Boxing Calendar Late 2026: Key Fights and Title Defenses
The boxing calendar for late 2026 is already loaded, and the sport is bracing for a run of weeks where every Saturday seems to carry real consequence. Belts are on the line from Las Vegas to Tokyo, from Birmingham to Riyadh, with established names defending their turf and a wave of contenders trying to smash the door down.
This is how the final stretch of the year shapes up.
September: Garcia in Vegas, Japan takes center stage
The first real jolt arrives on September 12 in Las Vegas, where Ryan Garcia defends his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn on Paramount+. It’s the kind of matchup built to dominate headlines: Garcia, the star with the belt and the following, against Benn, who has spent years trying to punch his way into this exact kind of night.
The undercard in Vegas carries its own bite. Jai Opetaia meets Noel Mikaelian at cruiserweight, a clash that should tell us plenty about the division’s pecking order. Heavyweight Da'Mazion Vanhouter faces Raphael Akpejiori, with both men chasing the sort of statement knockout that gets replayed for months.
Further down the card, Mark Magsayo takes on Andres Cortes at lightweight, while Oswaldo Molina meets Pablo Rubio in the same division. Abel Gonzalez vs. Raul Salomon at super middleweight and Vlad Panin vs. Dakota Linger at super welterweight add depth, before Jose Ramirez and Alexis Rocha square off at welterweight in a fight that could easily steal the show. Sean Garcia rounds out the bill against Abraham Morales at lightweight, a family subplot on a stacked championship night.
A week later, on September 19 in San Diego, DAZN carries a double-title bill. Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz defends his interim WBC super lightweight title against Nestor Bravo, a bout that promises relentless pressure from the opening bell. On the same card, Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr. puts his interim WBC middleweight title on the line against Meiirim Nursultanov, with both men looking to force their way into full world-title conversations.
The spotlight then swings to Japan.
On September 26 in Fuji, Thanongsak Simsri defends his IBF light flyweight title against Mark Vicelles, a high-stakes fight in one of boxing’s most unforgiving divisions. Shunpei Ohata faces Pete Apolinar at super featherweight, a key test on home soil.
Tokyo follows 24 hours later, and the stakes climb again. On September 27, Ryosuke Nishida meets Sam Goodman for the vacant interim IBF super bantamweight title, a crossroads bout for two men on the brink of a breakthrough. Takuma Inoue defends his WBC bantamweight title against Tenshin Nasukawa, a matchup that will command serious attention in a country that lives and breathes these lighter weights. On the same card, Tomoya Tsuboi faces Ricardo Malajika for the vacant WBC super flyweight title, while Hayato Aiko meets Natsuki Kuramochi at featherweight to close a compelling Japanese run.
October: Heavyweights, unifications and Canelo in Riyadh
October opens in Birmingham, England, on the 3rd with a DAZN show built around rising British names. Ben Whittaker faces Conor Wallace at light heavyweight, a chance for Whittaker to showcase his flair under real pressure. Bilal Fawaz takes on Eithan James at super welterweight, Sean Bruce meets Hamza Uddin at flyweight, and Ibraheem Sulaimaan clashes with Sonny Hardy at super featherweight. Klinton Baptiste vs. Aaron Bowen at super middleweight adds more domestic intrigue.
Two slots remain to be filled on that bill: Adam Maca is set for a super featherweight bout against a TBA opponent, and Odel Kamara will box at super welterweight, also awaiting confirmation of his rival. It’s a card designed to build momentum for the next wave.
On October 10 in Chicago, the stakes jump again. Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi meet for the vacant WBA lightweight title, with the winner stepping straight into the world-title picture. Oscar Collazo then faces Ricardo Sandoval in a pivotal fight for Sandoval’s WBA and WBC flyweight titles, a rare unification-style showcase in a division that often flies under the radar.
Then comes October 17, and with it, two shows that can reshape entire divisions.
In London, Daniel Dubois defends his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley on DAZN. It’s a classic British heavyweight collision: Dubois with the belt and the power, Wardley with the momentum and the belief that this is his moment. One clean punch could rewrite the heavyweight order.
Across the Atlantic in Carson, California, DAZN and TNT share a card stacked with world titles. Sebastian Fundora defends his WBC super welterweight title against Ermal Hadribeaj, looking to use his freakish size and volume to shut down another challenger. Brandon Figueroa puts his WBA featherweight title on the line against Tomoki Kameda, a meeting of styles that should produce chaos. Jermall Charlo returns at super middleweight against Koen Mazoudier, a fight that will be watched closely by every champion and contender at 168 pounds.
The following week, on October 24, Sheffield hosts another DAZN show with a world title at the top. Dalton Smith defends his WBC super lightweight belt against Alberto Puello, a serious test of Smith’s credentials in front of a home crowd. Giorgio Visioli meets Maxi Hughes at lightweight, a fascinating matchup between a rising name and a hardened campaigner.
The card is deep with domestic talent: Shannon Ryan faces Emma Dolan at women’s super flyweight, Edward Hardy meets Ibrahim Nadim at super featherweight, and Aqib Fiaz takes on Jordan Flynn in the same division. Joe Hayden vs. Will Harrison at welterweight adds more local spice. Heavyweight Leo Atang and middleweight Chris Mulunda are both slated to appear against TBA opponents, with details still to come.
San Antonio answers with its own headline event on the same date, also on DAZN. Emanuel Navarrete and O'Shaquie Foster collide in a rare three-belt unification at super featherweight. Navarrete brings the WBO and IBF titles, Foster arrives with the WBC belt, and only one man will walk out with all three. Albert Gonzalez vs. Edward Vazquez at featherweight supports a main event that could define the division for years.
Then, on October 31, the sport lands in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a night built around one of boxing’s biggest names.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez challenges Christian Mbilli for Mbilli’s WBC super middleweight title on DAZN PPV. It’s a reversal of the usual script: Canelo as the hunter, not the hunted, stepping in against a champion desperate to prove he belongs on this stage. Riyadh has become the sport’s new power venue, and this one only cements that status.
November: Texas waits
The schedule rolls into November with Arlington, Texas, set to host a major ESPN card on November 8. The full lineup is still to be announced, but the date is locked, the venue is ready, and the year’s final act is starting to take shape.
Titles are on the move. New names are about to be written into the rankings. With Vegas, London, Tokyo and Riyadh all in play, the only real question is which champion blinks first.
