Boxing’s best fighters have been featured in full force over the last four weeks.
It started on April 20, when social media superstar Ryan Garcia outslugged and upset Devin Haney.
On May 4, boxing’s biggest breadwinner, Canelo Alvarez, defended his undisputed super middleweight title against Jaime Munguia and further reiterated that he’s the face of boxing — just as he has written in his social media profiles. For good measure on Thursday, Alvarez was revealed as the cover star for the new boxing video game “Undisputed.”
On May 6, Naoya Inoue – who declared himself the best boxer on the planet – lived up to his billing by blasting Luis Nery to defend his undisputed super bantamweight title.
And on Saturday night, the sport’s glamour division will be on display when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
Emerging star and undefeated super middleweight/light heavyweight contender David Benavidez believes the victor between Fury and Usyk can be billed as the face of the sport.
“The winner between Fury and Usyk will be the face of boxing right now,” Benavidez told BoxingScene. “This is the first time in 25 years the heavyweight title is being unified for undisputed. Heavyweight boxing is the pinnacle of boxing. You have two fighting titans.
“It's a hard fight to pick. My heart is telling me Tyson Fury, but my brain is telling me Oleksandr Usyk. It's going to be a great fight. Usyk is an animal. The way he boxes is like art. That can take a man out any single day. And then you have Fury, who's big in stature and long and has combinations. It's going to be a tough fight. I'm hoping to see a good fight.”
Fury is a -120 betting favorite and Usyk is a +100 betting underdog, according to DraftKings.
Benavidez has the makings to one day throw his name in the hat to be the face of boxing as well.
Benavidez will look to add to the next chapter of his career on June 15, when he makes his light heavyweight debut against former lineal 175-pound champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
The fight will serve as the co-main event for Gervonta Davis’ lightweight fight against Frank Martin.
Alvarez and Davis have exchanged friendly fire in the past as to who indeed is the face of boxing.
Davis will look to further cement his claim, at least among American audiences, when he faces Martin on pay-per-view.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.