Five American Boxers To Look Out For
2023 has not only been a fantastic year for boxing in general, but also a great one for American fighters. With matchups such as Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia and David Benavidez-Caleb Plant, Americans fighters continue to establish themselves as among the best in the world. Despite these excellent bouts, some American boxers fly under the radar. It is important to acknowledge fighters who continuously display the highest levels of professionalism and are always putting on great fights. As such, Big Fight Weekend presents five American boxers to keep an eye on for the remainder of 2023.
Jesse Rodriguez
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) ended 2022 with a final defense of his WBO super flyweight title against Israel Gonzalez. This year, he moved down in weight and claimed a second world title by outpointing Cristian Gonzalez. Sometime in the second half of 2023, he will seek to unify titles against Sunny Edwards. Rodriguez is a fighter that is gaining the respect of boxing fans and he is still only 23 years old. A win over Edwards will give him increased attention.
Stephen Fulton
Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) is seen by some to be one of the most underrated world champions today. Currently, he is a unified super bantamweight champion and will soon face Japan’s Naoya Inoue on July 25. With wins over Paulus Ambunda, Brandon Figueroa, and Danny Roman, Fulton has established himself as the number one super bantamweight today. His versatility has allowed him to beat fighters at their own styles. Win or lose on July 25, Fulton remains a fighter to keep an eye on.
Watch Dan Rafael and T.J. Rives preview Fulton vs Inoue off the BetUS TV Boxing show by clicking play below,
O’Shaquie Foster
O’Shaquie Foster (20-2, 11 KOs) has definitely earned his way to the top. In July 2016, he lost a split decision to Rolando Chinea. Following that loss, he was incarcerated in his hometown of Orange, Texas, USA, for four months. Originally, the charge was attempted murder. Later, it was lowered to aggravated assault. Since being released, he has gone on a ten-fight win streak that includes a victory over two division world champion Rey Vargas. In addition to defeating Vargas, Foster also became the WBC super featherweight champion. Be sure to keep an eye on for him as he is definitely someone you do not want to miss out on.
Jesus Ramos Jr.
A super welterweight prospect, Jesus Ramos Jr. (20-0, 16 KOs) continues to climb up the ranks. His win over Brian Mendoza in 2021 has only gotten better with time. He was last seen this year stopping fellow undefeated prospect Joseph Spencer in seven rounds on the undercard of Benavidez-Plant. At just 22 years of age, expect to see a lot more of Ramos in the coming months and years. Power and ring IQ are his two best assets.
Diego Pacheco
Currently operating at super middleweight, Diego Pacheco (19-0, 16 KOs) is someone opponents will struggle to deal with. His height, reach, and power are not something you always find in super middleweights. So far in 2023, he has fought two times: the first time in the UK and Mexico the second time around. Both fights were fourth round stoppages that have raised his profile. Many view him as one of Matchroom Boxing’s most promising prospects. Be sure to tune in when Pacheco is in the ring.
Currently writing out of Toronto, Canada, Saadeq first became a boxing fan while living in Doha, Qatar. Looking to become more involved in the sport, he began writing about boxing and has had work published in outlets such as Seconds Out and Boxing Social. He looks forward to continue covering boxing on Big Fight Weekend.
