10 Young Boxers That Should Be On Every Fan's Radar
Ethan Hayes
Published Mar 28, 2026
Highlights
- Rising stars in boxing are emerging to become world champions faster than ever before.
- Young fighters like Jesus Ramos, David Cuellar, Elijah Garcia, and Diego Pacheco show great potential in their respective divisions.
- Jesse Rodriguez has already established himself as one of the best boxers in the world and should be a pound-for-pound attraction for the next decade.
One of boxing's great traditions is watching exciting young fighters rise through the ranks as prospects. Seemingly every few years, there's always a class of young fighters emerging to become world champions.
There's a reason boxing is often referred to as a young man's game. Boxers are becoming world champions faster than ever before. Take notice of these emerging stars.
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Ramos Idolizes Canelo
- Rising junior middleweight contender Jesus Ramos is already considered one of the best in the division.
A strong boxer with a great southpaw jab, Ramos (20-1, 16 KOs) hopes to take over Canelo's spot as Mexico's top boxer in the future. Ramos has faced decent competition, but stepped up in class to fight Erickson Lubin with a world title shot on the line.
Ramos lost a highly debatable unanimous decision to Lubin. The scores were very questionable, considering Ramos outlanded Lubin and had a higher connect percentage. Despite no longer being undefeated, the 22-year-old looks poised to take over the 154lb division sooner rather than later.
9 David Cuellar Has Emerged As A Top Bantamweight
Cuellar Believes That He's Ready For The Division's Elite
- Cuellar worked with Chepo Reynoso, who also trained Canelo Alvarez.
At 5'6, David Cuellar (25-0, 17 KOs) is huge for the 118lb class. After knocking out tough veteran Moises Fuentes, Cuellar believes that he's ready for the division's elite. The top fighters at bantamweight include WBO champion Jason Moloney, and IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez. Lineal 115lb champion Juan Francisco Estrada has also expressed interest in moving up.
8 Elijah Garcia Is An Exciting Prospect
20-Year-Old Garcia Has A Fan-Friendly Style
- Garcia's father and grandfather were boxers, so the sport is in his blood.
At 6'0, many would expect Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) to rely on his height and reach. However, the middleweight prospect prefers to stay in the pocket and trade massive shots with his opponents. Garcia played multiple sports as a child, but the temptation to follow in his family's footsteps was too tough to resist.
With the Premier Boxing Champions promotional banner behind him, big things are expected from Garcia. Improving his defense is likely the final step toward stardom.
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Pacheco Has The Physical Gifts To Dominate
- Pacheco looks destined to stand out in a division that has a lot of young talent.
At 6'4, Pacheco (20-0, 17 KOs) likes to box and use his distance, but he's a very strong puncher. Pacheco is only 21, so there's no rush to have him face the best at 168lbs, and there are questions about his chin. However, he's definitely someone to keep an eye on.
6 David Morrell Is Ready To Face The Best
Morrell Is Already Making Headlines In The 168lb Division
- The WBA recognizes Morrell as the regular super middleweight champion.
25-year-old David Morrell turned pro after an outstanding amateur career. Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) notably knocked out Sena Angelo in the final Showtime Boxing Saturday Night telecast.
Morrell has the profile of a tremendous puncher, having stopped most of his opponents within 5 rounds. Morrell called out David Benavidez, though Benavidez is currently targeting a fight with Canelo.
5 Hamzah Sheeraz Is A Future World Champion
Sheeraz Strives To Make His People Proud With Every Performance
- Born in England, Sheeraz is of Pakistani descent.
The middleweight division is in a transitional period as the Canelo/GGG era has ended. 24-year-old Hamzah Sheeraz seems poised to lead the next era. At 6'3, Sheeraz (18-0, 14 KOs) throws power punches from long range. While he's a patient fighter, Sheeraz has produced a handful of highlight knockouts.
4 Jared Anderson Could Be The Future Of The Heavyweight Division
Anderson Has Speed And Power
- Anderson started his career with 14 straight knockouts.
24-year-old Jared Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) is a tremendous talent. He's a switch hitter who throws power shots from all angles. Anderson has stopped guys with left hooks, straight right hands, and body shots. Anderson seems like a future star if he can avoid distractions outside the ring.
3 Junto Nakatani Is Already A Two Division World Champion
Nakatani Is An Explosive Puncher
- Nakatani has an aggressive southpaw style that some have compared to Manny Pacquiao and Naseem Hamed.
The recently turned 26-year-old is considered one of the hardest punches in the lower weight classes. Fight fans have dreamed of Nakatani (26-0, 19 KOs) facing some of the sport's best, like Naoya Inoue and Juan Francisco Estrada. The former WBO flyweight and junior bantamweight champion, Nakatani recently announced his plans to campaign at bantamweight.
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Ortiz Is Already A Feared Puncher
- Ortiz has his eyes set on Tim Tszyu and the best at 154lbs.
25-year-old Vergil Ortiz is quickly becoming one of the sport's premier knockout artists. Ortiz (20-0, 20 KOs) doesn't just have power, he's an excellent finisher. He's a shark that goes for the finish when he smells blood. Ortiz has knocked out several world-class opponents, including Egidijus Kavaliauskas, Mauricio Herrera, and Juan Carlos Salgado.
1 Jesse Rodriguez Is Already One Of The Best
Rodriguez Should Be A Pound For Pound Attraction For The Next Decade
- Rodriguez sets everything up with his jab, but has a tremendous left hand.
At just 24 years old, Jesse Rodriguez has already established himself as one of the best boxers in the world. The unified flyweight champion, Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs), first gained some buzz when he stepped up on short notice and beat Carlos Cuadras to win the WBC Super flyweight title.
He followed that performance up with his breakthrough: an 8th round knockout of former lineal super flyweight champion and potential Hall of Famer Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. The sky is truly the limit for Rodriguez.
