Boxing’s most enjoyable prospects to look out for in 2023 from Ryan Garcia who might tackle Tank Davis and Jared Anderson who has skilled with Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford and Dimitry Bivol dominate pound-for-pound lists proper now however every fighter is over 30 – and these 10 prospects are the way forward for boxing.

Every fighter beneath is 25 or beneath and exhibiting unimaginable promise: from a uncooked however thrilling heavyweight puncher to a pair of Brits to the boxer with the talents to be the no.1 within the sport.

All the 10 beneath fall firmly into talkSPORT’s ‘prospect’ class, excluding fighters who’ve already challenged for full world titles. So Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson could also be among the many planet’s greatest younger boxers – however they’ve already gained world championships. Which is strictly what the ten boxers beneath are aiming to do.

10. Adam Azim

This quick, flashy, handsome light-welterweight had a breakthrough 2022. Solely 20 years previous, the Brit scored 5 KOs in 5 fights, taking his document to 7-0 (together with a spectacular second-round KO of the often sturdy Rylan Charlton).

Early days for Azim – whose brother Hassan can be an unbeaten prospect – however coach Shane McGuigan has praised his ‘ridiculous velocity and reflexes’. He desires to match boyhood hero Amir Khan and change into a world champion by age 22. Subsequent up is unbeaten Nicaraguan Santos Reyes in February.

9. Xander Zayas

The Puerto Rican puncher has been taken the eight-round distance twice in his final three fights however a couple of rounds beneath his belt isn’t any unhealthy factor for the 20-year-old prodigy. Signed by Prime Rank on the age of simply 16, Zayas is 15-0 (10 KOs) and already difficult fringe contenders at 154lb.

The 24-year-old super-bantamweight is barely 6-0 however she beat a former world champion in solely her fifth struggle and is already a European champion. Seems to be set to problem Australian Cherneka Johnson for a world title in what might be solely her seventh professional struggle. Some rise (to this point).

7. Jared Anderson

This charismatic, 6ft 4in, American heavyweight’s 13-0 (13 KOs) document appears spectacular on paper – and even higher within the ring. The 23-year-old completed 2022 with a bang, coming into the ring dressed because the Grinch to put some season’s beatings on Jerry Forrest through a two-round KO.

The massive-hooking Anderson has sparred with Tyson Fury and has already eyed his greatest potential rival within the subsequent era of heavyweights. Bakhodir Jalolov, the 28-year-old Olympic champion, is somebody Anderson says he desires to “go toe-to-toe with”. Sure please.

6. David Morrell

Morrell’s 2022 virtually resulted in tragedy after his Twelfth-round KO of beforehand undefeated super-middleweight, Aidos Yerbossynuly, ended with the Kazakh in an induced coma. Fortunately, Yerbossynuly is now out of hospital and starting his restoration.

Understandably that information overshadowed simply how dominant Morrell seemed because the 24-year-old took his document to 8-0 (7 KOs). With a terrific novice document of 135-2 and a extra fan-friendly fashion than you may anticipate from a Cuban southpaw, Morrell is already a contender at 168lb.

5. Sebastian Fundora

‘The Towering Inferno’ is the strangest-looking boxer lively in the present day: a 6ft 5.5in beanpole who someway weighs in on the light-middleweight restrict of 154lb (11 stone). Fundora doesn’t even utilise his extraordinary attain when he fights, preferring to get in shut and outwork foes.

Which means the American – whose sister, Gabriela, can be a rising star – lives as much as the ‘Enjoyable’ a part of his surname. Having simply turned 25, he boasts a 20-0-1 document (13 KOs) and whereas he will not be essentially the most sublimely gifted fighter on this record, he’s all the time entertaining to look at.

4. Ryan Garcia

Nonetheless solely 24, the progress of social media phenomenon ‘King Ry’ has slowed just lately. Since his 2021 KO of Luke Campbell, Garcia has been admirably open in regards to the psychological well being points he’s confronted however Garcia seemed again to his greatest in blitzing Javier Fortuna final yr.

An attractive showdown with Gervonta Davis is on the playing cards after ‘Tank’ stopped Hector Garcia in January. The lightning-fast Garcia will begin that struggle as an underdog – however the Mexican-American deserves credit score after pushing for a bout that many would have dodged.

3. Keyshawn Davis

He’s solely had seven professional fights (7-0, 5 KOs) and was outpointed by his nice novice rival, Cuba’s Andy Cruz, within the 2020 Olympic light-weight closing. Nevertheless Davis appears to have the velocity, footwork and adaptable abilities to go to the very high of the skilled sport.

The 23-year-old American boxer-puncher has barely been examined as a professional, however has the likes of Mike Costello – the voice of British boxing – choosing him out because the sport’s greatest rising fighter. The one factor to not love about Davis to this point is his nickname. ‘The Businessman’? No.

2. Vergil Ortiz Jr

The extremely touted 24-year-old with a flawless 19-0 (19 KOs) document had a irritating 2022, setback by a uncommon medical situation, rhabdomyolysis. Nevertheless, Ortiz Jr shook off the ring rust to cease Britain’s ​​Michael McKinson late on with a brutal physique shot final August.

The Texan, a heavy puncher expert in making use of educated stress, was set for a step-up struggle in opposition to unbeaten welterweight Eimantas Stanionis. Nevertheless, Stanionis’ emergency appendectomy has delayed that till a minimum of April. Win that and Ortiz Jr has an announcement victory within the talent-rich 147lb division,

1. Jaron Ennis

‘Boots’ Ennis had 27 KOs in 29 fights earlier than being taken the 12-round distance for the primary time in January, profitable each spherical in opposition to ​​Karen Chukhadzhian. The scary factor is that the 25-year-old switch-hitter’s energy isn’t even on the high of a listing of attributes that features fast palms, slick reflexes, fleet footwork and a excessive ring IQ.

The one knock in opposition to the Philadelphia welterweight is that he’s overdue an actual step up in competitors. Anticipate that to return later in 2023 for a fighter who’s risen from red-hot prospect to can’t-miss contender – and should in the future be among the many sport’s pound-for-pound greatest.