5 Underrated Bantamweights To Watch Out For In 2023

The bantamweight division is a fiercely competitive weight class away from its dominant figure in Naoya Inoue, who is moving up in weight to fight Stephen Fulton Jr. At Big Fight Weekend, we have already shown you, numerous weight classes, in our underrated series, including the middleweight division. We are now bringing you the most underrated bantamweights to look for in 2023. This division is full of some potential mouth-watering contests.

Bantamweights to Look For in 2023

Delighted to see Lee McGregor back in the ring after 13 months. McGregor dominated the experienced Alexis Kabore over 8 invaluable rounds, landing his trademark left to the body throughout.

Good work out with no cuts or injuries, an ideal comeback and should be back out soon. pic.twitter.com/ZCTs2Txtpj

— Gloves Red (@GlovesRed) March 4, 2023

Lee McGregor

Lee “Lightning” McGregor has won 12 of 13 fights in his professional career with one draw. Since the frustrating draw against Diego Alberto Ruiz, McGregor had second thoughts about whether he wanted to continue with his boxing career. When talking about inactivity he said: “These last six months have been tough. I don’t want to be in London away from my family. Don’t get me wrong, boxing has allowed me to buy a nice house and have a bit of money behind me, of course, there are benefits but, sometimes, like the last six months, I do question myself why am I doing this?“

Also Read: 5 Underrated Featherweights to Watch Out for in 2023

“Lightning” possesses impressive power as proven by his nine knockout wins. He also proved his ability to problem-solve quickly in the ring against Vincent Legrand, where he was troubled by his opponent’s southpaw stance and effective jab. McGregor closed the gap on his opponent, and the fight changed drastically. He imposed his strength and power, which negated his rival’s effective jab. If he can be more active in 2023, McGregor can be one of the most talked about bantamweights to look for in 2023.

Ra’eese Aleem

Ra’eese Aleem has a perfect professional record from his 20 fights. “The Beast” is part of a stacked division, including stars such as Stephen Fulton Jr., Naoya Inoue and Luis Nery. He has only fought once since defeating Eduardo Baez in November 2021. Aleem is good at controlling the tempo of his fights, often using an effective left hook.

Also Read: 5 Underrated Lightweights to Watch Out for in 2023

“The Beast” keeps his work rate up throughout his fights, often wearing his opponents down. Aleem is gunning for a big fight, and after his win against Mike Plania, he said: “Where’s my title shot.”

Sam Goodman

Sam Goodman is making a name for himself in the boxing world. He has amassed a 100% winning record of 14-0, with seven wins by knockout. The New South Wales fighter has shown he possesses skill and power in abundance since turning pro in 2018.

He enjoyed a successful amateur career, which included winning the 2017 Oceanian Championships and fighting at the 2016 AIBA Youth World Championships, where he undoubtedly gained valuable experience against top-level competition.

Also Read: 5 Underrated Light Heavyweights to Watch Out for in 2023

Goodman has shown KO power, and his ability to pick his punches is also impressive. He also possesses great footwork and quick hands. Another quality of Goodmans is his solid defence, making him a difficult opponent to face.

Emmanuel Rodriguez

Emmanuel “El Matador” Rodriguez enjoyed a successful amateur career, which saw him win the gold medal at the 2010 youth Olympic games in Singapore, and a silver medal at the 2010 youth world championship in Baku.

Also Read: 5 Underrated Welterweights to Watch Out for in 2023

Rodriguez during his pro career has amassed a record of 21 wins in 24 fights, with two losses and one no-contest. One of his defeats was against bantamweight king Inoue, which was a brutal second-round KO defeat. Rodriguez is a talented fighter who has proven he can punch, with 13 wins by knockout.

He is adept at stepping up the pace in fights when needed, often throwing sweeping rights and lefts to assert control over his opposition. His hand speed is another impressive attribute, making him a nightmare to defend against.

Dennis McCann

Dennis “The Menace” McCann is making a name for himself in the bantamweight division, racing to a record of 14-0 since making his debut against Kamil Jaworek in May 2019.

Also Read: 5 Underrated Heavyweights to Watch Out for in 2023

McCann possesses impressive power as seen by his eight wins by knockout thus far. “The Menace” has a great boxing brain, which sees him pick his punches extremely well. He is adept at fighting off either foot, like Prince Naseem Hamed. The future looks bright for “The Menace” as he has drawn comparisons to his childhood hero “Naz”. If McCann have have a career anywhere near Prince Nassem, he will be one of the Bantamweights to look for in 2023.