The 10 Best Pound-For-Pound Boxers, Ranked
Following Ryan Garcia's victory over Devin Haney, we ranked the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world from No. 10 to 1.
Ask any boxer or trainer about the mythical pound-for-pound rankings and you’ll usually get one of two responses: a smirk or a massive eye-roll.
Because nothing elicits more laughs or scorn from those actively participating in the sport than talk about a worthless list. Pound-for-pound rankings are an arbitrary and subjective creation with no set criteria. They have absolutely no bearing whatsoever in how matchups are made, or champions are determined. And they don’t (at least tangibly) make boxers more money.
“Pound-for-pound rankings is by opinions only,” says trainer Johnathon Banks who has worked with future Hall of Famer Gennadiy Golovkin. “You don’t get [a] championship with opinions. What are the criteria? That is a question that’s never really been answered.”
Trying to determine the 10 best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class, isn’t an easy task considering how wildly bodies, styles, and skillsets (like power and defense) vary as you scan the spectrum of today’s best boxers. Anyone looking to weigh in on the pound-for-pound debate—or create their own list—could easily value one characteristic more heavily than another boxing aficionado.
“In a way that ya’ll justify it, ya’ll don’t look into everything that surrounds a fighter being pound-for-pound,” Terence Crawford, who can make a legitimate case to be No. 1, has previously told us.
To some, a fighter’s resume matters most—who have you fought, who have you beat, and who have your opponent’s beat? Others base their rankings on the eye test—when they see greatness, they know it. Others might value whether you can put an opponent down and how fast. Have you racked up titles? Are you chasing them? Are you a one-trick pony? Do you fight more than once a year?
“It’s good for the media, social media, it keeps people talking. That’s why I like it,” says Banks. “Anything that gets people talking about the sport is good for the sport.”
Just don’t get the boxers themselves involved. They usually want no part of the debate. A notable exception is Crawford, who will readily tell you he’s the pound-for-pound best. Meanwhile, Vasiliy Lomachenko, a living legend in the sport, told us he would never say he’s the best “because I’m too shy to say.” Golovkin, on the other hand, doesn’t know how you can reasonably compare a lightweight with a light heavyweight or a welterweight with a heavyweight, a fair criticism of the pound-for-pound rankings.
“It’s so crazy to me. Everybody’s different,” says Golovkin.
While it’s ridiculous to those putting themselves at risk that anyone could definitively rank boxing’s best across its different weight classes, Complex Sports can’t help weighing in.
11.
Ask any boxer or trainer about the mythical pound-for-pound rankings and you’ll usually get one of two responses: a smirk or a massive eye-roll.
Because nothing elicits more laughs or scorn from those actively participating in the sport than talk about a worthless list. Pound-for-pound rankings are an arbitrary and subjective creation with no set criteria. They have absolutely no bearing whatsoever in how matchups are made, or champions are determined. And they don’t (at least tangibly) make boxers more money.
“Pound-for-pound rankings is by opinions only,” says trainer Johnathon Banks who has worked with future Hall of Famer Gennadiy Golovkin. “You don’t get [a] championship with opinions. What are the criteria? That is a question that’s never really been answered.”
Trying to determine the 10 best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class, isn’t an easy task considering how wildly bodies, styles, and skillsets (like power and defense) vary as you scan the spectrum of today’s best boxers. Anyone looking to weigh in on the pound-for-pound debate—or create their own list—could easily value one characteristic more heavily than another boxing aficionado.
“In a way that ya’ll justify it, ya’ll don’t look into everything that surrounds a fighter being pound-for-pound,” Terence Crawford, who can make a legitimate case to be No. 1, has previously told us.
To some, a fighter’s resume matters most—who have you fought, who have you beat, and who have your opponent’s beat? Others base their rankings on the eye test—when they see greatness, they know it. Others might value whether you can put an opponent down and how fast. Have you racked up titles? Are you chasing them? Are you a one-trick pony? Do you fight more than once a year?
“It’s good for the media, social media, it keeps people talking. That’s why I like it,” says Banks. “Anything that gets people talking about the sport is good for the sport.”
Just don’t get the boxers themselves involved. They usually want no part of the debate. A notable exception is Crawford, who will readily tell you he’s the pound-for-pound best. Meanwhile, Vasiliy Lomachenko, a living legend in the sport, told us he would never say he’s the best “because I’m too shy to say.” Golovkin, on the other hand, doesn’t know how you can reasonably compare a lightweight with a light heavyweight or a welterweight with a heavyweight, a fair criticism of the pound-for-pound rankings.
“It’s so crazy to me. Everybody’s different,” says Golovkin.
While it’s ridiculous to those putting themselves at risk that anyone could definitively rank boxing’s best across its different weight classes, Complex Sports can’t help weighing in.
10.Devin Haney
Division: Lightweight, Super Lightweight
Titles: WBC Super Lightweight Champion
Previously: 8
Next fight: N/A
Entering Saturday night, there was no questioning Devin Haney’s status as a pound-for-pound fighter. But after a stunning loss to Ryan Garcia where he was knocked down multiple times and hurt on multiple instances there is some doubt over Haney standing amongst the elite currently. Garcia hurt Haney physically but also broke his aura of invincibility. Where Haney goes next will decide his fate on this list moving forward. Does he have to take a fight against Shakur Stevenson now to rebuild his reputation or will he rematch Ryan Garcia later this year? There are a lot of questions surrounding Haney’s status and future currently.
9.Shakur Stevenson
Division: Lightweight
Titles: WBC lightweight champion
Previously ranked: N/A
Next fight: TBD
Blurb: When it comes to being a technician, Shakur Stevenson might be the definition of that in the ring. Hard to hit and even harder to keep from landing punches on you, Stevenson seemed destined for stardom a few years ago, and while he still is one of the bright young stars in the sport, some of that luster has begun to fade. Whether it’s him constantly antagonizing the likes of Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis on social media, or fighting against the stigma that he is a boring fighter, Stevenson has his work cut out for him to climb these rankings. The talent is undeniable, but he has entered an interesting phase of his career that could decide whether he truly becomes one of the faces of boxing or not. Whoever he next opponent is will determine just how his contemporaries view him and how long he can command the attention of boxing fans around the world.
8.Tyson Fury
Division: Heavyweight
Titles: WBC heavyweight champion
Previously: 6
Next fight: TBD
One of boxing’s biggest personalities, there is no denying that Tyson Fury is one of the most polarizing figures in boxing, but also one of the most talented fighters. His trilogy with Deontay Wilder captivated boxing fans and casual fans across the world, pushing him into superstardom. The next fight that boxing purists want to see from Fury is for him to step into the ring with Oleksandr Usyk to decide who the best heavyweight fighter in the world truly is at this current juncture. A win against Usyk to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world could do the trick in placing Fury’s name amongst the greatest heavyweight fighters to have ever fought, if it isn’t there already
7.Artur Beterbiev
Division: Light Heavyweight
Titles: WBC, WBO, and IBF light heavyweight champion
Previously ranked: N/A
Next fight: vs. Dmitry Bivol on June. 1
Beterbiev has a chance to skyrocket this list in the next few months if things go well for him. He might be the most dangerous man currently in boxing, boasting a 20-0 record with all 20 wins coming by way of knockout. His next bout is set against Dmitry Bivol with all of the light-heavyweight titles on the line. If Beterbiev is able to take down Bivol, he will solidify himself as one of the four best fighters pound-for-pound in the sport right now. Both fighters will enter the fight undefeated, making it the biggest fight of the year. Immortality could be on the horizon for Beterbiev, and if he pulls it off, conversations will need to be had about where he ranks amongst the best fighters in the world.
6.Gervonta Davis
Division: Lightweight
Titles: WBA Lightweight champion
Previously ranked: 7
Next fight: TBA
Gervonta Davis might be the biggest mystery man in boxing currently. Undeniably one of the most gifted and exciting fighters in the sport, Davis’ inactivity of late due to legal issues has led many to wonder what his next move will be to regain his momentum and rightful place in the conversation of the top fighters in the sport. A rematch with Isaac Cruz remains a possibility, as well as potential super fights with guys such as Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson. Regardless, we all just want to see Tank back in the ring and electrifying fans the way we know he is capable of. And best believe that whatever his next move is, all eyes will surely be glued in on Davis.
5.Canelo Alvarez
Division: Super middleweight
Titles: WBC super middleweight, WBO super middleweight, WBA super world super middleweight, IBF super middleweight
Previously: 4
Next fight: May 4th vs. Jaime Munguia
When you’re as dominant as Canelo has been for his career, anything besides the top spot could come as a surprise. But when it comes to the biggest star in boxing, he still remains in the conversation of one of the absolute best fighters in the world. After falling to Dmitry Bivol, Canelo bounced back in dominant fashion with a clear and decisive win over his chief rival Gennady Golovkin, closing the door on the trilogy with two wins and a draw. Now as the calendar turns to 2023, it remains to be seen what comes next for the fighter who has left seemingly no stone unturned in his career. A rematch with Bivol at 168-pounds seems to be inevitable, which will allow Canelo to potentially avenge his only loss besides his blemish to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Regardless of what route he takes, all eyes will be on Canelo, as they always are. – Kameron Hay
4.Dmitry Bivol
Division: Light-heavyweight
Titles: WBA (Super) light-heavyweight
Previously: 9
Next fight: June 1 vs. Artur Beterbiev
This time last year, Bivol wasn’t on the radar at all for a spot on the top 10 pound-for-pound rankings. But when you put a chink in the armor of Canelo Alvarez, defeating him in a title bout, you earn yourself a spot on the list. Bivol controlled the terms of engagement from the onset against Alvarez, pulling off one of the more surprising wins in the last few years. But a message was also sent by Bivol, not only to Alvarez, but to the boxing world as a whole: he is here to stay. Another matchup between the two could happen in 2023, but as of right now Alvarez is slated to face John Ryder next. Regardless, Bivol’s stock is quickly rising.
3.Oleksandr Usyk
Division: Heavyweight
Titles: WBA heavyweight, IBF heavyweight, WBO heavyweight, IBO heavyweight
Previously: 3
Next fight: TBD
At this point, it’s hard to argue anybody over Usyk for the top spot. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist and the former undisputed cruiserweight champion became the unified heavyweight champion of the world in only his third fight in boxing’s most glamorous division. After defeating Anthony Joshua for the second time, Usyk is firmly atop the pound for pound list as the top heavyweight fighter in the world. With potential mega-fights on the docket with Tyson Fury and even possibly Deontay Wilder, there is more potential for Usyk to rack in major paydays while also enhancing an already stellar resume.
2.Naoya Inoue
Division: Bantamweight
Titles: WBA bantamweight, WBC bantamweight, IBF bantamweight
Previously: 2
Next fight: N/A
The 30-year-old slugger nicknamed the Monster is living up to it—he’s 20-0 in world title fights—and is undeniably one of the top fighters in the sport. For the ultra-talented 118-pounder—who won the World Boxing Super Series after earning a unanimous decision over future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in our 2019 Fight of the Year—it was his performance in their rematch that boosted him to the top of the list. On June 7th, he stopped Donaire in the second round by TKO, instilling fear in one of the former nine-time world champion, and leaving no questions on who the top bantamweight fighter in the world is, but also who the pound-for-pound king in the sport is. On July 25th, he knocked out yet another champion, with a TKO stoppage of Stephen Fulton, making it seem as if the two didn’t even belong in the ring with one another. Inou has a strong case for the best fighter in the world, and if he continues to dominate champions in the manner he has, it will be hard to keep him from the top spot much longer.
1.Terence Crawford
Division: Light middleweight
Division: Welterweight
Titles: WBA welterweight champion, WBO welterweight champion, WBC welterweight champion
Previously: 1
Next fight: N/A
July 29th served as a coronation of sorts for Crawford. Already one of the greatest fighters of this era, and a lock to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, the only thing that was left for him was the signature win over an opponent that was seen as equal to his talent and skillset. He secured that signature win over Errol Spence Jr., becoming the first four-belt champion in welterweight history and now becoming the undisputed champion in two different weight classes. There is no question currently about who the best fighter in the world is, the real debate is just where Crawford stands on the list of the greatest fighters of all-time. Questions about his resume at 147-pounds have been put to rest for good, and now his body of work is bulletproof.