Doncaster duo Terri Harper & Maxi Hughes and Rotherham's Junaid Bostan - Yorkshire boxers to watch in 2025

With 2025 just around the corner, a plethora of Yorkshire boxers will be scribbling ‘domination’ down on their list of goals for the calendar year.

The county is drenched in fighting history and many of its current stars spent 2024 etching their own names into the history books.

Take Doncaster’s Terri Harper, for example.

The 28-year-old kicked off the year with a defeat to Sandy Ryan, a loss that by her own admission impacted upon her love for the sport.

Dusting yourself off and going again is a tradition as old as time in boxing and Harper did just that, reigniting her passion for the ring by beating Rhiannon Dixon and scooping the WBO lightweight title.

The victory made ‘Belter’, of Denaby Main, a three-weight world champion.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post in October, she said: “This win's really put me back up there. It's going to open many doors for some big fight nights.

"I feel like it's just filled me with confidence. I got a great win, I've got a great team in my corner and it's exciting to know there's some great opportunities to come."

With Harper’s passion alive and kicking once again, 2025 promises to be an exciting one.

IBF lightweight champion Beatriz Ferreira’s name has already been floated by Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn.

Maxi Hughes has also flown the flag for Doncaster this year, emulating Harper with a comeback fuelled by steely determination.

The 34-year-old also kicked off 2024 with a loss but it was not to define his year. After a victory over Efstathios Antonas in September, Hughes made a major statement of intent by outclassing the dangerous Gary Cully.

By the admission of match-maker Hearn, it was a world-class display. A world title shot may beckon.

Doncaster has been well-served by its boxers this year and Dave Allen also did the city proud.

When the powers that be matched him up with the fast-rising Johnny Fisher, many may have predicted a one-sided affair.

Fisher is unbeaten after all, a ruthless heavyweight who has already proven himself to be a ticket-seller. Allen, on the other hand, went into the bout with six losses on his CV.

The fight was among the most entertaining on the Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury card, as Allen had Fisher reeling. When the scorecards were announced as being in Fisher’s favour, there was plenty of backlash among fans.

Elsewhere in South Yorkshire, the stock of Rotherham’s own Junaid Bostan continues to soar.

Trained by Grant Smith at Sheffield’s Steel City Gym, Bostan combines a high ring IQ with a ruthless edge and bags of charisma. The 22-year-old is now 10-0 and will be back in action against Bilal Fawaz for the English super-welterweight crown on January 31.

He has spoken of his desire to fight at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium and ‘Star Boy’ certainly appears to be on the right track.

Over in Leeds, it has been an eventful year for super-welterweight Ishmael Davis. It is not often that stock rises with defeats but the 29-year-old’s willingness to take on challenges has won him plenty of fans.

He took a fight at Wembley against Josh Kelly on just six days’ notice and was not far away from pulling off an upset.

Davis took another bout on short notice to round off the year, accepting a battle with the dangerous Serhii Bohachuk on two weeks’ notice. He was retired by his corner in the sixth round, but there was plenty of heart on display.

In 2025, it may be a case of taking steps back to go forwards again, but Davis has won undoubtedly won hearts and minds.

Fellow Leeds fighter Hopey Price will also have his sights set on a busy 2025 after a 2024 marred by frustration.

The 24-year-old was forced to undergo surgery to treat a serious hand injury, pumping the brakes on his ascent after a win over Hull’s Connor Coghill.

After a trying period of recuperation, Price is back in the gym and has documented his work towards a comeback on social media. The super-bantamweight is 12-0 and will be looking to remind the boxing world of his high ceiling.

2025 could also be a career-defining year for Sheffield’s Dalton Smith. His promoter Hearn has forecasted a world-title fight and ‘Thunder’ has outlined his desire to fight at the home of his beloved Sheffield Wednesday.

First up will be a battle with Walid Ouizza for the European and WBC silver super-lightweight titles.

There have been no signs of Smith veering off-course as he marches up the food chain – but his toughest tests lay ahead.