Almost halfway through the 12-round blockbuster that is the calendar year, boxing has been on a roll.
June looks to be no different. After some early action this month, highlighted by Dmitry Kudryashov’s vengeful knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola and Bradley Skeete’s surprisingly destructive showing in defense of his British title, there are many more bouts to keep an eye on through the next four weeks.
Here are the very best of them, ranked for your convenience—fistic excellence and violence guaranteed.
Honorable mention: Thabiso Mchunu vs. Johnny Muller
The cruiserweight division has a tendency for barnburners. Thabiso Mchunu (17-3, 11 KO) and Johnny Muller (20-7-2, 14 KO) will continue the tradition. The two South Africans throw down on June 10 at the popular casino development, Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng.
Muller is currently plying his trade under the guidance of former welterweight contender Harold Volbrecht. The duo is confident they can topple the power-punching Mchunu.
“I have to work him—get on top of him,” Muller said via BoxingScene.com. “He can be awkward for me, but that’s no problem. I’ve fought all types.”
The 27-year-old Muller does have a dearth of experience for his age, fighting through South Africa’s rough crop of light heavyweights and cruisers—battling regional brawlers Ryno Liebenberg and Doudou Ngumnu, as well as the excellent Mateusz Masternak.
In 2015, Muller faced off with Oleksandr Usyk, the No. 1 cruiserweight on the planet, according to the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB).
Usyk, the sport’s premier 200-pound champ, recently defended his WBO crown against Mchunu. Mchunu was felled in Round 9 but demonstrated the same penchant for violence he did against his own band of domestic bangers: IIunga Makabu, Olanrewaju Durodola, Danie Venter and Daniel Bruwer. He also holds a win over former American heavyweight title challenger Eddie Chambers.
Mchunu and Muller obviously have a long history of quality opposition. They were not always victorious, but they were always a treat to watch.
If anybody can steal the show in June, it is these two.
5. Lee Haskins vs. Ryan Burnett
The IBF bantamweight championship is up for grabs on June 10 between the United Kingdom’s Lee Haskins (34-3, 14 KO) and Ryan Burnett (16-0, 9 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Haskins, the 33-year-old defending champion, will actually be the visiting fighter come fight night. Such are the advantages of working with a super promoter like Eddie Hearn.
Hearn and Matchroom Boxing have pushed Burnett really hard recently—the “next Carl Frampton” has even been thrown around. He’s undefeated, technically sound and at 25, fighting championship distances will not be a problem. The handsome lad defended the 118-pound British strap over 12 rounds just last year.
“Haskins has only been beaten once in nine years, that speaks volumes,” Burnett said in an interview with BBC.com. “But I know I’m at that level. It’s time for me to become world champion.”
Being overlooked is nothing new for Haskins, the awkward warrior that he is. Eventually elevated to full champion after upsetting the standout southpaw Ryosuke Iwasa in 2015 for the interim title, the Englishman has made two successful defenses, including a decision win over longtime contender Stuey Hall.
Burnett has a lot going for him. But the belt still belongs to Haskins, the No. 5 bantamweight in the world, per TBRB. It will take a special performance to change that.
4. Adonis Stevenson vs. Andrzej Fonfara
Adonis Stevenson (28-1, 23 KO) and Andrzej Fonfara (29-4, 17 KO) first met up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2014 and now they are back on June 3 to do the damn thing again.
Technically still the lineal light heavyweight champion, Stevenson was the winner the first time around but not before Fonfara put him on the canvas with a right hand.
“I’m very excited for this rematch with Fonfara,” Stevenson told Dan Rafael of ESPN. “But it is going to be a short night for him because they don’t pay me for overtime.”
It will take more than quips like that to heal the Haitian-born slugger’s relationship with fans after his criminal past and reluctance to fight Sergey Kovalev.
Nonetheless, he remains arguably the division’s chief knockout artist, sparking undisputed champ Chad Dawson back in 2013. Stevenson has also put away Thomas Williams Jr. after a spectacular brawl last year and the hardened Tavoris Cloud before that. Tony Bellew also fell to his fists, the Englishman who just vacated his cruiserweight title to dispatch superstar David Haye this March.
Fonfara’s stock has grown since their last encounter. In 2015, he had a career year, flattening Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and throwing down with Nathan Cleverly on PBC.
While Joe Smith upset Fonfara last year, the Polish combatant is back in the win column after picking up a victory of his own over Dawson three months ago.
Stevenson is pushing 40 years old. And Fonfara is on the right side of 30. That is a lot of time between them which leaves a large possibility for a surprising outcome.
3. Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Moises Flores
On June 17, Olympic legend Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KO) is back in more ways than one.
After nearly a full calendar year since walking through Jazza Dickens in under six minutes, the Cuban champion defends the WBA super bantamweight title against interim titlist Moises Flores (25-0, 17 KO).
“Flores is a brave, undefeated boxer that is coming with all that he has,” Rigondeaux told Santos A. Perez of the Miami Herald. “But I am the best in the world at 122 pounds.”
Flores, of Mexico, is the first live body that “Rigo” has faced since 2013, when he undressed Nonito Donaire and outboxed the uncouth Joseph Agbeko.
Despite a pristine amateur background, Rigondeaux has shown to be a bit chinny in the paid ranks. The lanky Hisashi Amagasa dragged him into a tear up in 2014, making him touch the canvas twice.
Flores, the TBRB’s No. 8-ranked super bantam, is ridiculously tall for the weight class too.
With five inches on his opponent, the 30-year-old Mexican is riding a 25-win streak. He is true to his roots, always willing to bang. The WBA interim champ for well over two years, this matchup is a long time coming.
At 36, Rigondeaux is not getting any younger, or faster for that matter. Flores might just be the hungry lion crazy enough to unseat him from the sport’s highest echelon.
2. Robert Easter Jr. vs. Denis Shafikov
Robert Easter Jr. (19-0, 14 KO) continues to hold it down in Ohio.
Easter defends his IBF lightweight crown for the second time in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, in as many bouts. This time he hopes to turn back the world-ranked Denis Shafikov (38-2, 20 KO) of Russia on June 30.
“I am always happy to fight at home,” the reigning champ told Bob Velin of USA Today. “I know that I have a tough opponent, but I am not afraid of any fighter.”
Shafikov is accustomed to seeing fear in his opponent’s eyes.
The Russian is a brawling ox of a fighter. A European champion at junior welterweight, he has narrowly missed out on becoming world champion himself twice now, dropping decisions in title bids to Rances Barthelemy and Miguel Vazquez.
Relentless both in and out of the ring, there was another crack at the title waiting for Shafikov after overcoming the excellent Richard Commey last December.
Easter Jr., 26, has traded fists with Commey too, edging out the Ghanaian fighter by split decision in 2016 to lift the vacant IBF strap.
Both Easter and Shafikov are prone to warfare. And they have exhibited a fine ability to crack too.
The American was last seen in action overwhelming Luis Cruz four months ago, decking his challenger three times in the process. And Shafikov previously upset the undefeated Jamel Herring, battering him to a Round 10 TKO.
Pushing nearly six feet tall, Easter Jr. will hold a significant height advantage come fight night. But Shafikov has earned his Top 10 ranking, per TBRB, as he is never an easy night for anyone.
1. Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev
Now this matchup is the epitome of prizefighting, emblematic of everything that makes two men punching each other in the face so special.
HBO pay-per-view will be airing the rematch on June 17 as Ward attempts to remain on the judge’s good side and Kovalev does his best to leave them out of it.
Ward, 33, became a two-divisional world champion after lifting the WBA, WBO and IBF straps from Kovalev last November. The American battled back from an early knockdown to walk away a split-decision winner.
The scores were highly contested.
Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that she remains concerned about the three officials ringside.
“I think he has to win every round decisively,” Duva said of her fighter. “I prefer that he knocks him out.”
It is very plausible. The 34-year-old Russian carries a nasty pair of mitts. He first won championship gold in 2013 after banging around the UK’s Nathan Cleverly and handed Bernard Hopkins the licking of his legendary career to claim three of the four major belts.
But they belong to Ward now.
Undefeated over 31 fights and 12 years as a professional, Ward cleaned out the 168-pound class before jumping up to light heavyweight in 2016. He is the finest operator of his generation, indicative of the Olympic gold medal he won at the 2004 summer games.
Adonis Stevenson may hold the theoretical lineal 175-pound title, but so much more is at stake here.
Following Roman Gonzalez’s surprising defeat, the debate over the best boxer in the world now begins and ends with Ward and Kovalev.
Header photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Mchunu photo: Darly Bughman/Main Events
Haskins photo: JMP/REX Shutterstock
Rigondeaux photo: Ken Ishii/Getty Images
Easter Jr. photo: Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions
Ward photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
