BOXING packed its bags and travelled the globe this weekend, beginning in York Hall before touching down in Manchester, Astana, Las Vegas, and Newcastle, Australia.
Across five cards and nearly 50 bouts, the sport showcased its full spectrum – world titlists, faded champs, hungry contenders, and fresh faces all trading leather.
Boxing News sifts through the main-event wreckage to map out what’s next for three standout winners and one who might need to step away.
FILIP HRGOVIC (18-1, 14 KOs)
Filip Hrgovic didn’t dazzle, but he delivered. Stepping in on short notice for Dillian Whyte, the Croatian heavyweight ground out a win over Joe Joyce in Manchester, clawing his way back into contention. It was gritty, not glamorous – hardly the stuff to rattle Oleksandr Usyk or Daniel Dubois – but a victory nonetheless. At 32, with 14 stoppages in 18 wins, Hrgovic proved he can handle pressure, even if his performance left room for doubters.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Ranked 6 (IBF), 7 (WBA), and 9 (WBC), Hrgovic has options, but his team must tread carefully to avoid a costly misstep. A clash with IBF No. 4 and slick technician Frank Sanchez offers a stern test and a chance to climb higher. It’s a fight that could sharpen Hrgovic or expose his limits.
JOE JOYCE (16-4, 15 KOS)
Joe Joyce’s engine still fires up, but the odometer’s ticking. At 39, ‘The Juggernaut’ took his fourth loss in five outings against Hrgovic, absorbing shots that may have felled lesser men. His granite chin held, yet the punishment piled up – a familiar tale of a career spent in the trenches, from amateur wars to pro slugfests. Post-fight, Joyce grinned and vowed to carry on, but that defiance feels more like denial. Someone in his corner needs to speak the hard truth.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Retirement. Joyce’s long-term health demands it, even if he doesn’t see it yet.
ZHANIBEK ALIMKHANULY (17-0, 12 KOs)
Zhanibek Alimkhanuly returned to Astana a hero, dismantling Anauel Ngamissengue in five rounds to defend his unified middleweight crown. The Kazakh southpaw dropped his foe twice – once in the first, again in the fifth – stamping his authority with typically cold precision. At 17-0, with 12 knockouts, he’s a menace, but the division’s pulse is faint. He’s ready to seize it all.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Undisputed glory beckons. Carlos Adames (the bruising WBC champ) or Erislandy Lara (the crafty WBA king) hold the keys. Adames, with his power and swagger, feels like the fight to ignite the middleweight division’s lack of excitement.
TIM TSZYU (25-2, 18 KOs)
Tim Tszyu moved on from his failings last year with a fourth-round demolition of Joseph Spencer in Newcastle, Australia. After back-to-back losses to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev’s savaging, the 30-year-old rediscovered his old self. Hooks crashed, uppercuts thundered, and Spencer crumpled, a reminder of the Tszyu terror that once held the WBO 154-pound strap. The Aussie faithful dubbed the Newcastle Entertainment Centre “Tszyu-castle,” and he ruled it like a king.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Keith Thurman looms. A rescheduled showdown with the Florida veteran – wily, past his prime, but still a name – makes sense if the money’s right. Thurman won’t come cheap to cross the Pacific, but for Tszyu, it’s a proving ground. The super-welterweight scene is filled with sharks; a win here could signal he’s ready to swim with them again.
