Boxing predictions for 2026: Shakur Stevenson becomes P4P king; Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao book rematch

After an interesting 2025, boxing is looking to make some big leaps in the new year. The early 2026 schedule is already showing promise with some big fights already on the calendar.

As with every new year, the CBS Sports boxing experts are looking ahead to make bold predictions on the action to come.

From a new pound-for-pound king to an ill-advised rematch of one of the biggest fights ever to the expectation of a year filled with huge fights, we've put together a list of what we expect in the ring in 2026.

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Brian Campbell

Let's check out what the CBS Sports boxing experts are looking forward to this year.

Shakur Stevenson will become pound-for-pound king

Despite already being a three-division champion (and fighting for a fourth title on Jan. 31), it has taken longer than most initially expected for the 28-year-old southpaw from Newark, New Jersey, to find himself on the verge of not just true stardom but legitimate critical acclaim. But with a series of injuries and self-imposed boring performances behind him, Stevenson has set himself up for an absolutely huge 2026. 

Last July, Stevenson scored his biggest victory to date by disciplining unbeaten slugger William Zepeda in a fight in which the typically slick and defensive Stevenson did wonders for his reputation by choosing to stand and trade on the inside throughout. And he returns in January against 140-pound lineal champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. in not just his toughest fight to date on paper, but one that would likely lift Stevenson into the top five on a pound-for-pound list with a victory. Considering Stevenson has already said he would be willing to move up to welterweight for the right fight in 2026, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist has the opportunity to truly fulfill his potential from a P4P standpoint. And it doesn't hurt that Terence Crawford recently retired, Oleksandr Usyk is winding down his career and Naoya Inoue is firmly in the second half of his own legendary career. Stevenson's shot at greatness is firmly on the horizon. -- Brian Campbell

As the sport shifts, fans are treated to massive fights

This may feel like a generic prediction, but with boxing in a transitional period as Zuffa Boxing launches and backs an effort to change laws to nullify many of the protections afforded by the Ali Act, many fans have felt as though the immediate result will be fewer huge fights between superstars. We already know Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez will meet at the end of January. Vergil Ortiz and Jaron "Boots" Ennis seem as though they're on a collision course for a massive junior middleweight bout. Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani have done everything they need to finally put together a Japanese megafight. Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez and Emanuel Navarrete will meet in a junior lightweight unification between the two best fighters in the division in March.

All of that is without even getting into how the summer, fall and winter schedules will play out as fighters become available and results play out. Oleksandr Usyk says he has a few fights left before retirement, and while he may be burning one if he follows through with his intention to fight Deontay Wilder, there are still compelling fights to be made against the likes of Agit Kabayel and Fabio Wardley, which can hopefully happen before the end of the year. And there are other intriguing storylines already in place, including David Benavidez looking at moving up to cruiserweight to challenge for Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez's WBA title in May.

At least for the moment, it looks like 2026 could be one of the strongest years for the sport in recent memory. -- Brent Brookhouse

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight again, and we'll -- begrudgingly -- watch it

Where there's smoke, there's fire. OK, that's not always true in combat sports, where relevancy and public negotiations often take precedence over the truth. But there are reasons to suspect that MayPac 2 will come to fruition. In October, Pacquiao told Seconds Out that he "almost" agreed to a rematch with Mayweather and that their camps were in "negotiations." Pacquiao wanted a professional fight, not an exhibition, with Las Vegas as the likely destination. Pacquiao is an active boxer coming off a shocking draw against WBC champion Mario Barrios, despite the legend's four-year layoff. It makes sense for him to pursue a Mayweather rematch. Mayweather is the X-factor. 

Surfacing rumors suggest "Money" Mayweather is broke. Last year, he told TMZ that he's open to fighting professionally after only booking exhibitions after his 2017 retirement. A rematch of the most-watched pay-per-view boxing fight of all time, a fight he won, has the best risk-to-reward ratio. Netflix is a perfect landing pad for the rematch. The streaming giant exclusively seeks out the fights that draw the most eyeballs -- Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford and Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul, for example. This fits the bill. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 1 was wildly underwhelming. It can't possibly get better 11 years later, but we'll all watch it anyway. -- Shakiel Mahjouri