In 2025, Eye of the Tiger cemented its place on the international stage. Even so, the coming year looks set to be even bigger. And the real winners in all this are you—boxing fans in Quebec.
So here’s a look back at some of the standout moments from the boxers who made their mark in 2025, to set the stage for what’s coming in 2026.
Christian Mbilli
Mr. Solid needs no introduction. Quebec fans have gotten to know him well over the past few years. But over the last year, it was on the global stage that he truly built his reputation.
It started in June, when Mbilli captured the WBC interim world championship. He defeated Maciej Sulecki by first-round TKO.
He then delivered a potential Fight of the Year candidate in September against Lester Martinez, on the biggest platform possible: Netflix. On a card headlined by none other than Canelo Alvarez and Bud Crawford, Christian Mbilli showed the entire world that you can’t blink when Solid is in the ring.
Photo: Zuffa Boxing – Christian Mbilli
The year ahead will therefore be a defining one for him. The belts at 168 pounds are vacant since Terence Crawford retired. Christian Mbilli’s name has already been linked with Hamzah Sheeraz, Jaime Munguia, or even a rematch with Martinez. A world championship belt could very well be on the line at the Videotron Centre in 2026.
Osleys Iglesias
Let’s stay in the super middleweight division.
It was a somewhat quieter year for Osleys Iglesias, who fought just once.
In September, he became the first man to stop Vladimir Shishkin at the Montreal Casino. In doing so, he also became the IBF’s No. 1 contender—a belt that is now vacant as well.
With Iglesias, there’s a strong belief that he can beat anyone at 168 pounds. The real question was: who would agree to fight him?
Well, perhaps 2026 will give us an answer, because the IBF has ordered a fight between the Cuban and Canelo Alvarez.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Osleys Iglesias
Will the fight happen? And will Iglesias be able to prove to everyone that he’s as good as people think?
Even if Canelo doesn’t accept the fight—after all, he’s not known for stepping out of his comfort zone to face dangerous fighters at this stage of his career—other interesting options exist for Iglesias. A fight against Diego Pacheco could be very intriguing: two fighters trying to break through internationally, facing off to build their reputation.
There were also rumors that he could face Bruno Surace, the Frenchman who shocked the boxing world by knocking out Jaime Munguia.
We’ll see.
Albert Ramirez
When people talk about a productive year for a boxer, they often think of fighters early in their careers trying to rack up bouts as quickly as possible.
That almost sounds like what Albert Ramirez did in 2025—except he ended the year as an interim world champion.
The Venezuelan started the year with a single goal in mind and bulldozed everything in his path to get there. With two quick knockouts in February and June, he positioned himself for a WBA interim world title fight against Jerome Pampellone, a respectable opponent who had never been stopped and had only suffered very close losses.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Albert Ramirez
Let me tell you—Ramirez wasn’t impressed. He won the fight by seventh-round TKO.
We already know who his next opponent will be. He’ll defend his belt against Lerrone Richards in February 2026. A win there could put him in a very strong position.
Imam Khataev
Once again at 175 pounds, Imam Khataev had a big year in 2025. Even though his biggest moment was marred by a controversial loss, boxing fans still remember the tremendous fight he put on against David Morrell.
That performance showed the entire division that he truly belongs among the elite. He also proved it wasn’t just a one-night fluke when he stopped Adam Deines in the third round in December.
We don’t yet know exactly what awaits Imam Khataev in 2026, but it’s safe to assume he’ll get another opportunity against a world-class opponent.
Photo: The Ring – Imam Khataev and David Morrell
Several options are on the table. Khataev surely wants a rematch with Morrell, but after their last dance, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Cuban isn’t very interested. In that case, a fight against a respected veteran like Oleksandr Gvozdyk or Callum Smith would make a lot of sense. These are well-known fighters among Quebec fans and would truly allow Imam to show what he’s made of.
And this time, he won’t be able to leave any doubt in the judges’ minds.
Arthur Biyarslanov
The Russian Wolf also had a very productive year.
By stringing together three fights against respectable opponents, he positioned himself to face the division’s elite. And it’s high time Biyarslanov showed the boxing world who he really is.
He started the year by stopping former IBO world champion Mohamed Mimoune—something no one had ever done before—and it only took him two rounds to get the job done.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Arthur Biyarslanov
Arthur then faced the biggest challenge of his career in October, taking on Sergey Lipinets. A former IBF world champion, even if he’s nearing the end of his career, Lipinets remains a dangerous opponent.
Biyarslanov passed the test with relative ease.
In the coming year, it’s imperative to see Biyarslanov face world-class opposition. He’s part of a super-lightweight division overflowing with talent, so there are plenty of potential matchups.
Here are a few options:
First, a fight against Jamaine Ortiz would make a lot of sense. A respected opponent who has already made a name for himself and gave very close fights to Vasyl Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez. Ortiz was supposed to fight Steve Claggett last August, so the possibility of him facing another Eye of the Tiger boxer remains plausible—and a win would be a huge achievement for Biyarslanov.
Speaking of Claggett, he could also be a possible opponent for The Wolf. It would be a clash of electrifying fighters who are known for leaving everything in the ring. Boxing fans would be treated to a fight of that quality at the Montreal Casino.
Arslanbek Makhmudov
If many people had written off the Lion after 2024, the opposite is true following his 2025 campaign.
After struggling toward the end of 2023 and throughout 2024, Arslanbek Makhmudov bounced back with strong performances in 2025.
In June, he stopped former Olympian Ricardo Brown in the first round—an opponent who had been undefeated up to that point.
He then went on to fight David Allen on hostile territory. Many boxing fans saw that fight as a true 50/50 matchup. Makhmudov surprised everyone by winning—but not in his usual fashion. Known for quick knockouts, he instead relied on his boxing skills and earned a unanimous decision victory.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Arslanbek Makhmudov
And winning a fight against an Englishman on his home turf is no easy task.
This put Makhmudov back into discussions he had somewhat faded from. Rumors are circulating that Tyson Fury is looking for an opponent for his comeback, with the goal of eventually facing Anthony Joshua—and Makhmudov has been confirmed as a possible option.
If that’s true, it’s up to Makhmudov to play the spoiler.
Add to all of this a growing stable and several developing fighters who are poised to have a memorable 2026.
We’re already looking forward to looking back on 2026 to see what it will have had in store for us.
