The Ring magazine has recently revealed its prestigious list of the best Pound-for-Pound boxers in the world, with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk taking the top spot. This publication, known for its divisional rankings since 1925, is widely respected by boxing fans and experts globally. The selection was made by a panel of twelve experts, who debate and democratically decide the positions of each boxer.
Oleksandr Usyk Tops the List
Oleksandr Usyk sits at number one of The Ring magazine’s ranking, boasting an impeccable record of 22-0 (14 KOs). Usyk, a gold medalist at the 2012 Olympics, dominated the cruiserweight division, defeating opponents such as Krzysztof Glowacki, Mairis Briedis, and Murat Gassiev. In his transition to heavyweight, he stood out by beating Anthony Joshua twice, to become the unified champion of the division. Recently, Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois and defeated Tyson Fury in a closely contested split decision to become boxing’s first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion. His next challenge will be a rematch against Fury on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Naoya Inoue: The “Monster” from Japan in Second Place
Naoya Inoue, with an impressive record of 27-0 (24 KOs), holds the second position. Nicknamed “The Monster,” he has captured world titles in four different weight classes, from 108 to 122 pounds. Inoue gained worldwide recognition after his victories over Nonito Donaire in two thrilling bouts. Recently, Inoue became the undisputed super-bantamweight champion after defeating Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales, and defended the titles against Luis Nery and TJ Doheny.
Terence Crawford: Master of the Ring
Terence Crawford, with a record of 41-0 (31 KOs), is in third place. This talented American boxer has been the undisputed champion in two weight classes, at 140 and 147 pounds. Crawford made headlines by defeating Errol Spence Jr., unifying the welterweight world titles to become the first two-divisional four-belt champion in boxing history. His most recent victory was against Israil Madrimov, where he won the WBA junior middleweight title and became a four-division champion. Although he hoped to face Canelo Álvarez, Crawford now seems to be exploring other options in the 154-pound division.
Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol: The Light Heavyweight Giants
Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs), in fourth place, remains undefeated and had knocked out all his opponents ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Dmitry Bivol (23-1 12 KOs), who ranks fifth. The pair faced off on October 12 in Saudi Arabia, with Beterbiev getting a controversial nod on the scorecards.
Canelo Álvarez and His Undisputed Legacy
Canelo Álvarez is sixth of The Ring magazine’s ranking, with a record of 61-2-2 (39 KOs). The Mexican has defeated prominent boxing figures such as Shane Mosley, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Caleb Plant. Although he lost to Dmitry Bivol in 2022, Canelo has bounced back, defeating Jermell Charlo and Jaime Munguía in some of his most recent fights.
Jesse Rodríguez: The Rising Young Talent
In seventh place is Jesse Rodríguez (20-0, 13 KOs). The American captured the attention of the boxing world by defeating Carlos Cuadras to become world champion and has looked phenomenal since. Rodríguez has proven to be a formidable contender in the smaller divisions and is touted to collect belts at multiple weights, though his immediate future involves a showdown against Pedro Guevara later this year.
Gervonta Davis and Junto Nakatani: Power and Technique
Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) occupies the eighth spot. The charismatic American boxer is known for his incredible knockout power and ability to sell out arenas across the United States. In ninth place is Junto Nakatani (29-0, 22 KOs), the talented Japanese fighter who became the WBC world bantamweight champion by defeating Alexandro Santiago at the beginning of the year.
Devin Haney Rounds Out the Top 10
In tenth place is Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), who at 25 has been the undisputed lightweight champion and captured the WBC super lightweight title by defeating Regis Prograis in late 2023 – a title which he has since vacated. Although he has gone through controversy with Ryan García, he remains one of the most promising young talents in the sport.
Boxers on the Brink of the Top 10
Among the names that were close to entering the prestigious ranking are David Benavidez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Shakur Stevenson, Jai Opetaia, and Kenshiro Teraji, who could appear in future editions of The Ring magazine’s ranking.
📋 Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol have both now leapfrogged Canelo Alvarez in the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound top ten:
1️⃣🇺🇦 Oleksandr Usyk
2️⃣🇯🇵 Naoya Inoue
3️⃣🇺🇸 Terence Crawford
4️⃣🇷🇺 Artur Beterbiev
5️⃣🇷🇺 Dmitry Bivol
6️⃣🇲🇽 Canelo Alvarez
7️⃣🇺🇸 Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez
8️⃣🇺🇸…— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 15, 2024
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