By Eóin Kennedy
Yes, the pound-for-pound rankings in boxing are purely subjective and are completely unofficial regardless of which list you are reading. No, there is no tangible nor existing metric system to determine who is boxing’s greatest fighter across all weight classes. Tyson Fury has argued for years that the heavyweight number one is by proxy the number one fighter in the world, on occasion using Roman ‘Choclatito’ as an example, claiming that he would eat the much smaller fighter alive. It’s true that the pound-for-pound list is merely fantasy, but it can provide lots of fun for us fans as we get to debate one another’s selections. So, in the name of fun, here’s Head Body Boxing’s top ten pound-for-pound fighters:
- Oleksandr Usyk – WBO, WBC and WBA Heavyweight World Champion
Next fight: Tyson Fury – December 21st, 2024
Oleksandr’s Usyk’s place amongst the top ten across all of boxing was already solidified by his sweep of the cruiserweight division, but to jump up to heavyweight and repeat the trick by coming undisputed world champion in the land of giants was truly something incredible to achieve. Two victories over Anthony Joshua and one over Tyson Fury are what leap off the page when you read the Ukrainian’s resume, but his knockout triumph over current IBF world champion, Daniel Dubois, is also getting more impressive with the passing of time. Usyk faces Fury in December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in a world title rematch that is so intriguing to analyze. Fury will for the first time in his career be entering the ring on the back of a loss, will Usyk be facing a different animal? Time will tell but Usyk-Fury 2 is up there with the best fights that can made in boxing today.
2. Terence Crawford – WBA Light-Middleweight World Champion
Next Fight – TBC
It doesn’t seem like there’s justice in the world for Terence Crawford not to be an automatic choice for number one on everyone’s list, but the harsh fact is that the Nebraska fighter just hasn’t had the opportunities to fight as high a quality of opponent as Usyk has had, on as consistent a basis. Crawford swept all four world titles at light-welterweight but was starved of marquee opponents. Welterweight would provide big names but by the time Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Shawn Porter got in the ring with Crawford, the best days of their careers were already in the rearview mirrors, by quite a bit too. Some argue the same about Errol Spence. There’s no doubting Crawford’s prowess, the man is an all rounder in the ring, but his career could do with another stand-out opponent. Maybe he’ll get the Canelo fight before all is said and done.
3. Naoya Inoue – WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF Super-Bantamweight World Champion
Next fight: TBC
The sentiments that were expressed above about Crawford can be echoed for Naoya Inoue. The phenomom of the lower weight classes has just blown all comers out of the water and has achieved undisputed world champions status in two weight classes much like numbers one and two on this list. Inoue has plenty of significant wins including a couple over Nonito Donaire, and other single victories against Luis Nery, Stephen Fulton and Jason Moloney and he’s essentially a rock star in Japan so his career is in a good place, but it fells like Inoue will struggle to find opponents that will excite the wider boxing audience if he stays at super-bantamweight. Inoue is expected to be defending his world titles in Tokyo in late December against Sam Goodman. Should he win as expected a jump to featherweight would be exciting to watch as he would be pushing his body to the limit. A fight against WBA world champion, Nick Ball, would be a fun fight.
4. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – WBC, WBO and WBA Super-Middleweight World Champion
Next fight: TBC
Boxing’s greatest attraction, Canelo Alvarez, recently overcame Edgar Berlanga in his customary September fight in Las Vegas and is in search of his next opponent. Boxing fans would almost unanimously choose David Benavidez but don’t expect that to happen. Canelo’s place in fan’s pound-for-pound lists is possibly the topic that sparks the most debate, with some arguing that a run of fights with John Ryder, Jermell Charlo, Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga isn’t a sign of greatness. For other fighters, those fights consecutively would rubber stamp a great career, but Canelo is not most fighters. The Mexican legend is the face of boxing and at one point not so long ago was considered the consensus pound-for-pound number one boxer in the world. If he wants to regain that title he may have to see Benavidez in the ring.
5. Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez – WBC Super-Flyweight World Champion
Next fight: Pedro Guevara – November 9th
Bam Rodriguez just keeps on piling up massive win after massive win and at just twenty-four years of age already has one of the most impressive resumes in boxing. Rodriguez has a quiet demeanour and tends to do his talking inside the ring, but the latest star to emerge from Robert Garcia’s famed gym in California has no problem attracting fans. Rodriguez’ aggressive style is exactly what brings excitement in boxing and Rodriguez brings it in spades. He should come through his mandatory world title defence against Pedro Guevara in Philadelphia next month, and who knows, perhaps a super-fight with Inoue is in his future.
6. Artur Beterbiev – WBC, WBO and IBF Light-Heavyweight World Champion
Next fight: Dmitry Bivol – October 12th
It’s less than a week until Artur Beterbiev and compatriot, Dmitry Bivol, go head-to-head for the four world titles at light-heavyweight. The winner of this fight may have cause to argue that they should be number one on a list such as this, or at least in the conversation. Beterbiev vs Bivol is a great fight for boxing and while not true from a marketability point of view, this fight may be the best fight in the sport right now when judging on skill level and competitiveness. Beterbiev is a wrecking ball and has knocked out all of his previous twenty opponents. Next Saturday he faces his toughest test to date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
7. Dmitry Bivol – WBO Light-Heavyweight World Champion
Next fight: Artur Beterbiev, October 12th
Most of what was said above about Beterbiev applies to Dmitry Bivol. This Russian fighter caught the boxing world’s attention when he got a famous victory over Canelo Alvarez, but in Beterbiev, Bivol will be facing a fully fledged light-heavyweight and the most fearsome puncher in the division at that. Bivol is more of a technical boxer than his fellow country man and he’ll be hoping he has the skills to negate his opponents devastating power. If Bivol triumphs he may very well go to number one on the pound-for-pound list. Canelo and Beterbiev would be significant scalps, let’s see if he can pull it off.
8. Tyson Fury
Next Fight: Oleksandr Usyk, December 21
One loss doesn’t turn you into a bad fighter all of a sudden and Tyson Fury has certainly achieved enough prior to the loss to Usyk to deserve being on this list. His trilogy with Deontay Wilder will go down in boxing folklore and although Wilder’s career spiraled in the aftermath, those wins (and even the draw given the context) were massively significant at the time. Fury’s career has been spectacular already but it’s clear he doesn’t like not being the reigning king of the heavyweight division. He’s going to be fired up like never before against Usyk in Riyadh in December, time will tell if he can regain his crown.
9. Vasiliy Lomachenko – IBF Lightweight World Champion
Next fight: TBC
Yes, the Ukrainian icon, Vasiliy Lomachenko is now in the twilight of his career and many boxing fans harp on that he gets preferential treatment when it comes to selecting pound-for-pound lists, but the fact remains that Lomachenko is a world champion once again and has achieved so much already across a variety of weight classes. It was disappointing to hear that he could have fought Gervonta Davis in December but opted not to, but let’s hope that he is ready to take on that world title unification bout in the new year. Lomachenko vs Davis would be a colossal fight for boxing.
10. Teofimo Lopez – WBO Light-Welterweight World Champion
Next fight: TBC
Say what you want about Teofimo Lopez and complain if you like about his inconsistency in side the boxing ring and his erratic ways outside of it, the fact remains that twice in his career, Lopez has taken on the number one man in a division and beaten them when not fancied to do so; Lomachenko at lightweight and Josh Taylor at light-welterweight. Lopez performs best on the biggest stages when facing the toughest challenges. He’s now chasing the Terence Crawford fight despite the weight differential, which isn’t an insurmountable one. Crawford has told Lopez to go and beat Israil Madrimov first if he wants the fight. Lopez is spending a lot of energy feeding into this new rivalry with Crawford but chasing a fight with the WBC world champion in his own weight class, Devin Haney, would make more sense. Lopez vs Haney would be a huge fight for boxing but New York Native, Lopez, is known to be a maverick character so let’s see what he his next move will be. It certainly isn’t easy to predict right now.