Exciting Boxing Weekend: Top Fights to Watch
After a weekend where big names like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Canelo Alvarez didn’t quite meet expectations, boxing fans are in for a treat with a lineup of thrilling matchups. These bouts are set to unfold across various time zones, from California to Japan, promising a weekend packed with action.
ESPN has broken down the best card and ranked all the notable fights this weekend. Let’s dive into the details of these exciting matchups.
1. Anthony Cacace vs. Leigh Wood – Junior Lightweight Fight (DAZN, Saturday at 2 p.m. ET)
Leigh Wood, at 36, had dreams of closing his career with a world title fight at the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest. While that dream won’t come true this Saturday, the fight remains significant. Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) will be boxing in front of his home city fans in Nottingham, at the indoor arena where Carl Froch made his mark in the super middleweight division.
Anthony Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs), hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, relinquished the IBF world title he won against Joe Cordina in May 2024 to make this fight happen. Despite no recognized titles being on the line, this bout features two top operators in the junior lightweight division.
Wood was previously ranked No. 1 at featherweight before giving up the WBA belt after a seventh-round stoppage win over Josh Warrington in October 2023. However, his career has been on hold since then. Meanwhile, Cacace has been active, with a shock stoppage win over Cordina elevating his career. Cacace, also 36, has been more active and boasts significant height and reach advantages. As ESPN’s No. 2 at junior lightweight, he has every reason to be confident. But if Wood shows no signs of rust and is inspired by his home fans, it could be another fairy-tale chapter in his career.
The winner of this fight would be a natural next opponent for the victor of Saturday’s Emanuel Navarrete vs. Charly Suarez WBO title fight.
2. Emanuel Navarrete vs. Charly Suarez – Junior Lightweight Title Fight (ESPN/ESPN+, Saturday at 10 p.m. ET)
Emanuel Navarrete, a three-division world champion, looked sensational in his last outing when he crushed Oscar Valdez with a shot to the liver in their rematch in December. In that form, the Mexican fighter is a must-watch.
Navarrete (39-2-1, 32) defends his WBO junior lightweight belt against the Philippines’ Suarez in San Diego on Saturday. A strong performance can solidify his place at the top of the 130-pound division. Navarrete was ruthless against Valdez, flooring him three times before the stoppage. Another stunning display could tempt him to try another crack at the lightweight division. Navarrete lost a split decision to Denys Berinchyk challenging for the WBO lightweight belt in May 2024, but he might pursue more lucrative fights at lightweight if he beats Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs). There’s also the possibility of a unification title fight against WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster if Navarrete stays at 130.
3. Erickson Lubin vs. Ardreal Holmes Jr. – Junior Middleweight Title Eliminator (PROBOX TV, Saturday at 6 p.m. ET)
This is a clash of two southpaws who desperately need to win this IBF junior middleweight title eliminator.
Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs), from Orlando, Florida, has the experience but is coming off a long layoff: He has not fought since September 2023, when he won a unanimous decision over Jesus Ramos, with a hand injury delaying his return. Holmes (17-0, 6 KOs), from Flint, Michigan, is less experienced but has the momentum after registering three wins in 2024.
Lubin can be exciting and was involved in a thrilling fight with Sebastian Fundora three years ago. The winner of Saturday’s fight in Kissimmee, Florida, progresses to fight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.
4. Fernando Martinez vs. Kazuto Ioka – Junior Bantamweight Title Fight on Sunday
After a relentless firefight last July, Martinez and Ioka meet again Sunday in Tokyo, and more of the same is expected. Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs) won a unanimous decision after he outlanded Ioka in their unification title fight in Japan.
Just how much that attritional fight took out of 36-year-old Ioka will determine whether he can get revenge and win a world title in a third weight class.
Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs), from Japan, began his career 16 years ago, and he will have to roll back the years to keep pace with the 33-year-old WBA champion from Argentina.
This rematch was delayed from December, after Martinez withdrew with illness, but is worth the wait.
5. Souleymane Cissokho vs. Egidijus Kavaliauskas – WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator on Saturday
Equatorial Guinea, the site of Saturday’s fight, is 2,000 miles from Senegal, where Cissokho (17-0, 9 KOs) was born. But it will still feel like a homecoming fight for him. He will fulfill a dream of boxing in Africa when he takes on Kavaliauskas (24-2-1, 19 KOs) in a WBC welterweight title eliminator in the capital of Malabo.
Cissokho, who is due a title shot, is based in Paris but trains in California with Virgil Hunter. If he wins, he will get that opportunity and time in the spotlight.
Injury has delayed the bout, and an 18-month ring absence will be a concern for Cissokho, who faces a dangerous puncher in California-based Lithuanian Kavaliauskas.
But Kavaliauskas has been stopped on the two occasions he has stepped up a level (by Vergil Ortiz in 2021 and Terence Crawford in 2019), and this looks like a golden opportunity for a smart boxer such as Cissokho to seal a big fight for later in the year.
Originally Written by: Nick Parkinson
