2026 has been a weak year for boxing

It's true. There's hardly been any big fights. Look at how many guys have retired or relinquished their belts. Boxing is at an all time low and In a transitional phase.

It's the weakest reign of champions ever.

 

We had Benavidez-Ramirez and Ennis-Zayas. We might not consider them big fights like Inoue-Nakatani (both in the top 10 p4p), but they were certainly two very interesting and anticipated bouts, and, importantly, they turned out to be very good fights. There were two entertaining heavyweight slugfests,
Wardley-Dubois (which will also have a rematch this year) and Wilder-Chisora. Then there were the "minor" but spectacular fights that are FOTY candidate, Gallegos-Lopez and the recent Chamberlain-O'Leary. In a few days we will have Lopez-Romero, the Garcia-Benn card in September is a good card, other matches for this 2026 will be announced soon and there could also be Bivol-Beterbiev 3. In my opinion, 2026 is not proving to be a weak year for boxing (as instead were the years in which there was the lockdown for COVID-19).

 

But you're a boxing enthusiast and connoisseur. How many big titles fights have we had? The fights you listed were good. So what. They're few and far between. Were supposed to get big fights and good ones each year. Were not getting them. You don't want to admit the truth. Boxing has fallen from grace. Guys retired or lost their belts/Auora.

The state of boxing is dire. America isn't producing the talent it once did.

 

Is the truth what you think? Not for me, that's just your opinion, and it's as valid as mine or anyone else's, very simple. As I always say if you have a different opinion than mine that's fine. I don't want to impose my ideas on others (and obviously I don't let others impose my ideas on me). That's all, and it's all really very easy.

 

We need to add Shakur vs Teo to it. Big fight! It was January, but still 2026.

 

This is the worst Saturday in many months, not a single interesting fight.

Too many of the top boxers are inactive or fighting soft opposition, the promoters are reluctant to make compelling matchups for some reason. Sometimes it's the fault of the fighters themselves - for example, K Davis-Haney would have been a fine matchup, but Davis backed out.

There are many interesting matchups that could be made. Hopefully it will get better before the end of the year.

 

There is no fight this weekend. Thankfully there is a UFC event.

 

There has been a lot of variations of this thread on here lately. I say the same thing every time:

Enjoy the weakness. Some very good fights can happen in weak eras, and lesser but likable fighters can thrive. From the weakness can come strength.

Find who you like and roll with him!

 

Genuinely not sure why you still follow boxing fella

Maybe a break might rekindle your love of the sport

 

I've watched some brilliant fights on British shows this year
When fans expect "name" type fights consistly, that's where it all goes wrong

Plus most "big" fights tend to be underwhelming on the night too

Boxing is absolutely fine but imo could just do without Saudi involvement anymore
That's really my only gripe

 

I could be reading it vastly wrong, but I think Saudi involvement is almost over, because Zuffa is really not what they expected. Warren has got the heavyweight division sown up, and Zuffa has really only managed to ruin Opetaia's career and sign mid-card-talent-with-a-family-name Conner Benn.

They have shown that they want return on investment now. Let's see if they get it.

 

I think we have another 3 to 5 years of Zuffa trying to change things around
I'm bored of it now
They and Turki just to my eyes at least are pretty clueless about Boxing
I've enjoyed the inital batch of the shows but the guy thinks far too much of himself and let's be honest anyone saying he "saved" Boxing is incorrect

The guy has just been rinsed for cash by the pack of Wolves occupying the sport

But his ego don't see it

I much prefer British shows to anything else and always have

 

"...rinsed for cash by the pack of Wolves occupying the sport"

LOL!

 

Its pish boxing lately.. compare it to even ten years ago:

HW Fury, WK, Wilder, Joshua
CW Usyk, Gassiev, Breidis, Lebedev
LHW Kovalev, Ward, Stevenson, Gvozdyk, Beterbiev
SMW Degale, Groves, Smith, Jack
MW GGG, Canelo, Jacobs, Saunders
LMW Lara, Cotto, Trout, Charlo
WW Pac, Brook, Bradley, Thurman

Etc..

There's a few exceptions but overall quite the drop off imo..

Boxing needs strong HW & MW divisions & they are dire right now.. whether u think Itauma is the second coming or not.