POUND FOR POUND RANKINGS
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1Naoya Inoue
23-0, 20 KOsAGE29
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESIBF Bantamweight (2019-Present, 5 Defenses); WBA “super” Bantamweight (2019-Present, 3 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Bantamweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
ADDITIONAL TITLESWBC Light Flyweight (2014, 1 Defense); WBO Super Flyweight (2014-18, 7 Defenses); Ring Bantamweight (2019-Present, 1 Defense)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS16-0, 14 KO (18-0, 16 KO including WBA secondary title fights)
LAST 5 OPPONENTSNonito Donaire TKO2, UD12; Aran Dipaen TKO8; Michael Dasmarinas KO3; Jason Moloney KO7; Emanuel Rodriguez KO2
NEXT OPPONENTTBD
THE TAKEAfter a string of five straight wins over consensus top ten bantamweights, the effect of the pandemic on Inoue’s career became clear with a disappointing 2021 that saw Inoue all but lose a year of his prime in inconsequential affairs. 2022 is off to a different start. Inoue was breathtaking against Nonito Donaire in their rematch. It was only the second stoppage loss of Donaire’s career and no one had ever gone through him like that. Inoue might be boxing’s best combination of speed, skill, and power and may next test those attributes in his fourth weight class, the red hot Jr. featherweight.
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2Oleksandr Usyk
19-0, 13 KOsAGE35
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBA/IBF/WBO/IBO Heavyweight (2021-Present, 0 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld/TBRB/Ring Cruiserweight (2018-19, 1 Defense)
ADDITIONAL TITLESWBA Cruiserweight (2018, 1 Defense); WBO Cruiserweight (2016-19, 6 Defenses), WBC Cruiserweight (2018-19, 2 Defenses); IBF Cruiserweight (2018-19, 1 Defense)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS8-0, 3 KO
LAST 5 OPPONENTSAnthony Joshua UD12; Dereck Chisora UD12; Chazz Witherspoon RTD7; Tony Bellew TKO8; Murat Gassiev UD12
NEXT OPPONENTAnthony Joshua (24-2, 22 KO)
THE TAKEQuestions about Usyk’s viability at heavyweight were answered emphatically against Anthony Joshua. The former undisputed cruiserweight champion is now one win away from accomplishing the same feat in boxing’s flagship class. Usyk will have to repeat his victory over Joshua again before he can try. Bonus points go to Ukraine’s Usyk for winning ten in a row on the road, including all eight of his title fights.
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3Errol Spence
28-0, 22 KOsAGE33
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESIBF Welterweight (2017-Present, 6 Defenses); WBC Welterweight (2019-Present, 2 Defenses); WBA Welterweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS7-0, 4 KO
LAST 5 OPPONENTSYordenis Ugas TKO10; Danny Garcia UD12; Shawn Porter SD12; Mikey Garcia UD12; Carlos Ocampo KO1
NEXT OPPONENTTDB
THE TAKESpence lost a year after an auto accident and then another to an eye injury. He also lost a chance to end the career of Manny Pacquiao. Spence settled for defeating the man who got that assignment when Spence was injured, battering and stopping Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas. There is only one belt at welterweight Spence doesn’t have. Are we finally ready for Spence versus Terence Crawford?
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4Terence Crawford
38-0, 29 KOsAGE34
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBO Welterweight (2018-Present, 5 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Lightweight (2014-15); World Jr. Welterweight (2016-17, 3 Defenses)
ADDITIONAL TITLESWBO Lightweight (2014-15, 2 Defenses); TBRB/Ring Lightweight (2014-15); WBO Light Welterweight (2015-17, 6 Defenses); WBC/TBRB/Ring Super Lightweight (2016-17, 3 Defenses); WBA Super Lightweight (2017); IBF Jr. Welterweight (2017)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS16-0, 13 KO
LAST 5 OPPONENTSShawn Porter TKO10; Kell Brook TKO4; Egidijus Kavaliauskas TKO9; Amir Khan TKO6; Jose Benavidez Jr. TKO12
NEXT OPPONENTTBD
THE TAKECrawford had an opponent to get excited about arguably for the first time at welterweight and Crawford did what he’s always done: win. Shawn Porter was stopped for the first time in his career and now it’s wait and see for Crawford’s next move. The best fight in the division on paper hasn’t changed in several years. It’s Crawford facing Spence. Neither man has anything scheduled. Boxing can’t ask for more.
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5Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez
57-2-2, 38 KOsAGE31
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBA Super Middleweight (2020-Present, 3 Defenses); WBC Super Middleweight (2020-Present, 3 Defenses); WBO Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 1 Defense); IBF Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 0 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 0 Defenses) World Middleweight (2015-21, 4 Defenses)
ADDITIONAL TITLESWBC Super Welterweight (2011-13, 6 Defenses); Ring Super Welterweight (2013); WBC Middleweight (2015-17, 2 Defenses; 2018-19, 1 Defense); WBO Super Welterweight (2016-17); IBF middleweight (2019); WBO Light Heavyweight (2019); WBA Middleweight (2018-21, 1 Defense); TBRB/Ring Magazine Middleweight (2015-17, 1 Defense; 2018-21, 1 Defense); Ring Magazine Super Middleweight (2020-Present, 3 Defenses); TBRB Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 1 Defense)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS17-2-1, 10 KO (18-2-1, 11 KO including WBA secondary title fights)
LAST 5 OPPONENTSDmitry Bivol L12; Caleb Plant TKO11; Billy Joe Saunders RTD8; Avni Yildirim RTD3; Callum Smith UD12
NEXT OPPONENTSeptember 17, 2022 vs. Gennadiy Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KO)
THE TAKEAlvarez slipped from his perch atop the rankings but voters disagreed about how far he should fall. In much the same way college football powerhouses can lose and stay ahead of the foe who bested them, Alvarez stays slightly ahead of Bivol. Alvarez was riding a lengthy unbeaten streak that included unifying the super middleweight class and moves on to a third fight with middleweight rival Gennadiy Golovkin in the fall.
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6Dmitry Bivol
20-0, 11 KOsAGE31
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBA Light Heavyweight (2017-Present, 9 Defenses)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS9-0, 2 KO (12-0, 4 KO including interim title fights)
LAST 5 OPPONENTSSaul Alvarez UD12; Umar Salamov UD12; Craig Richards UD12; Lenin Castillo UD12; Joe Smith Jr. UD12
NEXT OPPONENTTBA
THE TAKEBivol was building an impressive resume but his career quieted after a lopsided win over future titlist Joe Smith Jr. It’s roaring now. Bivol was masterful in outboxing super middleweight king Saul Alvarez. The division has serious challengers like Gilberto Ramirez and a three-belted champion coming in the winner of Smith-Beterbiev. Can Bivol move from Alvarez to a chance at undisputed?
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7Jermell Charlo
35-1-1, 19 KOAGE32
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBC Super Welterweight (2019-Present, 1 Defense); Ring/WBA/IBF Jr. middleweight (2020-Present, 1st Attempted Defense)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Jr. Middleweight (2020-Present, 2 Defenses)
ADDITIONAL TITLESWBC Super Welterweight (2016-18, 3 Defenses); Ring Jr. Middleweight (2020-Present, 2 Defenses); TBRB Jr. Middleweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS7-1-1, 6 KO
LAST 5 OPPONENTSBrian Castano KO10, D12; Jeison Rosario KO8; Tony Harrison KO11, L12; Jorge Cota KO3; Austin Trout MD12
NEXT OPPONENTTBA
THE TAKEThere were doubts about who deserved the decision the first time Charlo faced Brian Castano. There were none after the rematch. Charlo once again showed he’s one of those fighters who get better when they see an opponent a second time. Charlo has now been a centerpiece of the Jr. middleweight division title picture for six years, crowing his time there with an undisputed title. We can begin to ask where Charlo ranks with the greats of his weight of his division.
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8Tyson Fury
32-0-1, 23 KOsAGE33
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBC Heavyweight (2020-Present, 2 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Heavyweight (2015-Present, 8 Defenses)
ADDITIONAL TITLES: IBF Heavyweight (2015); WBA/WBO Heavyweight (2015-16); TBRB Heavyweight (2015-16; 20-Present, 1 Defense), Ring (2015-18; 20-Present, 1 Defense)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS8-0-1, 5 KO including all lineal title fights; 4-0-1, 3 KO including only sanctioning body title fights
LAST 5 OPPONENTSDillian Whyte TKO6; Deontay Wilder D12, TKO7, KO11; Otto Wallin UD12; Tom Schwarz TKO2; Francesco Pianeta W10
NEXT OPPONENTTBA
THE TAKETyson Fury outside the ring, and between fights, may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s hard to criticize once the bell rings. He proved it again against veteran contender Dillian Whyte, dominating and stopping him in front of a massive Wembley crowd. Fury says he’s retired but he hasn’t vacated the WBC belt to prove it. The tune could change once the dust settles on Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua II.
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9Shakur Stevenson
19-0, 9 KOAGE24
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESWBO Jr. Lightweight (2021-Present, 1 Defense); WBC Super Featherweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
LINEAL TITLESWorld Jr. Lightweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS3-0, 1 KO (4-0, 1 KO including interim title fights)
LAST 5 OPPONENTSOscar Valdez UD12; Jamel Herring TKO10; Jeremia Nakathila UD12; Toka Kahn Clary UD12; Felix Caraballo KO6
NEXT OPPONENTTBA
THE TAKEIn consecutive fights, the 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist dominated arguably the two best Jr. lightweights in the world, barely losing a round. Sound defensively, quick, and patient, Stevenson shows excellent maturity belying his youth. His best days lie ahead and it’s only a matter of time until he’s knocking on the door for gold in his third weight class.
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10Stephen Fulton
21-0, 8 KOAGE27
CURRENT ALPHABET TITLESNone (Holds secondary WBA belts at lightweight and Jr. welterweight)
LINEAL TITLESWBO Jr. Featherweight (2021-Present, 2 Defenses); WBC Super Bantamweight (2021-Present, 1 Defense)
RECORD IN TITLE FIGHTS3-0
LAST 5 OPPONENTSDaniel Roman UD12; Brandon Figueroa MD12; Angelo Leo UD12; Arnold Khegai UD12; Isaac Avelar KO6
NEXT OPPONENTTBA
THE TAKEFulton has impressed in his first three title contests, unifying half of the red hot Jr. featherweight class. Could fellow unified titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev or bantamweight king Naoya Inoue be in Fulton’s future?
Extras
Roman Gonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrada, Gervonta Davis, Gennadiy Golovkin, Devin Haney