Boxing tonight (May 18, 2024): What are the fights lined up?
Boxing tonight doesn't feature as many options as the previous weekend. However, fans of 'The Sweet Science' are in for one of the greatest heavyweight clashes in recent memory. The event, which will be streamed on DAZN and ESPN+, is the earliest of what the day has to offer.
The prelims begin at 10:00 AM E.T. (Eastern Time) / 7:00 AM P.T. (Pacific Time), while the main card starts at 12:00 PM E.T. / 9:00 AM P.T. Set in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it will be headlined by Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk in a bout for heavyweight supremacy.
Both fighters put their undefeated records on the line, in addition to Fury's WBC title and Usyk's WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring titles, in the most important heavyweight bout of the year, even if Fury scoffs at any talk of legacy. Below them, Jai Opetaia faces Mairis Briedis for the vacant IBF cruiserweight title.
Meanwhile, the unbeaten Jorge Cordina defends his IBF super featherweight belt against the streaking Anthony Cacace. In non-title action, the boxing event features Frank Sanchez vs. Agit Kabayel at heavyweight and Mark Chamerblain vs. Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab at lightweight.
The final four fights on the card consist of Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Sirwan Safar at light heavyweight, Isaac Lowe vs. Hasibullah Ahmadi at featherweight, David Nyika vs. Michael Seitz at cruiserweight, and Moses Itauma vs. Ilja Mezencev at heavyweight.
This, however, isn't all that the sport has to offer its fans.
What else does boxing have to offer tonight?
ESPN+ plays host to boxing's other notable event of the day, with the prelims at 6:40 PM E.T. / 3:40 PM P.T., and the main card at 11:00 PM E.T. / 8:00 PM P.T. Its headline bout will see the heavy-handed Emanuel Navarrete lock horns with the undefeated Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
In the co-main event, unbeaten welterweights Giovani Santillan and Brian Norman clash over the division's vacant interim WBO strap. In another meeting of undefeated boxers, Richard Torrez Jr. faces Brandon Moore at heavyweight. Meanwhile, lightweight plays host to Emiliano Vargas vs. Angel Varela Urena.
In more lightweight boxing action, prospects Alan Garcia and Wilfredo Flores seek to cement themselves as divisional standouts. In the final main card bout of the evening, Jonny Mansour makes his professional debut at lightweight against Anel Dudo.
In the event's only prelim bouts, Jonathan Lopez seeks to continue his unbeaten run against Mexico's Edgar Ortega at junior lightweight, while Art Barrera Jr. takes on Levy Benitez at junior welterweight. Charlie Sheehy's lightweight bout with Manuel Jaimes, however, was axed after the former missed weight.