Boxing in 2024 was a spectacle of unrelenting action and drama, offering countless unforgettable moments that captivated fans around the world. From unexpected upsets to breathtaking knockouts and historic title clashes, the year was packed with fights that kept the sport alive and thriving. 

However, amid the sea of remarkable events, only a select few managed to rise above the rest, leaving an indelible mark on the history of boxing and the hearts of its fans. This list revisits the defining moments of 2024 in boxing—events that stunned the world and etched themselves into the memories of fans and experts for years to come.

Devin Haney gets embarrassed & Ryan Garcia gets sued

Back in April 2024, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia collided in the ring after months of trash talk and anticipation. ‘King Ry’ was the ultimate underdog heading into the fight. Absolutely nobody expected him to win against ‘The Dream’ Haney, who was on a streak of fabulous performances. Whereas, Garcia was coming off a loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023. 

To top it all off, the Victorville native didn’t seem to be in the right state of mind because of his bizarre behavior online. He didn’t even make weight for the fight, coming 3.2 lbs heavier for their final weigh-ins. The pair had fought six times during their amateur careers, racking up a 3-3 tally. So, their professional bout was supposed to decide who the better boxer was. 

When they finally met in the ring, Garcia seemed levels above Haney, who had garnered the tag as the favorite. ‘King Ry’ dropped Devin Haney three times en route to a majority decision victory. While the boxing world was coming to terms with the upset Garcia had created, news broke about the victor’s two positive PED tests.

‘The Flash’ tested positive for Ostarine, and a storm ensued in the aftermath of the fight. The New York State Athletic Commission eventually expunged Haney’s loss and turned the result into a no-contest. Meanwhile, Ryan Garcia got suspended from the sport and fined his entire purse for the fight. 

Furthermore, Haney sued Garcia because of his positive PED test results, and the pair is expected to engage in a court battle. The duo is also expected to have their rematch to settle the score, but it seems unlikely after Haney’s move to sue Garcia. 

Naoya Inoue gets dropped for the first time

One of the biggest names in boxing Naoya Inoue is widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound champions in the world. The two-weight undisputed champion took on and defeated Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales last year, proving he is the best out there. However, 2024 would see a first for the ‘Japanese Monster.’

His first bout of the year showed he does have a few kinks in the armor when the undefeated boxer took on Luis Nery back on 6 May. As the fight kick-started, Nery shocked the world when he handed Inoue his first professional career knockdown in the very first round of the fight. However, Inoue also proved why he is considered the best.

The undefeated boxer quickly made a big comeback and started dominating the fight, scoring a 6th-round knockout to defend his belts. The Japanese boxer would go on to defeat TJ Doheny via a 7th-round knockout in September, solidifying his status as the best. Regardless, 2024 will be marked as the year when the impossible happened. 

Oleksandr Usyk becomes undisputed heavyweight champion

Oleksandr Usyk‘s journey through the pro ranks is nothing short of legendary. The Ukrainian started his professional career in the cruiserweight division after making a name for himself in the amateur circuit. Just after his first nine fights, he became a world champion and started on a journey to collect all the belts in the division. 

It didn’t take him long to become the undisputed champion in the division, and he replicated the same in the heavyweight division as well. He defeated Anthony Joshua in September 2021 to collect the IBF, WBO, and WBA heavyweight titles, and in May this year, he met Tyson Fury to create history. 

Usyk defeated Fury via a split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. The pair had their rematch last Saturday night, and Usyk defended his titles against Fury a second time. He now stands a chance to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion if he fights Daniel Dubois for a rematch for the IBF title, which he relinquished previously. 

Artur Beterbiev becomes undisputed light heavyweight champion

Artur Beterbiev has been one of the scariest fighters in the light heavyweight division for a long time. He slowly climbed the ladder in the division to collect each and every title in the division. Beterbiev defeated Enrico Koelling in November 2017 to lay claim to the then-vacant IBF title. Two years later, he took on Oleksandr Gvozdyk to get the WBC title. 

As time progressed, Beterbiev continued his dominance through the division, knocking out every opponent on his path. Eventually, in June 2022, Beterbiev met Joe Smith Jr and knocked the latter out in the second round to get the WBO light heavyweight title. The only belt missing on his waist was the WBA title, which Dmitry Bivol held. 

In October, Beterbiev and Bivol met for the first time, and Beterbiev fought through a grueling 12 rounds to get his hands on the WBA title. While controversial, Beterbiev got the job done by defeating Bivol via a majority decision to become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. in 1999. They are slated to meet again in February next year for all the belts. 

Daniel Dubois creates the biggest upset of 2024

Daniel Dubois’ journey to become the IBF heavyweight champion was bumpy, to say the least. Previously, he always seemed a step behind when it came to his performance in the ring. Many had even branded the Brit a quitter, but Dubois never gave up on his goals and did the unthinkable. 

Back in November 2020, ‘DDD’ took on Joe Joyce and suffered a 10th-round knockout loss. He was forced to take a knee and could not recover. He quickly bounced back with four wins, but then came face to face with Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023. After dropping Usyk with a low blow, Dubois started declining. 

Usyk eventually defeated the Brit via 9th-round knockout, when Dubois failed to get back up, further solidifying his status as a quitter. After two dominant performances against Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in 2024, Daniel Dubois finally earned a shot at Anthony Joshua. The bout became the biggest fight in UK history, drawing a record-breaking audience in the country.

With the reputation Dubois had built himself, very few thought he could do what he did next. The fight itself was predicted to be close because of Dubois’ resurgence in the last two fights. However, when Joshua and Dubois fought, the latter seemed levels above Joshua, who was previously a unified heavyweight champion. 

Dubois shocked the world by dropping Joshua three times within the first four rounds of the fight, eventually leaving Joshua convulsing on the canvas with a knockout in the fifth round. This was the biggest upset of 2024, even topping Garcia’s destruction of Haney earlier this year. Dubois has challenged Usyk for a rematch, and the latter has accepted. If the fight happens, Dubois stands a chance to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. 

That being said, 2024 has been a spectacular year for boxing—the credit in part for the year definitely goes to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, who put on a majority of the big fights. Regardless, there are a handful of other moments we had to skip over. What was your favorite moment in boxing this year?