Five Middleweight Fighters to Watch in 2025

The middleweight division has seen many memorable fighters operate, such as Gennadiy Golovkin and Bernard Hopkins. The division is now going through a transitional period, headed by Janibek Alimkhanuly as the unified champion. Here are five fighters from the division to watch out for in the next 12 months and beyond.

Middleweight Boxing: Top Fighters to Watch in 2025

Middleweight Boxing: Meiirim Nursultanov

Managed by Egis Klimas, Meiirim Nursultanov (20-0, 11 KOs) is operating in the middleweight division and needs a big 2025. Having not fought in 2024, the Kazak fighter will be eager to make his mark in the next 12 months. He is still ranked highly, with the WBC and will be looking to progress. He’s defensively smart and picks his shots well. Could we see another Kazak world champion this year?

Troy Isley

26-year-old Troy Isley (14-0, 5 KOs) is the next one on our list. The Top Rank fighter enjoyed an impressive 2024, winning three times, including last time out against Tyler Howard. He moves well and is accurate with his punches. “Transformer” will be looking to progress up the rankings in the next 12 months towards a world title shot.

Yoenli Hernandez

Yoenli Hernandez (6-0, 6 KOs) was a two-time world amateur champion who won 26 straight fights before turning professional. Hernandez possesses skills that are synonymous with Cuban amateur boxing. After not fighting in 2023, the 27-year-old fought four times last year, winning all in impressive style. 2025 should be a big year for the talented Cuban.

George Liddard

22-year-old George Liddard (10-0, 6 KOs) is signed to Matchroom Boxing. He will be back in action on Jan. 31 against the experienced Derrick Osaze at the Indigo at The O2, Greenwich. Liddard has showcased his power and ability to fight fire with fire when needed. The Essex-born fighter looks to stay on the front foot and pick his shots. He mixes his attacks well and rarely takes a backward step. 2025 should be a year where Liddard continues to progress.

Etinosa Oliha

Italian Etinosa Oliha (21-0, 9 KOs) is our wildcard on the list. His biggest win came in his last fight in an IBF world title eliminator against Alexander Pavlov. The Italian has an effective jab and puts his punches together impressively, which shows the progression he’s made from his first few fights. It remains to be seen how far the Piemonte native can go, but we should find out in 2025, thanks to his eliminator win.