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October has come and gone, so it’s time to throw away the Halloween masks, chuck out the moldy pumpkins and turn our attention to another month of boxing action.

The nights are getting darker, the weather is getting colder, but thankfully there’s plenty of action in the ring to warm your cockles.

November brings us a beautiful blend of action: WBC title fights for the 168-pound and heavyweight crowns, an all-action women’s IBF lightweight title fight and a Tokyo triple-header. Let’s break down the top five fights coming up this month.

5. Agit Kabayel vs. Nelson Hysa, 12 rounds, for WBC heavyweight title, Nov. 28

Agit Kabayel is out to prove a point at the end of 2026.

There’s an argument that the WBC heavyweight champion has been playing third fiddle to Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois in the heavyweight landscape since he was upgraded to full champion, being slightly dismissed when discussions are had regarding the division’s top-shelf fights.

But Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) has barely put a foot wrong on his road to the top of boxing’s money division, and a convincing win over Nelson Hysa (25-0, 23 KOs) in front of a celebratory home crowd in Dusseldorf will smash open doors to a bigger 2027.

Hysa has yo-yoed between undercards in Albania, Germany and the United Kingdom across a busy couple of years. He carries a perfect record and a puncher’s chance, but hasn’t been in with a heavyweight as complete as Kabayel.

Even if Kabayel cruises to a defense here, it’ll be an interesting glimpse into what the future of big-time heavyweight boxing in Germany could look like as the country seeks to recapture the glory days of the Klitschko era.

4. Alycia Baumgardner vs. Elif Nur Turhan, 10 rounds, for IBF women’s lightweight title, Nov. 8

Alycia Baumgardner is moving up to lightweight with her sights firmly set on becoming a two-weight world champion — but standing in her way is one of the most dangerous punchers in women’s boxing.

The former undisputed super featherweight champion puts her championship credentials on the line this Sunday against unbeaten IBF lightweight titleholder Elif Nur Turhan in Arlington, Texas.

Baumgardner (18-1, 7 KOs) has looked increasingly comfortable at the top level, but this is a different kind of challenge. Turhan (14-0, 8 KOs) is a relentless, heavy-handed operator who arrives with plenty of momentum after stopping Olympic gold medallist Beatriz Ferreira to claim the title.

Baumgardner has the slicker boxing skills, sharper combinations and experience of operating at the highest level. Turhan, meanwhile, will look to turn this into a physical scrap and make the American uncomfortable.

The prize is more than just another belt. Victory would put Baumgardner in position for one of the biggest bouts to be made in women’s boxing — a mouthwatering showdown with Britain’s Caroline Dubois and another shot at undisputed glory.

But first, she must get past the “Golden Turkish Warrior.” And that could be easier said than done.

3. Riku Masuda vs. Seiya Tsutsumi 2, 12 rounds, for WBA “regular” bantamweight title, Nov. 29

Three years after Seiya Tsutsumi handed Riku Masuda the only defeat of his professional career, the Japanese rivals are ready to settle their differences with a world title on the line.

Masuda (11-1, 9 KOs) has come a long way since that unanimous decision loss in August 2023. The 29-year-old southpaw has developed into one of Japan’s most dangerous bantamweights, stopping former world champion Nonito Donaire before edging Daigo Higa to claim the WBA “Regular” title.

Now comes his first defense — against the man who knows exactly how to beat him.

Tsutsumi (13-0-3, 8 KOs) has hardly been sitting around waiting for a rematch. The unbeaten 30-year-old has beaten current WBC champion Takuma Inoue and Donaire, establishing himself as a formidable force at 118 pounds.

Stylistically, this should be a cracker. Masuda brings explosive southpaw power and a significant reach advantage, while Tsutsumi is a relentless, switch-hitting pressure fighter who thrives on dragging opponents into uncomfortable exchanges.

There is plenty at stake beyond the title. Tsutsumi still considers himself the rightful champion, while Masuda will be desperate to prove their first fight was no blueprint for a repeat.

Tokyo gets a rematch with plenty of unfinished business.

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2. David Jimenez vs. Seigo Yuri Akui, 12 rounds, for WBA junior bantamweight title, Nov. 29

Costa Rica’s David Jimenez heads to Tokyo looking to prove that his elevation to world champion was no accident, but standing across the ring is a former world champion with ambitions of his own.

Jimenez (18-1, 12 KOs) puts his WBA super flyweight title on the line against Japan’s Seigo Yuri Akui (23-3, 13 KOs), who is looking to become a two-weight world champion.

The 34-year-old Costa Rican was elevated to full champion in June after Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez vacated the belt, having previously won the interim title with victory over John Ramirez.

Jimenez fought four times across four different countries between 2024-2025, but a spell of inactivity has seen him out of action for the past 14 months.

Akui, meanwhile, knows what it takes to operate at the highest level. The former WBA flyweight champion lost his crown to Kenshiro Teraji in a unification clash, but has since bounced back with consecutive victories. He now gets the chance to add another world title to his collection.

Expect Jimenez to be the aggressor with high-volume attacks, in an attempt to overwhelm the challenger with relentless combinations. Akui brings a more measured approach, built around his jab, sharp counter-punching and heavy right hand.

As usual, there is a danger of these Tokyo cards flying under the radar. But once the action starts, they rarely disappoint.

1. Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson 2, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBC light heavyweight title, Nov. 7

The first time was so nice … they had to do it twice.

But was it nice for either Joshua Buatsi or Willy Hutchinson? You could argue not.

You have to forget about your feelings when the WBC light heavyweight title comes to town, as Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) and Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) head into Round 13 with the aim to become Britain’s fifth male world titleholder.

Back in 2024, Buatsi edged a split decision victory in a fiercely competitive encounter, with Hutchinson hitting the canvas twice. The Scot was far from happy with the verdict, while Buatsi himself was hardly celebrating a career-best performance.

Two years on, they’re ready to settle the score all over again — this time with world honors on the line.

Hutchinson arrives off the back of consecutive victories over Ezra Taylor and Mark Jeffers, while Buatsi has had a rather tougher ride; a spirited but bruising defeat to Callum Smith was followed by a narrow victory over Zach Parker.

Both men have something to prove, and neither will be short of motivation when they meet again — this time in a 50/50 pick ’em.