Published On: Wed, Mar 4th, 2026

March's 5 best boxing fights, ranked: Keith Thurman's tall order, plus IBF's Zuffa dilemma and more

If you blinked, there’s a chance you missed February’s boxing action.

Twenty eight days later and we’re ready to do it all again, chalking up the best March has to offer.

With more happening outside the ring than inside it, we’re all collectively due a timely reminder of what makes boxing so special. Oh, and because we’ve been so patient, how’s about throwing another new belt into the mix?!

Let’s take a closer look at the best of the pugilistic action in March.

Soon, Zuffa’s matchmaking will be required to do more of the heavy lifting to get onto these lists.

Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton isn’t going to be a reincarnation of Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns, but with a Zuffa title on the line for the first time — as well as Jai Opetaia’s IBF cruiserweight title, perhaps? — it’s going to be extremely interesting to see how the optics of this maiden crowning play out.

Opetaia is a scary fighter and ticks all of the boxes as a cruiserweight. He’s expected to walk through Glanton with relative ease inside Las Vegas' Meta Apex, but that’s not what we’ll be tuning in to see.

Opetaia has made his feelings very clear: He wants to keep his IBF world title and become undisputed. But will his Zuffa paycheck throw a grenade into these plans? The fact that we don’t yet know is #classicboxing.

Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin is another savvy rung on the ladder of Itauma’s career — a career that could turn into a very special one.

The British phenom is still just a baby in heavyweight terms (21) and is being fed a slow progression of opponents before he attempts to state his claim as the next generation’s numero uno.

Itauma’s past nine fights have finished in either the first or second round — which includes wins over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Mike Balogun and Demsey McKean — so if you're Jermaine Franklin on March 28, your first target has to be seeing the seventh minute of the contest.

Again, this is less about the fight itself, and more about the spectacle — Itauma is a scary sight, and the dictionary definition of "passing the eye test."

Boxing has a funny way of solving problems. If things aren’t working at one weight, you simply eat a little more and call it a fresh start. Simple, right?

Arnold Barboza Jr. and Kenneth Sims Jr. are doing exactly that, moving up to welterweight for a 12-round main event in Anaheim, California, on March 14.

Barboza, now 34, is fresh off his first defeat — a clear decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in a WBO super lightweight title bid this past May. It was educational, if not enjoyable. Rather than dwell, he’s decided 147 pounds looks far more welcoming, and that Anaheim will provide home support, familiar air and hopefully friendlier scorecards.

Across from him stands Chicago’s Sims, 32 years old and equally keen to forget recent events. His last outing ended in defeat to Oscar Duarte at 140 pounds, forcing him to make the seven-pound leap.

Sims has boxed at 147 pounds before, Barboza too, but now they return as slightly older, slightly wiser versions of themselves, both looking to use each other’s names to springboard into bigger welterweight opportunities.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - FEBRUARY 22: Hamzah Sheeraz fighting Carlos Adames as part of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo undercard at Kingdom Arena on February 22, 2025 in Riyadh. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images).
Carlos Adames (right) surprised many by retaining his WBC middleweight title against Hamzah Sheeraz.
Mark Robinson via Getty Images

In a funny way, it’s worked out well for everyone that Carlos Adames vs. Austin Williams now headlines its own show on March 21.

Originally slated for the undercard of Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson, Adames fell ill pre-fight and forced a postponement, allowing Williams a 10-round run-out win over Wendy Toussaint.

This show now heads to the Caribe Royale Orlando, where "Ammo" Williams will attempt to become a world champion for the first time against the compact and aggressive Dominican.

Speaking to Uncrowned at the start of the year, Williams spoke with detail about some unique training methods he has used over the past couple of years, including ballet, singing and breathing exercises. These are all well and good, but a big heart and an even bigger pair of cojones may be required if he’s to rip the WBC middleweight title from the champion.

Keith Thurman’s tall order heads up our March list, as the former unified welterweight world champion attempts to cement his legacy by beating Sebastian Fundora for the WBC super welterweight title.

This one has also been rescheduled from October of last year, allowing the champion Fundora to recover from a hand injury that forced a postponement.

Thurman’s lone career loss came at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in 2019, and with three-year breaks coming between two subsequent wins over Mario Barrios and Brock Jarvis, there are massive question marks about the 37-year-old as he challenges a man in his fighting prime.

But Thurman is still a massive name in the sport. And who’s to blame a guy for attempting to roll back the clock and give us “One More Time?”

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