Benavidez, Ennis, Dubois Named Boxing's Future

Boxing's reliance on aging stars threatens the sport's long-term health despite upcoming marquee bouts, according to a new analysis from The Ring Magazine columnist Patrick Connor.

While Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua prepare for their showdown and names like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather still draw interest, Connor argues the schedule reflects a dangerous preference for established fighters over rising talent. "The schedule leaves boxing fans, and others, to wonder who the names of tomorrow might be," he wrote.

Why Young Stars Like Benavidez And Ennis Matter

Connor identifies David Benavidez, Daniel Dubois, Jaron Ennis, and Vergil Ortiz as critical to boxing's generational succession. Potential matchups between younger champions — including a collapsed Devin Haney versus Shakur Stevenson bout and a shelved Ortiz versus Ennis clash — fell apart while promoters banked on yesterday's heroes, the column notes.

The structural problems run deeper than scheduling. Boxing faces permanent Olympic expulsion over governance issues, while local amateur programs including Golden Gloves and Silver Gloves tournaments have vanished across the United States, Connor reports. The International Olympic Committee granted boxing a reprieve for 2028 but offered no long-term guarantees.

Connor points to the fragmentation of sanctioning bodies as another roadblock, with four major organizations now crowning multiple champions per division and refusing to consolidate titles. A thrilling Naoya Inoue versus Jesse Rodriguez bout remains in the works, but the overall system lacks a common goal to propel new talent forward. Fury and Joshua meet in Riyadh on May 17.

Source: ringmagazine.com