. Gervonta Davis has claimed he intends to retire after 2025. If this is true, who would you most want to see Tank fight?
Lee: The obvious answer is Shakur Stevenson. But as of recent, he has been throwing barbs about Devin Haney losing to Ryan Garcia. Bill Haney called out Davis after his son lost to Garcia. Haney is known for his technical style of fighting and above average defense. The question when fighting Davis is how do you deal with his speed, power and boxing IQ? Some people say Davis is the face of boxing… Even though he doesn’t own a signature win over a top rated fighter. Making this fight will require some give and take on both sides when it comes to boxing politics. But a Haney-Davis bout would pit two of the most skilled and exciting young fighters against each other.
Evan: I’m going to go with the obvious answer as Lee pointed out, it’s Shakur Stevenson. It’s a generational matchup with incredibly high stakes that would arguably decide who is the best fighter of this loaded era of talented young stars that compete between 130 to 140 pounds. The rivalry between them has grown throughout the years as well, only adding to the hype of a potential fight. The one caveat though, is Tank has been very dismissive of Shakur recently, and disparaging of his career thus far. So I’m not sure it’s a fight Davis will even entertain at this point.
The other two wildcards are Keyshawn Davis and Teofimo Lopez. Both would present interesting challenges to Tank. Lopez specifically; has the athleticism, moxie, craft, and a unique style that contrasts well with Davis’ combination of power and savvy fight IQ. Plus, the pre-fight banter between the two would be a potential shit show in the best way possible. Keyshawn on the other hand has the fearlessness and versatility to not be overwhelmed by Gervonta’s aura or skills. The Olympic silver medalist wants all the smoke. Seeing if he can rise to the occasion against Tank would be massively intriguing too.
#2. Who should Jake Paul fight?
Lee: Ryan Garcia is targeting a big fight upon his return and has hinted at a showdown against Jake Paul. Garcia originally won his last fight against Devin Haney, but it was later revealed he had failed two doping tests. Garcia has said he would be willing to contest at a weight disadvantage if the two agreed to a match. Ryan has fought at super lightweight (140 pounds). Paul weighed in at 227 pounds ahead of his bout with Mike Tyson. This fight would definitely be a battle of social media kings. Garcia has over 9m followers on Instagram, another 5m on TikTok and over 200K on X. Jake Paul has 22m Instagram followers, 17m on TikTok , over 4m on X and 20m on YouTube. This fight could possibly be the biggest gate in boxing history. Jake Paul has even said on record that he’s a better boxer than Garcia.
Evan: To be as blunt as possible, I truly don’t care who Jake Paul fights next. I’ve been over the circus act for a while now. Nothing about his gimmick or skills are interesting at all to me. However, I think Lee’s choice of Ryan Garcia is a sneaky good one that makes a ton of sense. I’d also throw in a potential Tommy Fury rematch as a top option. I wouldn’t even be surprised if retired former champs like Andre Ward or Carl Froch get a shot at Paul in 2025. Sadly too, I think we’re as close as we’ve ever been to Jake getting a fight with Canelo Alvarez or Conor McGregor. Both of which would be massive events, whether people like it or not.
#3. What matchups do you most want to see?
Lee: Not surprising, a showdown between generational stars Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford would be a big event. Boxing fans will say Canelo will be too big for Crawford, but I think Crawford’s skills should not be overlooked. Crawford didn’t look like his dominant self in his last appearance against Israil Madrimov. But, that could be attributed to ring rust and fighting at a new weight. Meanwhile, Canelo mowed through Edgar Berlanga rather easily. Crawford is looking for super fights at this point in his career. This is most likely the biggest payday and fight he can get. Canelo and his camp look at Crawford as another easy fight. Give me the better boxer over the bigger guy, like Usyk vs. Fury.
Evan: There’s so many quality matchups that could be made in 2025. Canelo Alvarez fighting the winner of David Benavidez-David Morrell Jr. would be a priority choice for me. It’s a unification bout that needs to happen, that fans desperately want to see. Although, I think Canelo’s stubbornness and insistence to not want to fight Benavidez specifically is an enormous obstacle in making that a reality. Terence Crawford vs. Teofimo Lopez is also a fascinating matchup that’s on my wish list. The bad blood between the two outside of the ring and the stylistic clash inside of it, are ingredients for a stellar fight. Additionally, I’d throw in a super fight between Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue. A rematch between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia is also at the top of my list.
#4. Who will be boxing’s breakout star/s?
Lee: Shakur Stevenson will be defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Lightweight World Championship against the undefeated Floyd Schofield. If Schofield looks good and takes the loss, I see him being rewarded with credible future fights. If he were to win, his name would shoot to the moon. A rematch with Shakur would be on the plate with more money coming his way as the champ. Also, he could line up Frank Martin Jr. or Keyshawn Johnson. Schofield, with an undefeated record of 16 wins and 12 knockouts, is known for his aggressive style and ability to finish fights. He is already considered one of the most explosive prospects in boxing today. A good showing (win or lose) against Shakur would move him from prospect to future star.
Evan: The sport is currently loaded with a plethora of young talent. The future of boxing seems as bright as it’s ever been. My main pick for this is going to be Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. Despite bursting out onto the scene the last two years by dismantling and finishing former flyweight champions, Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Juan Francisco Estrada, and Sunny Edwards, he is only scratching the surface of his star potential. Rodriguez has the speed, power, angles, and craft that are reminiscent of a young Manny Pacquiao. 2025 feels like it could be the year where he establishes himself as a pound-for-pound great.
Some other names to watch out for would be Top Rank’s duo of Abdullah Mason and Xander Zayas. Both feel like they’re on the cusp of major breakthroughs. Lastly, Junto Nakatani seems like he could be the next big star to come out of Japan. Especially if he can get a matchup with pound-for-pound king and fellow Japanese stalwart, Naoya Inoue. 2025 might be Junto’s arrival as a household name…
#5. With Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on the sport, what are the biggest fights that Turki Alalshikh can help make a reality?
Lee: The biggest fight Turki Alalshikh can help make would be David Benavidez vs. Canelo Alavarez. Boxing fans are at a point where they know this fight is not going to happen. One thing we know for sure, is that Benavidez wants this fight. He was even willing to do a 70/30 split to make it happen. Canelo has been accused on multiple occasions of ducking Benavidez and has even named his outrageous price. He said it would take between $150 million and $200 million for the risk associated with the matchup. The risk he’s talking about, would be the 25 or 30 pounds that Benavidez could possibly weigh on fight day. This is an easy fix as well… A rehydration clause can be placed in the contract (see Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia).
Evan: I love Lee’s choice. If anyone can convince Alvarez to finally get in the ring with the Mexican Monster, it’s Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi’s endless bank account. I’m also going to stick with Canelo but choose a different opponent for him in Terence Crawford. That feels like a mega fight that hardcore boxing fans and casuals alike are frothing at the mouth to see. Alvarez’s resistance to the matchup in the past gives me doubts. But, it feels like Turki wants that fight to happen badly. I could easily see him making Canelo an offer he simply can’t refuse to create one of the biggest matchups we’ve seen in the last decade. I think a super fight between British boxing heavyweight titans, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, is another event the Saudi’s can help make happen. Now seems like the perfect timing for the long awaited grudge match.
However, that looks set to change this year with both men seemingly on a collision course to face each other after suffering back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Of course, these comments came during Fury’s first retirement from the sport when he was drinking and abusing drugs.
As a gesture of goodwill, Anthony Joshua presented President Tinubu with an autographed boxing glove inscribed, “To the Great Asiwaju Jagaban Borgu of Africa, Bola A. Tinubu.” Photos from the visit were shared on the Presidency’s official X handle, accompanied by a caption that read: “President Bola Tinubu receiving an autographed glove from former World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua, when he visited the President at his residence in Lagos.”
Governor Abiodun further disclosed that Joshua would play a pivotal role in the Gateway Games National Sports Festival by lighting the festival torch in May 2025.
