Pound for Pound Rankings

The term “Pound for Pound” was originally created for Sugar Ray Robinson. Robinson is widely considered the greatest boxer ever. It meant that if all fighters were the same size, Robinson would beat them all. A pound for pound list determines who the best fighters are if, hypothetically, all were the same size.

BoxingAfrica.com determines a fighter’s status primarily by the quality of opposition. Fighting style is also given consideration as we look at head to head matchups but we believe your resume defines your greatness. We hope the list below reflects that and welcome all comments.

1. TERENCE CRAWFORD (40-0, 31 KO’s)

WBC, WBA, IBF & WBO Undisputed Welterweight World Champion

Terence “Bud” Crawford delivered one of the greatest megafight performances in modern history last July, stopping Errol Spence Jr. to become the undisputed welterweight world champion. With the win, Crawford stamped himself as the best fighter today and a future Hall of Famer. No one can doubt “Bud” now. What will he do for an encore? The three-division champ has set his sights on moving up three more divisions to challenge Canelo Alvarez. That matchup seems unlikely although if it were to happen and Crawford were to win, he’d place himself in the rarest of airs. For now, there are plenty of other options. Perhaps the rematch with Spence or a unification with rising undefeated IBF 147-pound champion, Jaron “Boots” Ennis. If not, Crawford may seek a world title in a fourth weight class versus 154-pound world champions Jermell Charlo and Tim Tszyu. All of those are fights to get excited about.

Next: vs. TBD

2. NAOYA INOUE (25-0, 22 KO’s)

WBC & WBO Super Bantamweight World Champion

How good is undefeated four-division world champion Naoya Inoue? Inoue is simply one of the finest operators the sport has seen in recent times, as proven when he dominated and stopped an elite Stephen Fulton in July 2023. Now the unified 122-pound champion, Inoue is gunning to become an undisputed world champ in a second straight weight class when he faces Marlon Tapales. We like the Japanese technician to prove again that he is indeed, “The Monster.”

Next: December 26 vs. Marlon Tapales

3. SAUL ALVAREZ (60-2-2, 39 KO’s)

WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is back. Following an eight-year unbeaten streak that came to an end when he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol in May 2022, Canelo has since won three straight, including an impressive wide decision win over then-undisputed 154-pound world champion Jermell Charlo. Canelo has plenty of options but the one fight we all want to see, perhaps the biggest fight in boxing today, is a showdown versus undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David Benavidez. Canelo isn’t one to dodge a challenge, as he’s proven throughout his career. We expect to see that superfight sometime in 2024.

Next: vs. TBD

4. GERVONTA DAVIS (29-0, 27 KO’s)

WBA Lightweight World Champion

The future is here. Gervonta “Tank” Davis is not only the biggest U.S. boxing star, he has captured five world titles through three divisions while remaining unbeaten and delivering knockout after knockout. Davis’ quality of opposition is often underrated. He first captivated fans at age 21, becoming the youngest champ in the sport when he scored a spectacular stoppage versus undefeated incumbent Jose Pedraza. How about his epic, one-punch knockout of four-division world champion and future Hall of Fame candidate, Leo Santa Cruz? Or moving up to 140 and stopping an undefeated Mario Barrios–the same Barrios who defeated Yordenis Ugas last September? Davis is special. His seventh-round TKO of Ryan Garcia in April was the biggest fight of 2023, selling over 1.2 million pay-per-views domestically. The sky is the limit.

Next: vs. TBD

5. DMITRY BIVOL (21-0, 11 KO’s)

WBA Light Heavyweight Super World Champion

Bivol earned 2022 Fighter of the Year honors by besting Canelo Alvarez and battering Gilberto Ramirez, proving that his undefeated record and impressive resume are no fluke. A gifted boxer with a high ring IQ, Bivol is a tough out for anyone from 168-175. Perhaps that’s why no one is in a rush to get ins the ring with him. His December title defense against the limited Lyndon Arthur will be his only fight of 2023. Here’s to hoping we see Bivol in more meaningful action in 2024.

Next: December 23 vs. Lyndon Arthur

6. OLEKSANDR USYK (21-0, 14 KO’s)

WBA, IBF & WBO World Heavyweight Champion

After becoming the undisputed champion at cruiserweight, Ukraine’s Oleksandry Usyk seeks to do the same at heavyweight, where he has thus far captured three world titles in two victories over Anthony Joshua. Usyk returned last August with a stoppage win over Daniel Dubois, a fight where he showed vulnerability. Yet he always finds a way to win. Next? A highly anticipated undisputed bout versus Tyson Fury. Usyk is going to need every tool in his arsenal to pull this one off, but we wouldn’t count him out in this one. The tricky left-hander is always at his best when the lights shine brightest.

Next: February 17 vs. Tyson Fury

7. DEVIN HANEY (30-0, 15 KO’s)

Devin Haney might be the 2023 Fighter of the Year. Haney is on an impressive run, becoming undisputed lightweight world champion with his win over Vasiliy Lomachenko in May. Haney has now moved up to super lightweight, where he’ll take on the hard-hitting WBC champion Regis Prograis in one of the most anticipated matchups of the year. Haney has fulfilled the potential so many saw in him. The smooth boxer is amassing an elite dossier and becoming a star. Stay tuned.

Next: December 9 vs. Regis Prograis

8. JERMELL CHARLO (35-2-1, 19 KO’S)

WBC, WBA Super Welterweight World Champion

Jermell Charlo dared to be great, moving up two divisions to challenge Canelo Alvarez. No shame in losing to the great Alvarez although Charlo had to relinquish two titles in his own weight class and is no longer undisputed at 154-pounds. Nevertheless, he is still considered the man at super welterweight, holding two world titles there with a track record that makes him a Hall of Fame candidate. A potential superbout versus Terence Crawford could be next, or a bad blood match versus Tim Tszyu. Either way, fight fans are the real winners — which has always been the case when it comes to Charlo, a classic boxer-puncher who has consistently faced the very best.

Next: vs. TBD

9. TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KO’S)

WBO Junior Welterweight World Champion

Teofimo Lopez has bounced back from his shocking 2021 loss to George Kambosos Jr., winning three straight, including the finest performance of his career: a dominant, head-turning unanimous decision over Josh Taylor in 2023. With the win, Lopez is now the WBO 140-pound world champion and a two-division titlist. With a record that includes wins over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Richard Commey and now Taylor, the Kambosos loss seems like an anamoly.

Next: vs. TBD

10. ERROL SPENCE JR. (28-1, 22 KO’s)

Errol Spence Jr. lost his standing as the king of the welterweight division when he was dominated by Terence Crawford last July. Crawford became undisputed welterweight world champion with a seventh-round stoppage win over Spence, adding Spence’s three titles to his WBO crown. Spence’s performance that night was surprising and disappointing. Was the pride of Dallas weight drained? Injured? Or is the sensational Crawford simply that good? A rematch could answer some of these questions.

Next: vs. TBD

The Next 10: David Benavidez, Juan Francisco Estrada, Kazuto Ioka, Artur Beterbiev, Jaron Ennis, Tyson Fury, Shakur Stevenson, Jermall Charlo, Emanuel Navarrete, Luis Nery