November 2025 boxing predictions

The October Report

• Taduran made mandatory challenger Balunan look like a very small, very scared man in there, but credit to the challenger for going the distance.
  • Prediction: Taduran by unanimous decision
  • Result: Taduran by unanimous decision
• Thanks to the meme of open scoring, we know Kuse was up after 8 rounds as Jerusalem's wild, winging shots missed by miles. Sadly, Kuse's quest to become Africa's latest boxing world champion fell short as the remaining rounds proved too much for him. Jerusalem did more though it was closer than the unanimous outcome suggests. The full fight was broadcast live for free on the IBA's YouTube channel, however the best fight on the card was the 10-round middleweight bout Marcial-Colmenares.
  • Prediction: Jerusalem by split decision
  • Result: Jerusalem by unanimous decision

Foster-Fulton was delayed after Fundora-Thurman fell through, the former will now take place on December 6th. Most shocking of all is that it wasn't Thurman's fault the latter didn't happen, Fundora's hand injury means his next bout - presumably still against Thurman - won't take place until January 2026 at the earliest. Yabuki Masamichi and Felix Alvarado's fight for the IBF flyweight belt has been pushed back from November 22nd to December 27th.
 And in other non-title news, Tank's meme fight on Netflix was cancelled. Allegedly for the allegations, which coincidentally weren't an issue when it came to meme fights involving Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather. The starker difference is that this one didn't cut through to the mainstream like the other events did, this superfight with its superpurse was looking like it would be a superdud. Cancellation saved embarrassment all around. It also meant the undercard WBA 140lbs title fight between Gary Antuanne Russell and Andy Justice Hiraoka (real name, no gimmicks) is no longer taking place in November.

November Schedule

Nov. 15th - Rafael Espinoza vs. Arnold Khegai, WBO @ 126lbs

You may remember Khegai from getting jabbed to death by Stephen Fulton five years ago. Espinoza has a strong job and a cultured right hand, the champion should be able to add to his highlight reel.

Prediction: Espinoza by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight

Nov. 22nd - Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney, WBO @ 147lbs

Norman is in his third fight of the year and the earlier two are well worth watching. The same cannot be said for Devin Haney, whose fight at the ill-fated Times Square Ring Magazine event was one for the insomniacs. Haney's loss to Garcia was overturned after Garcia's failed drug test, but it was still a breathtakingly bad night at the office for Haney. Having sensibly parted company with meme coaches Ben Davison and Lee Wylie, Haney is now coached by old fan fav Sugar Shane Mosley but their working relationship will likely still be developing rather than fully ironed out. For those reasons, I give the edge to the younger and more explosive fighter.

Prediction: Norman by unanimous decision

Nov. 22nd - Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes, WBO @ 135lbs

Youth will be served.

Prediction: Mason by unanimous decision

Nov. 22nd - Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez vs. Fernando Daniel Martinez, WBA/WBC @ 115lbs

This unification bout between the Argentinian weaboo Martinez and rising American star Rodriguez is possibly the best fight on paper of Riyadh Season's 'Night of the Champions'. In 2024 Martinez had two successful trips to Japan where he dethroned and defended successfully against Ioka Kazuto. But Bam is a different proposition entirely. His ring generalship places in the top 10 p4p of current-day boxing, which cannot be said for Ioka or Martinez. Though Martinez is a crafty and confident boxer in his own right, I think it'll be a valiant but losing effort.

Prediction: Rodriguez by unanimous decision

Nov. 22nd - David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde, WBC @ 175lbs

To put it bluntly, Anthony Yarde is a sacrificial lamb. His goose is cooked. He'll get smoked like salmon. He's in a fight with a bear and they're pouring honey on him. The last thing his seconds will do when leaving the ring is slap a big 'K.O. ME!' sign on his back. The referee has learned how to deliver both CPR and last rites for this bout. This is going to be uglier than Awkwafina's acting career.

Prediction: Benavidez by KO/TKO in the middle rounds

Nov. 24th - Nasukawa Tenshin vs. Inoue Takuma, WBC @ 118lbs

On the one hand, Nasukawa is a bum. On the other hand, it's been 18 months of being committed to the bit that Takuma Inoue is a pillow-fisted palooka.

Prediction: Nasukawa by unanimous decision

All aboard... the hype train!

In an era where there has never been more competition for people's time and attention, the question remains: 'how do you build a boxing superstar in the 21st century?' I have my own thoughts on that. But you know what doesn't work?

"And maybe [Boots] is the best fighter we've ever seen! Eddie Hearn seems to think so!" - Mauro Ranallo, commentating on Ennis-Lima

As Confucius once said, 'When everyone's super, no-one will be.'

British Stoppage

Howard Foster is one of the most incompetent referees in boxing, unquestionably in the present and with a strong case for a place in the history books. Who could forget the night Carl 'the Cobra' Froch's career was saved as Foster dived in to deny the dreams of George 'the Mongoose' Groves? Chants of "the referee's a wanker!" deservedly rang out in Manchester Arena. The same was not heard when Joseph Parker fought Fabio Wardley in front of a partisan British crowd, but given that in all likelihood it ended Parker's quest for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world I'd argue this was a more depressing stoppage. Why stop the fight when the guy on the attack isn't landing? British boxing will never see a Gatti-Ward or Corrales-Castillo and the British Board of Boxing Control will tell you it's a feature, not a bug. Despite that, when robbing Parker it was uncharacteristically restrained from Foster in the final 30 seconds. Michael Coffie, when facing a 15-0 Fabio Wardley in 2023, did not get anywhere near as much grace. If Usyk-Wardley is being cooked up, hopefully team Usyk will veto Foster's hopes to go 3-0.

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