2024 was a sensational year for boxing fans. The entry of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season enabled many dream fights. Events like Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev, Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk (1&2), Queensberry vs. Matchroom (5vs.5), Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois, and many more fights stole the spotlight this year.

However, even amidst the jammed year filled with dream matches and historic PPVs, a few big names could not find their place on any card. While fans did not notice these inactivities at the time, it does raise several questions about the future of these boxers in the sport.

Jermell Charlo

Jermall Charlo’s twin brother, Jermell Charlo, is also in a rut. The ‘Iron Man’ used to fight only once a year. However, the former undisputed light middleweight champion has been out of action since losing his fight to Canelo Alvarez in September 2023. Fans were hoping to see Charlo back in action at 154 lbs in 2024. However, it never happened.

Well, it looks like they don’t have to wait for much longer in 2025, as the Richmond native has notified the PBC that he is ready to make his return. Jermell Charlo is reportedly looking for a fight at 154 lbs on the undercard of Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach in March. Reports have further claimed that the 35-2-1 boxer may even make his return at one of the upcoming Riyadh Season cards, which will be sensational to watch.

Jermall Charlo

It has been a weird past few years for the elder twin—Jermall Charlo. The ‘Hitman’ made his comeback to the ring in November 2023 after almost 30 months of sabbatical. It was a triumphant return as the Richmond native defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. via a unanimous decision. However, it has been 13 months since that fight and there is no solid info on Charlo’s return to the ring.

Several reports were floating around late in 2024 claiming that the 34-year-old will make a return in December 2024. However, those rumors simmered quickly, and there is still no concrete information regarding Jermall Charlo‘s return. The former WBC middleweight champion has often talked about his struggle with mental health and legal issues outside of the ring, but according to PBC, Charlo is eyeing a return and we might see something concrete quite soon.

Keith Thurman

2024 was not the best for the former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman. The Florida native has been gearing up for his return since February 2024 against Tim Tszyu but had to bow out because of a bicep injury he suffered in sparring. Somewhat ironically, the last fight of Thurman also came after an 18-month-long hibernation.

Since Thurman opted out of the March 30, 2024 fight against Tszyu, there has been no news of a possible return from his camp. It looks like the injury is far more serious than everyone thought previously, and it would take time to heal. Furthermore, Thurman has had several major injuries in the past and with him getting up on age, he might opt to hang up his gloves for good. PBC is still hopeful about Thurman’s return but the chances are getting slimmer with each passing day.

Demetrius Andrade

It has been more than a year since Demetrius Andrade suffered his first career defeat at the hands of David Benavidez. The duo met at Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas in November 2023 and since then the Rhode Island native has been inactive. However, in a recent interview with FightHubTV, Andrade made it clear that he will make his return sooner rather than later. The 32-1 boxer declared, “I’ve been trying to get back in the ring ever since and trying to line something up with somebody,” claiming that he has something big planned.

‘Boo Boo’ Andrade also shed light on the battles he was fighting outside the ring when he faced Benavidez. “I lost a close family member that’s close to my heart. My little brother almost didn’t make it either, and then I had to prepare for training,” revealed Andrade. However, he let everyone know that he is back at his best and is eyeing the best fights against the likes of Edgar Berlanga, Jermall Charlo, Jaime Munguia, or Caleb Plant.

Gary Russell Jr.

It has been almost 2 years since Gary Russell Jr. last fought. Fans had lost all hope for a possible return and had made their peace with it. However, a few months ago, in a bizarre turn of events, the former WBC featherweight champion called out the WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis. In a conversation with Boxing Source, the Washington native expressed his desire to return and declared, “I would love to get back in the game. I hear ‘Tank’ don’t got an opponent yet. What’s up, Tank? They say he don’t got no opponent yet. I’m open to it,” while issuing an open challenge.

This is not the first time that Russell has expressed his desire to fight Tank. While the idea of this fight might sound good, it remains a pipe dream. At this point, Tank is preparing for his fight against Lamont Roach Jr. Furthermore, as Davis has already announced that 2025 will be his last year in the sport, he might look for a fight that can give him a large payout, possibly against the likes of Shakur Stevenson, or Vasiliy Lomachenko, or even Jake Paul for that matter.

Leo Santa Cruz

Another PBC fighter who remained inactive in 2024 was Leo Santa Cruz. The former multi-division champion has been out of action for more than 2 years now. While there has been no news regarding a retirement, Cruz also remains inactive, like many PBC boxers, which is a concern for the promotional company.

However, there is a glimmer of hope amongst the fans as the 36-year-old has not called it quits even after being out of the squared circle for such a long time.

With many of the abovementioned fighters already having a solid plan for their return, 2025 is looking to be another sensational year for boxing. Let us know your thoughts down below.