At the time of writing, we’re almost halfway through 2024 and we’ve already enjoyed a number of outstanding bouts including Anthony Joshua’s second-round knockout of Francis Ngannou and Raymond Ford clinching of the WBA Featherweight world title at the beginning of March in New York.
Despite this, there are still plenty of major boxing events left on the calendar throughout the remainder of year, and we’ve picked out three of the highlights which will hopefully get the juices flowing:
Deontay Wilder vs Zhelei Zhang – June 1st, Riyadh
If you aren’t already excited about this meeting between these two powerhouses, then Zhelei Zhang’s claim that he and Wilder “will bang the hell out of each other” will surely increase your anticipation levels ahead of this mid-2024 meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Having been beaten by Joseph Parker in a majority decision back in March, the Chinese fighter has claimed that he has learnt from his mistakes and has hired a nutritionist to help him improve his fitness, although he claims that it will not impact his punching power.
He has been priced up as the odds-on favourite by the majority of betting sites and punters can also enjoy watching and betting on the impressive undercard which features Ray Ford vs Nick Ball and Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois.
Wilder is in desperate need of a victory and he will be keen to salvage his reputation. He has pledged to ‘destroy’ his opponent and will undoubtedly play his part in an entertaining showdown which is being broadcast on both ESPN and DAZN.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson / Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano – July 20th, Texas
Yes, you read that correctly. 58-year old Mike Tyson will be fighting 27-year old Jake Paul in Las Vegas this summer. Despite this, the fight will be unique and each round will last just two minutes with each of the fighters wearing 14-ounce gloves.
Although boxing purists may scoff at this event, and there have been some high-profile figures who have described this fight as ‘an exhibition’, there is little doubt that this will make headlines around the world and is likely to be front and centre of the sports news bulletins the following day.
Although some reports suggested that Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano’s much-anticipated rematch may be in doubt, it appears as though the pair WILL meet again in Texas later this year.
These two fought an all-time classic lightweight contest two years ago at Madison Square Gardens, and there has been a real clamour to see the two competitors enter the ring once again. Taylor, a two-weight undisputed champion inflicted defeat on Serrano in 2022 and the pair will also duel over ten rounds, each lasting two minutes.
This memorable fight was just one of the many fights which has captivated fans over the last few years with many of legendary rivalries and thrilling knockouts living long in the memory. Those who enjoy watching this sport tend to admire the athleticism, strategy and determination of these world-class boxers and those who regularly watch it, also tend to enjoy wagering on their favourite fighters. There are many boxing betting sites sites to choose from with several prominent sportsbooks offering betting markets in the sport such as the highly anticipated rematch between Taylor and Serrano.
With the first bout between the pair attracting 1.5million views, there could be a record crowd in attendance at the AT&T Stadium later this year.
Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov / Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller – August 3rd, Los Angeles
The month of August begins with a stacked card which will be headlined by Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov. It will have been over twelve months since we’ve seen Crawford in action with “Bud” having taken a break following his victory over Errol Spence in July 2023.
Crawford, who presided over a ninth round technical knock-out, will be keen to get back in the ring and will fancy his chances against WBA light middleweight champion Israil Madrimov.
Although Crawford will be aiming to remain unbeaten, his Uzbekistani opponent is unlikely to give him an easy ride. Madrimov has won ten of his 11 fights, and is a tremendously entertaining watch. He is aiming to defend the WBA title which he won back in March and should give another good account of himself.
The undercard looks extremely tasty with Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller arguably the pick of the bunch. This battle between the two heavyweight veterans is much anticipated, especially considering Ruiz has taken almost two years off ahead of his return to the ring. With his fast hands and his slightly younger body, Ruiz is fancied to overcome his opponent, however, it would be churlish to completely write off Miller. He is aiming to restore his reputation following a tumultuous year and a heavy defeat to Daniel Dubois in Saudi Arabia at the back end of 2023. It is an intriguing contest which is likely to provide an entertaining warm up to a mouth-watering finale.
