2024 Boxing Schedule: Major Fights You Don’t Want to Miss

With the Super Bowl firmly in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead at the rest of the major sporting events that 2024 will have to offer. The rest of the year will be jam-packed with plenty of major boxing matches, including a couple of duels that have been brewing for years. 

As such, it’s setting up to be one of the most exciting years in the sport in recent memory, so here’s a look at matches you’ll want to keep an eye on, whether they’ve already been scheduled or if they’re soon to be announced.

Boxing In 2024: Fights You Need to See

Boxing in 2024: What Will Canelo Do?

Saul “Canelo” Álvarez has firmly established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers out there, and at 33 years old, there’s a decent chance that the Mexican superstar is starting to approach the back nine of his career. He’s been pretty selective about the fights he signs off on in the past two years, largely only facing mandatory challengers in order to maintain his grip on a number of world titles. 

As a champion, Canelo maintains that it’s well within his right to be picky, as he isn’t beholden to fight just anyone who wants to challenge him.

Even so, the fact that he’s been reluctant to face off against other top boxers like David Benavidez has put a small stain on his impressive résumé in recent years, and Canelo can’t duck his 27-year-old American challenger forever.

Álvarez is supposedly making a major announcement on Tuesday, February 13: ever the showman, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch as fans wonder if he’s finally going to step into the ring against Benavidez, or if he has another plan up his sleeve. Canelo boasts a gleaming 60-2-2 record in his professional career, so it’s going to be hard for sports betting apps to pick against him… but Benavidez hasn’t ever lost, picking up 24 of his 28 victories via knockout. 

A matchup between the aggressive Benavidez and Álvarez, an opportunistic counterpuncher, poses plenty of intrigue. One can only hope that we get a chance to see it soon.

Fury vs Usyk: Heavyweight Clash

Much like Álvarez vs Benavidez, we’ve been getting teasers for this one for a couple of years now. Right now, Tyson Fury holds the WBC heavyweight title, while his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksandr Usyk, cleans up the rest of the awards with belts from the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring.

They’re going to face off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 18—a bout that was originally supposed to happen this Saturday, but ended up getting pushed back because Fury suffered an injury while training—and the fight will determine the first consensus heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

Fury boasts a 34-0-1 record, while Usyk is a perfect 21-0. Even though he’s suffered through injuries during training and his last match, the Englishman will likely be the favourite in this go around, as his 6-foot-9 frame and 85-inch reach towers over Usyk, who is 6-foot-3. 

In spite of that, the two fighters’ combined success means that it’s hard to feel super confident about either one of them, and there are few contests that are more fun to watch than when there’s a legitimate toss-up. Having confidence in victory is nice, but a win feels so much sweeter when the fear of losing poses a significant threat. 

Beterbiev vs Bivol: Another Championship Match

2024 isn’t slacking when it comes to matches for all the marbles, as Artur Beterbiev of Russia will take on Dmitry Bivolof Kyrgyzstan on June 1. This match, much like Fury vs Usyk, will have all four major belts hanging in the balance.

Neither Beterbiev nor Bivol have ever lost a match. They both stand six feet tall, while the Russian holds a one-inch advantage when it comes to reach.

Beterbiyev is 39 years old but actually has fewer wins in his professional career than Bivol, as he didn’t start fighting until he was 28. Right now the odds are just about even, which is a little surprising with Father Time firmly against Beterbiev… although he may have some extra motivation to solidify his legacy in the light-heavyweight class with the end of his career fast approaching.

Because there isn’t a consensus on who the favourite is, be sure to shop around first if you want to bet on the match. If you like Bivol, find a sportsbook that’s favouring Beterbiev (and vice versa) so that you have the best odds possible.

All three of the fights are coming in the first half of 2024, but they will arguably be the three biggest of the year.