Three fights the boxing world needs to see in 2026
It has been a strong end to 2025, with major boxing events ending with the The Ring V: Night of the Samurai fight card, culminating with Junto Nakatani and Naoya Inoue winning. Plenty has been teased for 2026 already, and it looks like it could be a memorable year, with the return of Oleksandr Usyk likely and much more.
Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani
The first fight on our list of best boxing fights for 2026 is Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani, which has been heavily rumoured for 2026 at the Tokyo Dome.
Both appeared on the Ring V card with Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) making his debut at super bantamweight against Sebastian Hernandez. It was a tough fight for both, with Nakatani claiming the unanimous decision with scorecards of 115-113 x2 and 118-110 (contender for worst scorecard of the year).
Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) faced David Alan Picasso, producing a dominating performance, full of sharp combinations, with the scorecards reading 119-109, 120-108, and 117-111. Inoue and Nakatani have spoken positively about facing each other, and a showdown at the Tokyo Dome would be massive for Japanese boxing and boxing in general.
Dmitry Bivol vs David Benavidez
The light-heavyweight division has been ruled by Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in recent years. Beterbiev won their first encounter, while Bivol got his revenge in the rematch. David Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) is now in the division, looking to face the best as the WBC light heavyweight champion.
Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) is set to return in 2026 following back surgery, and a potential showdown against Benavidez has boxing fans excited. Benavidez has been linked with a move to cruiserweight to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, but a fight against Bivol would be a tactical battle of the highest calibre. This is the one I am keeping my fingers crossed for.
Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
The final fight on our best boxing fights in 2026 list is the much rumoured for many years fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. This fight has been close to be agreed on more than one occasion.
Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) announced his retirement shortly after his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk, but has often teased his return. Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) recently returned to the ring, stopping Jake Paul in the sixth round of their much-maligned Netflix fight.
There’s no denying the potential fight has lost some of its appeal, with both past their prime. However, the legacies of both would ensure it would still be a huge fight in the UK, with Wembley Stadium the likely venue.
What fight do you want to see in 2026?
