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With the Coronavirus pandemic freezing not just the sport of boxing, but all sports around the world, time is seemingly moving at a snails pace.
For as badly as both the fighters and fans would love to see the sport return, the likelihood of that happening anytime soon is slim to say the least.
Boxers have a hard enough time as it is staying in the limelight. The sport just isn’t as mainstream as the NFL and NBA. So, this current delay in fights could be difficult on their star power.
While you are patiently waiting, how about we give you a reminder of some of the best young fighters in the world today.
Here’s our list for the five best fighters, regardless of weight class, under the age of 25.
5. Daniel Dubois
Watching Daniel Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) fight, you quickly forget that he is only 22 years of age. The British born Heavyweight has seemingly skipped the prospect faze and has jumped right into the contender spot.
With only 14 wins under his belt, it’s safe to say that he is a bit wet behind the ears. But from what he’s shown so far, he seems to be the real deal.
The next time you can catch him on your big screen will be on July 11 at the O2 Arena in London. His opponent on the night will be a pretty tough Joe Joyce who is undefeated himself.
Don’t expect a competitive contest in that one. It might be a bit early, but keep your eyes on Dubois.
4. David Benavidez
It’s one thing to become a champion at a young age, but it’s another thing entirely to be considered the best in your respective division.
In the case of 23-year-old David Benavidez (22-0, 19 KOs) that is exactly what we have. Forget about the cocaine Benavidez was caught using back in 2018, just pay attention to the talent.
He might be young, but he has just about everything. In a weight class that is crawling with legit champions and title contenders, no one seems to be on his level.
Well, IBF titlist Caleb Plant would beg to differ. But still, Plant has all the makings of a star.
3. Teofimo Lopez
IBF Lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs) is in a unique position. On a list such as this one, it’s very difficult to move up or down if everything stays the same.
But Lopez is in a interesting spot. If you juxtaposed Lopez to his contemporaries, then this is a fair spot for him.
With that being said however, Lopez has a date later on this year with who many consider is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world–Vasiliy Lomachenko.
If the 22-year-old Lopez can pull off the win then he’s going to vault to the top of this list. Many might be incredulous to that statement but that sort of win for Lopez would officially turn him into a superstar overnight.
2. Devin Haney
The youngest fighter on this list checks in at No. 2 here. 21-year-old Devin Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) is somewhat of a prodigy.
Haney has been seemingly destined for greatness since footage of him dominating in sparring sessions started popping up when he was still a teenager. So far, he’s proved everyone right.
He picked up the WBC Lightweight title late in 2019, albeit it wasn’t in the fashion that he wanted, but still, he was a champion nonetheless.
When you stare at Haney, he just has the look of future pound-for-pound star. The next fighter however, looks like he could reign number one on said list.
1. Shakur Stevenson
Placing 22-year-old Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs) at No. 1 might seem like a bit of a brazen choice, but if you take a deep dive into his fighting style, you’ll quickly see that’s it’s not.
Stevenson might only have 13 professional contests, but he already has the IBF Featherweight title around his waist. Also let’s not forget that although this is the pro’s he did win an Olympic silver medal in 2016.
At this point, it’s conjecture to say that Stevenson is a great fighter. But there’s a reason why many have compared him to Floyd Mayweather.
While we won’t go that far, it’s hard to deny his skills. In about five years, we could be looking at the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Or actually, it could happen even sooner.
