NEW YORK, NY — The end of July has had a focus on baseball’s pennant races with MLB’s Trade Deadline approaching, NFL training camps commencing and FIFA’s World Cup concluding with Spain prevailing.
On the calendar now is that sport known as boxing.
In a 48-hour stretch this Saturday-Sunday, the world of Boxing will be treated to three big fight nights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Australia and New York City – Image Credit: Zuffa Boxing
This weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Australia, and New York City at The Mecca of Madison Square Garden, it’s all about boxing. Highlighted in a 48-hour Saturday-Sunday stretch are fighters returning from a hiatus and looking to sneak back into title contention.
Also a heavyweight division showdown and New York City debut for Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing will be making its New York City debut this Sunday night, July 26 at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden – Image Credit: Zuffa Boxing
So when they say boxing is a dead sport, well, leave that to the skeptics because a true boxing fan will tune in to DAZN’s double dip and on Paramount+. Already in the wee hours of Friday morning and with little fanfare, Tyson Fury recorded a seventh round stoppage against Mariusz Wach in Thailand to move a step closer to a long awaited heavyweight mega fight with fellow countryman Anthony Joshua.
And what about Canelo Alvarez? We are headed towards a Halloween return for Canelo, the former undisputed 168-pound Mexican king who opposes undefeated champion and power puncher Christian Mbilli, a young star from Montreal.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Mexican boxing legend Canelo Alvarez said he is planning on having “three or more fights” – Image Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix
That fight is slated to take place in Saudi Arabia. At that time, Alvarez will be returning to the ring a year-plus after losing his undisputed titles to the now retired Terence Crawford.
Later next month on August 22nd, Teofimo Lopez plans to continue his takeover. This time in a quest to dethrone Rolando Romero and his WBA welterweight title in Las Vegas while Ryan Garcia, the newly crowned WBC welterweight champion, has a Vegas showdown with Conor Benn on September 12.
Dana White attempting to calm the tension down between Ryan Garica and Conor Benn during Zuffa Boxing’s Media Day at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 – Image Credit: Rob Kim/Getty Images for Fanatics
More and more implications in a division now with Lopez and Garcia. Devin Haney is also in the picture, holding the WBO title as Zuffa Boxing continues to sign mega fighters that are looking at more opportunity. Basically White has upended an entire championship and sanctioning landscape that has commanded the sport for decades.
Furthermore, there are many implications for Joshua. A win this Saturday against Kristian Prenga on DAZN and he awaits Fury, a long awaited showdown as Fury already did his part.
The two-time champion Joshua has fully recovered from an early year vehicle accident that turned tragic in Africa with the passing of a close friend and member of his team.
The fight with Fury is scheduled for November, a deal signed with Saudi’s money king Turki Alalshikh that will be held in the United Kingdom in front of 80,000 or more rabid fans.
Tyson Fury and his team together at the middle of the ring after Fury’s seventh round TKO victory vs. Mariusz Wach on Friday in Thailand – Image Credit: Goldstar Promotions
The suspense following Joshua-Prenga will be with Errol Spence Jr. and Tim Tszyu in a 12 round middleweight bout in Sydney, Australia—the second part of a DAZN doubleheader of boxing. Spence being able to work out the rust after a three-year layoff after losing his 147-undisputed titles to Crawford will be the question.
BUY NOW: Joshua-Prenga and Spence-Tszyu lined up back to back on DAZN by clicking here
In the opposing corner is Tszyu, a brawler, with two fights against 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora that caused buzz, and resulted in a split decision loss and another via TKO in March of 2024 and July of last year. Tszyu has been active, so Spence questions as a middleweight will arise as the opening bell rings.
Regardless if Spence reverts to being the champion of his past, the landscape of that division will change.
On Sunday evening in the Infosys Theater at MSG, a full house is expected as Zuffa Boxing and Paramount + debut in New York City with White delivering an exciting fight card.
A card featuring New York flavor with Zuffa’s newly signed Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins, each from Brooklyn, New York. Ricardo Salas, fighting out of Mexico City and coming off an eighth round stoppage at the APEX in Las Vegas in early March, is a formidable opponent for Hitchins.
Both will battle in a 10-round welterweight bout, so there will be more implications for the division.
As it goes for Berlanga, the super middleweight and contender at 168, he’s set to go 10 rounds against Steven Butler in the main event. Berlanga, with a blemish and loss to Alvarez on his resume, needs a win to make his statement.
He could go for the early knockout though Butler brings power to the table and also needs a win to make an impact.
The Picks
- Tszyu with 12 round split decision over Spence
- Joshua with an early TKO over Prenga by using body punches in his first fight since demolishing Jake Paul
- Berlanga with a late stoppage victory on a strong showing
- Hitchins with the UD win and another gain of momentum
Enjoy the fights. Boxing surely is not dead.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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