The next generation: The 10 best fighters aged 25 and under

Texas’ Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is considered one of the rising stars of his generation. The undefeated WBC junior bantamweight champion is one of 10 fighters below the age of 25 with the potential for greatness due to their exceptional qualities.

Rodriquez became a two-division world champion last month when he destroyed Juan Francisco Estrada in seven to snatch the WBC 115 pounds belt.

Lightweight Keyshawn Davies, who recorded a unanimous decision win over Miguel Madueno this month remains one of the brightest young boxing talents in the world. The likes of heavyweight Jared Anderson and lightweight Abdullah Mason are among 10 of the exciting young contenders today, but who are the other six fighters on the list?

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

Age: 24

Record: 20-0, 13 KOs

Last fight: W KO7 Juan Francisco Estrada, June 29, 2024

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez recently dethroned Juan Francisco Estrada to regain the WBC junior bantamweight belt having relinquished the title to move down in weight to challenge Christian Gonzalez Hernandez for the WBO flyweight title in April, 2023.

Rodriguez went on to unify the flyweight division against Sunny Edwards eight months later with emphatic victory, before moving back up to face Estrada. Rodriguez’s eighth-round KO victory over the experienced Wisaksil Wangek (56-6-1, 46 KOs) for the WBC junior bantamweight title two years ago, could also be described among the biggest moments of his career.

Prior to the fight, Wangek had conquered the likes of Estrada and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez. The future looks bright for Rodriguez who could decide to unify the 115-pound division or move up to bantamweight to challenge the champions there.

Keyshawn Davis

Age: 25

Record: 11-0, 7 KOs

Last fight: W UD Miguel Madueno, July 6, 2024

A 2020 Olympic silver medalist, Keyshawn Davis has proven to be a force to reckon with since turning pro in February 2021. He continues to showcase his exceptional skill, punching power, hand speed and technical ability against diverse opponents and situations in the ring.

Virginia’s Davis boasts an impressive record having dispatched Anthony Yigit in nine rounds. Davis made a statement with that emphatic win over the experienced Yigit who had faced former WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando Romero.

Also, a sixth-round TKO win over former WBO lightweight titlist Jose Pedraza, showcased Davis’ talents which could gain him a world title in the not too distant future.

Abdullah Mason

Age: 20

Record: 14-0, 12 KOs

Last fight: W TKO3 Luis Lebron, July 6, 2024

With four consecutive knockout victories, Abdullah Mason continues to make a strong statement in the multi-talented 135-pound division. Aged 20, Mason is undefeated and has proven to be one of the most dangerous youngsters in the sport.

In 12 fights, the lightweight contender has wowed crowds with his punching power and horrific finishes in the ring. Ohio’s Mason unleashed his hard-hitting punches against the capable Luis Lebron and finished him within three rounds.

The southpaw is billed to make his fourth appearance in the ring this term against Argentina’s Agustin Ezequiel Quintana (19-2-1, 13 KOs) on August 17 in Quebec City, Canada.

Considering his steady rise, Mason is well-placed to become a superstar fighter in the coming years.

Jared Anderson

Age: 24

Record: 17-0, 15 KOs

Last fight: W UD12 Ryad Merhy, April 13, 2024

Heavyweight Jared Anderson is yet to face any of the top opponents in one of the most difficult divisions in the sport but the young fighter has developed into an emerging force in a very competitive weight class.

Anderson has a long way to go to mature into one of the toughest heavyweight opponents such as Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Andy Ruiz among others.

Having faced and beaten former IBF heavyweight belt-holder Charles Martin, Ohio’s Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) must attempt to face one of the dangerous opponents in his bid to become a world champion.

On Saturday, Anderson comes up against Congolese slugger Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) on the undercard of Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov WBA junior middleweight championship at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Xander Zayas

Age: 21

Record: 19-0, 12 KOs

Last fight: W UD10 Patrick Teixeira, June 8, 2024

Xander Zayas, a Puerto Rican junior middleweight, is equipped with boxing skills and physical strength to become one of the best in the world. At a relatively young age, the youngster already has 19 bouts to his credit, without a blemish.

The 21-year-old demonstrated his punching ability when he dispatched knockout artist Robert Venezuela Jr. in five rounds in September 2023 with a composed performance. Last month, he decisioned Patrick Teixeira in 10 rounds with a dominant display.

He’s on course to steal a world title shot in the shortest possible time if he continues with his pace.

Ernesto Mercado

Age: 22

Record: 16-0, 15 KOs

Last fight: W RTD3 Hector Edgardo Sarmiento, July 27, 2024

California’s Ernesto Mercado has built an incredible resume for himself at just 22 years despite turning pro three years ago. He has a record of seven KOs in his last eight bouts from 2023.

Among his victims in the ring are Jose Angulo, Xolisani Ndongeni, and Jeremia Nakathila. The win against Nakathila is the most notable victory especially when the Namibian has shared and proven himself in the ring against stars such as Shakur Stevenson, Miguel Berchelt, and Raymond Muratella.

Mercado (16-0, 15 KOs) needs to join one of the top promoters in the sport to continue his growth and be able to make it big in the sport.

Amari Jones

Age: 22

Record: 12-0, 11 KOs

Last fight: W TKO6 Armel Mbomba-Yassa, April 20, 2024

Amari Jones is an undefeated junior middleweight contender who stood out with impressive performances last year. With notable wins over Quilisto Madera and Chino Hill, he is making a name for himself at 154 pounds.

California’s Jones (12-0, 11 KOs) is gaining recognition in a division that has a lot of talented fighters such as, among others, Jermell Charlo, Tim Tszyu, Terence Crawford, Israil Madrimov, and Sebastian Fundora.

Floyd Schofield

Age: 21

Record: 17-0, 12 KOs

Last fight: W DQ5 Esteuri Suero, March 16, 2024

With his devastating punch, Floyd Schofield has made significant strides since turning pro in 2020. New Jersey’s Schofield is expected to make a big push this year by taking on one of the notable names at 135.

It is not going to be an easy task for the youngster who is looking to get himself up in the lightweight mix with the division made up of great champions and contenders. The likes of superstar Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Vasyl Lomachenko, Denys Berinchyk, William Zepeda, and Keyshawn Davis provide a tall list for Schofield

However, with Golden Boy Promotions by his side, he will be given every chance to reach his full potential.

Sam Goodman

Age: 25

Record: 19-0, 8 KOs

Last fight: W UD12 Thachtana Luangphon, July 10, 2024

Australia’s Sam Goodman is ripe to take on the best of the junior featherweights after consecutive wins in the division. The undefeated fighter is yet to make his U.S. debut but remains a notable fighter at 115 pounds.

With four bouts to his credit last year, Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) has managed two wins over Mark Schleibs and Thachtana Luangphon this year.

A win over Ireland’s former IBF junior featherweight titleholder TJ Doheny in 2023 was one of the biggest achievements in his career so far.

Hamzah Sheeraz

Age: 25

Record: 20-0, 16 KOs

Last fight: W TKO11 Austin Williams, June 1, 2024

British fighter Hamzah Sheeraz already has two stoppage wins this year. He first destroyed Liam Williams in one round in February before stopping Austin Williams in 11 rounds, and taking “Ammo’s” unbeaten record, four months later.

Those two big wins this year made it 14 stoppage wins in a row. Sheeraz (20-0, 16 KOs) is a skillful middleweight who is blessed with a long jab and can box as well. He traveled to Poland to dismantle Dmytro Mytrofanov in two rounds after recording four knockdowns.

Sheeraz is currently ranked No.1 by the WBC and WBO respectively and could land a shot at any of the titles by next year. He is scheduled to face European champion Tyler Denny at the Wembley Stadium in London on September 21.

Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” back in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at [email protected].