
Two years later, Benavidez won back the belt after stopping Andre Dirrell in the ninth round.įuture/ceiling/expectations: A big, money-spinning fight would be a clash against middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez - or if that match doesn't materialize, a fight against any of the other world titleholders at 168 pounds. 2 in the division in the latest ESPN divisional rankings, and he has revived his career following a positive drug test for cocaine in September 2018, resulting in him being stripped of the title and kept out of the ring for 13 months.Īccomplishments/biggest moment: In September 2017, the then-20-year-old Benavidez became the youngest ever super middleweight titleholder when he defeated Ronald Gavril by split decision to win the WBC belt.

The fighter: Benavidez is a two-time WBC super middleweight titlist. David Benavidez, (22-0, 19 KOs), 23, WBC super middleweight titlist A win against Lomachenko would make Lopez the sport's youngest superstar - and he would've done it the right way. Sometimes it's not if you win a title, but how you do so.įuture/ceiling/expectations: There has been talk of a showdown with unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, the best fighter in the division and ESPN's No. He has great counterpunching skills, incredible timing, accuracy and power.Īccomplishments/biggest moment: In an era during which many boxers win a watered-down version of a world title, Lopez went out and dominated the respected - and normally durable - Richard Commey in a second-round TKO victory in December to win Commey's IBF belt.
#Boxing star best skills professional#
From the time he turned professional in 2016, Lopez consistently showed he was the Top Rank prospect with the highest ceiling. (15-0, 12 KOs), 22, IBF lightweight titlist It wasn't an easy task to rank them, but this incredible collection of talent shows that boxing is in good hands in the years to come. The list, composed by a panel of ESPN boxing contributors, shines a spotlight on the best prospects in the sport as well as some promising up-and-comers, title contenders and a few fighters who are already world champions, including Teofimo Lopez Jr., Shakur Stevenson and Ryan Garcia.

In putting together a list of the best 25 fighters under the age of 25, Ortiz was an obvious selection.

Ortiz scored stoppage victories in all four of his fights in 2019, and this year was supposed to be when he made the jump to title contender in a stacked welterweight division. Vergil Ortiz, the 2019 prospect of the year, returns to the ring Friday for his first fight of 2020.
#Boxing star best skills upgrade#
You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserīoxing's top 25 under 25: Meet the stars of the future
