Boxing: 7 Fighters Who Should Move Up in Weight – Canelo and Tank!

Boxers Who Could Shine When Moving Up a Weight Class

Terence Crawford seeks greatness by moving up two weight classes to face Canelo Álvarez on September 13 in Las Vegas. If he succeeds, Crawford could establish himself as one of the best boxers of this generation. But, who else would benefit from moving up a weight class for higher-caliber matchups? Here, we analyze seven boxers who could boost their careers by moving up in weight. Some are obvious moves, while others might surprise, but would offer exciting challenges.

Canelo Álvarez

Current Category: 168 pounds

Proposed new category: 175 pounds

If Canelo overcomes Crawford, he wouldn’t have much left to do at 168 pounds, aside from a fight with Hamzah Sheeraz, where the risk doesn’t outweigh the reward. He already tried to become light heavyweight champion in 2022, losing to Dmitry Bivol. The light heavyweight division has become more interesting with the arrival of David Benavidez. A fight with Benavidez would be a great matchup between Mexican boxers. He could also consider Artur Beterbiev or a rematch with Bivol.

Jai Opetaia

Current Category: 200 pounds

Proposed new category: Heavyweight Opetaia has dominated the cruiserweight category. If the Australian boxer wants to make a splash, he could follow in the footsteps of Oleksandr Usyk and move up to heavyweight, where the opponents are more attractive. Fights with Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz Jr. would be exciting, but what about a fight against Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and current undisputed heavyweight champion? That could be a fight Usyk would accept before retiring.

Teofimo Lopez

Current Category: 140 pounds

Proposed new category: 147/154 pounds López is one of the best pound-for-pound when he’s at his best. A jump to 147 pounds could lead to a showdown with the winner of Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney on November 22. But, why stop at 147 pounds? López could move up two weight classes to fight Jaron “Boots” Ennis. After dominating Arnold Barboza Jr. in May, López could pursue Ennis, who is making his debut at 154 pounds against Uisma Lima on October 11. It would be a fight that would differentiate López from his contemporaries, if he managed to be the first to beat Ennis.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis

Current Category: 135 pounds

Proposed new category: 147 pounds

“Tank” is one of boxing’s biggest stars, but he hasn’t faced a renowned opponent yet. Moving up 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 drew with Mario Barrios in July, there is still interest in a match with Davis. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, has mentioned that a fight with Davis is in their plans. A match between these legends of the past and present would be a great event.

Shakur Stevenson

Current Category: 135 poundsProposed new category: 140 pounds Stevenson’s brilliance in boxing has made it difficult for him to get fights with big names in his category. A jump to 140 pounds would give him opportunities against Lopez, Richardson Hitchins, and Subriel Matias. Stevenson will need to move up to get the recognition he deserves against some of the most outstanding boxers.

Junto Nakatani

Current Category: 118 pounds

Proposed new category: 122 pounds

This move, which has been rumored for a long time, is the most likely to materialize. Nakatani could move up to 122 pounds to challenge Naoya Inoue in a battle between ESPN’s number 10 and 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 category below Inoue in his quest to dethrone “The Monster” and become the biggest boxing star in Japan. They just need to stay the course and this fight is assured.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

Current Category: 115 poundsProposed new category: 122 pounds Rodriguez, 25 years old, is ESPN’s number 5 pound-for-pound boxer. If “Bam” were to move up from 115 to 122 pounds, he could face Inoue in a battle of devastating finishers. With a combined record of 52-0 and 42 knockouts between them, it would be an action-packed fight that could be a Fight of the Year candidate.