Who is the best boxer in the world pound for pound?
Boxing pound for pound rankings today are never easy. We know that. That’s a given. Okay. We got it. It is not an exact science, per se.
Many believe Sugar Ray Robinson (pictured below) to be the greatest pound for pound boxer of all time.
Over the years our rankings list has been received as some of the most trusted, most overall expert rankings, that you will find anywhere in the sport.
Who Is The Best Pound For Pound Boxer Of All Time
Many put this down to two main names:
Muhammad Ali
Ray Robinson
Traditionally Muhammad Ali is recognized worldwide as the greatest boxer and fighter that ever lived. He was bigger than boxing, sport, movies and society in his time and even still after his death.
However many purist hardcore boxing fans disagree and believe ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson was the best pure technical boxing fighting machine that ever lived due to his ability to fight in all circumstances with all departments of boxing being virtually untouchable by anyone when he fought.
The really profound thing about Ali and Robinson was that both never boxed at their very best or really showed their true 100 per cent strength, power and ability in the ring because they didn’t have to.
Others in more recent time will say other fighters like Joe Louis, Henry Armstrong, Lennox Lewis, Floyd Mayweather, Rocky Marciano, Terence Crawford, Manny Pacquiao, Joe Calzaghe, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and others all deserve honorable mentions.
Who Makes The Official Boxing Rankings?
No one does. Yet. Rankings in the sport both on a pound for pound basis and official top ten rankings per weight division are often done by leading boxing news platforms like ourselves, Ring Magazine and others when it comes to pound for pound.
The official rankings per weight are done mostly by the four main world title belt organizations as follows:
The WBA (World Boxing Association)
The WBO (World Boxing Organization)
The WBC (World Boxing Council)
The IBF (International Boxing Federation)
The idea shortly however that this will be reformed and unified into something better as the above change on a monthly basis and are not clear to old or new boxing fans alike.
So, here we go, here is our boxing pound for pound rankings and current list — check back for regular updates and clear your cookies/cache to see the updated list:
Boxing Pound For Pound Rankings Today
1. Oleksandr Usyk
2. Naoya Inoue
3. Dmitry Bivol
4. David Benavidez
5. Saul Alvarez
6. Shakur Stevenson
7. Gervonta Davis
8. Artur Beterbiev
9. Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez
10. Junto Nakatani
What The Boxing Pound For Pound Rankings Represent To Us
The above represent our current rankings. In a very challenging debate.
An always difficult analysis.
One where everyone will always have their own individual preferences for how this list is made up.
For us at Boxing News and Views, this bone of contention is best surmised with the following formula:
Quality of opposition fought and beat * activity * number of weight classes competed in (pound for pound).
Our formula is a simple one. One that is tried and tested. Over many years in the sport.
We often have received compliments from fans over the years on this list and rankings effort.
It is important to realize however that it is completely subjective.
Everyone has a changing viewpoint on how this ranking unfolds.
Big fights happen all the time. So the list changes. Inevitably.
Rather frequently in fact.
Check back and clear your cache and cookies on this page for the latest most up to date rankings.
Overall, we believe our boxing pound for pound rankings, the top ten in the world, to be solid.
That said we are always open to other’s interpretation and viewpoints.
In recent years we believe the level of pound for pound ability in the sport has increased.
Hugely no less. Boxing is in a boom time worldwide as a sport. Without question.
Growing quickly too internationally.
So much so that the sport has never seen this level of pugilistic ability in years.
Maybe since the 1980s.
Maybe since the days of Muhammad Ali.
Welcome to the new age of boxing.