Comments Thread For: Who will be the Fighter of 2025? BoxingScene contributors make their picks

[Lance98]

Usyk's accomplishments are undeniable, so it has to be him.

[SteveM]

Inoue is fighting Goodman and Picasso and avoiding Akhmadaliev.

I could see others having a better resume than that this year.

I think and hope that Akhmadaliev will be his 3rd fight this year and so if he wins those fights he'll have totally cleared out 122. Undisputed is not the same as clearing out a division. Imagine if Usyk somehow beat Bakole, Zhang, Kabayel, Parker, - he'd have cleared out all the contenders. It's so difficult as to be verging on the impossible.

[1Eriugenus]

Joseph - 'I like Morrell, but that's a hot take. What makes you think they would avoid him?'

Respect, I don't think men like Beterbiev or Bivol avoid anyone. Equally, Beterbiev is 40 & Bivol is in his late 30s. They have been prolonging their careers to fight each other. Once Beterbiev:Bivol II happens both men can ride off into the sunset. They have both achieved a lot & made a lot of money. I can tell you, free, gratis, & for nothing, that the winner won't defend v the no 1 challenger, Buatsi, that won't happen. I think the loser will certainly retire. The winner? All boxers are businessmen these days. If you offer the winner really silly money he'll take one more fight. That has to be Benavidez. Morrell just won't bring the sort of silly money that would convince Beterbiev or Bivol to prolong their careers. You don't know how hard it is to keep dragging through that training regimen when you've been doing it for, like, 20 years!

[1Eriugenus]

SteveM

If he does that, he's the man. Unless Terence steps up, beats up Canelo, in which case he's the man.