After a shockingly good 2023 filled with big fights, boxing has the chance to continue that positive momentum into 2024. The wheels are already in motion for some highly-anticipated clashes, including Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk meeting to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion on Feb. 17.
With boxing fans now expecting big fights to come to fruition, it’s time to look ahead and play matchmaker. The CBS Sports experts sat down and determined five huge fights we want to see go down in 2024.
Let’s take a look at the list.
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Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. David Benavidez
There are other fights Alvarez could take and they would do big business because Alvarez himself is always big business. But we’ve hit the point where Alvarez vs. Benavidez is basically undeniable. Had Benavidez not repeatedly shot himself in the foot and lost his WBC super middleweight title on multiple occasions for failed drug tests and missing weight, Alvarez’s path to undisputed would have had to go through Benavidez. Instead, Alvarez was able to avoid the toughest test in the division while collecting all four titles at 168 pounds.
Benavidez is the WBC interim champion now, which makes him one of Alvarez’s mandatory challengers. There’s no reason to not do the best fight in the division and one of the best fights in the sport. A win for Alvarez would further cement his legacy in the sport while Benavidez would have the chance to score the biggest win of his career and emerge as one of the biggest stars in the sport at just 27 years old.
Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou
In terms of “striking while the iron is hot,” there may be no bigger fight in boxing. Ngannou shocked the combat sports world by not only being competitive with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but also knocking Fury down and making a solid argument he deserved the decision. Ngannou’s performance made him one of the hottest names in boxing, a former UFC champion with a great backstory who proved he was anything other than someone looking to make a quick payday in the boxing ring.
As a two-time former unified heavyweight champ, Joshua certainly wants to fight for a world title again. Of course, all four world titles are tied up in the planned bout between Fury and Usyk. While the IBF title may be freed up if the sanctioning body strips the winner of Fury vs. Usyk as IBF mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic has stated he won’t step aside for the contractually obligated rematch, a fight between Joshua and Ngannou is massive business. Add to that both sides talking up the potential clash — including Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn — and it seems like an easy fight to make that sets the winner up as the man most deserving of a crack at the Fury/Usyk winner.
Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol
We hear a lot about politics in boxing but real-world politics have been at the heart of why this showdown to crown an undisputed light heavyweight champion has not yet happened. Beterbiev and Bivol have spent years as hands-down the best fighters in the division and a fight seemed necessary, especially as both fighters seemingly wanted to make it happen.
But after Russia invaded Ukraine, the WBC refused to sanction title fights involving Russian fighters. It’s understandable if that causes confusion given Russian-born Beterbiev holds the WBC belt, in addition to the IBF and WBO titles. The WBC has excused this by citing Beterbiev having long lived in Canada while Bivol still lives in Russia for at least part of every year. Because of this, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has repeatedly said they would not allow Bivol to fight for the belt.
While Bivol vs. Beterbiev would still be a huge fight, losing the undisputed tag would take away a bit of the shine. Still, assuming Beterbiev gets past Callum Smith on Jan. 13, this is the fight to make at 175 pounds.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson
Davis has thrown a lot of shots at both Stevenson and Devin Haney, but of those two options, a fight with Stevenson feels more likely. Haney has fully moved up to junior welterweight after having been undisputed lightweight champ. That move elevated Davis to full WBA lightweight champion and Stevenson to WBC champ.
Davis is arguably the biggest star in the sport heading into 2024 and he needs a real test and a name opponent to continue his momentum. Stevenson, who sits alongside Davis as one of the sport’s brightest young talents, certainly fits the bill and presents an opportunity to become unified champion. Both men have called for the fight to happen and there are no real roadblocks to it happening other than either man not following through on their talk.
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia
This would be another potential battle of young stars and it’s one that both men have publicly said has been discussed. Garcia has chased big fights in his young career and finally landed one in 2023 when he faced Gervonta Davis. That fight went poorly for Garcia as he was dropped twice, staying down the second time after a Davis body shot.
Haney and Garcia both moved up from lightweight to junior welterweight so the weights are aligned. Haney thrashed Regis Prograis to win the WBC title. The IBF and WBO titles look to be tied up with the idea of a unification bout between Teofimo Lopez and Subriel Matías taking place sometime this summer and WBA champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero is now “champion in recess” due to an injury with Ohara Davies and Ismael Barroso (who was on the receiving end of one of boxing’s great screwjobs of 2023 against Romero). That leaves Garcia as Haney’s best option for a big fight any time in the near future.
