Boxing lovers will get a three-day, worldwide extravaganza as championship action arrives to Japan, England and the United States over June 19-21. Each program boasts real stakes - two world belts and three regional - which means not only every winner of the main event ends the week with hardware, they get momentum into the second half of 2025.
This run kicks off early Thursday morning in Tokyo when unbeaten WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. puts his belt on the line against local puncher Jin Sasaki. Norman, 24, is making only his second defense of the title he won in December; Sasaki, 23, is working on a seven-fight knockout streak and is fighting for his first major crown. ESPN+ gets us live from Ota City General Gymnasium at 4 a.m. ET, and the undercard is particularly compelling with Cristian Araneta vs Thanongsak Simsri for the vacant IBF super-strawweight title.
Watch how Sasaki flattened Obara: Watch
After Tokyo on Saturday we have a trans-Atlantic double. At Birmingham's BP Pulse LIVE, Galal Yafai defends his interim WBC flyweight title against Mexico's former unified minimum-weight champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr. Yafai last fought last November at home when he vanquished Sunny Edwards, while Rodriguez will be looking to add a second division strap to his relentless career in the lighter weights. DAZN will stream the Yafai-Rodriguez fight starting at 2 pm ET, and the supporting cast includes British welterweight champion Conah Walker defending against Liam Taylor.
Eight hours later in Newark's Prudential Center, Vito Mielnicki Jr. faces unbeaten Pole Kamil Gardzielik over ten rounds for the vacant WBO Global, USWBC and USBA middleweight titles. There is also heavyweight prospect Damian Knyba facing compatriot Marcin Siwy and Queens stylist Jahi Tucker testing Baltimore's Lorenzo Simpson at 154 lbs. Coverage of Mielnicki-Gardzielik begins on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Three cards, three continents, five belts at stake!
Image Credit: Top Rank