The clash between Teofimo López Jr. and Shakur Stevenson is just one of the many exciting fights taking place this Saturday. The global card features a series of high-quality matchups across five different boxing events.
López’s defense of the super lightweight title against Stevenson is the main event of the weekend, a clash between two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, who will seek to resolve a rising rivalry. In addition, two super welterweight titles will be contested and the return of Dina Thorslund, one of the most outstanding figures in women’s boxing, stands out.
Here’s a look at eight of the best fights coming to the cards, from Newcastle, England, to New York.1. Teofimo López Jr. vs. Shakur Stevenson | New YorkLópez has shown his best performance against top-level opponents, such as Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 and Josh Taylor in 2023. He will need to find that same inspiration when facing Stevenson. However, López has also had difficult nights, such as the split decision loss to George Kambosos Jr. in 2021 and decision wins against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett in 2024.
López’s performance on Saturday, in his defense of the WBO super lightweight title, will be crucial in defining the course of the fight. He has a size advantage (Stevenson is moving up from lightweight) and has demonstrated the ability to adapt to his opponents’ styles during the fight to secure victories.
Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) is a skilled and defensive southpaw. He could secure a victory by decision if he maintains a disciplined performance, avoiding close-range exchanges. If the fight turns into a battle at Madison Square Garden, López would likely emerge victorious.
López (22-1, 13 KOs) has called Stevenson “The Road Runner”, but if Stevenson finds his distance with his effective jab from the start, his footwork and distance control could frustrate the champion. López has struggled against counter-punchers, being knocked down in the second round against Sandor Martin in 2021.
Stevenson shone in his defense of the lightweight title against William Zepeda last July, but he will need to deliver his best performance to beat López and become a world champion in four divisions.
Few fights this year will be as important as this one.2. Keyshawn Davis vs. Jamaine Ortiz | New YorkKeyshawn Davis demonstrated notable aggressiveness in his recent fights, defeating Denys Berinchyk in four rounds to win the WBO lightweight title. The question is whether he can achieve the same at 140 pounds.
Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) moves up to super lightweight to face Ortiz, after failing to make weight in June, which forced the cancellation of a lightweight title defense against Edwin De Los Santos. After that disappointment, Davis needs to make a statement, with the possibility of securing lucrative fights in his new division.
Ortiz (20-2-1, 10 KOs) has competed against elite opponents like Lomachenko in 2022 and López in 2024, both with decision losses. He has the potential to compete with Davis’s speed. Ortiz won his two fights in 2025, and his versatility could give him the opportunity to cause an upset. As in the main event López-Stevenson, it’s difficult to predict a winner with certainty.
3. Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Josh Kelly | Newcastle, England
Kelly will feed off the fervor of his supporters in Newcastle, England, when he faces Murtazaliev for his IBF super welterweight title, but he must control his emotions against the powerful Russian puncher. Kelly is capable of boxing intelligently, which he will have to do to avoid the same fate as Tim Tszyu and Jack Culcay, both knocked out by Murtazaliev in 2024.
We haven’t seen much of either of them recently. Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) didn’t fight last year, while Kelly only spent two minutes in the ring in a first-round knockout against Flavius Biea in June.
Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs) was last stopped when he faced someone as dangerous as Murtazaliev, suffering a technical knockout loss in the sixth round against David Avanesyan at welterweight in 2021. Kelly has improved since then, but he must be in top condition to work his way to a decision victory. Many will tune in to this fight hoping to see a knockout from Murtazaliev, but don’t be surprised if Kelly produces an unexpected twist.4. Carlos Adames vs. Austin Williams | New YorkAfter obtaining a split draw with knockout specialist Hamzah Sheeraz in February, Adames needs to deliver a more convincing performance in a second defense of his WBC middleweight world title. Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) was slow to get going against Sheeraz, but in the second half of the fight he was bolder and more active. However, his strong finish was not enough to secure the victory, as the judges scored it 115-114 for Sheeraz, 118-110 for Adames, and 114-114.
Sheeraz stopped Williams (19-1, 13 KOs) in the 11th round in June 2024, but since then Williams has recorded three victories. If the southpaw can have some success with his counterattacks against Adames, he can make this a close fight.5. Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou | San Juan, Puerto RicoWhile Zayas knows Baraou well, his former sparring partner, this is a step further in the competition than their last fight. Zayas, the WBO super welterweight champion, faces Baraou, the WBA champion, in a unification bout in the main event.
Zayas dominated Jorge García in July to win by unanimous decision and claim his first world title at just 22 years old. Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) showed great footwork and counter-punching to earn scores of 116-112, 118-110 and 119-109.
Zayas’ jab was crucial for establishing authority, and he demonstrated a maturity beyond his years by opting to box for a comfortable victory. It’s a strategy that could serve him well against Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs), who likes to come forward.
6. Bruce Carrington vs. Carlos Castro | New York
“Shu Shu” Carrington, from Brooklyn, will try to live up to the hype surrounding his rise when he attempts to win his first world title in front of his audience at Madison Square Garden against the experienced Castro.
Carrington (16-0, 9 KOs) is the heavy favorite to win the vacant WBC featherweight belt, but it’s still worth tuning in to watch a fighter who seems destined to enter the top 10 pound-for-pound in the coming years.
Castro (30-3, 14 KOs) lost by split decision to Stephen Fulton in September 2024 and hasn’t boxed since. That inactivity won’t do Castro any favors, and considering he’s been defeated every time he’s faced a quality opponent, against Fulton, Luis Nery, and Brandon Figueroa, this fight could be a difficult matchup for the former title contender.
7. Dina Thorslund vs. Almudena Alvarez | Kolding, Denmark
Thorslund (23-0, 9 KOs) did not make a single appearance in 2025 after withdrawing from a title unification fight due to pregnancy, and relinquished her WBC and WBO bantamweight belts. The former two-division world champion faces substitute Alvarez (7-3, 2 KOs) for the WBC interim featherweight title in what is expected to be a comfortable victory for Thorslund in her first fight since October 2024.
