Every year there are young boxers climbing up the rankings and trying to make a name for themselves in the sport. Here are five boxing prospects to watch out for in 2017.
No.1 Josh Taylor:
Josh Taylor 7-0 (7KOs) is a Scottish professional boxer who started his pro career in June 2015, signing with Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions and is trained by Shane McGuigan.
Taylor has improved and impressed with every fight and won the Commonwealth super-lightweight title in only his seventh fight by stopping Dave Ryan – watch the stoppage video here.
There is talk the Scottish star will be good enough to challenge world champion Ricky Burns in 2017.
Taylor looks like a real talent and a well rounded fighter, that ticks all the boxes and is my number one to watch on my top five prospect boxers to watch in 2017 list.
No.2 Diego De La Hoya:
Diego De La Hoya 16-0 (9KOs) is a 22 year old Mexican, who has an extensive amateur background having had over 250 amateur bouts. De La Hoya fights at super-bantamweight and currently holds the WBC Youth championship.
Diego is signed to his cousin Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and is trained by Joel Diaz. He is an aggressive and determined fighter, who possess quick hand speed and great footwork.
Diego has faced progressively more difficult opposition in his last few fights. Last time out he stopped the then undefeated Rocco Santomauro in 7 rounds on the Canelo-Khan PPV undercard in 2016.
Diego De La Hoya has Golden Boy Promotions on his side which will surely get his desired world title shot in 2017.
No.3 Jack Massey:
Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey is a hugely-popular and talented cruiserweight who currently holds a fight record of 11-0 (5KOs).
Massey has recently been signed by BoxNation and will appear on the channel a number of times in 2017. Jack is trained by experienced corner man Bobby Rimmer and is dedicated to his craft, to put it mildly.
Massey is looking to step it up in 2017 however and get his name out to more boxing fans in Britain and world wide with his new deal on BoxNation.
I see him as a future British star with a fan base that is going to grow from strength to strength. Title fights will be coming his way in the near future I suspect.
Definitely one of the top prospect boxers to watch in 2017.
No.4 Jack Tepora
Jack Tepora 19-0 (14KOs) is a Filipino boxing prospect, who recently won by stoppage against Galih Susanto on December 2nd in the Philippines.
The win earned him the vacant WBO Oriental super-bantamweight title and is currently rated number 11 in the world by the World Boxing Organization.
Tepora, 23 is a two-time National amateur champion, who then turned professional and is signed under the management of the Omega Gym.
Jack was recently talked about in the press by internationally known referee Bruce McTavish. McTavish said :
“Jack Tepora is a world-class fighter.”
He can go on to make his name world wide like fellow Filipino stars Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire in 2017 I believe.
No.5 Craig Richards
Craig ‘Spider’ Richards is an exciting product of the Sims Gym in the UK, a super-middleweight prospect looking to make some serious impressions in 2017.
At 26 years of age he has made a relatively late start to his pro career, but wasted little time bursting onto the pro scene in devastating fashion.
It didn’t take long for his opponents to taste the spiders’ venom, as they say.
With a first round TKO 49 seconds into his debut Richards was recommended to the Sims Gym by none other than fellow current British prodigy Ohara Davies.
He is a future star for Matchroom Sport and the Sims Gym alike.
We envisage 2017 should see Richards very active and we hope to see some more venomous displays from what has been a pulsating pugilistic career thus far.