In a whirlwind stretch of high-stakes matchups and unexpected outcomes, boxing fans were treated to a series of jaw-dropping moments that turned the sport’s hierarchy on its head.
From the bright lights of Times Square to the fight-hardened rings of Glasgow, London, and Las Vegas, established names stumbled while hungry challengers seized the spotlight.
Here is a look at the biggest upsets that boxing has seen so far this year.
Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero
Times Square, New York, 2 May – What was supposed to be a credible-yet-comfortable fight for Ryan Garcia to set up a rematch with Devin Haney morphed into an unexpected upset against an old rival in Rolly Romero.
The two met on a historic, albeit lacklustre, card at Times Square, which also featured Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez and Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr.
Turki Alalshikh made an informal deal that both Haney and Garcia had to win their fights to unlock the rematch they were both after. Their first fight was overturned to a No Contest after Garcia failed a drug test.
Perhaps a victim of taking his eyes off his opponent and instead looking ahead to Haney, with whom he had been clashing all fight week, Garcia got dropped in the second round by a left hook from Romero.
The shot did not genuinely hurt Garcia, but his initial eagerness to let his hands go had disappeared, which allowed Romero to take control of the fight and take a comfortable points win on all three scorecards: 115-112, 115-112, 118-109.
The fight was expected to deliver fireworks, but Garcia’s confidence was knocked out of him, and Romero claimed perhaps the biggest upset of the year so far.
Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman
Hydro Arena, Glasgow, 24 May – Josh Taylor made his first appearance at welterweight, hoping to reignite his career and become a two-weight world champion, after back-to-back losses to Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall at super-lightweight.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
See Schedule
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
See Schedule
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
His opponent, Ekow Essuman, was in rebuild mode after losing an upset of his own to Harry Scarff in 2023, jumping at the opportunity to have a name like Taylor’s on his resume.
Taylor was met with rapturous applause by his home crowd and certainly gave them something to cheer about in the opening rounds, pushing the pace and hurting Essuman, who found himself backed onto the ropes.
But the former undisputed champion had his success stunted by a well-timed right hand that temporarily muted the Glasgow crowd.
Still, Taylor continued to find success in his work rate, punctuated by pockets of work from the Nottingham fighter who looked to be weathering the storm well.
The pace began to slow into the seventh round, and a clash of heads opened a cut above the left eye of Taylor, which seemed to add a heap of coal to “The Engine”.
Essuman continued to pile on the pressure and began to find a home for more of his shots as Taylor’s stamina began to falter, heading into the championship rounds.
The final two rounds would prove to be decisive for the scorecards, and Essuman found the extra 10 per cent that Taylor could not.
The 36-year-old won via unanimous decision to claim the most important victory of his career against Britain’s first and only undisputed champion in the four-belt era.
The scorecards read 116-113, 116-112, 115-113.
Watch over 185 fights a year from the world’s best promoters with a DAZN subscription. More information here.
Caleb Plant vs Armando Resendiz
Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, 31 May – Caleb Plant was looking to regain his momentum against a relative unknown in Resendiz, who had not yet fought at the level Plant had been operating at for years.
After suffering defeat at the hands of David Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez in two of his last three fights, Plant had a comeback victory against Trevor McCumby before taking on Armando Resendiz. That match was supposed to be the prelude to a grudge match against Jermall Charlo, who fought and defeated Thomas LaManna on the same card.
The fight was a close affair in the early goings as Plant used his jab and counter left hook to good effect, and Resendiz took the front foot, looking for hooks to the head and body.
Plant’s signature defensive skills seemed to be absent as he continued to get caught with heavy hooks from his more explosive opponent.
The highlight of the fight came in the sixth round when Resendiz detonated a short right hand that wobbled Plant, who desperately tried to hang on, but got hit with two clean hooks before finally managing to get his arms around the Mexican.
The jab was Plant’s primary weapon, which he continued to score with throughout the fight, but he struggled to follow up, smothering his work, while Resendiz was able to get off some impressive shots on the inside.
Plant said after the fight that he thought he had done enough to win, but Resendiz was the more imposing fighter, landing heavier and more eye-catching work to sway the judges in his favour for a split decision: 116-112, 116-112, 113-115.
Skye Nicolson vs Tiara Brown
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, 22 March – Skye Nicolson was set up to defend her WBC featherweight strap for the third time against an unbeaten but untested Tiara Brown, in the hopes of getting a unification bout next.
Nicolson had looked unbeatable, and one could argue had not lost a round since acquiring her green and gold belt in June 2024.
Brown, a former police officer in Washington DC and Florida, had not fought for a world title, but had an infectious confidence that would help propel her towards one of the biggest upsets the female game has seen this year.
The WBC champion made a bright start with her signature counter shots and foot movement to keep a charging Brown at bay. But this would not last for long as Brown was intelligent in cutting off the ring and throwing cuffing left hooks, as the Aussie southpaw tried to pivot away.
This stifled Nicolson’s movements and forced her to fight on the inside, which played into Brown’s hands. She landed a high volume of body punches and right uppercuts to the champion, who looked uncomfortable up close.
Brown used her unconventional footwork to her advantage, sliding between orthodox and southpaw to close the space down that Nicolson was desperate to find. Her unrelenting pressure and punching were something Nicolson had not yet faced and did not seem prepared for.
Nicolson did land effective work but simply could not match Brown’s output and lost a split decision: 94-96, 93-97 and 96-94. With that, Brown claimed an unlikely victory behind enemy lines to acquire her first world title. She collapsed in tears after the result was announced.
Liam Smith vs Aaron McKenna
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 28 April – Liam Smith was fighting for his career after suffering a knockout defeat to the event headliner Chris Eubank Jr in their rematch last year.
He took on a young Irish prospect in Aaron McKenna, but many thought Smith’s experience at the top level and resilience would be enough for him on the night.
Smith knew he had to close the gap to the much taller McKenna and came out with a high guard, stalking the Irishman in the early going. But McKenna’s youth and skill allowed him to rattle off sharp, fast combinations to Smith’s head, which began to find the target through the Liverpudlian’s defences much earlier than he would have liked.
Even when Smith managed to close the distance, where he is usually so effective, he was coming off second best in the exchanges as McKenna sank in heavy hooks to the head and body.
McKenna had the lead through the first six rounds but handed a lifeline to Smith when he had a point deducted for the use of his elbows.
Still, the Irish prospect’s dominance forced Smith onto the back foot, on the end of McKenna’s lashing combinations, and in the 12th round, a left hook to the body dropped Smith to one knee.
But such is Smith’s bravery, proven time and time again, that he rose to his feet and threw the kitchen sink at McKenna.
McKenna emerged as the shock victor, regardless, beating a bona fide world titlist and proving himself to be a legitimate contender, winning a unanimous decision: 119-108, 117-109 and 118-108.
Watch over 185 fights a year from the world’s best promoters with a DAZN subscription. More information here.