Boxers Who Could Move Up a Weight Class for Big Fights
Terence Crawford seeks greatness by moving up two weight classes to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez. If Crawford triumphs, he would be cemented as one of the best boxers of this generation. Who else could benefit from moving up a weight class to face bigger and more lucrative challenges? We analyze seven boxers who could gain a lot by changing divisions.
Canelo Álvarez
Current category: 168 pounds. Proposed new category: 175 pounds.
If Canelo overcomes Crawford, there would be little left for him to do at 168 pounds, aside from a fight with Hamzah Sheeraz, where the risk wouldn’t be justified. He already tried to become light heavyweight champion in 2022, losing against Dmitry Bivol. The light heavyweight landscape has become more attractive with the arrival of David Benavidez. A matchup against Benavidez would be a massive event between Mexican boxers and would silence his critics.
Jai Opetaia
Current category: 200 pounds. Proposed new category: Heavyweight.
Opetaia has dominated the cruiserweight category and his next challenge could be Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. To make a splash, he could follow in the footsteps of Oleksandr Usyk and move up to heavyweight, where the rivals are more attractive. Fights against Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz Jr. would be exciting, but what about a fight with 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, at his best, is one of the best pound-for-pound boxers. Moving up to 147 pounds would prepare him to fight the winner of Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney on November 22nd. López and Haney have had their differences, and Norman’s power would make this a fascinating match. But, why stop at 147 pounds? López could move up two weight classes to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis. After dominating Arnold Barboza Jr. in May, he challenged Ennis, and with “Boots” making his debut at 154 pounds, López could pursue him.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis
Current category: 135 pounds. Proposed new category: 147 pounds.“Tank” is one of the biggest stars in boxing, but he has yet to face a renowned opponent. Moving up from 135 to 147 pounds makes a lot of sense, considering the names that would await him. Although 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 controversially drew with Mario Barrios, there is still interest in a bout with the Filipino Hall of Famer, which could be a big draw for the public.
Shakur Stevenson
Current category: 135 pounds. Proposed new category: 140 pounds.
Stevenson’s brilliance has made it difficult for him to get fights with big names in his category. He doesn’t seem to be on track to fight Davis anytime soon, and Floyd Schofield might not be worth the risk. Stevenson will need to seek out the most prominent boxers, and moving up 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 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 one most likely to materialize. In what would easily be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history, Nakatani may move up to 122 pounds to challenge Naoya Inoue in a battle between ESPN’s number 10 and 2 pound-for-pound boxers, respectively. Both boxers 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 dethrone “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 ESPN’s number 5 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. The two-division world champion is not yet the star he could be, largely because he competes in smaller weight categories. If “Bam” were to move from 115 pounds to 122 pounds, he could meet 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.
