Boxing: 7 fighters who would explode by moving up a weight class ¡Canelo and Tank!

Boxers Who Could Move Up a Weight Class for Big Challenges

Terence Crawford seeks greatness by moving up two weight classes to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez on September 13th in Las Vegas. If he succeeds, Crawford could cement himself as one of the best boxers of this generation. We analyze seven boxers who could benefit from moving up one or two weight classes to face greater opportunities. Some are obvious choices, while others might surprise by deciding to accept the challenge of a weight gain.

Canelo Álvarez

Current Category: 168 pounds Proposed new category: 175 pounds

If Canelo overcomes Crawford, he wouldn’t have much more to do at 168 pounds, aside from a fight against Hamzah Sheeraz, where the risk doesn’t outweigh the reward. He already tried to become a light heavyweight champion in 2022, losing to Dmitry Bivol. However, the light heavyweight landscape has become more interesting with the arrival of David Benavidez. A clash with Benavidez would be a great clash between Mexican boxers.

Jai Opetaia

Current category: 200 pounds Proposed new category: heavyweight Opetaia has dominated the cruiserweight category and his next challenge is Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. 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 interesting, 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 López

Current category: 140 pounds Proposed new category: 147/154 pounds López is one of the best pound-for-pound boxers when he’s at his best. A jump to 147 pounds could set him up for a fight with the winner of Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney on November 22. López and Haney have had their differences, and Norman’s power would make a matchup with “The Takeover” fascinating. But, why stop at 147 pounds? López could move up two weight classes to fight Jaron “Boots” Ennis. He called out Ennis after dominating Arnold Barboza Jr. in May, and with “Boots” moving up to 154 pounds against Uisma Lima on October 11, López could pursue him. It would be a fight that would set López, a two-division champion, apart from his competitors, if he managed to be 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 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, who was knocked out by Davis in 2021, there’s still interest in the Filipino boxing Hall of Famer that would make a fight with Davis worthwhile. Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, said that a fight with Davis is also on their radar. A match between these legends of the past and present would likely attract a large audience.

Shakur Stevenson

Current category: 135 pounds Proposed new category: 140 pounds Stevenson’s brilliance has made it difficult for him to get matchups with big 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 need 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 need to make a move to get the recognition he deserves against some of boxing’s biggest draws.

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 class 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 face Inoue in a battle of devastating finishers. With a combined 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.