Eubank Jr-Benn 2: Five fights we want to see before the end of 2025

Fights nights have been non-stop so far in 2025, but there is no reason for the big events to stop as we approach the second half of the year. These five fights would whet the appetite of any boxing fan, writes Jack Tanner.

Chris Eubank Jr punches Conor Benn (Getty Images)

Over halfway into 2025 we have seen some incredible fights, from Oleksandr Usyk knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley to Chris Eubank Jr’s war with rival Conor Benn .

But there is still plenty of time for more memorable nights in boxing before the end of the calendar year.

Whilst some star-packed cards have already been announced to be shown live on DAZN , we would love to see these five fights take place before we see 2026.

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Ramirez-Opetaia

Jai Opetaia retained the IBF cruiserweight title and Ring Magazine belt (Getty Images)

The cruiserweight division rarely has unified champions, let alone undisputed kings, so seeing three of the four major belts combined at 200lbs would be interesting in itself.

Two-division world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez is just the sixth example in the four-belt era, having combined the WBA and WBO titles with victory over Chris Billam-Smith in November 2024.

Jai Opetaia holds the IBF strap, having briefly lost it over sanctioning body politics, and whilst the Aussie has made a lot of noise about unifying with another champion at cruiserweight, a belt-uniting fight has yet to materialise.

Zurdo and Opetaia called each other out after their wins in June, with the two currently clear as the best two fighters at 200lbs. With Jake Paul sniffing around in the cruiserweight division and calling out world champions, it would be preferred to see two title holders go head-to-head, rather than take the money ‘The Problem Child’ offers.

Ball-Inoue

Naoya Inoue (AP)

Naoya Inoue has worked his way up the divisions, crushing everything in his path. Undisputed at both bantamweight and super bantamweight, the Japanese fighter they call ‘The Monster’ has more than earned his name.

Already lined up to fight Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September, Inoue is on a roll, having already fought twice in 2025. Victory over the former unified super bantamweight champion would leave the 30-0 fighter either waiting for countryman Junto Nakatani to step up to 122lbs, or he could move up to a new division.

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Nick Ball has been identified as the perfect welcome for Inoue at featherweight – the diminutive Scouser is three inches smaller than the undisputed super bantamweight champion. Inoue has admitted as much, telling The Ring magazine: “Ball is a fighter who has used his physical strength as a weapon. But he’s not tall, and in fact he’s smaller than me. So maybe he’s not a natural featherweight.

“Still, he’s a guy who has risen in the featherweight division by defeating bigger opponents, so I think it will be a fun fight."

Speaking before his win over Ramon Cardenas in May, In that same interview Inoue revealed that the plan was for him to fight in May and September, before facing Ball in December out in Saudi Arabia.

Turki Alalshikh has stated that he wants the fight, and so has Ball. A featherweight scrap to see out the year seems to be on the cards.

Stevenson-Davis

Shakur Stevenson poses for a portrait (Getty Images)

Shakur Stevenson strengthened his credentials as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters currently active with his impressive win over William Zepeda at the start of July, showcasing an ability to innovate as he exchanged big blows with his opponent.

That is another feather in the cap of the three-division world champion, but in a fractured lightweight division, a unification bout must be on the cards for Stevenson.

He has previously unified at super featherweight, but recent developments at 135lbs have completely changed the landscape of the major belts.

Vasyl Lomachenko, who Stevenson often exchanged barbs and callouts with, has retired, whilst Keyshawn Davis’ inability to make weight for his fight with Edwin De Los Santos cost him the WBO belt.

As one of the so-called new kings of American boxing, Stevenson must fancy himself against another – Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis - the WBA champion at 135lbs.

If Davis can redeem himself in his rematch with Lamont Roach in August, having controversially drawn with his fellow American back in March, perhaps we will see two of American boxing’s biggest names finally share the ring at the tail end of this year.

Victory over another huge name would launch him into contention as one of the best active fighters across all the divisions.

Eubank Jr-Benn 2

Chris Eubank Jr, left, defeated Conor Benn in April (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

In a world where overhyped boxing matches can produce a snoozefest, the first clash between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn delivered a British boxing classic.

Taking the rivalry shared between their fathers, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, the pair built upon the family history to spark a personal feud. Neither fighter held back in what evolved into an all-out brawl, with any doubts over Benn stepping up 13lbs or Eubank Jr being limited by the 160lbs weight limit quickly forgotten about.

Of course, that weight limit, and the rehydration clause that prevented Eubank Jr from weighing 10lbs more on the morning of the fight than his initial measurement, caused medical issues for ‘Next Gen’, who was taken to hospital after the fight.

Just as the first fight was shrouded in doubt, initially scheduled for 2022 before a positive drugs test for Benn, the rematch has seemingly come under threat of falling through despite being contractually agreed.

Turki Alalshikh’s announcement of the fight for Saturday, September 20, took both fighters’ camps by surprise. Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn implied that radio silence from Eubank Jr’s team indicated that the fight would not go ahead, but it appears that the fight will be merely pushed back to November this year.

Although a defeat for Eubank Jr could fuel talk of a trilogy, a rematch later this year could finally close a chapter of British boxing history.

If it produces the same level of quality as the first meeting, then a lot of fans will be left very happy.

Bivol-Beterbiev 3

(Getty Images)

Some trilogies are not needed, one fighter simply completing a whitewash over another. That is not the case for Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev , the two light heavyweights finding their perfect dancing partners.

Both undefeated heading into their first meeting , Beterbiev edged a majority decision . With little to separate the pair, a rematch was set up for four months later.

It was another majority decision win, but this time for Bivol, who became the second undisputed champion at 175lbs in the four-belt era – after Beterbiev.

At one win apiece and not much between them in either fight, a trilogy was instantly suggested and worked towards, to the detriment of Biviol as he was forced to vacate his WBC strap in order to pursue a third Beterbiev fight.

Talk of the rubber match has subsided since February, with discussions over the location of the fight a major stumbling block.

It is clear that Bivol and Beterbiev are currently head and shoulders above the rest of the light heavyweight division, but boxing fans want to see a definitive king at 175lbs.

Whilst Bivol is no spring chicken at 34, Beterbiev is arguably moving further and further away from his prime at 40 years of age. For the best fight possible, it should take place sooner rather than later.

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