Comments Thread For: Who's boxing's No. 1?

[Dr Z]

I keep running resumes for my top 4, and each of the top 3 has his own argument. Bam is a future #1, but he's not quite there yet.

TBRB rankings used, secondary/interim belts ignored

Terence Crawford:
W vs #3 Ricky Burns UD 12 (fmr. WBO 130; reigning WBO 135; future WBA 140)
W vs #7 Yuriorkis Gamboa TKO 9 (fmr. WBA/IBF 126)
W vs #2 Raymundo Beltran UD 12 (future WBO 135)
W vs #9 Thomas Dulorme TKO 6
W vs #1 Viktor Postol UD 12 (reigning WBC 140)
W vs #3 John Molina TKO 8
W vs #9 Felix Diaz RTD 10 (Diaz ranked at 147, fight at 140)
W vs #1 Julius Indongo KO 3 (reigning WBA/IBF 140)
W vs #4 Jeff Horn TKO 9 (reigning WBO 147)
W vs Amir Khan TKO 6 (fmr. WBA/IBF 140)
W vs #10 Egidijus Kavaliauskas TKO 9
W vs Kell Brook TKO 4 (fmr. IBF 147)
W vs #4 Shawn Porter TKO 10 (fmr. IBF 147; WBC 147)
W vs #9 David Avanesyan KO 6
W vs #1 Errol Spence Jr. TKO 9 (reigning WBA/WBC/IBF 147)
W vs #3 Israil Madrimov UD 12 (reigning WBA 154)

Other notable victories: Breidis Prescott, Andrey Klimov, Dierry Jean, Hank Lundy, Jose Benavidez Jr

14-0 vs top 10
9-0 vs top 5
4-0 vs #1 (or #2 if Crawford was #1)
11-0 vs fighters that won a legitimate world title
6-0 vs reigning world titlists
3-0 in unification fights
19-0 in world title fights
6-0 in lineal world championship fights
41-0-0-0 overall record, 31 KOs

135: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBO
140: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed
147: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed
154: WBA

3 division lineal world champion
2 division undisputed world champion
4 division world titlist

Notable achievements:
-One of only nine men to be lineal champion in three weight classes (Fitzsimmons, Ross, Armstrong, Canzoneri, Leonard, De La Hoya, Mayweather, Pacquiao)
-One of only four men in the 3/4 belt eras to be undisputed in two weight classes (Holyfield [3 belt], Inoue, Usyk)

Naoya Inoue:
W vs #10 Ryoichi Taguchi UD 10 (ftr. WBA/IBF/Ring 108)
W vs #1 Adrian Hernandez TKO 6 (fmr. and reigning WBC 108)
W vs #1 Omar Narvaez KO 2 (fmr. WBO 112; reigning WBO 115)
W vs #8 Kohei Kono TKO 6 (fmr. 2X WBA 112)
W vs #5 Jamie McDonnell TKO 1 (fmr. IBF 118)
W vs #5 Juan Carlos Payano KO 1 (fmr. WBA 118)
W vs #6 Emmanuel Rodriguez KO 2 (reigning and ftr. IBF 118)
W vs #4 Nonito Donaire UD 12 (fmr. IBF 112; WBC/WBO 118; WBO/IBF 122; WBA 126; WBO 122; reigning WBA 118; ftr. WBC 118)
W vs #8 Jason Moloney KO 7 (future WBO 118)
W vs #2 Nonito Donaire TKO 2 (fmr. IBF 112; WBC/WBO 118; WBO/IBF 122; WBA 126; WBO 122; WBA 118; reigning WBC 118)
W vs #8 Paul Butler KO 11 (fmr. IBF 118; reigning WBO 118)
W vs #1 Stephen Fulton TKO 8 (reigning WBC/WBO 122; ftr. WBC 126)
W vs #2 Marlon Tapales KO 10 (reigning WBA/IBF 122)
W vs #3 Luis Nery KO 6 (fmr. WBC 118; WBC 122)
W vs TJ Doheny TKO 7 (fmr. IBF 122)
W vs #5 Ramon Cardenas TKO 8

Other notable victories: Petchbarngborn Kokietgym, Antonio Nieves, Michael Dasmarinas

15-0 vs top 10
10-0 vs top 5
5-0 vs #1 (or #2 if Inoue was #1)
15-0 vs fighters that won a legitimate world title
8-0 vs reigning world titlists
6-0 in unification fights
23-0 in world title fights (not counting WBA Regular)
7-0 in lineal world championship fights
30-0-0-0 overall record, 27 KOs

108: WBC
112: (none)
115: WBO
118: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed
122: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed

2 division lineal world champion
2 division undisputed world champion
4 division world titlist

Notable achievement:
One of only four men in the 3/4 belt eras to be undisputed in two weight classes (Holyfield [3 belt], Crawford, Usyk)

Oleksandr Usyk
W vs #2 Krzysztof Glowacki UD 12 (reigning and future WBO cruiserweight)
W vs #10 Marco Huck TKO 10 (fmr. WBO crusierweight)
W vs #6 Mairis Briedis MD 12 (reigning WBC cruiserweight; future WBO cruiserweight; IBF/Ring/TBRB/lineal cruiserweight)
W vs #2 Murat Gassiev UD 12 (reigning WBA/IBF cruiserweight)
W vs Tony Bellew KO 8 (fmr. WBC cruiserweight)
W vs #1 Anthony Joshua UD 12 (fmr. and reigning WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight)
W vs #2 Anthony Joshua SD 12 (fmr. 2X WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight)
W vs Daniel Dubois KO 9 (ftr. IBF heavyweight)
W vs #1 Tyson Fury SD 12 (fmr. WBA/IBF/WBO/2X Ring/2X TBRB, reigning WBC/lineal heavyweight)
W vs #1 Tyson Fury UD 12 (fmr 2X lineal/TBRB/Ring; WBC; WBO/WBA/IBF)


Other notable victories: Thabiso Mchunu, Michael Hunter, Derek Chisora

8-0 vs top 10
6-0 vs top 5
5-0 vs #1 (or #2 if Usyk was #1)
10-0 vs fighters that won a legitimate world title
5-0 vs reigning world titlists
3-0 in unification fights
12-0 in world title fights
4-0 in lineal world championship fights
23-0-0-0 overall record, 14 KOs

Cruiserweight: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed
Heavyweight: Lineal/TBRB, Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO undisputed (plus IBO)

2 division lineal world champion
2 division undisputed world champion
2 division world titlist

Notable achievement:
-Usyk is 10-0 in his opponents' home countries and 5-0 on neutral ground, including 3-0 vs the A-side fighter in Saudi Arabia
-One of only four men in the 3/4 belt eras to be undisputed in two weight classes (Holyfield [3 belt], Crawford, Inoue)

Jesse Rodriguez
W vs #8 Carlos Cuadras UD 12 (fmr. WBC 115)
W vs #2 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai TKO 8 (fmr WBC 115; lineal/TBRB/Ring/WBC 115)
W vs #1 Sunny Edwards RTD 9 (reigning IBF 112)
W vs #C Juan Francisco Estrada KO 7 (fmr. WBA/WBO 112; WBA 115; reigning lineal/TBRB/Ring/WBC 115)
W vs #7 Pedro Guevara TKO 3 (fmr. WBC 112)

Other notable victories: Israel Gonzalez

5-0 vs top 10
3-0 vs top 5
2-0 vs #1 or Champion
5-0 vs fighters that won a legitimate world title
2-0 vs reigning world titlists
1-0 in unification fights
7-0 in world title fights
2-0 in lineal world championship fights
21-0-0-0 overall record, 14 KOs

1 division lineal world champion
2 division world titlist

112: IBF, WBO
115: WBC; Lineal, TBRB, Ring, WBC

Excellent data! Is this all your own? Thanks!

Usyk is #1 for me as he wasn't exposed and was willing the move up in weight.

Inoue is afraid to do so at feather weight.

[Butt stuff]

However, you’re the one who brought up Floyd (I don’t know why), and I simply stated that I respect him, think he is much smarter than his heel persona would let on, and he of all people would know sports evolved and he will be outclassed if not by Crawford, then by Boots, Ortiz, or someone else who’s still in kindergarten. And likewise they will be outclassed in their accomplishments by someone 100 years later. It’s the simple progression of time and the evolution of nature.

Interesting, what has evolved in Boxing since Mayweather's reign?

[famicommander]

Excellent data! Is this all your own? Thanks!

Usyk is #1 for me as he wasn't exposed and was willing the move up in weight.

Inoue is afraid to do so at feather weight.

Inoue is afraid?

He's already in his 5th weight class right now and he's said he plans to go to 126 in December to fight Nick Ball. What the hell else do you want from the guy?

[MrShakeAndBake]

KING USYK!
The other two have to do what Usyk did to be #1

No Excuses

Bud has to beat Canelo.
Inoue has to step up and beat Tank and fight outside of Japan, fighting home all the time is a HUGE ADVANTAGE.

[STREET CLEANER]

It is all about the competition that has been faced and beaten. Usyk and Bivol have the better resumes, Inoue looks great and is missing some marquee names. Crawford had been too inactive and beating that last fight is not enough.

[Dr Z]

Inoue is afraid?

He's already in his 5th weight class right now and he's said he plans to go to 126 in December to fight Nick Ball. What the hell else do you want from the guy?

Well -- afraid is not the right word. He gun shy about fighting Rafael Espinoza at 126. Ball is a mediocre puncher.

[j0zef]

So when looking at resume to determine who is currently the best P4P fighter, how far back can you go before it no longer has bearing on the current rankings?
I'll rely on a little but of absurdity to better explain this question. If Ray Leonard came out of retirement right now, he would have the best resume of any fighter, but we wouldnt consider him the current best P4P fighter in the world, because those wins we look at arent really indicative of who he is now.

As I wrote, thats absurdity, but if you move from margin to center you see a similar point could be made for fighters in the discussion now. I mean Canelo has a number of HOF scalps on his resume, but do we really think a win over Shane Mosley 13 years ago should taken into account in measuring who is the best right now.

Buds got belts going all the way down to lightweight. But do we consider that when looking at who is the best right now, as his next fight will be 30+ pounds over the lightweight limit.

I'm not arguing to ignore all of a fighters history. Rather that if a fighter is no longer in, or at least near a weight class they once were in, I dont think you use that fight to discuss how good they are at the moment. For certain it counts when measuring them historically, just not when judging whose the best now. Ditto when looking at fights that were s long time ago- how long that is... thats the question.

I agree with what you're saying, and have no issue with it - however I'm not sure how it relates to the post your quoted. The fighters I mentioned for Usyk (Fury and AJ) were within last 3 years. Spence-Crawford was 2 years ago.

In general, P4P is a mythical ranking of who's better if everyone was same weight. That will always be an opinion, but to support it, lots of folks use the fighters' resume as a backup point.

[JeBron Lamez]

Inoue is afraid

Tell him to his face.

[BoxerFreddy]

1. Usyk - I'd say Usyk must be number one for how quickly he dominated the most coveted weight class in the sport as a smaller guy.
2. Inoue - There is no-one on his level for destruction, and he would destroy everyone around his weight, he is more unlucky that he is so small, as these lighter weight-classes get so little exposure that people think he is beating no-bodies.. He destroyed Fulton, who went on to get a FW title, and will likely move to JLW next..
3. Crawford, is an incredibly talented fighter, but he struggled in his last fight against Madrimov... I think he will beat Canelo, and that would put him number 1 for me
4. Bivol
5. Bam
6. Shakur
7. Nakatani
8. Beterbiev
9. Benavidez
10. Janibek
11. Collazo
12. Ennis
13. Opetaia
14. Lopez
15. Teraji
16. Ball
17. Martinez
18. Espinoza
19. Navarete
20. Haney

[JeBron Lamez]

Interesting, what has evolved in Boxing since Mayweather's reign?

Great question.

We could even just ask solely about in-ring activity under lights: who exactly has evolved past Pep, or SRR?

Whoever wants to suggest that their styles are outdated or their quality now gets routinely surpassed gets a from a night-time angel.