One by one, all the official announcements are rolling in, and while some fights still need to be 100% confirmed, it’s already clear that July 19 is a date boxing fans absolutely need to circle in red on their calendar.
The main event will take place in the evening at Wembley Stadium, where a massive crowd will gather to watch the heavyweight world title unification bout between Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr Usyk and English puncher Daniel Dubois. This highly anticipated rematch could either confirm or shake up the current hierarchy in boxing’s glamour division.
Tensions are running high due to ongoing complaints from Dubois’s team, who claim that in their first meeting, Usyk was saved by the referee after being knocked down with a legal body shot. However, not everyone agrees with that take, as many observers saw Dubois’s uppercut landing below the legal limit.
Later that night, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will attempt something extraordinary: reclaiming a world title at the age of 46 and after nearly four years of inactivity. The Filipino icon will take on WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a bout that has sparked mixed reactions.
Some believe Pac-Man still has a real shot at shocking the world thanks to his incredible talent and the fact that the champion isn’t exactly considered elite. Others, however, have voiced concerns for Pacquiao’s health, pointing out that his last professional performance was lackluster, and that even in his exhibition bout in Japan last year against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo, he didn’t look particularly sharp.
A fight of great interest to Italian fans will take place in Fresno, Texas, where our very own Etinosa Oliha will face American Austin “Ammo” Williams in an IBF middleweight world title eliminator. For the undefeated Oliha, this is a huge opportunity, as the winner will become the mandatory challenger for Kazakhstan’s world champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
Williams is certainly a good fighter, but he showed some clear limitations last year when he was stopped by British prospect Hamzah Sheeraz. While Oliha is seen as the underdog due to his limited exposure on the world stage, he has the tools to be competitive and to fuel the dreams of Italian boxing fans.
The night will also feature a brilliant super flyweight unification bout between American sensation Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the WBC titleholder, and South Africa’s Phumelela Cafu, who stunned the boxing world last October by capturing the WBO belt with a thrilling win over highly decorated Japanese slugger Kosei Tanaka.
Rodriguez has cemented his place in The Ring magazine’s pound-for-pound top ten and appears determined to collect all the belts in his division before moving up to bantamweight in search of even greater glory.
Another can’t-miss battle will be the rematch between super welterweights Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu, which will be featured on the undercard of Barrios vs Pacquiao. The two already faced each other in March 2024, putting on a thrilling and evenly matched fight that Fundora won by split decision.
Many fans immediately called for a rematch, especially since Tszyu, who had clearly won the first two rounds, was severely hindered by a gruesome cut sustained in the third round. He lost a lot of blood and struggled to see incoming shots for the rest of the bout. This time, the WBC 154-pound world title — currently held by the towering Fundora — will be on the line.
More exciting matchups might be added in the coming weeks, but even if nothing else is announced, it’s safe to say that July 19 is already shaping up to be a real boxing feast!