Just three weeks into 2025 and the race to be the highly subjective Pound-for-Pound and ‘boxing’s best’ is on !
First to stake his claim, on 8 January, was Australia’s current ‘world’ cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia, who beat his IBF challenger David Nyika with a devastating fourth round knockout. ‘Chilling’ rightly summed it up.
Being holder of the prestigious Ring Magazine title is usually confirmation of divisional dominance and your place amongst boxing’s elite. But, who is top of the tree ? Who cares ? Well, we do for one.
The pound-for-pound crown, as subjective as it may be, based on one’s personal opinion, is what boxing debates are all about. So, who is the #1 King ?
Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk by virtue of cleaning out the world heavyweight division in the last two years, the flagship of the sport, is generally accepted as the pound-for-pound King. His double victories over former world belt holders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, plus stopping current IBF champion Daniel Dubois are proof of this.
The Ring magazine’s current ‘Pound-for-Pound’ list is;
- Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs)
- Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs)
- Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs)
- Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs)
- Dmitry Bivol (23-1-0, 12 KOs)
- Jesse Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs)
- Saul Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs)
- Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs)
- Junto Nakatini (29-0, 22 KOs)
- Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs)
Ironically, Jai Opetaia, despite boasting a 27-0 (21 KOs) record is just outside their top ten.
What is the usual staple criteria for entering and remaining in this list is preservation of the ‘O’ , signifying no losses. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez being the exception to the rule, based on his longevity and elite win record. He has moved through the divisions capturing world straps from 140lbs (10st) to 175 (12st, 7lbs).
This moving through divisions and, largely dominating, is the next criteria for universal acceptance. It is always argued though depending on whether they just passed through or really were the champion. In recent years Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were good examples of this, although no one can dispute their boxing hall-of-fame status.
Next up, this Friday (24 January) in Tokyo is #2 pound-for-pounder ‘The Monster’ Naoya Inoue, who faces big underdog Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs) in defence of his undisputed junior-featherweight (122lbs/8st, 10lbs) crown. Another Inoue victory may secure his listing status, but will not be sufficient to elevate him to #1 in most observers eyes, however emphatic his win.
It would be devastating if the Japanese lost to his Korean challenger, but that is highly unlikely Friday or, in the immediate future.
Coming in at #3 in The Ring list is Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford. In the eyes of many, particularly those Stateside, the boxing boss. His record is outstanding and he’s the epitome of moving through the divisions and capturing multiple ‘world’ titles.
The big pound-for-pound match coming up is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 22 February between Russian ‘world’ light-heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. This highly anticipated rematch of their close fight last October will determine #4 and 5, and possible elevate one of them to pound-for-pound king. Beterbiev currently holds their superiority and Bivol’s former WBA title by virtue of his narrow earlier points victory.
The world powerbroker of boxing based on the Saudi state financial resources at his disposal, his passion for the sport and, his personal endeavours to back the sport and make the fights that matter, is His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. In many ways, in the background, he will be the Kingmaker. Him being the current owner and custodian of The Ring it is here it will be confirmed to the majority of boxing observers and aficionados.
Alalshikh is reportedly looking to make a highly lucrative and anticipated match-up between ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and ‘Bud’ Crawford. There’s the ‘small’ matters of further negotiation and the current fighting weight differential of 14lbs/1 stone) between them (Canelo at super-middleweight and Crawford at junior-middle). It’s sure to be mouthwatering if it happens, most likely at a median ‘catchweight’.
For now, let’s just enjoy the ride, its twists and turns over the coming twelve months, as the fighters jostle for the ‘pound-for-pound’ crown and to be boxing’s King.
Naoya Inoue will be shown on Sky Sports in the UK around Friday lunchtime and on ESPN+ in the USA.
The Undisputed 