Boxing fans were treated to some classic bouts in 2021, with the sport coming back with a bang after several big fights had been shelved in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Tyson Fury’s third victory over Deontay Wilder stole the show, while Oleksandr Usyk outclassed Anthony Joshua elsewhere in the heavyweight division.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Josh Taylor made history, but some fighters did not have it all their own way.
Josh Warrington, Kid Galahad and Teofimo Lopez all tasted defeat, and they will be doing their best to respond in the next 12 months.
With that in mind, we look at the confirmed fights for 2022.
Johnson Hoping the Wait is Worth it
England’s Callum Johnson will look to end his wait for a world title in January as he faces American Joe Smith Jnr.
Johnson, a 49/20 outsider for the fight, last fought for a world title in 2018, and he has only boxed on three occasions since then.
After taking a break from the sport, Johnson will hope he can make history to start the year in style.
American Gary Russell Jr returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years on January 22 as he takes on Mark Magsayo.
Keith Thurman, Leo Santa Cruz and Jose Ramirez are in action in February, while British boxing fans will finally get the chance to watch Amir Khan take on Kell Brook – it’s just a shame the fight between the two rivals, which has been talked about for years, comes when both are well past their prime.
Getting the good work in
Bring on feb 19th.
@amirkingkhan @skysportsboxing @boxxer pic.twitter.com/JGIeAdu2Wk
— amirkhanpromotions (@amirkhanpromo) December 17, 2021
Scottish star Josh Taylor, meanwhile, will defend his WBA, IBF and WBO super-lightweight titles when he tackles Jack Catterall on February 26.
Taylor, a 1/11 favourite, beat Ramirez to become the undisputed champion in 2021, and his fight with Catterall promises to be all action.
Joshua vs Fury Question to Dominate Headlines in 2022
The question on most fans’ lips is will we get Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in 2022?
The answer to that may come from Joshua’s rematch with Usyk, but a stadium fight in the summer would be the dream for most fight fans.
Sticking with Taylor, he is likely to vacate his 140lb belts if he beats Catterall, with the lure of becoming a two-weight world champion too good to ignore.
Connor Benn is likely to have a breakthrough year in 2022 when it comes to the world scene, with promoter Eddie Hearn looking to get him a world title shot in the next 12 months.
Hearn is also doing all he can to make history in women’s professional boxing, with Katie Taylor hoping to square off against Amanda Serrano in New York in the spring.
*All odds correct at time of publishing
