In Response To Turki Alalshikh: 10 Fights He Should Make For 2024 And 2025
Turki Alalshikh sent out a message on X this week asking his followers, “suggest for me 10 fight in boxing you want to see in 2024 and 2025?”
If anyone else had posted this message, it would simply be viewed as a debate starter. When it’s Alalshikh, it’s research. The Saudi Arabian has emerged as arguably the most powerful figure in boxing, and it’s clear he’s only just getting started.
So, in response to his post, here are 10 fights he should make over the next two years.
Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury
Eddie Hearn described it this week as “the biggest fight in boxing history by a mile”. After years of frustrating inaction as insults and threats were traded but no fight was made, the arrival of Alalshikh on the scene means it could finally be happening in 2025.
Joshua fights IBF world champion Daniel Dubois on September 21, before Fury faces unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch on December 21. If A.J. and Fury both win, it creates the possibility of an undisputed bout between the British rivals.
Even if one loses – or indeed, both lose – there will still be huge demand for the fight, and with Alalshikh practically controlling the heavyweight division, it looks like it could be made next year.
Canelo Alvarez v David Benavidez
Setting aside the ongoing beef between Canelo and Alalshikh, this is the fight the world wants to see, and Alalshikh would surely love to be the man to pull it off.
Canelo has been avoiding Benavidez for more than two years, despite the American holding the WBC’s super-middleweight interim belt and the mandatory status that comes with it. Alvarez has said he won’t fight Benavidez for anything less than $150 million – a clear sign that he’s not interested in the fight.
Benavidez ran out of patience and moved up to light-heavyweight and will remain at 175lbs after gaining assurances that he will soon fight for a world title. However, if the possibility of a bout with Canelo arrives, he will no doubt drop back down to 168.
Artur Beterbiev/Dimitri Bivol v David Benavidez
The undisputed bout in October will determine the king of the light-heavyweights when unified champion Beterbiev faces WBA title holder Bivol in Saudi Arabia. There is a rematch clause in the contract, so a second bout could be ordered for early 2025.
Whether the rematch happens or not, the winner will have several mandatory fights to fulfill, including Joshua Buatsi and David Morrell, who claimed the WBA’s ‘regular’ title after stepping up to 175.
But the biggest fight for the undisputed champion would be against WBC interim champion Benavidez. The fighter from Phoenix is perhaps the best fighter on the planet yet to win a world title, and a showdown with Beterbiev or Bivol would be an incredible spectacle.
Terence Crawford For Super-Welterweight Undisputed
Alalshikh has made Crawford his own project and is keen to mastermind the remaining years of the pound-for-pound superstar’s career. Talk of fighting Canelo continues but seems like a strange fight to make for Crawford, who would be the much smaller man.
There is also an offer for Crawford to take on the WBC’s super-welterweight interim champion Vergil Ortiz, but the fight Alalshikh should make in 2025 is whichever one will make Crawford the 154lbs undisputed champion.
Logically, Crawford should fight WBO and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora next, likely in early 2025, before facing the winner of IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev’s soon-to-be-announced bout with Tim Tszyu.
Jaron Ennis v Brian Norman Jr
The departure of former undisputed champion Crawford has created a new battle between the new champions for welterweight supremacy. IBF title holder Ennis is generally regarded as the best fighter in the division, but he will need to prove it against his fellow champions.
The WBO’s Norman would represent the most exciting unification bout for Ennis, and his fellow American would probably be the easiest to negotiate with (WBC champion Mario Barrios and the WBA’s Eimantas Stanionis are both with rival promoters PBC).
Ennis needs big fights in 2025 to elevate himself from top fighter to superstar and Norman would be the ideal opponent to help him on that trajectory.
Teofimo Lopez v Devin Haney
The two biggest stars of the super-lightweight division have managed to avoid each other since they were lightweight champions, and it might take the interference of Alalshaikh to make the fight happen.
WBO champion Lopez continues to insist that he wants to fight the best, although recent evidence suggests otherwise. Haney, meanwhile, is at something of a career crossroads having vacated the WBC title for refusing to fight mandatory challenger Sandor Martin, primarily due to poor purse bids.
Lopez v Haney is by far the biggest fight of the super-lightweight division, and it might just need a bit of Alalshikh magic to get it over the line.
Gervonta Davis v Vasiliy Lomachenko v Shakur Stevenson
Another frustrating stand-off is taking place in the lightweight division, where three of the best fighters on the planet are yet to fight each other.
Lomachenko (IBF), Davis (WBA), and Stevenson (WBC) all have legitimate claims to be the top dog at 135lbs, but until they fight, it will stay a debate. Negotiations between Loma and Stevenson fell through this summer, while there has been a lack of movement beyond preliminary talks for Davis v Stevenson.
What could be an exciting and ambitious proposition for Alalshikh would be to get Davis, Lomachenko, and Stevenson on a three-fight deal to ensure all fight each other. It seems unlikely but if anyone could make it happen, it’s Alalshikh.
Jesse Rodriguez v Fernando Martinez
Rodriguez emerged as a pound-for-pound star this year following his stunning seventh-round destruction of all-time great Juan Francisco Estrada.
Now the WBC super-flyweight champion, Rodriguez will want to be lining up the biggest fights possible as he aims to become a unified champion in two divisions. They don’t come much bigger than against the unbeaten WBA and IBF title holder Martinez.
Given how much Alalshikh likes to stack his cards, Rodriguez v Martinez would make a great co-main event on a show headlined by a lightweight unification bout.
Naoya Inoue v Rafael Espinoza
Everyone wants to be in the Inoue business and Alalshikh will be no different. The Japanese superstar and undisputed super-bantamweight champion has been fighting exclusively in his homeland.
This could create an interesting opportunity for Alalshikh; either he can host the first Inoue world title fight outside of Japan – either in Saudi Arabia or the United States – or he could take Riyadh Season to Tokyo.
There aren’t really many exciting challenges left for Inoue at 122lbs, so a move up to featherweight to fight unbeaten WBO champion Espinoza would be a great fight for Alalshikh to make.
Keyshawn Davis v Andy Cruz
Davis and Cruz are the two brightest prospects in the lightweight division and have a rivalry that dates back to the amateurs.
American Davis, unbeaten after 11 fights, is further along in his professional career and is already ranked among the top 125lbs contenders. Cuba’s Cruz is fast climbing those same rankings and has dominated his four opponents so far.
Both fighters will be campaigning for title shots in 2025, and a showdown between Davis and Cruz will generate a huge amount of interest. Cruz beat Davis in three major finals in the amateurs – the Olympics, World Championships, and Pan American Games – so a rematch in the pros would be a chance either for repeat or revenge.
Cruz has already fought on an Alalshikh card, having featured on the undercard of Crawford’s super-welterweight title fight against Israil Madrimov earlier this month.
