The Biggest Fights Still to Come in 2026

Each year seems to get bigger and better where boxing is concerned. 2026 has already seen some huge bouts take place, with Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois for the WBO Heavyweight title already one of the fights of the year. And with half of the year gone, there are still some great matchups to come.

Joshua Returns

Anthony Joshua returns to the ring on July 25 against Kristian Prenga in a tune-up fight ahead of the much-anticipated bout between Joshua and long-time rival Tyson Fury. Joshua starts as the heavy favourite against Prenga with Betinia and other leading sportsbooks, and he can’t afford to slip up, or it would put the Fury fight in jeopardy.

Joshua, 36, has a record of 29 wins (26 KOs) and 4 defeats (2 KOs). He was last in the ring in December 2025 when he defeated Jake Paul in Miami by stoppage. Shortly after the bout, the Brit was involved in a serious car crash in Nigeria, in which two of his best friends lost their lives. Prenga, 35, will try to upset the odds in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His record is 20 wins (20 KOs) and 1 defeat.

Joshua vs Fury

The Joshua vs Fury fight is one of the biggest bouts, especially commercially, in the sport. Fury returned to the ring earlier this year, defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision. Both the Gypsy King and Joshua have signed to fight each other later this year, but Fury is also expected to have another fight before then, with August 1 the targeted date.

If both Joshua and Fury come through their next fights, they will fight in Q4 of 2026, but the location of the fight and who will be involved in a promotional capacity are still to be decided. Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh is the power behind the fight, with Netflix also heavily involved as the broadcaster. While the blockbuster is between two Brits, it remains possible that the fight will land in the US, with Las Vegas a rumoured destination, or Saudi Arabia.

Mayweather vs Pacquiao II

Another fight scheduled for later this year that has everyone talking is the rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Currently set to take place in September at The Sphere in Las Vegas, the bout will be a professional fight, meaning it will go onto both fighters’ records.

However, there continues to be drama surrounding the bout. Mayweather claimed he agreed to an exhibition, whereas Pacquiao suggested they’d signed for a professional fight which is to be broadcast live on Netflix. Mayweather also has an ongoing legal situation, throwing the matchup into doubt.

Other Fights to Keep an Eye Out For

2026 is stacked beyond the headline-grabbing fights. Moses Itauma, tipped to be a future heavyweight world champion, will make a big step up on August 29 against Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic. Wardley and Dubois will fight again for the WBO heavyweight world title. And Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez may step up to face pound-for-pound top three Naoya Inoue at the end of the year in Japan.

Conclusion

Boxing is in a strong place right now, the big fights are consistently getting made, which wasn’t the case several years ago. After a stellar opening half to 2026, with some landmark bouts already delivered, the second half of the year looks even better, with more top matchups still to come.