Boxing: 7 fighters who could shine by moving up a weight class

Boxers Who Could Shine by Moving Up a Weight Class

Terence Crawford dares to be great by moving up two weight classes to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez on September 13 in Las Vegas. If he succeeds, Crawford would solidify himself as one of the best boxers of this generation. What other boxers could benefit from moving up a weight class to face bigger challenges? We have identified seven pugilists who could greatly benefit from moving up one or two weight divisions to gain better opportunities. Some are obvious and have been discussed, while others might surprise if they decide to take on the challenge.

Canelo Álvarez

Current Category: 168 pounds Proposed new category: 175 pounds

If Canelo overcomes Crawford, he would have nothing left to do at 168 pounds, apart from fighting Hamzah Sheeraz, where the risk doesn’t pay off. He already dared to be great in 2022, when he tried to become a light heavyweight champion, losing to Dmitry Bivol. The light heavyweight landscape has become more interesting with the arrival of David Benavidez. Canelo could also face Artur Beterbiev or a rematch with Bivol. If he really wanted to silence his detractors, he should fight Benavidez in a great Mexican showdown.

Jai Opetaia

Current category: 200 pounds Proposed new category: Heavyweight Opetaia has dominated the cruiserweight competition and his ultimate challenge is a fight with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. If the Australian pugilist wants to make a splash, he should do what Oleksandr Usyk did and move up to heavyweight, where the opponents are more attractive. Fights with Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz Jr. are interesting proposals, but what about a fight with Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and current undisputed heavyweight champion? That’s a fight Usyk might accept before retiring.

Teofimo Lopez

Current category: 140 pounds Proposed new category: 147/154 pounds López is one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world when he is focused. He is a big super lightweight, and a jump to 147 pounds would prepare him for a fight with the winner of Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney on November 22. López and Haney have exchanged words in the past, and Norman’s power would make a matchup with “The Takeover” a fascinating fight. But why stop at 147 pounds? López is bold enough to move up two weight classes to fight Jaron “Boots” Ennis. He challenged him after dominating Arnold Barboza Jr. in May, and with “Boots” making the move to 154 pounds against Uisma Lima on October 11, López could pursue him. It would be the kind of fight that would separate two-division champion López from his peers, if he were the first to tarnish Ennis’s undefeated record.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis

Current category: 135 pounds Proposed new category: 147 pounds

“Tank” is one of boxing’s biggest stars, but he has yet to face a renowned opponent. Moving from 135 to 147 pounds makes a lot of sense, considering the names that would await him. While a fight with the winner of Norman vs. Haney would be tempting, the real draw would be a showdown with the legendary Manny Pacquiao. Since Pacquiao fought Mario Barrios, who was knocked out by Davis in 2021, reaching a controversial draw in July, there is still some interest in the Filipino Hall of Famer that makes a fight with Davis worthwhile. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, said that a fight with Davis is also on his radar. A fight between these legends of the past and present would likely be a big draw.

Shakur Stevenson

Current Category: 135 pounds Proposed new category: 140 pounds Stevenson’s brilliant boxing has made it difficult for him to get matchups with prominent names in his weight class. He doesn’t seem to be in the running to fight Davis anytime soon, and Floyd Schofield might not be worth the risk. Instead, Stevenson will have to pursue the biggest names in boxing, and a jump to 140 pounds would give him opportunities against Lopez, Richardson Hitchins, and Subriel Matias. Stevenson is the best pure boxer in the sport, but he will have to make a move to get the recognition he deserves against some of the biggest names in boxing.

Junto Nakatani

Current category: 118 pounds Proposed new category: 122 pounds

This move has been rumored for a long time and is the most likely to materialize. In what would easily be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history, Nakatani may jump to 122 pounds to challenge Naoya Inoue in a battle between ESPN’s number 10 and number 2 pound-for-pound boxers, respectively. The two fighters have already verbally agreed to face each other in 2026, although the weight category has not yet been determined. “Big Bang” has been one weight category behind Inoue in his quest to overthrow “The Monster” and become the biggest boxing star in Japan. All they need to do is stay the course, and this fight is in the bag.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

Current Category: 115 pounds Proposed new category: 122 pounds Rodriguez, 25 years old, is the world’s number 5 pound-for-pound boxer according to ESPN. The two-division world champion is not yet the star he could be, largely because he competes in smaller weight categories. If “Bam” made the move from 115 to 122 pounds, he could meet Inoue in a battle of devastating finishers. With a combined record of 52-0 with 42 knockouts between them, it would undoubtedly be an action-packed battle that would likely end up on the list of the best fights of the year.