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2025 Highlights in Boxing and UFC: New Champions and Key Matches

KVIA•Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 1:37 AM•CNN Newsource

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AI Summary

The year 2025 has been significant for combat sports, showcasing thrilling matches and the emergence of new champions. In boxing, notable events included Chris Eubank's unanimous decision victory over Connor Benn and Terence Crawford's stunning win against Canelo Álvarez on September 13, which crowned Crawford as the undisputed super middleweight champion before his retirement announcement in December. Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz also made headlines with his unanimous decision win over Ángel Fierro on February 1. In the UFC, champions like Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski solidified their statuses, while Russian fighters, including Petr Yan and Islam Makhachev, dominated their respective weight classes, marking a year filled with intense competition and remarkable achievements.

Key Details: • Crawford defeated Canelo on September 13, winning by unanimous decision. • Isaac Cruz retained his title on February 1 against Ángel Fierro. • Crawford announced his retirement on December 16 after his championship win. • Ilia Topuria defended his lightweight title, while Volkanovski secured the featherweight championship in April.

ufc boxing champions canelo terence crawford

People & Organizations

Chris EubankConnor BennCanelo ÁlvarezTerence CrawfordIsaac CruzÁngel FierroNaoya InoueDmitry BivolDavid BenavidezPetr YanIslam MakhachevKhamzat ChimaevAlex Pereira

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