Who’s really the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world?

Here are The Independent’s rankings for top 10 men’s boxers

Terence Crawford prevailed over Canelo Alvarez in the fight of the year with the boxing landscape as intriguing as it has ever been, with more big fights over the last two years than there had been in decades.

That is largely due to the arrival of Saudi Arabia in the boxing space, an arrival that has proven controversial from a political and ethical point of view, but one that has delivered fans the match-ups they long desired.

Among those fights have been Tyson Fury’s back-to-back duels with Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, with the Ukrainian overcoming the Briton twice – and the first of those wins crowning Usyk the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years.

Of course, though, top talent has sparkled elsewhere. Crawford and Naoya Inoue have emerged as undisputed champions in recent years, with the latter consistently drawing huge audiences in his native Japan. Canelo continues to be one of boxing’s biggest stars and will feature in this list, despite his latest defeat.

All of these fighters, fights and results have factored into The Independent’s own top 10, pound-for-pound rankings for men’s boxers, to be updated regularly. While there’s no exact science to putting together lists such as this, a number of factors have been considered, including each fighter’s overall record, recent results, frequency of activity and calibre of opposition.

Here is our list as of December 2025, with honourable mentions going to David Benavidez and Devin Haney...

The Independent’s pound-for-pound rankings

10. Canelo Alvarez (62-3-2, 39 KOs)

Canelo has tested himself at numerous weights over the years (Getty Images)

In the 12 years since his loss to Floyd Mayweather, the Mexican has established himself as the face of boxing, with wins against Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs, Billy Joe Saunders, Jermell Charlo and many more. The effectiveness of the 35-year-old’s counter-punching, slickness of his head movement and beauty of his body work make him a joy to watch.

Detractors will point to Alvarez’s clenbuterol controversy in 2018 and controversial scorecards in a few of his wins. Supporters will give more credence to Canelo’s admirable level of activity and his great number of formidable foes. A title holder in four weight classes, including a two-time undisputed king at super-middleweight, the Mexican failed to add a second light-heavyweight belt to his collection when he was outpointed by Bivol in 2022.

That result marked just the second defeat of Canelo’s professional career and saw him drop from No 1 in our list. He rebounded with a decisive points win against ageing rival Golovkin, though that result proved little at this point. The Mexican then retained his unified super-middleweight belts against John Ryder, Charlo, Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga, dropping all four men en route to points wins. He regained undisputed status with a dull win over William Scull, but then dropped the belts in a mega fight with Crawford, failing to outland the American or hurt him throughout 12 rounds.

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9. Junto Nakatani (31-0, 24 knockouts)

Junto Nakatani pictured in May 2023 (Getty Images)

The rising Japanese star, 27, is already a three-weight champion, having held gold at flyweight and super-flyweight before moving up to bantamweight. There, he collected a second belt in June by stopping Ryosuke Nishida, moving a step closer to a potential mega-fight with compatriot Naoya Inoue in the process. In fact, Nakatani’s career has resembled the earlier stages of Inoue’s up to this point; so, does undisputed bantamweight status also await “Big Bang”? Or will he move straight up to super-bantamweight to meet the “Monster”? We will soon find out...

8. Jai Opetaia (28-0, 22 KOs)

Jai Opetaia finished David Nyika with a brutal left hook in January (Getty Images)

The Australian entered our rankings after his vicious stoppage of David Nyika in January, a fourth-round finish that kept Opetaia unbeaten – and kept the IBF cruiserweight belt around his waist. The southpaw, 30, is now eyeing unification bouts in the division, with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez likely on the horizon (although Zurdo may be facing David Benavidez first...), and fans believe no one at cruiserweight can stop Opetaia. In fact, some feel that his only true challenges would come at higher weights. In the meantime, however, he targets that Ramirez bout and most recently broke Claudio Squeo’s jaw in an emphatic stoppage victory. That added to his recent standout wins: two decisions over Mairis Briedis, highlight knockouts of Ellis Zorro and Jordan Thompson, and a bullying TKO of Jack Massey.

7. Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs)

The unbeaten Shakur Stevenson (Getty Images)

The American, 28, was already a two-weight world champion by the time he was 24. Now Stevenson is a force at lightweight, as he builds upon his significant success at featherweight – where he was WBO champion – and super-featherweight, where he was unified champion. In 2023, the unbeaten Stevenson won the WBC interim lightweight title, which was later upgraded when Devin Haney vacated his undisputed belts. Stevenson retained the official strap in July 2024, beating Artem Harutyunyan comfortably on points, before stopping short-notice replacement Josh Padley in February. Padley was a huge underdog but fought spiritedly, making Stevenson look a little uninspired. However, Stevenson showed skill and resilience in a fun fight with William Zepeda this July. A clash with Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia or Haney is crucial for him.

6. Jesse Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs)

Jesse Rodriguez (left) dropped and stopped Fernando Martinez in November (Getty Images)

The American super-flyweight is one of the most awe-inspiring boxers out there, courtesy of his incredible footwork, clever shot selection and mean offence. In November, “Bam” (he is better known by his nickname than his first name!) completely outclassed a world champion in Fernando Martinez, winning every round before dropping and stopping the Argentine in the 10th. With that, Rodriguez stayed unbeaten and expanded his collection of super-flyweight belts, while building on previous, high-profile wins over Sunny Edwards and Juan Francisco Estrada. He is closing in on undisputed status, and he is only 25 at the time of writing.

5. Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs)

Artur Beterbiev (right) during his controversial win against Dmitry Bivol (Getty Images)

The Russian, who fights out of Canada, was a dominant light-heavyweight champion. Some talked up Callum Smith’s chances in January 2024, but the champion dismantled his challenger with ease. Even at 39, Beterbiev looked as powerful as ever, dropping Smith twice to force a stoppage. With that, Beterbiev retained the WBC, WBO and IBF titles and improved his record to a perfect 20-0 with 20 KOs. Ahead of his fight with Smith, Beterbiev returned an ‘atypical’ drug-test result but was cleared to compete, and his win set up an undisputed clash with the next man on this list: Dmitry Bivol.

An injury to Beterbiev delayed the long-awaited bout, but it arrived in October and delivered. A strategic showdown over 12 rounds, Beterbiev finally met a foe he couldn’t knock out, but the older man still won – securing a disputed points victory to become undisputed champion. They ran it back in February, with Beterbiev now 40, and somehow the rematch was even better. This time, Bivol not only survived but succeeded, outpointing Beterbiev to hand him his first loss – and avenging his own.

4. Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs)

Dmitry Bivol (right) avenged his sole loss with an inspired win over Artur Beterbiev (Getty Images)

Entered our list in May 2022, following his stunning victory over Canelo. The Russian remained unbeaten and retained the WBA light-heavyweight title with that result, which he achieved by fighting on the front foot, picking his shots wisely, and producing almost double his opponent’s output. Bivol, 34, was then tasked with getting past the unbeaten Gilberto Ramirez and Lyndon Arthur, beating both on points with aggressive and sharp performances.

Next up was set to be a unification fight with compatriot Beterbiev, but an injury to the latter saw him replaced by Malik Zinad, whom Bivol stopped for his first KO in six years. Then, as mentioned above, the fight with Beterbiev was worth the wait, with Bivol boxing as close to perfectly as one could against such a heavy hitter. He was unfortunate not to get the win, but he somehow produced an even better showing in February 2025, getting the nod this time. With that, he not only reclaimed the WBA belt but also became undisputed, while handing Beterbiev his first loss.

3. Naoya Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs)

Naoya Inoue during a stoppage win over Ye Joon Kim in January (AP)

One of the lesser-known names on this list to the more casual fan, the Japanese does not lack in prowess what he may lack in profile. Inoue has one of the best stoppage percentages in our rankings, part of what makes him such an exciting athlete to watch – along with his effortless evasiveness, brutal body attacks, and frightening level of output.

The 32-year-old stopped Paul Butler in December 2022 to become undisputed bantamweight champion – and the first Asian boxer to hold four world titles in a weight class at once – having previously held gold at light-flyweight and super-flyweight. However, he vacated his bantamweight belts in January 2023 to move up and challenge Stephen Fulton.

In July 2023, Inoue took Fulton apart to hand the American his first pro loss and take his WBC and WBO super-bantamweight titles. That win saw the “Monster” become a four-weight world champion, further vindicating his No 1 spot on our list, before a spectacular performance to become undisputed in two divisions (just the second man ever to do so) by stopping Marlon Tapales.

Since then, however, Inoue has dropped slightly on our list while showing a bit of vulnerability that the remaining boxers have not. In May 2024 and May 2025, he was knocked down by Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas respectively, although he rallied to knock out both men – showing that he has the heart and composure to match his other great qualities. Also, this September, he was supposed to be tested by Murodjon Akhmadaliev but coasted to an easy win.

2. Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs)

Oleksandr Usyk celebrates becoming undisputed heavyweight champion (Nick Potts/PA Wire)

An Olympic gold medalist who reigned as the only undisputed cruiserweight champion of the four-belt era before moving up to heavyweight, where he became WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO champion in 2021 by outpointing Anthony Joshua with relative ease. The Ukrainian, 38, then beat Joshua on points again in 2022 to retain his titles and stay unbeaten. In August 2023, the southpaw stopped Daniel Dubois after recovering from a controversial ‘low blow’, again demonstrating that he is as technical and awkward as they come in the heavier weight classes.

His first win over Tyson Fury delivered after so much hype, with his dominant ninth round showing his power carried up to the heavyweight division – the definition of a pound-for-pound great. He then did the double over Fury with an even more comfortable points win in the rematch, establishing himself as the unlikely greatest heavyweight of this generation. Then came another rematch: against a more dangerous Dubois than the version Usyk faced in 2023, yet a 38-year-old Usyk was still too much for the 27-year-old, stopping him in just five rounds in a supreme performance. It was a performance that took Usyk to No 1 in our rankings.

1. Terence Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs)

Terence Crawford (above) is a four-weight champion, undisputed in two divisions (AP)

The five-weight champion has one of the most impressive resumes in the sport, and it just keeps getting better. Six of the American’s last 11 opponents were undefeated before facing him, and nine were stopped by Crawford. Wins against big-name boxers Kell Brook and Shawn Porter in 2020 and 2021 enhanced the 38-year-old’s profile, before Crawford stopped David Avanesyan in December 2022.

Then, in July 2023, he schooled Errol Spence Jr in what was billed as the fight of the decade, delivering a masterclass to expose a bigger gap between the southpaws than anyone had predicted. In stopping Spence after scoring three knockdowns, Crawford took his rival’s three titles to become undisputed at welterweight. The victory also made “Bud” the first man in boxing history to become undisputed champion in two weight classes, following his brief reign atop the super-lightweight division.

He then moved up to super-welterweight, where he outpointed Israil Madrimov in a professional showing in August, and conquered super-middleweight, too, jumping two more weight divisions to outclass Canelo to reign once again.