Boxing roundtable: Best fight on the schedule? Next P4P king? Potential upset?

The boxing schedule has been filling up with big matchups in the next four months, including three must-see fights: Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford for the undisputed super middleweight championship, a rematch between heavyweight titlists Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois and a trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Other top fighters in action include undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue and junior bantamweight champ Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. And don’t forget the return of former champions Manny Pacquiao and Jermall Charlo.

But what’s the best upcoming matchup? With all these big fights, will we see a new pound-for-pound king at the end of the year? Which fighter is best positioned to score a big upset? Which megafight would be perfect to add before 2025 is over?

Andreas Hale and Nick Parkinson share their thoughts and make their picks.

Currently, the best matchup in the boxing schedule is …

Parkinson: Canelo vs. Crawford. Two of this era’s best operators will take different strategies into the ring on Sept. 13. Canelo, 34, the undisputed super middleweight champion, has the advantages of power and experience, since Crawford, a former undisputed champion 140 and 147 pounds, is stepping up two weight classes — after only one fight at 154 pounds. Alvarez won his first 168-pound title seven years ago and has won world titles in four weight classes during a career of almost 20 years. However, Alvarez’s most recent fight — a decision win over William Scull earlier this month — hinted at decline. He hasn’t scored a stoppage win since November 2021. That could even the odds. Crawford, 37, also a four-division world champion, might have operated at smaller weight divisions but has a reach advantage and better boxing skills. It’s physical Canelo vs. technical Crawford, and this fight could be decided by the tightest of margins.

Hale: Canelo vs. Crawford is a must-see, but Taylor vs. Serrano 3 could be the best of the year. Considering how closely contested — and incredibly exciting — their first two fights were, there’s no reason to think that the third meeting will be anything less than fireworks. The first two fights were decision wins for Taylor, but it can be argued that the series could easily be 2-0 in Serrano’s favor. Alas, here we are, with both fighters having something to prove and being tailor-made for each other. Taylor will be 39 by the time she steps into the ring but doesn’t appear to have lost a step, while Serrano — a champion in seven boxing divisions — has more mileage at age 36 but seems just as spry as she was before their first meeting in 2022. It’s worth mentioning that how well these women perform as the headliner of an all-women’s card at Madison Square Garden could have significant bearing on the future of women’s boxing. There’s a lot at stake for them individually and for the sport on a grander scale when they meet on July 11.

Which fighter has the best chance to score an upset?

Hale: Calling it an upset indicates there is a clear underdog in the fight, so I’m going to go with Dubois over Usyk. This is less about the controversial low blow that put Usyk down in their August 2023 meeting and more about how Dubois is seemingly just entering his physical prime. It feels like Dubois, 27, has been around forever, but he only turned pro in 2017 and the two stoppage losses — to Usyk in 2023 and Joe Joyce in 2020 — shouldn’t define his career. We may have seen the Brit at his best when he completely steamrolled Anthony Joshua last September, and the confidence he gained with that fifth-round KO win should carry over into his rematch with Usyk, ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Dubois knows what to expect after sharing nine rounds with Usyk and may have Father Time as his secret weapon, considering that the two-division undisputed champion turned 38 in January. Dubois is going to have to be almost perfect to break the brilliant ring tactician that Usyk is, but he knows how to get to him and will have an opportunity to shock the world on July 19 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Parkinson: Crawford’s movement, ring IQ and slick boxing can earn him a points win if he succeeds in keeping out of range. Alvarez was not at his usual level in his last fight, a decision win over William Scull on May 3 in Saudi Arabia, but he will be better in front of a bigger and more enthusiastic crowd in Las Vegas. However, the difference in this fight will be Crawford’s ability to control the distance. Three years ago, Dmitry Bivol unanimously outpointed Canelo at light heavyweight when he used his range and jab to outmaneuver and outscore Alvarez. Crawford has the skills in his locker to do the same. He is sharp and enjoys a four-inch reach advantage. He can use his footwork to ensure he avoids Canelo’s dangerous attacks to the body. Crawford might be stepping up two weight classes to take on Canelo, but he can circle away from punches and land quick counters. Crawford’s technical brilliance and footwork will be enough to earn a slim decision win.

The fight I would most like to see before the end of the year is …

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Naoya Inoue overpowers Ramon Cardenas with 8th-round TKO

After getting knocked down early, Naoya Inoue overpowers Ramon Cardenas and earns a TKO win in the eighth round to retain his undisputed junior featherweight championship.

Parkinson: For the past five years, like a lot of fight fans, I have wished to see rival English heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua share a ring. But we are still waiting, and the fight is losing some of its appeal. Rather than putting Fury vs. Joshua at the top of my wish list, I will go for an all-Japanese matchup between undisputed junior featherweight champion Inoue and Junto Nakatani, the WBC bantamweight king. Nakatani faces Ryosuke Nishida, the IBF champion, in a unification title fight on June 8, and if he wins, the demand will intensify for a clash with Inoue. Nakatani, a three-weight world champion and ESPN’s No. 9 pound-for-pound fighter, breezed to a Round 3 KO win over David Cuellar in February, and he looks good to remain on course for a clash against Inoue in December. Inoue, ESPN’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter and a four-division world champ, has compiled 11 straight stoppage wins, and a showdown with Nakatani would produce a no-compromises, frenzied and furious encounter.

Hale: Considering that it’s unlikely we’ll see David Benavidez get his chance against Alvarez or a shot at the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev 3 winner before the end of the year, I’ll shift gears with my choice and go with Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. at 154 pounds. These two have circled each other for years and are often left out of the conversation as the future of boxing in favor of Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez (sorry, Ryan Garcia). But between Ortiz’s game-changing power and Ennis’ sheer athleticism, this is a showdown that can finally come to fruition this year. Ennis, the IBF and WBA welterweight champ, has been targeted by Lopez, but it’s pretty obvious that Ennis would be more comfortable competing at 154 pounds, where Ortiz currently holds the WBC interim belt. The junior middleweight division is a little messy with Crawford currently holding the WBA title and Sebastian Fundora defending both the WBO and WBC belts against Tim Tszyu in a rematch on July 19, but Ennis-Ortiz doesn’t need a title attached to it to be compelling. This fight doesn’t need to marinate; it just needs to happen.

Which fighter will end the year atop ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings?

Hale: Crawford. If “Bud” Crawford does what I expect him to do and beat Canelo to become undisputed in a third weight class, how can you possibly deny him his place atop the rankings? As great as current No. 1 Usyk is, he can’t go up any higher in weight to do what Crawford is attempting in September. And current No. 2 Inoue doesn’t have an opponent lined up who’s as accomplished as Canelo is. Crawford, currently ranked third, has every tool necessary to not only beat Canelo but also to become the first fighter to stop the Mexican superstar. He has an absolutely nasty streak that could take advantage of Canelo’s diminishing punch output as the fight wears on. The size difference won’t be as big of a deal as some are making it out to be, and Crawford could potentially make this look easy. The only thing that has held Crawford back from the top of the list is inactivity, and that will be remedied once he steps into the ring with Canelo.

Parkinson: Usyk, after closing out his career with two world title defenses this year, will remain on top. Inoue will be well poised to take over once Usyk follows through with his plan to retire after two more fights, although Crawford also will have a strong argument to be No. 1 should he beat Alvarez in September. But until Usyk walks away, his achievements will remain ahead of the rest. First up for Usyk is a July 19 rematch with Dubois, who Usyk KO’d two years ago. Usyk looks too good to be troubled by Dubois, and a final fight vs. Joseph Parker likely lies in wait for him later this year. Usyk has beaten some big names (Joshua and Fury twice each), after also achieving undisputed status at cruiserweight. He will go down as the best heavyweight of his era should he end his career with an unblemished record.