Boxing has spent 2026 talking about fights instead of making them. Now it's time to deliver
Watching UFC Freedom 250 reminded me of what boxing has been getting so wrong of late.There were so many defining images from the MMA market-leaders signature show, that it was hard to keep track of them all.It went beyond the U.S. Navy combining with the Air Force for a spectacular flyover of Blue Angels and Thunderbird jets, to U.S. President Donald Trump getting his own walkout alongside UFC boss Dana White. The pageantry would have meant little if the fights fizzled out, but each of the seven bouts all seemed to over-deliver. And it was all punctuated with American fighter, Justin Gaethje, pulling off the mother of all upsets by breaking Ilia Topurias face in two places.But thats not what stuck most with me, looking at the event from my boxing lens.No, it was actually the introduction of the former heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, during a moment that over-promised and under-delivered.Tyson Fury appeared at UFC Freedom 250 to make an announcement for an announcement ... sort of.Jeff Bottari via Getty ImagesFor weeks, White was seemingly convinced that he would be involved in the prospective showdown between Fury and his longtime British rival, Anthony Joshua. And so, when you see Fury at a UFC show on Paramount+, the natural mental leap was that hes either the latest big-name prizefighter to sign terms with Whites upstart firm Zuffa Boxing, or that the Battle of Britain may not actually take place in Britain at all.When encouraged by UFC commentator Jon Anik to make an "announcement involving Dana White," Fury said only: "I think I'm going to let Dana do the speaking, and let him do his announcement."In that very moment, the inability of boxing to move forward had found its way to the grandest of stages, as the UFC, who had given Fury the presidential treatment, got literally nothing back in return.There was no announcement.There is no fight.For now.Boxing cannot help but get in its own way. And its been a theme throughout the year, despite a handful of tentpole events like David Benavidez vs. Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez, Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia, and Xander Zayas upcoming unified super welterweight world title defense against Jaron Boots Ennis on June 27.We've not had nearly enough marquee shows considering we are already halfway through the year. And it is not enough when many fighters seem to talk more about boxing than have actual fights, like Conor Benn in particular appears to do.The boxing-related news that seems to resonate right now focuses on Floyd Mayweathers alleged finances, Adrien Broners live streams, and the continued rise of Misfits.All is not lost, though.And there are at least three ways in which the sport can yet salvage a barren year.The most obvious way to accelerate after the skids is to recapture momentum by booking the biggest bouts you can. Fury vs. Joshua is an obvious one that appears to be in motion behind-the-scenes, regardless of who is involved. Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol have an opportunity to create a bonafide pound-for-pound showdown too. And should Vergil Ortiz free himself from a legal abyss with Golden Boy Promotions, then a fight against the Zayas-Ennis winner is a no-brainer.Jaron Ennis (R) is one of the rare bright spots on the boxing calendar right now.Mark Robinson via Getty ImagesIts not just fights that need to get made, though, but how we view them needs to change too.DAZN has become the home of boxing, having secured deals with UK fight firm BOXXER and longstanding American mainstay Top Rank, to go along with its contracts with Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom and Golden Boy Promotions. That increasingly leaves Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on an island, and so, when its contractual obligations with Prime Video expire, there is only one place for PBC to go that would benefit both fight fans and the sport: DAZN.Lastly, the womens game has never had better infrastructure considering the rising status of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and its deals with ESPN and Netflix, but it remains, nonetheless, in a precarious position.Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor are two fighters who helped shoulder the sport between them, and they are both retiring in 2026. They have incredible legacies and could, in theory, leave significant gaps in the sport unless boxing acts fast to determine its next female face.Considering the talent at his disposal, womens boxing promoter Jake Paul has the ability to do just that. In Alycia Baumgardner and Caroline Dubois, MVP has a possible transatlantic fight that could erupt on either side of the pond.But the problem is that only one of them seems to want to dance. Dubois has long called for her shot. Baumgardner, though, insists that there are levels between them.And therein lies an issue.The stagnation that happens in the mens game has infected the womens side too.It's so frustrating because from the outside looking in, it is all so avoidable.Boxing has spent six months promising all kinds of announcements. But the only way the rest of the year can be salvaged is if it actually starts to keep some.
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