As we approach the end of 2025, it’s time to look forward to the upcoming fights we could be treated to in 2026. In the world of boxing, not much is certain until the last minute, but these are the fights which would make our new year.
Mayweather versus Tyson is seemingly already on the cards, and we could see Anthony Joshua make an appearance for the first time since being knocked out by Dubois in September 2024. We can also expect a return from the mighty Oleksandr Usyk, although who he will fight is uncertain. Let’s turn our attention to the potential bouts that could make 2026 a year to remember in boxing.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Mike Tyson
The first fight is one of the more likely on our list and would involve Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson slugging it out in a bout you’ll definitely want to include on your calendar! According to “Mayweather and Tyson Agree to Exhibition Bout in 2026”, written by the editorial team at BetKiwi and published by BetKiwi¹, the event will be promoted by CSI Sports/Fight Sports and take place sometime in the spring of 2026.
They’re pretty evenly matched, with Tyson being the former undisputed heavyweight champion and Mayweather retiring undefeated after 50 fights and winning titles across multiple weight divisions. Age could play a factor in the fight, as Tyson is 59 years old and Mayweather is 48 years old. It would be Tyson’s first bout since the drab display against Jake Paul in which he was barely recognizable as one of the sport’s best-ever champions. Paul won on points after landing 78 punches to Tyson’s 18, although neither really looked worthy of being called a pro².
Despite being a popular match-up, a fight between the two former greats of the sport would be controversial. In his fight against Paul, it was clear Tyson had been retired for 19 years and only a fraction of his original crushing power remained. The seventh pro loss of his career left a stain on his career and boxing, with many critics calling it a ‘mockery of the sport’ and declaring that ‘boxing deserved better’³. It was embarrassing, frustrating and frankly sad to watch a legend of the sport be beaten more by his own limits, namely age and stamina, rather than his lackluster opponent.
Spectacle over technical
Although the debate around age remains, Mayweather is closer in age and a worthy opponent. He’s won against champions of five weight classes and remained in form for the exhibition bouts he’s competed in since retiring in 2019. We saw his power most recently against John Gotti III in August 2024, a rematch after their first fight descended into unbridled chaos after the sixth round.
In their original matchup in 2023, tensions ran high as both boxers were warned for abusive language by the referee, but they continued their back and forth until he was forced to call off the bout⁴. Gotti then charged at Mayweather who had been clearly winning, and a massive brawl, encouraged by the Gotti-favoring crowd, broke out. Punches were thrown by both camps before the fighters were escorted out of the ring. In the rematch, Mayweather made extremely light work of Gotti although a formal winner was not declared.
Many fans have been calling for a contest between Tyson and Mayweather and now it seems more likely than ever. Adjust your expectations though as it’s likely it will be more of a spectacle than a great boxing match. After all, what else can you really expect between two aging boxers who have been retired for decades? If it’s anything like both fighters’ most recent bouts, then Mayweather will surely dominate his almost 60-year-old opponent. It’s hard to write Tyson off, he’s Mike Tyson after all, but time seems to have finally caught up to one of sport’s greats.
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury (or just about anyone else)
Anthony Joshua appears constantly in the rundowns of what we can expect from boxing in 2026. Following the recent news that he will fight Jake Paul on December 19th, many expect that he will make at least one appearance in 2026⁵. It seems not to matter who he’s paired with, as we’ve seen Fury, Nate Diaz and Andre Ward all up for discussion.
The fight against Paul will be Joshua’s first since September 21st, 2024, when he was knocked out by heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. It wasn’t luck either that allowed Dubois to best his fellow Brit as he completely outclassed him. It was the culmination of Joshua’s monumental fall from grace, during which he suffered four losses within five years.
In his 13th world title fight, he was floored five times: once each in the first round, third round and the fifth, as well as twice in the fourth. The final knockdown, 59 seconds into the fifth round, left Joshua sprawled on the canvas and unable to make the count. It was a shocking performance against an opponent he was widely expected to beat.
Back for better?
The defeat against Dubois was the final straw in a run of poor form for gold medal-winning Joshua. He suffered two defeats at the gloves of Oleksandr Usyk by split decisions in 2021 and 2022 and one of boxing’s most surprising defeats against Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019. Following these bouts, he simply hasn’t looked the same. After taking over a year off, fans are hoping he’ll make a triumphant return against Jake Paul.
It’s not the fight many would have hoped the Brit would return to. Paul has only fought 70 rounds of boxing since turning pro in 2020, whereas Joshua has 12 years’ experience under his belt. Many think Paul makes a mockery of the sport, using it for content, however it could be a dangerous fight for AJ as a loss against the YouTuber would be beyond humiliating.
Looking to 2026
If Joshua bests Jake Paul, he could make a sustained comeback in 2026. Tyson Fury is the potential opponent who has generated the most buzz. A fight between the two has been rumored for over five years. The two former world champions have both lost some form since a matchup was first suggested, but it would still be a formidable fight.
A rematch against Dubois is another possibility. It was penciled in for early 2025, but the fight never went ahead. It would be a great test of where Joshua is after his time away from the sport. Whoever he ends up in the ring with, we hope to see Joshua fight a more worthy opponent in 2026.
Who could Oleksandr Usyk fight?
A 2026 bout is in planning for another of boxing’s biggest names — Oleksandr Usyk. In July 2025, he sealed his reputation as one of boxing’s greatest by defeating Daniel Dubois for the second time in two years. In front of 90,000 fans at Wembley, Dubois was looking to become the first British boxer to unify the division in the four-belt era. Usyk had other plans though and dominated his opponent before knocking him down twice in the fifth round, the second of which Dubois couldn’t return from.
The win extended Usyk’s 24-fight unbeaten record and allowed him to reclaim the IBF title, which had been stripped from him a year earlier after he elected not to immediately fight the designated next challenger in Dubois⁶.
Potential opponents for Usyk
There’s plenty of names floating around when it comes to Usyk; Joseph Parker was the favorite for a fight before being knocked out by Fabio Wardley on October 25th and failing the drug test that followed⁷. The contest between Wardley and Parker was closely contested, going into the 11th round before the referee stopped the fight.
We could see Wardley, the surprise victor, take Parker’s place in a bout against Usyk, but it’s hard to imagine that it would be overly close. Wardley and Usyk are well-matched physically, but Usyk’s experience is far superior compared to Wardley. Wardley has no amateur experience as he came up through the unlicensed, white collar boxing scene. It would be a true underdog bout if the two were to trade punches in 2026. Whoever Usyk decides to fight, we’ll certainly be tuning in to see the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 25 years compete.
Plenty to look forward to in boxing in 2026
There’s loads to look forward to in 2026 for boxing fans. Mayweather versus Tyson seems the most certain and despite being more of a spectacle than quality boxing, it should still be an entertaining watch.
Although none of the fights we’ve discussed are set in stone, it’s still likely to be a big year with the return of Anthony Joshua after his Jake Paul fight, and Oleksandr Usyk penciled in for a fight in the next year. Whether their opponents are legends like Fury or upcoming stars like Wardley, you won’t want to miss some of the sport’s biggest stars performing in 2026!
¹ Mayweather and Tyson Agree to Exhibition Bout in 2026, Written by BetKiwi, Published by BetKiwi.
² Paul Beats Tyson, 58, on Points in Drab Contest, Written by Kal Sajad, published by BBC Sport.
⁵ Joshua to Fight YouTube Star Paul in December, Written by Sean Kearns, Published by BBC Sport.