years ago, he did so in front of a limited crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time. In fact, Inoue has not fought in front of an official international audience since May 2019, and Inoue has not fought in the United States since September 2017.
But a lot has changed for Inoue in recent years, most notably his fan base. By 2025, Inoue is no longer a unknown fighter—he’s a star. When he returned to the United States in May, he faced the little-known Ramon Cardenas at the 20,000-capacity T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s unheard of for a fighter of Inoue’s weight to headline a venue like this, let alone a Japanese fighter who hasn’t fought on American soil in front of a crowd in eight years.
Inoue is a superstar in Japan, but now is his chance to prove his ability to the American public. Cardenas is an unknown fighter who is expected to give Inoue a comfortable night. But he is not such a person.
Inoue, accustomed to scoring quick knockdowns, finished at the earliest opportunity – and then Cardenas shocked the boxing world by knocking out the unwary champion with a counter left hand in the second round.
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What follows is an exciting back-and-forth fight. Inoue will have to be on his toes at all times against Cardenas. It’s fun to watch a fighter really test Inoue and make him think. Inoue, being the great player that he is, recovered and knocked out Cardenas, knocking out the challenger in the seventh round and eventually stopping him in the next round.
5. Kenshiro Terachi VS Sergio Akuiyuri
Kenshiro Terachi’s unification match against Sergio Yuri Akui at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan in March was two cards behind going into the final round. He knew he needed something dramatic to turn the game around in the final three minutes.
So Terayoshi seemed to have made a conscious decision heading into the 12th round – if he was going to lose the belt, he’d rather go out and swing. After 11 exciting rounds, Teraji was left with one last gear, while Akui was empty. He pushed Akui down with relentless effort in the final frame, looking for a knockout and forcing a timeout with 89 seconds left in the game for a historic All-Japan unification.
The Uncrowned King’s voting breakdown for Battle of 2025:
(Hassan Ahmed, Yahoo Sports)
Honorable mentions:
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Fabio Wadley VS Justis Huni
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Isaac Cruz vs Angel Fierro
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Callum Smith vs Joshua Battersea
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Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez vs. Christopher Diaz
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