1. Terence Crawford vs Canelo Álvarez
This was the fight everyone argued about for years, and when it finally happened, Crawford didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
He didn’t try to overpower Canelo. He didn’t chase a statement knockout. He boxed him. Controlled him. Took away his rhythm and never really gave it back. It was calm, measured and slightly uncomfortable to watch if you were hoping for drama — which is usually a sign you’re watching elite boxing done properly.
I’ve already covered the wider reaction and fallout in Canelo vs Crawford: Reaction and What Comes Next, but even now, with hindsight, this was the clearest top-level performance of the year.
2. Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois II
Let’s get this straight, because people still try to rewrite it.
Daniel Dubois went into this fight as the WBO heavyweight world champion. That’s the only reason this fight existed. Usyk wanted that belt so he could become undisputed — end of discussion.
Nobody seriously believed Dubois was suddenly going to bridge the gap. The only question was how long it would take.
Usyk boxed him into panic, took away what little confidence Dubois had, and stopped him inside five rounds without ever having to take risks. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t heroic. It was a formality.
I laid it out properly at the time in Usyk vs Dubois: Five-Round Demolition at Wembley, and nothing about that assessment has changed.
3. Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano III
This one needs to be handled honestly — because it was competitive.
The trilogy fight didn’t have the chaos of the first two, but it was tight, tense and fought on fine margins. Taylor edged it again, but Serrano was absolutely in the fight and had moments where you could see the argument going the other way.
This wasn’t a victory lap or a ceremonial ending. It was two fighters with a lot of miles on the clock still pushing each other hard. The scorecards told the real story — close, uncomfortable, and never fully settled.
I could still sit in a club and watch Taylor vs Serrano and be fully engaged, and that alone tells you why this rivalry matters and why this fight belongs on the list.
4. Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr II
This wasn’t close. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
The rematch was a demolition job. Benn was sharper, faster, more aggressive and completely in control. Eubank barely laid a meaningful glove on him, and once Benn scored the knockdowns, the fight was effectively over.
The contrast between the hype of the first fight and the reality of the second said a lot about where both fighters were at. I’ve already gone into the wider context in Eubank Jr vs Benn: Legacy vs Hype, but purely as a fight, this was one-sided and definitive.
That’s exactly why it defined 2025.
5. Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II
This was a fight for people who actually like boxing.
Bivol made the adjustments, refused to be walked down in straight lines, and turned the rematch into a tense, technical battle where every round mattered. Beterbiev was still dangerous, but the fight became about control, positioning and stamina rather than brute force.
It wasn’t explosive. It didn’t need to be. This was elite-level problem solving over twelve rounds, and it holds up better the more you think about it.
6. Naoya Inoue vs Alan Picasso
Inoue doesn’t chase chaos — he creates control.
Picasso came in unbeaten and confident and was steadily dismantled by a fighter operating at a higher speed, higher IQ and higher level of discipline. Inoue dictated everything without ever forcing the issue.
These kinds of performances don’t always get enough credit, but if we’re being honest about the best boxing fights of 2025, this level of command matters.
7. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez vs Fernando Martinez
One of the most consistently good fights of the year.
Fast, awkward, technical and uncomfortable from start to finish. Neither man was allowed to settle, and both had to keep adjusting. It wasn’t flashy, but it was absorbing in the way good boxing usually is.
Lower-weight fights like this are easy to overlook, but this one absolutely earned its place.
8. Devin Haney vs José Ramírez
Haney did exactly what you expect Haney to do.
Ramírez tried to force the pace and turn it into a pressure fight. Haney refused, controlled the distance and kept the bout on his terms throughout. It wasn’t exciting, but it was effective.
Not every defining fight needs drama. Some define a year simply by showing who’s better.
9. David Benavidez vs Anthony Dirrell
A proper grind.
Dirrell came to spoil, slow things down and test Benavidez’s patience. Benavidez didn’t panic, didn’t chase recklessly and gradually wore him down. It wasn’t pretty, but it was professional.
This was one of those fights that quietly tells you a lot about a fighter without shouting about it.
10. Shakur Stevenson vs Devin Haney
Pure boxing, whether you enjoyed it or not.
Two elite technicians, neither willing to overcommit, forcing each other to think constantly. It won’t live forever in highlight reels, but it was high-level from start to finish.
You don’t have to love fights like this — but boxing still needs them.
Final Thoughts
When people talk about boxing in 2025, a lot of nonsense will come up first. But these fights are the ones that actually hold up when you look back properly.
That’s what this list is — the best boxing fights of 2025, judged without hype and without revisionism.
Agree, disagree, or think I’ve missed one? Good. Share it, argue about it, and head back to CMBoxing for boxing coverage that focuses on what happens in the ring — not what gets shouted at a press conference.