Here are the Top 3 Young Boxers to Watch in 2017

In this article we take a look at a few of the top young boxers to keep an eye on in 2017, and what may be coming up in their respective careers.

We’re only a few months into 2017, and some incredible storylines have already emerged in the world of boxing. Instead of looking at some of the major fights on the horizon, let’s break down a few of the top young boxers to watch in 2017.

Oleksandr Usyk

Ukrainian cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk has looked unstoppable as of late. A year after winning gold in the 2012 Olympic Games, Usyk decided to turn professional and quickly racked up an 11-0 record with 10 wins coming via stoppage.

Major upcoming boxing matches

• Oleksandr Usyk (16/1) vs. Michael Hunter (7/1)
• Vasyl Lomachenko (1/20) vs. Jason Sosa (9/1)
• Anthony Joshua (2/5) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (15/8)

Oleksandr’s first title fight came in October of 2014 against South African Daniel Bruwer. He managed to prove most online sportsbooks in the UK correct as the betting favorite by stopping Bruwer in the 7th round with a perfectly placed right hand.

Usyk has since captured the WBO-junior heavyweight title, and is scheduled to take on Michael Hunter on April 8th. BetVictor has already set the betting odds for the match, and unsurprisingly the Ukrainian is the massive betting favorite with odds of 1/16. Hunter is a serious boxing underdog with odds of 7/1.

Oscar Valdez

Oscar Valdez is considered by many to be Mexico’s next big boxing star. The current WBO featherweight champion had a massively successful amateur career by winning gold at the 2008 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Valdez made UK gambling news by turning professional in 2012, and has already accumulated a 22-0 record with 19 wins by stoppage. He’s without a doubt one of the top boxers to watch in 2017, and may be in the pound-for-pound discussion with a few more major wins.

On April 22nd, Oscar Valdez will be taking on Colombian powerhouse Miguel Marriaga in an attempt to defend his title. Sites like BetVictor have not released the betting odds for this fight, although most boxing betting experts list Oscar as the significant betting favorite.

Jake Haigh

22 year old super-middleweight Jake Haigh has been catching the attention of boxing fans after an impressive 3-0 start to his professional career. Last year, Jake signed with Hatton Promotions, offering him a chance to work with one of the true legends of British boxing.

Haigh was a top-10 ranked amateur before turning professional. Since then he’s defeated Tomas Kugler, Mark Till, and Bryan Wain, the first and last of which he stopped by TKO. No word has come out about who Jake will face next, but it seems likely that he’ll want to stay busy.

While still young in his career, Haigh is beginning to look like a real force to be reckoned with at super-middleweight and is without a doubt one of the top boxers to watch in 2017. With some more impressive victories, we may see this Manchester native fighting for a title.

Who do you think are the top boxers to watch in 2017? Tell us in the comment section below, and make sure to check out BetVictor for a full list of 2017 boxing betting odds!