Happy new year!
The ball has dropped, and fight week is about to begin.
Here are some of the promising prospects to keep an eye out for 2024.
1. Abdullah Mason
Record: 11-0, 9 KOs
Promoter: Top Rank Inc.
Last Fight: W KO2 Jose Cardenas, November 16, 2023
Info: The Top Rank standout has nine knockouts from 11 wins, is undefeated, and scored five finishes in a row in 2023, aged 19.
The lightweight fighter, who caught the eye of James Prince, could be the next in line to wow crowds much like Jared Anderson and Shakur Stevenson have in recent years.
A southpaw who has drawn comparisons to Floyd Mayweather, Mason carries a lot of pop in his punches — as his horrific finish over Jose Cardenas testifies.
Mason is well-poised to develop superstar status in the years ahead.
2. Andy Cruz
Record: 2-0, 1 KO
Promoter: Matchroom Boxing
Last Fight: W TKO3 Jovanni Straffon, December 9, 2023
Info: Andy Cruz, a decorated fighter who holds amateur wins over Keyshawn Davis, transferred his success to the pro game in 2023 with two considerable wins over Juan Carlos Burgos (who, at the time, had fought 45 pro bouts) in his debut, before scoring a third-round finish over Jovanni Straffon (who fought 32 times) in just his second fight.
Promoter Matchroom is moving Cruz at a speed not too dissimilar to Vasiliy Lomachenko when the former gold medal magnet turned over to the pro game — and with good reason, as Cruz, too, has an Olympic gold medal to go with his three World Championship wins.
We've seen Cruz's compatriot David Morrell blast his way through the pro ranks in a short space of time and Cruz looks even more well-equipped to cross over and produce sensational performances.
3. Caroline Dubois
Record: 8-0, 5 KOs
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions
Last Fight: W UD10 Magali Rodriguez, September 30, 2023
Info: The younger sister of resurgent heavyweight boxer Daniel Dubois, Caroline is forging her own impressive path in the women's game, winning all three of her 2023 bouts and advancing her pro record to 8 wins (5 KOs).
Dubois has stormed to the top of the women's lightweight division in lightning-fast fashion, has shown she is a force to be reckoned with and could, in theory, secure mega-fights against the likes of Alycia Baumgardner, Delfine Persoon, Katie Taylor, or Chantelle Cameron, depending on how she's moved.
4. Bruce Carrington
Record: 10-0, 6 KOs
Promoter: Top Rank
Last Fight: W TKO2 Jason Sanchez, December 9, 2023
Info: 'Shu Shu' Carrington scored the best win of his novice pro career at the end of the year, finishing Jason Sanchez in the second round with shots that could be felt around the Florida arena.
That victory advanced Carrington's record to 10 wins (6 KOs) and, as he told ProBox TV backstage afterwards, put the rest of the featherweight division on notice.
Carrington is rapidly rising up the 126-pound rankings and, judging by the way he's performing, will prove a handful at contender level should he graduate from prospect bouts — as he should — in the months and years ahead.
5. Ernesto Mercado
Record: 13-0, 12 KOs
Promoter: Independent
Last Fight: W KO2 Jeremia Nakathila, November 11, 2023
Info: Cali-based super lightweight boxer Ernesto Mercado may have only been a pro for two-and-a-half years now, but he's building an intriguing resume that belies his age, 22.
In 2023 alone, Mercado returned five knockout wins from five fights and has beaten emphatically Jose Angulo, Henry Lundy, Xolisani Ndongeni, Carlos Manuel Portillo, and Jeremia Nakathila.
That win over Nakathila was his most impressive as he finished, in the second round, an opponent who had shared the ring with Shakur Stevenson (over 12 rounds), Miguel Berchelt (lasting six rounds before losing), and also Raymond Muratella (lasting two).
6. Floyd Schofield
Record: 16-0, 12 KOs
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Last Fight: W KO1 Ricardo Lopez Torres, December 2, 2023
Info: A big puncher in the lightweight division. Schofield, better known as ‘Kid Austin’, should make a big jump in 2024 as has a fight with former world champion and Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr on the horizon. Armed with a loving father who is eager to back up his son verbally, Schofield is a hidden gem on the Golden Boy roster.
7. Ben Whittaker
Record: 5-0, 4 KOs
Promoter: Boxxer
Last Fight: W UD10 Stiven Dredhaj, December 10, 2023
Info: A cocky 2021 Olympic silver medalist, WHittaker is a divisive entertainer. He is flashy, outspoken, and outside the model of your traditional stoic British boxer. Whittaker should make his mark on the boxing world in 2024.
8. Imam Khataev
Record: 5-0, 5 KOs
Promoter: Eye of the Tiger Promotions
Last Fight: W TKO2 Fernando Galvan, November 11, 2023
Info: The comparisons to fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev are frightening. Khataev has the same deep amateur pedigree earning stoppages in the Olympics. He has also hit the ground running as a pro and his sixth pro fight will be a 10-rounder. Oh, and he stops everyone. Khataev might just be a more active, and dare we say, better version of Artur Beterbiev lying in wait.
9. Amari Jones
Record: 11-0, 10 KOs
Promoter: Devin Haney Promotions
Last Fight: W KO5 Quilisto Madera, December 9, 2023
Info: Jones is the marquee fighter signed to Devin Haney Promotions. Stoppage wins over former Top Rank fighter Quilisto Madera and tough Chino Hill made him stand-out in 2023. Jones is now nearing the point of being a full-fledged contender in a shallow division
10. Najee Lopez
Record: 9-0, 8 KOs
Promoter: ProBox Promotions
Last Fight: W KO3 Yildo Depestre, December 13, 2023
Info: Lopez has it all; intelligence, power, and craft. He has moved from the heavyweight division down to light heavyweight and stopping veteran journeymen who go rounds with experienced fighters early in his career. He defeated Alex Theran in his third fight, and Christopher Brooker in less than a minute this year. Lopez is special.
11. Bakhodir Jalolov
Record: 14-0, 14 KOs
Promoter: Top Rank
Last Fight: W KO1 Chris Thompson, November 17, 2023
Info: Jalolov should be higher, but his career is weird. Jalolov is the 2021 Olympic gold medalist in the super heavyweight division. Yet, he seems more committed to becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist, than his pro career. He signed with Top Rank in 2023 but has yet to be featured on one of their main telecasts. Jalalov has talent, he has power, now comes the question of activity - will he stay active in meaningful fights?
12. Curmel Moton
Record: 2-0, 2 KOs
Promoter: Premier Boxing Champions
Last Fight: W KO1 Hunter Turbyfill, December 1, 2023
Info: Moton is heavily promoted by Floyd Mayweather. He is also a word of mouth guy. People in the boxing gyms say Moton is handing out ‘hard sparring’. He has had two fights, and just 17-years-old. His hype right now is bigger than his achievements, but he is being built and promoted as a future superstar.
13. Elijah Garcia
Record: 16-0, 13 KOs
Promoter: Premier Boxing Champions
Last Fight: W TKO8 Jose Armando Resendiz, September 30, 2023
Info: Garcia looks the part of a future world champion and his brilliant start to the year – with a quick stoppage of Amilcar Vidal Jr. – had him looking like the Prospect of the Year. Garcia faced some shakier evenings on bigger cards as Kevin Salgado gave him a stern test, and Jose Resendiz landed a lot of clean shots on him. The southpaw middleweight is promising, but also showed that he is 20-years-old and still growing.
14. Richard Torrez Jr.
Record: 8-0, 8 KOs
Promoter: Top Rank
Last Fight: W TKO8 Curtis Harper, December 9, 2023
Info: Torrez Jr fights like Tommy Morrison and speaks like a college professor. If he stays active and gets the right fights he could be a star. He’s one of the more likable and feel-good stories in boxing, a third-generation boxer carrying on legacy with his father in his corner every step of the way. Torrez Jr. needs better opposition in 2024.
15. Ashton Sylve
Record: 10-0, 9 KOs
Promoter: Most Valuable Promotions
Last Fight: W KO4 William Silva, August 5, 2023
Info: Sylve is a generational-type talent. The thing will be finding the right weight class for the 19-year-old who is still growing. Gifted, well-schooled by his father, the trick will be to stay active as he only fought twice in 2023, a little less than many would have hoped.
16. Jose Salas
Record: 14-0, 10 KOs
Promoter: TBC
Last Fight: W UD10 Florentino Perez Hernandez, October 20, 2023
Info: One of the best modern Mexican fighters who is under the radar, Salas graced the ProBox airwaves and was praised by the broadcast crew. The super bantamweight is an offensive-minded boxer, who is capable of getting a stoppage like he did against Aston Palicte.
17. Lauren Price
Record: 6-0, 1 KO
Promoter: Boxxer
Last Fight: W UD8 Silvia Bortot, December 10, 2023
Info: An uneventful start to the pro career for the 2021 British gold medal Olympian does not show off her potential. One of the best boxers from the Team GB Olympic grouping, the Robert McCracken-trained boxer should vault herself into the title picture this year.
18. Darrelle Valsaint
Record:10-0, 8 KOs
Promoter: ProBox Promotions
Last Fight: W TKO1 Diego Allan Ferreira Iablonski, October 10, 2023
Info: Violent and skilled, the 2021 Olympian represented Haiti and weaponizes his talent in the ring. Only seasoned veterans have gone the distance with him and he looks like a true middleweight contender right now, at just 21-years-old.
19. Cain Sandoval
Record: 11-0, 11 KOs
Last Fight: W TKO5 Wesley Ferrer, November 11, 2023
Info: Sandoval has won every fight by knockout and he knocked out veteran Wesley Ferrer. Now, in February, he is already scheduled to face former Olympian Javier Molina. Sandoval is moving fast, and shows aspects of young Vergil Ortiz in terms of power and relentlessness.
20. Moses Itauma
Record: 7-0, 5 KOs
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions
Last Fight: W TKO1 Michal Boloz, December 1, 2023
Info: Itauma is moving fast and despite fighting rather anonymous competition is a fun new edition to the heavyweight division as a whole. he boxed seven times last year, is going to remain active and only 19.
21. Michael Angeletti
Record: 10-0, 7 KOs
Promoter: Premier Boxing Champions
Last Fight: W UD10 Angel Contreras, December 16, 2023
Info: The former No. 1 seed in the Olympic Trials for the U.S. in 2019, Angeletti is a world-class bantamweight. He stopped previously unbeaten Jeremy Adorno last year and that was a statement, and he continued to fight tough opposition, although his failure to land spots on featured telecasts hurts his position on the list
22. Charlie Sheehy
Record: 8-0, 5 KOs
Promoter: Top Rank
Last Fight: W UD6 Jesus Vasquez Jr, November 4, 2023
Info: Sheehy has been a treat of the ESPN+ telecasts. Often on early, Sheehy defeated Angel Rebollar, who recently upset Omar Rosario in November. He is facing tough opposition, and fighting often. Three times in 2023, four times in 2022.
23. Alex Winwood
Record: 4-0, 2 KOs
Promoter: TBC
Last Fight: W UD10 Cris Ganoza, December 1, 2023
Info: Winwood combines his ideals of Roy Jones Jr., and Mike Tyson into the frame of a light flyweight. Already in the title picture, the Australian has the makings of a multi-division world champion.
24. Seiya Tsutsumi
Record: 10-0-1, 7 KOs
Promoter: TBC
Last Fight: W UD10 Kazuki Anaguchi, December 26, 2023.
Info: A fast-tracked Japanese bantamweight with a lot of power in the lower weight classes. His draw came against former prospect Daigo Higa. His bout against Anaguchi on the Naoya Inoue versus Marlon Tapales undercard was deemed by some an instant classic.
Others considered: David Picasso, Paddy Donovan, David Lopez, Kevin Brown, DJ Zamora, Emiliano Vargas, Callum Walsh, Sean Noakes, Marc Castro, Jose ‘Tito’ Sanchez, and Pat McCormack.
