Boxing set for incredible six weeks with Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul, Deontay Wilder, Katie Taylor, Naoya Inoue in the ring

24/11/2023 12:00

Boxing fans will not be short for entertainment over the next six weeks.

There may have been complaints over the last few years, regarding the heavyweight division in particular, of inactivity, but that can no longer be said.

Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor 2 (November 25 | Dublin, Ireland)

This mouth-watering end of year schedule is kicked off on Saturday night, as Katie Taylor looks to take the undisputed super lightweight world titles away from Chantelle Cameron at the second attempt.

In their last fight, Taylor suffered the first defeat of her career, as she was out-boxed by Cameron, and now the Irishwoman is coming back for revenge.

David Benavidez vs Demetrius Andrade (November 25 | Las Vegas, USA)

Over in America on the same night, David Benavidez will take on Demetrius Andrade.

Benavidez is coming off a career best win over Caleb Plant earlier this year, while Andrade has been relatively inactive having only fought once since 2021.

The winner of this clash is expected to fight Canelo in the near future for the undisputed super middleweight world titles.

Ryan Garcia vs Oscar Duarte (December 2 | Texas, USA)

A week later Ryan Garcia will look to bounce back from a first career defeat against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis last time out, as he takes on Oscar Duarte Jurado.

Garcia, who has 10.3 million Instagram followers, is determined to win a world title at 140lbs, saying his focus has shifted entirely, away from social media and now he’s all about boxing.

On the undercard, Britain’s outspoken Ohara Davies will challenge for the WBA ‘interim’ super lightweight title against Ismael Barroso.

Devin Haney vs Regis Prograis (December 9 | San Francisco, USA)

Around the same weight class, on December 9, the former undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney will move up to the 140lb division to challenge Regis Prograis for the WBC title.

Prograis is best known on these shores for his epic encounter with Josh Taylor in 2019, which the American lost by majority decision, but this bout represents an opportunity to put all that behind him and return to the top of the boxing world.

And on the undercard Ebanie Bridges fights for the first time this year, putting her IBF bantamweight title on the line against fellow OnlyFans star Avril Mathie, a fight which ‘The Blonde Bomber’ has labelled ‘Battle of the Boobs’.

Chris Billam-Smith vs Mateusz Masternak (December 10 | Bournemouth, UK)

That weekend brings a world title triple-header as on the Sunday night, Chris Billam-Smith defends his WBO cruiserweight world title against Mateusz Masternak.

This will be his first fight since shocking the world in his upset win over Lawrence Okolie.

And should he emerge with his title, Billam-Smith can expect Okolie and Richard Riakporhe to come calling for rematches.

Jake Paul vs Andre August (December 15 | Florida, USA)

For those of you who enjoy influencer boxing, there is something for you too in this festive period.

Social media star turned boxer Jake Paul will look to move his record to 8-1 against little-known pro boxer Andre August.

This fight will not be on pay-per-view unlike Paul’s previous bouts, as he has said this clash is not about money, instead it’s about gaining experience on the journey to his ambitious goal of becoming a world champion.

Sunny Edwards vs Jesse Rodriguez (December 16 | Arizona, USA)

A day later one of the best fights on the schedule is set to take place, even if it has gone a little under the radar.

Sunny Edwards and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez clash in the flyweight division to determine the best fighter at 112lbs.

The Brit will put his IBF world title up for grabs, while Rodriguez brings the WBO strap to the table in what will undoubtedly be a highly skilled affair.

Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker (December 23 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

And then comes the big one on December 23 in what has been billed as ‘The Day of Reckoning’ with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder fighting on the same card in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua will take on tricky southpaw, Otto Wallin, who previously pushed Tyson Fury all the way, while Wilder will clash with former world champion Joseph Parker, with the idea being that AJ and ‘The Bronze Bomber’ fight next year.

The undercard is full of big names as well, featuring Daniel Dubois vs Jarrell Miller, Dmitry Bivol vs Lyndon Arthur, Filip Hrgovic vs Mark De Mori and many more.

Naoya Inoue vs Marlon Tapales (December 26 | Tokyo, Japan)

And as if that weren’t enough, on December 26 to cap off the year, ‘The Monster’ Naoya Inoue will attempt to become undisputed super bantamweight champion against Marlon Tapales after achieving the same feat just a year earlier in the bantamweight division.

Inoue is currently on a six fight knockout streak, as he has looked levels above even the elite opposition who have stood in his way so far in his career, with an unbeaten record of 25-0, 22 KO’s.

And the man from Japan has already established himself as one of the top three pound-for-pound best fighters in the sport today, but this fight could confirm that even further.

Early 2024 boxing schedule…

But, the action doesn’t end there, early next year we’ll see Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith on January 13, Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer on January 20 and the fight that everyone’s been waiting for, the undisputed heavyweight world title clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on February 17.

So, prepare yourselves boxing fans, because we could be set for one of the most exciting periods in the history of the sport.