Philippines, 01 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


The Year Ends With a BANG


PhilBoxing.com





The year 2024 ends with a big bang featuring weekly world championships including four title rematches, some of which could even extend to rubber matches next year.

The month-long treat to global boxing fans starts with a pair of intriguing title rematches on December 7, 2024 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Fellow Mexicans defending champion Emanuel Navarette and former titlist Oscar Valdez go at it again in the main event for the WBO super featherweight championship.



In the main support, Mexican defending WBO featherweight titlist Rafael Espinoza tries to prove that his title win was no fluke as he tangles again against Cuban bemedaled ex Olymlian and ex titlist Robeisy Ramirez in another Mutt and Jeff pairing across the ring.

On the same date, across the Caribbean, unbeaten Australian Liam Paro makes the first defense of his newly won IBF super lightweight crown against his equally undefeated American challenger Richardson Hitchins at the famed Roberto Clemente Stadium arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Paro (25-0-0, 15 KOs) won the IBF world title by shock unanimous decision over the dreaded Puerto Rican KO artist Subriel Matias in another arena in Minati, Puerto Rico.



A week later, on December 14, 2024, another dreaded famed bomber Gervonta "Tank" Davis (28-0-0, 26 KOs) makes his second appearance this year as he takes on fellow American Lamont Roach in a scheduled 12 rounds lightweight bout at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. No world title is at stake though Davis and Roach are current WBA champions at lightweight and super featherweight respectively. In his last fight, Davis knocked out Frank Martin. Davis also kayoed Ryan Garcia in 2023.

The fight for the WBC featherweight title between interim titlist Brandon Figueroa and challenger Stephen Fulton is supposed to be included in this card but has been moved to February 2025.

On the same date in Monte Carlo, Monaco, former WBA-IBF super bantamweight titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev bids to re-acquire even part of his former titles when he takes on Mexico's Ricardo Espinosa Franco for the WBA interim bantamweight title. There is no certainty that the interim crown will be upgraded to regular one. But at least there is a chance the winner will get to have a crack at the Inoue- Goodman winner next year.



On the following weekend, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, defending champion Oleksander Usyk of Ukraine rematches ex WBC titlist Tyson Fury for the unified WBC-WBA-WBO heavyweight championship at the Kingdom Arena. Usyk defeated Fury by split decision in May at the same venue to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in the 1990s. But Usyk has to drop the IBF title to honor this rematch.

In the main support, top Slavic super welterweights Russian Serheii Bohanchuk and Uzbek Israil Madrinov clashes to determine who advances for another world title crack in 2025.



On Christmas Eve, undisputed world super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue figures in his third mandatory title defense in as many fights this year as he takes on undefeated Australian challenger Sam Goodman in Tokyo. All belts will be at stake except the WBA trinket. Inoue has previously defended against Mexico's Luis Nery and UK's TJ Doheny in bouts that ended via the short route.

As main support, WBO bantamweight titleholder Yoshiki Takei makes his second defense against Thai KO artist Yuttapong Tongdee.

Capping the year is the rematch between defending IBF super flyweight champion Fernando Martinez of Nicaragua and Japanese ex WBO titlist and challenger Kazuto Ioka on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2024 at the Ota City Prefecfural Gym, Tokyo. Martinez inflicted Ioka his only third career defeat last July via close but unanimous decision in Kokugigan.

____________________________________________________

Full December 2024 Boxing Calendar

Dec 7 Footprint Center, Phoenix, Az
Emanuel Navarette vs Oscar Valdez
WBO super featherweight title rematch
Rafael Espinosa vs Robeissy Ranirez
WBO featherweight title rematch

Dec7 San Juan Puerto Rico
Liam Paro vs Richardson Hitchins
IBF super lightweight title

Dec 14 Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Geevonta Davis vs Lamont Roach
12 rds lightweight bout

Dec 14 Monte Carlo, Monaco
Murodjon Akhmadljev vs Ricardo Espinosa Franco
12 rds WBA interim super bantamweight title

Dec 21 Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, KSA
Tyson Fury Vs Oleksandr Usyk
Unified WBC-WBA-WBO and Ring heavyweight lineal world title rematch
Serheii Borachuk vs Israil Madrimov
12 rds super welterweight

Dec 24 Tokyo, Japan
Naoya Inoue vs Sam Goodman
Undisputed super bantamwwight championship (-WBA)
Yoshiki Takei vs Yuttapong Tongdee
WBO bantamweight title

Dec 31 Ota City, Tokyo
Kazuto Ioka vs Fernando Martinez
IBF super flyweight title rematch

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • MARIO BARRIOS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • CATTERALL AND EUBANK LAY THEIR 'CARDS ON THE TABLE' AHEAD OF MANCHESTER SHOWDOWN
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Dumadag holds chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Manny Pacquiao's Case for the Greatest of All Time
    By Ace Freeman, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • DavNor Adventure Race 2025 set July 2
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Gumila rules Antipolo rapid chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • FULL CIRCLE AT WILD CARD: Jhay Otamias’ Tribute to a Fighter and a Fanbase
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Wins by 4th Round KO Over Sarawut Thawornkham to Capture the IBF Pan Pacific Super Flyweight Title
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Team USA's Quest for Gold Set in Stone at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • SBA SEASON 2 DRAFT UNVEILS RISING STARS AND STRATEGIC MOVES AS TEAMS COMPLETE THEIR ROSTERS
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Filipino Elwin Retanal wins Saudi rapid chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Jake Paul Earns Boxing Legitimacy with Dominant Decision Over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Faces Sarawut Thawornkham Today at Venue 88 in Gensan
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • USA Elite High Performance Team Sets Sights on Gold at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri bags silver in blitz
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY SIGNS UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT AMARI JONES
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chávez Jr. is a Go: All Fighters Make Weight in Anaheim Ahead of High-Stakes Bout
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • IIEE Chessmasters Overall Champion in the International Bundesliga with GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Kittipong of Thailand Battles Bhavesh of India in Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Bangkok
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Weights from Philadelphia
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri and John Jerish Velarde struck gold and bronze
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Would OKC Still Win the West If Dallas Had Not Traded Doncic?
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 27 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.