Canelo Alvarez has long been viewed as the face of boxing, one of the sport’s biggest stars in terms of both talent and commerciality. Able to sell pay-per-views across a variety of markets, Canelo is a name recognised by casual fight fans.
Reaching the end of his career and currently lacking any belts following his loss to Terence Crawford, Canelo’s position as the biggest draw in the sweet science is slowly fading.
Even the new undisputed super-middleweight champion, Crawford, will struggle to take the mantle; 38 next week, the often-inactive “Bud” seemingly has very few fights left in his own career.
Canelo’s inevitable departure from competing will lead to a power vacuum that will be filled one way or the other – but who will become the new face of boxing?
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Moses Itauma
In a world where boxing promotion has turned into who can shout the loudest, Moses Itauma has largely been letting his work do the talking for him.
Team Itauma had previously spoken about their man becoming the youngest heavyweight world champion, surpassing Mike Tyson’s accomplishment of winning the WBC title at 20 years old.
That didn’t quite happen, but Itauma’s rise has been rapid, especially considering the politics and positioning required in modern boxing to advance through the ranks.
Older than Tyson was but still only 20 himself, Itauma is not a million miles away from his first world title shot.
Ranked No 1 by the WBO, No 2 by the WBA, and No 4 by the WBC, there is a consensus that Itauma is already a top contender after just 13 professional fights – with 11 wins coming by way of stoppage.
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Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren knows he has a star on his hands, whilst boxing’s kingmaker, Turki Alalshikh, is another big fan. In a boxing landscape dominated by Saudi Arabian investment, being favoured by Alalshikh is a big plus for any fighter.
Itauma has done well to keep level-headed whilst talk of a fight with undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk swirls. Even the biggest believers of Itauma can see that might be a step too far, but by biding his time, the Brit could be poised to take on one of the sport’s biggest names in the near future.
If Itauma does meet Usyk inside the ring, it could be a potential passing of the torch between two heavyweights – one that lived up to the hype, and another who is expected to reach similar heights.
The heavyweight division has always been the most glamorous, so a fighter from a boxing-mad country with his best years ahead of him could quickly become a household name.
Naoya Inoue
There is no denying that Naoya Inoue has the pedigree, having ruled as undisputed champion at two separate weight classes. At 32, the Japanese star is firmly in his prime, but he is only just starting to build traction outside of his home country.
American promoters Top Rank are starting to properly push the super bantamweight champion in the States, with a handful of fights in Las Vegas over the past five years, whilst Inoue will make his Saudi Arabian debut on a Japan-focused card on Saturday, December 27, live on DAZN.
With Japanese boxing’s penchant for staging fights in midweek and timezones unkind to fight fans wanting to watch Inoue fight at home, there is a whole new audience for ‘The Monster’ to entice.
He has a fan-friendly style, as evidenced by his 27 knockouts in 31 wins. It has been heavily hinted that Inoue will soon move up to featherweight, with British world champion Nick Ball a rumoured opponent.
Although Inoue has already fought in the UK, defeating Emmanuel Rodriguez Jr on the undercard of Josh Taylor’s victory over Ivan Baranchyk in 2019, a headlining bout against one of just two reigning British world champions in the form of Ball would elevate his profile in another market.
Clearly possessing the skill, Inoue just has to improve his commercial stature to become the face of boxing.
David Benavidez
If David Benavidez had it his way, he would have been the man to have taken the belts off Canelo at super middleweight. Born in the US to a Mexican father, Benavidez’s Latino heritage has earned him fans all over North America, in his native country and the land of his family.
The WBC interim super middleweight champion after losing the full title due to missing weight, Benavidez was constantly linked to a fight with Canelo, only for a bout to never materialise. Sick of waiting around, Benavidez moved up to light heavyweight, where he has since become a two-division world champion after his WBC interim belt was elevated to the full title.
Not shy when it comes to giving his opinion, Benavidez is ambitious, and plans to reunify all four belts at 175lb by facing Dmitry Bivol, the previous undisputed light heavyweight champion. Knowing how fans have called for a bout with Canelo for years, the American has also offered to face the Mexican in the future – once he has all the marbles at light heavyweight.
In boxing, even the best laid plans often go astray, but if Benavidez manages to complete his goals of beating both Bivol and Canelo, it would add two big names to his CV. His fight with Britain’s Anthony Yarde on the Ring IV show, live on DAZN on November 22, will properly expose Benavidez to British fans for the first time. Already one of the sport’s biggest names in the United States, a statement performance could leave a lasting impression on another country’s boxing fanbase.
Vergil Ortiz Jr
Another Mexican-American, Vergil Ortiz Jr is backed by arguably the biggest boxer to garner support from both countries. Ever since Ortiz turned pro in 2016 he has been signed to Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, with the six-division world champion gushing with praise about his charge.
Still yet to win a world title, Ortiz is the WBC interim super welterweight champion, and has started to fill out his CV with impressive wins.
He edged past Serhii Bohachuk last August to earn the interim title, before defending his belt against Israil Madrimov in February of this year. Unbeaten with 23 wins, Ortiz boasts knockout power, as proven by 21 stoppages.
Competing in a popular division filled with big names, there is the opportunity for one fighter to seize the spotlight and pick off their rivals. Rumours have long surrounded a potential bout between Ortiz and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, and with the latter now competing at 154lb, a high-profile fight between the two could send the winner into the stratosphere.
Ortiz is not the only up-and-coming fighter in the super welterweight division. Earlier this year, Puerto Rican Xander Zayas became the WBO champion at 154lb at just 23, highlighting just how many years he has ahead of him. Already targeting the next level by eyeing a fight with WBA super welterweight champion Abass Baraou, Zayas is riding a cultural wave sweeping through Puerto Rico.
Xander Zayas
International pop star Bad Bunny has put the island on the map in recent years, with the singer bringing his compatriot out on stage shortly after his world title triumph. In recent weeks the pair have strengthened their relationship further, with Zayas signing a marketing deal with Rimas Sports, an agency co-owned by Bad Bunny.
Zayas’ intentions are clear. He said at the time of the deal: “This is more than a professional move – it’s about partnering with a team that truly understands me, both as a fighter and as a person. Rimas represents everything I stand for: culture, purpose, excellence, and ambition. I’m not here just to win belts – I want to leave a lasting legacy, become a global ambassador for boxing, and uplift my community and my island along the way. The title I won in July is just the beginning. With Rimas by my side, I’m ready to conquer the world.”
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