10 boxers fans should watch in the second half of 2024

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• Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are two rising Japanese boxing stars looking to make a name for themselves on the world boxing scene.
• Diego Pacheco and Keyshawn Davis represent the future of American boxing, fighters who are poised for great things in the coming years.
• Terence Crawford and Artur Beterbiev are veteran champions who showcase their proficiency and star power in every fight they take on.

We're just over halfway through 2024, and there's a lot to look forward to in the world of boxing. The second half of the year is set to be filled with big events, superstars proving why they're at the top, and new stars being born.

Let's take a closer look at some of the sport's brightest and most impressive talents that any boxing fan should keep an eye on in the remaining months of 2024 and into 2025. These fighters are a mix of champions, challengers and even up-and-comers who have a good chance of becoming world champions in the coming years.

11 Naoya Inoue has big fights in his future

The pound-for-pound great will likely get a more mainstream fight soon.

Inoue is an undefeated world champion who has held multiple belts in four different weight classes, winning two of them by unanimous decision – something only two other fighters have managed to do in the four-belt era.

The Japanese pound-for-pound star has flown under the radar of many boxing fans because many of his fights take place around 7 a.m. weekdays in the U.S. and are broadcast from Japan, and there are rumors he may move on to bigger events elsewhere.

It's always worth watching Inoue's performances, he has one of the best technique in the ring and one of the best punchers for someone his size.

Ten Junichi Nakatani follows Inoue

Another Japanese great rising up the pound-for-pound rankings

Nakatani is a Japanese boxing star who appears to be following in the footsteps of Naoya Inoue, a three-division world champion and current WBC bantamweight world champion who is coming off a dominant performance against Vincent Astrolabio.

He is one of the most impressive champions in the world, but like Inoue, he is often overlooked because he competes in Japan. Hopefully, we will see him compete in prime time in the West soon, but keep an eye out for news regarding his next fight. A fight with Inoue could happen in the near future.

9 Diego Pacheco is one of the most promising American players of the future.

Super middleweight fighters need to be warned

Pacheco is an American professional boxer with an undefeated record and currently rising to the top of the super middleweight division. At 6'4″ with a 79″ reach and weighing in at 167lbs, he is a physically gifted fighter with great potential.

He's now won a regional title in North America and is set to compete in an even higher level of competition later in the summer. Pacheco will likely compete at least two more times in 2024, making 2025 a big year for the future champion.

8 Andy Cruz is on the rise

The Cuban Olympic champion will soon be competing in a big match.

Cruz, who won gold at lightweight at the 2020 Olympics, is already on his way to a title shot in just three fights of his pro career. Like longtime amateur champion Vasyl Lomachenko, Cruz is hoping to make his mark as a pro right away.

He has already defended his IBF International belt twice and will defend it again later this summer against a veteran who has competed against some of the best lightweights in the world. Cruz displays a sharp, technical and flashy style in the ring and is looking to master the art of boxing at a professional level.

He will likely work quickly to become a world champion, as he is already in his fighting prime and wants to rise to the top as quickly as possible.

7 Jared Anderson could be America's next great heavyweight

“The Real Big Baby” stands at the top of big heavyweight boxing

Anderson is the best chance to produce a heavyweight boxing superstar in the United States. He has the face, the power and the promotional ability to succeed at the highest level of the sport. Though he's only 24, he's stepping up his competitive game towards the end of the summer.

A fight against Bacall on the undercard of Terence Crawford's PPV event in Los Angeles would be Anderson's chance to become a star, with a big win against the WBA's No. 1 contender potentially locking him into a title fight in 2025.

6 Keyshawn Davis hangs out with superstars

Another American star aims for big battle with the best

Davis has been one of the better American amateur fighters in recent memory, but lost at the Olympics to Andy Cruz. This fight could be a championship bout, has a great storyline and could mean a lot for the sport for years to come.

The unbeaten prospect has already called out all of the top lightweights in the world and challenged them to fights, and Davis will soon be a top contender in boxing's deepest weight class, with the chance to show off his slick skills and star quality on the mic.

Five Abdullah Mason is boxing's hottest prospect

Watch him rise through the ranks

After studying the film, I believe Mason is the hottest prospect in boxing right now, and in my opinion, it's hard not to rave about the speed, power and aggressive style of this 20-year-old who still looks like a kid.

Mason will be well managed and kept on the right track on his path to superstardom, but he is currently one of the few undercard prospects on the radar in the U.S. The talent he possesses is clearly on a different level than anyone else at this stage of his career.

Four Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is on a roll

Next-generation lightweight, the best ever

“Bam” Rodriguez is currently beginning to rise up the boxing pound-for-pound rankings as he is now an undeniable force. His performances in recent bouts against Sonny Edwards and Juan Estrada have shown that he is on another level even with the other top fighters in the world.

The two-division champion is still just 24 years old and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. He has the drive to win unified titles in more weight classes, and as he gets older, he's good enough to compete in even more weight classes.

3 Terence Crawford is someone fans should keep an eye on.

The unusual sighting of Crawford happened in August.

Crawford will return in early August to face tough opponent Madrimov in Los Angeles in an attempt to become champion in another weight class. Crawford comes off a dominant win over Errol Spence that cemented his status as one of, if not the, number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

He makes this list because he has mastered the sport to the point of superstar status that boxing fans need to tune into his fights. Now that he's approaching his late 30s, those fans may be few and far between. Crawford's talent, fight IQ and consistency are unmatched at this level of boxing today. He consistently shows up and proves why he's the best.

2 Artur Beterbiev super fight to take place this fall

Great fighting, great action, not to be missed

Beterbiev is the most devastating pound-for-pound knockout artist in the world. His conditioning and Eastern European style of skilled punching power make him a nightmare for anyone on the planet. Boxing fans will be tuning in to his next fight because it is arguably the most exciting bout in the sport.

Finally, boxing fans will get to see two of the absolute best fight in the ring, something that is rare in the current state of boxing, as Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev put their unbeaten records on the line and dare to become greats in Saudi Arabia in October.

Beterbiev's health is a concern after he withdrew from the bout originally scheduled for June 1, but he will still be the favorite to win in October. A 100% knockout rate at his level is unheard of in the light heavyweight division, and if he can continue that streak against a powerhouse like Bivol, he deserves to be in the discussion as the division's all-time great.

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