Rob Tebbutt casts the Boxing News spotlight on the British and Irish boxers who may rise up in 2025.
Moses Itauma; (10-0, 8 KOs); Aged 19; Heavyweight; Chatham, Kent.
HEAVYWEIGHT phenomenon Moses Itauma continued to reaffirm his status as one of the sport’s premier prospects in a near-flawless 2024.
Now boasting an unbeaten 10-fight run, Itauma picked up routine wins over nondescript opposition in the first half of the year before blasting his way through Polish journeyman Mariusz Wach in two rounds in September. He is slated to face Australian southpaw Demsey McKean next on the Usyk-Fury II undercard.
Blessed with fast hands and a fluid boxing ability that belies his 6ft 5ins frame, the sky is the limit for the 19-year-old. While breaking Mike Tyson’s heavyweight record looks a stretch, with the backing of Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, a title shot at the back end of 2025 looks well within Itauma’s reach.
Junaid Bostan; (10-0, 8 KOs); Aged 22; Super-welterweight; Rotherham, Yorkshire.
SHEFFIELD prodigy Junaid Bostan began 2024 with a point to prove following his under-par showing against unheralded American Gordie Russ II in December last year.
Despite boxing four times in both 2022 and 2023, Bostan has been seen in action just twice this year. A dominant TKO8 win over Jack Martin in April, followed by a third-round TKO win over Maico Sommariva in October, saw the switch-hitting Bostan showcase his vast array of skills to good effect while also remaining defensively aware and ‘switched on’ throughout.
Guided by esteemed trainer Grant Smith of Sheffield’s Steel City Gym, Bostan will be looking for titles in the New Year. A heavily mooted, all-Yorkshire clash with Leeds’ Ishmael Davis could prove to be Bostan’s breakout party.
Giorgio Visioli; (5-0, 4 KOs); Aged 21; Super-featherweight; Guildford, Surrey.
SOUTHPAW slickster Giorgio Visioli has flourished in his first full year in the paid ranks, racking up four wins in as many fights and registering three impressive stoppages in the process.
Blessed with natural punching power and excellent timing, the former Repton amateur star has gone from strength to strength under the guidance of trainer Mark Tibbs, establishing himself as one to watch in 2025.
Perhaps the most eye-catching trait of Visioli’s career so far is his ability to give himself time in the ring, utilising his precise footwork to create space and land his left hand to devastating effect.
Hamza Uddin; (3-0 ,1 KO); Aged 21; Flyweight, Walsall, West Midlands.
FAST HANDS? Fast feet? Big fanbase? There’s a lot to like about Hamza Uddin…
The Walsall flyweight made his professional debut in April of this year and has made no secret of his desire to move quickly through the paid ranks.
A win over former English title challenger Benn Norman in November saw the flashy Uddin pick up a respectable name on his ledger after just three fights. However, the bout did highlight some defensive flaws in the 21-year-old, and handler Sam Jones may feel the need to reign the precocious talent in somewhat ahead of his first full year as a pro.
Callum Walsh; (12-0, 10 KOs); Aged 23; Super-welterweight; Cork, Ireland.
CORK’S Callum Walsh could be the man to bring big-time boxing back to Ireland.
Unbeaten in a dozen professional fights, ‘King’ Callum picked up three stoppage wins in three appearances this year, including a second-round KO win over Przemyslaw Runowski in a raucous Dublin homecoming in September.
With a career backed by boxing power-broker Tom Loeffler and UFC supremo Dana White – while also training out of the world-famous Wild Card Gym under the tutelage of legendary coach Freddie Roach – it seems everything is perfectly placed for Walsh to become Ireland’s next boxing star.
Aloys Youmbi; (9-1, 8 KOs); Aged 21; Cruiserweight; London.
IN A sport obsessed with protecting the ‘0’ of a fighter, cruiserweight banger Aloys Youmbi has shown that there is life after a loss for an emerging talent.
After being thrown in at the deep end in an unsuccessful professional debut back in November 2021, Youmbi has since responded well – and in 2024, enjoyed his most productive year so far as a pro, picking up four wins from four outings.
A 10-round decision against Oronzo Birardi back in August proved a valuable learning experience for Youmbi. However, a return to his destructive best with a TKO3 win over Lewis Oakford in December was a stark reminder of the monstrous power the Londoner possesses.
Still just a puppy at 21 years old and working alongside highly-rated coach Ben Davison, the future looks bright for ‘The Animal’…
Tom Welland; (6-0, 3 KOs); Aged 20; Featherweight; Wickford, Essex.
WICKFORD featherweight prospect Tom Welland has been one of the standout performers on Wasserman Boxing’s Channel 5 offerings in 2024.
A well-organised operator with fast hands and feet, Welland has yet to put a toe out of place in the paid ranks, picking up four wins (with two by stoppage) in an impressive first full year as a professional.
With a return against veteran Michael Ramabeletsa already slated for February, Welland and manager Lee Eaton will be hoping for a similarly impressive year in 2025.
Jack Turner; (10-0, 9 KOs); Age 19; Super-flyweight; Liverpool, Merseyside.
BRITAIN has been well-stocked in the fly and super-flyweight divisions in recent years – and Liverpool’s Jack Turner is a welcome addition to that talent pool.
The difference, however, between Turner and some of his contemporaries is his potent punching power, with nine of his 10 wins coming inside the distance. However, after rattling off six consecutive first-round finishes in his first six fights, Turner heard the final bell for the first time against Nicaragua’s Darwing Martinez back in June.
Turner quickly returned to the KO column with three early finishes to round out the year, seeing him go 6-0, 5 KOs in 2024 in a thoroughly impressive breakout year for the 19-year-old.
Royston Barney-Smith; (13-0, 7 KOs); Aged 20; Super-featherweight; Southampton, Hampshire.
SOUTHAMPTON super-featherweight Royston Barney-Smith enjoyed a fruitful 2024, with five wins in five bouts (three of which came by way of stoppage), seeing the Ben Davison-trained talent move to 13-0 (7 KOs).
A pair of eight-round decision wins over Jose Perez and Jonatas Oliveira saw ‘Sugar Boy Roy’ pick up invaluable experience before finishing the year with back-to-back stoppage wins over Colombian pair Carlos Rayo and Andres Navarrete.
A rangy southpaw with fast hands is a tough night’s work for anyone – and so it has proved to be for Barney-Smith’s opponents thus far…
Ibraheem Sulaimaan; (6-0, 4 KOs); Aged 23; Super-featherweight; Birmingham, West Midlands.
BIRMINGHAM super-featherweight talent Ibraheem ‘Spider’ Sulaimaan has emerged as something of a rough diamond this year, with four dominant wins securing a multi-fight promotional contract with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
Sulaimaan is an all-too-rare example of a prospect unspoiled by the rigidity of modern-day amateur coaching; with his unorthodox, switch-hitting style not something you see every day from a British prospect.
His highlight reel stoppage win over Italy’s Jordan Tomasoni set the ball rolling for the year before a one-sided second-round TKO win over Marvin Solano in November rounded things off for 2024 in style.
