

If he makes, say, a Ryder defense and then a move back to 175, the division still feels somewhat stuck.

#Anthony taylor boxer vs hamzah crack
But Canelo also wants another crack at Dmitry Bivol at 175 lbs. The winner of that vs Canelo - assuming Ryder (or whomever) doesn’t shock Canelo - could get done, though if it’s Plant, that’s business Canelo has already handled and I’m not sure there’s much appetite for a rematch, though Plant would have done everything he can to earn it and make it appealing in that scenario. Benavidez and Plant will fight for a WBC interim in the spring. He’s got all four world titles right now, it looks like he’ll fight on May 6, and that he will defend his crown, possibly against John Ryder, who has the WBO interim title. 2023 Outlook: No offense to anyone else, but for the most part, this division is currently as relevant as Canelo Alvarez makes it.Upcoming Fights: (2) Artur Beterbiev vs (8) Anthony Yarde, Jan. He is 39 years old, yes, but look at that top 10 again - he can get in there if he makes a move. I’ve been a longtime Andre Dirrell doubter/detractor/hater, however you need to put it, but the Andre Dirrell we saw in November was a genuinely different fighter than we’ve seen in years. I don’t intend to go into a lot on these picks (at least not in the post itself), but I do want to explain Andre Dirrell being one of the five here, because I know that may seem puzzling. Five to Watch: Dan Azeez, Andre Dirrell, Ali Izmailov, Giorgi Kushitashvili, Albert Ramirez.We’ll hopefully see that happen - so long as Beterbiev beats Yarde later this month - and hopefully something more substantial for Buatsi and Smith, who are the most intriguing guys in the top 10 other than the top two. 2023 Outlook: There’s a “the fight” to be made here, of course, and it’s Bivol vs Beterbiev.(6) Krzysztof Glowacki vs Richard Riakporhe, Jan. Upcoming Fights: (4) Ilunga Junior Makabu vs (9) Noel Mikaelyan, Jan. Five to Watch: Chris Billam-Smith, Kamshybek Kukabayev, Lenar Perez, Richard Riakporhe, Jordan Thompson.This is also a division that still feels ripe for new blood to make a big impact, as we saw Jai Opetaia do in 2022. Maybe nobody is GREAT!, but there’s a lot of solid matchmaking to be made. 2023 Outlook: It’s nice to see this division about to get active again early in the new year, because there are a lot of good fights to be made at cruiserweight.

Upcoming Fights: (8) Joseph Parker vs Jack Massey, Jan.
