Several top boxers were recently in action, including fighters ranked in the top 10 like Naoya Inoue and Canelo Alvarez. Inoue recovered from an early knockdown in the second round to secure a technical knockout victory in the eighth against Ramon Cardenas, successfully defending his undisputed junior featherweight championship in Las Vegas. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Canelo went the distance over 12 rounds against William Scull, winning by unanimous decision. However, his performance was notable for throwing only 152 punches, the second-lowest total in a 12-round CompuBox recorded fight over the last four decades.
Canelo landed just 56 punches compared to Scull`s 55 in the fight. While he added the IBF belt to become a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion, his performance did not sufficiently impress our panel of experts. Consequently, Canelo`s ranking has dropped one position to No. 7. His next scheduled fight is against Terence Crawford on September 12 in Las Vegas.
“[Scull] wasn`t trying to win,” Alvarez commented after the bout. “He was merely trying to survive, and I dislike opponents with that approach. He moved more than I anticipated, but it`s acceptable. We secured the win.”
ESPN boxing writer Andreas Hale explained his decision to lower Canelo`s ranking after the Scull fight. “Canelo`s drop on my list stems from the somewhat unimpressive quality of his recent opponents,” Hale stated. “Despite his greatness, he hasn`t been involved in a particularly compelling fight since defeating Caleb Plant in 2021. It seems either he`s prioritizing financial security over enhancing his legacy or his performance level is simply declining. This will not be the case against Crawford, but his standing dips based on the `what have you done for me lately` factor inherent in pound-for-pound lists. And frankly, he hasn`t delivered much excitement lately.”
Inoue`s victory extended his streak of knockouts in title fights to 11. He is scheduled for another title defense in September against mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Japan.
“Watching tonight`s fight made it clear to everyone that I enjoy engaging in brawls,” Inoue remarked. “The knockdown was very surprising, but I remained composed and regrouped.”
With this win, Inoue maintains his No. 2 position, trailing only Oleksandr Usyk.
Our panel of experts, including Andreas Hale, Timothy Bradley Jr., Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Bernardo Pilatti, Charles Moynihan, Salvador Rodriguez, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro, Aladdin Freeman, Victor Lopez, and Damian Delgado Averhoff, contributed their votes to the rankings.
Note: Rankings reflect results up to May 8.
1. OLEKSANDR USYK
RECORD: 23-0, 14 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Tyson Fury, Dec. 21
NEXT FIGHT: TBA vs. Daniel Dubois, July 19
Having claimed undisputed status in two weight classes, Usyk has been exceptionally dominant since moving to heavyweight over five years ago. He has twice defeated heavyweight greats like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and also overcame rising talent Daniel Dubois. He is set to face Dubois again on July 19, aiming to unify the heavyweight titles once more. As an Olympic gold medalist and undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, he has achieved nearly everything possible in boxing, solidifying his place among the greatest fighters of all time. — Andreas Hale
2. NAOYA INOUE
RECORD: 30-0, 27 KOs
DIVISION: Junior featherweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO8) Ramon Cardenas, May 4
NEXT FIGHT: TBA vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Naoya Inoue is a rare combination of dominance and excitement in the ring. His captivating fight against Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas further cemented the Japanese star`s reputation as essential viewing. He is already scheduled for a bout in September against Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Japan and may consider moving up to featherweight or pursuing a major fight against fellow Japanese champion Junto Nakatani in 2026. — Hale
3. TERENCE CRAWFORD
RECORD: 40-0, 31 KOs
DIVISION: Junior middleweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Israil Madrimov, Aug. 3
NEXT FIGHT: Sept. 12 vs. Canelo Alvarez
Perhaps the only valid criticism against Crawford being ranked higher is his relatively low activity level. However, his year-long hiatus will end when he moves up to super middleweight to challenge Canelo Alvarez. This presents an opportunity for Crawford to become the sole boxer in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed champion status in three weight classes. It`s remarkable to consider that Crawford began his career winning titles at 135 pounds and is now attempting to dethrone boxing`s biggest name at 168 pounds. If anyone can accomplish this feat, it`s “Bud.” — Hale
4. DMITRY BIVOL
RECORD: 24-1, 12 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (MD12) Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA vs. Artur Beterbiev
Bivol avenged his only career loss with an impressive performance against Artur Beterbiev on February 22. He is expected to have a rubber match with Beterbiev next, delaying a potential highly anticipated matchup against David Benavidez. Should Bivol win the third fight, a clash with “The Mexican Monster” could be a major event in 2026. — Hale
5. ARTUR BETERBIEV
RECORD: 21-1, 20 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD12) Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA Dmitry Bivol
Beterbiev suffered his first professional defeat in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol on February 22 but still delivered a strong showing against a fellow pound-for-pound contender. Given the competitive nature of both their encounters, maintaining his position on the pound-for-pound list is warranted. He will likely get another chance to avenge the loss in a return bout later this year. Despite being in his 40s, Beterbiev continues to perform at an elite level. — Hale
6. JESSE RODRIGUEZ
RECORD: 21-0, 14 KOs
DIVISION: Junior bantamweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO3) Pedro Guevara, Nov. 9
NEXT FIGHT: July 19 vs. Phumelela Cafu
It`s remarkable what “Bam” Rodriguez has achieved by the age of 25. The two-division champion has already defeated likely Hall of Fame opponents and is poised to continue his rise. The WBC junior bantamweight champion will attempt to unify titles against undefeated WBO titleholder Phumelele Cafu on July 19. As the only fighter on this list born in the 2000s, Rodriguez has considerable potential to move higher in the rankings throughout his career. — Hale
7. CANELO ALVAREZ
RECORD: 63-2-2, 39 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) William Scull, May 3
NEXT FIGHT: Sept. 12 vs. Terence Crawford
Boxing`s most prominent star delivered an underwhelming performance in his recent bout against William Scull, despite successfully becoming the undisputed champion at 168 pounds once again. However, securing that victory paved the way for what is arguably the year`s biggest fight: his challenge against Terence Crawford, scheduled for September 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Setting aside his recent opponent choices, Canelo boasts an exceptional career record and has the opportunity to add another future Hall of Famer to his list of defeated opponents. — Hale
8. DAVID BENAVIDEZ
RECORD: 30-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) David Morrell, Feb. 1
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
For reasons unclear, many top fighters seem reluctant to face Benavidez. He accomplished everything required at 168 pounds but was unable to secure a fight with Canelo Alvarez. He now faces a similar situation at light heavyweight, as Dmitry Bivol vacated the WBC title to pursue a third fight with Beterbiev rather than face Benavidez. With significant wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, and David Morrell on his record, it feels like only a matter of time before “The Mexican Monster” gets the chance to test his skills against the sport`s biggest names. The remarkable fact is that he is just 28 and likely hasn`t reached his physical peak. — Hale
9. JUNTO NAKATANI
RECORD: 30-0, 23 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO3) David Cuellar Contreras, Feb. 24
NEXT FIGHT: June 8 vs. Ryosuke Nishida
Japan`s other fighter on this pound-for-pound list is set to attempt unification of the bantamweight titles on June 8 against IBF champion Ryosuke Nishida. Known as “Big Bang,” Nakatani is an exciting fighter who has won all four of his bantamweight bouts by knockout since moving up from junior bantamweight last February. A major showdown against countryman Naoya Inoue appears to be a strong possibility in the future, potentially becoming the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. — Hale
10. SHAKUR STEVENSON
RECORD: 23-0, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO9) Josh Padley, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: July 12 vs. William Zepeda
Stevenson is poised to face an opponent who could challenge his style as an elite, though sometimes criticized for being overly cautious, tactician when he takes on William Zepeda on July 12 in New York. While Stevenson has been exceptionally effective, a common complaint is that he often makes winning look too easy, resulting in decision victories rather than explosive finishes. He should find himself challenged by Zepeda, a high-volume puncher, which offers an opportunity to address these criticisms. Winning has not been an issue for Stevenson throughout his career, but delivering more electrifying performances is likely the key to unlocking his potential as one of the sport`s biggest stars. — Hale
The Formula
The rankings are calculated using a point system where a first-place vote earns 10 points, a second-place vote earns nine points, and so on. In case of a tie in total points, the fighter with the highest individual ranking on any ballot is ranked higher. If still tied, the fighter with more votes at that highest rank prevails.
Others Receiving Votes
Gervonta Davis (16), Teofimo Lopez Jr. (7), Vasiliy Lomachenko (4), Jaron Ennis (1), Janibek Alimkhanuly.
How Our Writers Voted
Bradley: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3: Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Alvarez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Benavidez
Hale: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Alvarez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Nakatani
Atlas: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Davis, 7. Lomachenko, 8. Alvarez, 9. Rodriguez, 10. Benavidez
Tessitore: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Nakatani, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Alvarez
Parkinson: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Alvarez, 8. Nakatani, 9. Benavidez, 10. Davis
Raskin: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Benavidez, 8. Alvarez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Nakatani
Osuna: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Alvarez, 10. Stevenson
Rodriguez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Crawford, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Nakatani, 9. Benavidez, 10. Ennis
Woodyard: 1. Crawford, 2. Inoue, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Benavidez, 7. Davis, 8. Stevenson, 9. Lopez, 10. Beterbiev
Moynihan: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Benavidez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Davis, 10. Rodriguez
Pilatti: 1. Inoue, 2. Usyk, 3. Bivol, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Crawford, 6. Benavidez, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Nakatani, 9. Stevenson, 10. Alimkhanuly
Zirolli: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Stevenson, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Alvarez, 9. Lopez, 10. Nakatani
Mascaro: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Davis, 10. Lopez
Freeman: 1. Inoue, 2. Crawford, 3. Usyk, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Nakatani, 8. Stevenson, 9. Alvarez, 10. Lopez
Lopez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Alvarez, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Nakatani
Delgado Averhof: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Crawford, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Benavidez, 8. Alvarez, 9. Davis, 10. Lopez
ESPN Experts` Poll Summary
First place votes: Usyk (13), Inoue (2), Crawford (1)
Second place votes: Inoue (8), Crawford (7), Usyk (1)
Third place votes: Inoue (6), Crawford (5), Bivol (3), Usyk (2)
Fourth place votes: Bivol (9), Crawford (2), Beterbiev (2), Rodriguez (2), Stevenson (1)
Fifth place votes: Beterbiev (7), Bivol (4), Alvarez (3), Crawford (1), Rodriguez (1)
Sixth place votes: Beterbiev (6), Rodriguez (4), Alvarez (2), Benavidez (2), Nakatani (1), Davis (1)
Seventh place votes: Rodriguez (5), Nakatani (4), Benavidez (3), Alvarez (2), Davis (1), Lomachenko (1)
Eighth place votes: Benavidez (5), Alvarez (4), Nakatani (3), Stevenson (3), Rodriguez (1)
Ninth place votes: Stevenson (6), Davis (3), Alvarez (2), Benavidez (2), Lopez (2), Rodriguez (1)
Tenth place votes: Nakatani (4), Lopez (3), Benavidez (2), Beterbiev (1), Rodriguez (1), Alvarez (1), Stevenson (1), Davis (1), Ennis (1), Akhmadaliev (1)