Can 2024 Keep the Momentum Going?
The business of boxing outside the ring in the United States has been in flux for a long time. Decades of stability via free network coverage gave way to premium cable stability with ESPN and HBO. Now, ESPN is in and out of boxing, HBO is gone, Showtime is out, and Amazon Prime and DAZN have joined the party.
But it’s what happens inside the ring that provides the real entertainment. Last year was a winning endeavor for boxing, with unexpected gems, excellent star contests, superfights, and massive upsets.
So, can 2024 keep the in-ring momentum going? Signs point to yes.
In February, the two best heavyweights in the world will lock horns. Tyson Fury and Usyk will battle for the lineal throne and all the belts. It’s a fight that has fans buzzing. Both enter after rocky performances, so this fight could be happening under stronger circumstances.
At light heavyweight, Dmitry Bivol and the winner of Beterbiev-Callum Smith should finally fight. It’s been years in the making and overdue.
Super middleweight has a must-see fight in Saul Alvarez vs. David Benavidez. Benavidez earned it with wins over Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade in 2023.
Terence Crawford is the king at welterweight, but his future plans may influence junior middleweight. Jermell Charlo still holds the crown at 154 pounds and a perfect year would include a Charlo-Tim Tszyu fight, with the winner taking on Crawford.
Former lightweight champions Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez both won belts at junior welterweight last year. Ryan Garcia and Haney are talking about each other, and Lopez is feuding with Subriel Matias.
At featherweight, unification action could set the stage for Naoya Inoue’s rise in weight later in the year. Inoue will keep chipping away at junior featherweight in the meantime, now that he is its sole clear king.
At lower weights, Bam Rodriguez’s rise should continue, and one of the aging Hardcore Four may be in his sights at junior bantamweight.
2024 could bring a lot of excitement in the ring. If the stars align the right way, boxing fans have a lot to look forward to.
