After figures like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Canelo Álvarez failed to meet expectations in their recent fights, boxing fans won’t have to wait long to witness more quality action. This weekend, exciting matchups are scheduled in various locations, including California, Florida, England, Africa, and Japan.
Analysis of the Most Outstanding Fights
Below, we present an analysis of the most important fights that will take place this weekend.
1. Anthony Cacace vs. Leigh Wood – Junior Lightweight (DAZN, Saturday at 2 p.m. ET)
Anthony Cacace, on the left, relinquished his IBF junior lightweight title to face Leigh Wood.
After his last fight, Wood expressed his desire to end his career with a world title fight at the City Ground, the stadium of the English Premier League club, Nottingham Forest.
Although none of those wishes will come true on Saturday for the 36-year-old pugilist, the junior lightweight fight is still significant. Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) will box in front of his home fans in Nottingham, at the indoor arena where Carl Froch forged his illustrious super-middleweight career.
Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs), from Belfast, Northern Ireland, relinquished the IBF world title he won against Joe Cordina in May 2024 in order for this fight to take place. Despite no recognized titles being on the line, this bout pits two of the best boxers in this division against each other.
Wood was number 1 at featherweight before relinquishing the WBA belt after a seventh-round knockout victory over Josh Warrington in October 2023. However, Wood’s career has been on hold since then, while Cacace has fought in Saudi Arabia, with the stunning knockout victory over Cordina elevating his career to its highest level.
Cacace, also 36, has been more active (also beat Warrington, winning by unanimous decision last September) and has significant height and reach advantages. He has good reason to be confident. But what if Wood showed no signs of the long inactivity in his first outing at 130 pounds, inspired by his home fans to prolong his career? It would be another fairytale episode in Wood’s career, which continues to spring dramatic surprises.
The winner of this fight would be a natural opponent for the winner of Saturday’s WBO title fight between Emanuel Navarrete and Charly Suárez.
2. Emanuel Navarrete vs. Charly Suárez – Junior Lightweight Title (ESPN/ESPN+, Saturday at 10 p.m. ET)
Navarrete, a three-division world champion, looked sensational in his last fight when he defeated Oscar Valdez with a body shot in their rematch in December. In that form, the Mexican boxer is a must-see.
Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) will defend his WBO junior lightweight title against Filipino Suarez in San Diego on Saturday, and a good performance can strengthen his position at the top of the 130-pound division. Navarrete was relentless against Valdez, knocking him down three times before the stoppage, and another impressive showing could convince him to try again in the lightweight division. Navarrete lost a split decision to Denys Berinchyk challenging for the WBO lightweight belt in May 2024, but he could be tempted to seek more lucrative fights at lightweight again if he defeats Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs). There is also the possibility of a unification title fight against WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster for Navarrete if he wants to stay 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 between 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 hasn’t 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, has less experience but has momentum after registering three wins in 2024.Lubin can be exciting and participated in an exciting fight with Sebastian Fundora three years ago. The winner of Saturday’s fight in Kissimmee, Florida, advances to face champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.
4. Fernando Martinez vs. Kazuto Ioka – Super flyweight title fight on Sunday
After an intense battle last July, Martinez and Ioka face each other again on Sunday in Tokyo, and more of the same is expected. Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs) won by unanimous decision after overcoming Ioka in their unification fight in Japan.
The amount of wear and tear that fight caused Ioka, 36, will determine if 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 will have to turn back the clock to keep up with the 33-year-old WBA champion from Argentina.
This rematch was delayed from December, after Martinez withdrew due to illness, but it’s 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 the dream of boxing in Africa when he faces Kavaliauskas (24-2-1, 19 KOs) in a WBC welterweight title eliminator in the capital of Malabo.
Cissokho, who is entitled to a title opportunity, resides in Paris but trains in California with Virgil Hunter. If he wins, he will have that opportunity and time in the spotlight.
An injury delayed the fight, and an 18-month absence from the ring will be a concern for Cissokho, who faces a dangerous puncher in Kavaliauskas, from Lithuania and residing in California.
But Kavaliauskas has been stopped on both occasions he has stepped up in level (by Vergil Ortiz in 2021 and Terence Crawford in 2019), and this seems like a golden opportunity for a smart boxer like Cissokho to seal a big fight for later in the year.
