Boxing is experiencing a massive resurgence in 2024.
Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi group behind Riyadh Season, which has been powering many of the top cards over the past two years, deserve some credit.
However, the sport is also fortunate to have a mix of spectacular talents, polarizing personalities, engaging media outlets, and rivalries to spark an uptick in interest surrounding the sport.
Here is a look at every significant confirmed card between May and August. As you scan this list, you’ll see a heavy Saudi influence, new networks hopping into the mix, and fight after fight featuring the biggest names in the sport.
I have listed the dates, networks, matchups, championship implications and a bit of the backstory around some of the fights.
May 4: (Prime PPV and DAZN PPV)
(c) Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia – Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship
Many have called for Alvarez to fight David Benavidez, but the Mexican icon has refused and opted to face Munguia in a fight most expect him to win.
May 6: (ESPN/ESPN+)
(c) Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery – Undisputed Junior Featherweight Championship
This fight will happen early in the morning for American fans, but it has the potential to become a slugfest. Inoue is arguably the best fighter in the world, but he doesn’t get the exposure a fighter of his talents would normally receive because he hasn’t fought in the United States during the prime of his career.
May 11: (ESPN/ESPN+)
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr. Vacant IBF Lightweight Championship
Lomachenko may be past his prime and Kambosos may be one of the most opportunistic former undisputed champions in history. However, this is a battle of former Devin Haney foes with a legitimate world title on the line.
May 18: (ESPN+ and DAZN PPV)
(c) Oleksandr Usyk vs. (c) Tyson Fury – Undisputed Heavyweight Championship
The Usyk-Fury battle might be the biggest single fight of the year with the undisputed heavyweight crown on the line. There is also a rematch likely to be scheduled for later in the year.
May 18: (ESPN/ESPN+)
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Denys Berinchyk – Vacant WBO Lightweight Championship
May 25: (ESPN+)
Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall, Junior Welterweights
June 1: (ESPN+ and DAZN PPV)
- (c) Dmitry Bivol vs. (c) Artur Beterbiev Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship
- Daniel Dubois vs. Filip Hrgovic – Heavyweights
- Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang – Heavyweights
- (c) Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball – WBA Featherweight Championship
This card is the biggest Riyadh Season event that won’t be headlined by a heavyweight bout–at least before the August 3 card in L.A. In any case, it’s another undisputed title fight with the rugged Beterbiev hoping to pound away at the surgical Bivol. Wilder is also looking to salvage his career in a potential slugfest while DuBois and Hrgovic might be battling for a soon-to-be-vacant IBF heavyweight title.
June 15: (DAZN)
(c) Subriel Matias vs. Liam Paro – IBF Junior Welterweight Championship
June 15: (Prime PPV)
- (c) Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin – WBA Lightweight Championship
- David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk – Light Heavyweights
With Davis returning to the ring, the most talented of the lower-weight stars is back. Martin presents a solid challenge, but the fight could be a stepping stone to a larger fight later in the year. Benavidez will move up to 175 pounds rather than waiting on Alvarez to call his number.
June 29: (ESPN/ESPN+)
(c) Teofimo Lopez vs. Steve Claggett – WBO Junior Welterweight Championship
June 29: (DAZN)
(c) Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – WBC Junior Bantamweight Championship
July 20: (Netflix)
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul – Heavyweights
(c) Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 – Undisputed Super Lightweight Championship
Call it a farce, but you’d be foolish to be shocked if it pulls in the largest viewership of any other event on this card.
August 3: (DAZN PPV)
- (c) Israil Madrimov vs. Terence Crawford – WBA “regular” Junior Middleweight Championship
- Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller – Heavyweights
- (c) Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz vs. Jose Valenzuela – WBA Junior Welterweight Championship
- Tim Tszyu vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. – Junior Middleweights
- David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic – WBA vacant “regular” Light Heavyweight Championship
- Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran – Lightweights
- Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares 3
This lineup of fights feels more like a UFC event because of the balance and stars throughout the main card. It may set the tone for major boxing events into the near future, which is a good sign for boxing fans.
As each card passes, I will eliminate it from the schedule and add the new events as they are officially announced. In addition, there will be fight-week coverage of the biggest fights on the 2024 schedule.
Exciting fights are on this list, and only five of the events are listed as pay-per-view. Most of the events here can be seen with subscriptions to ESPN+ and DAZN.
Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming boxing events as they are added to the schedule.
