At 38, just eight fights into the heavyweight chapter of his 12-year pro career, Oleksandr Usyk is finally starting to receive his flowers.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs), the 6-foot-3 southpaw from Ukraine, once again traveled to enemy territory last Saturday when he scored a second straight stoppage of Daniel Dubois in front of 96,000 people at Wembley Stadium in Dubois’ home city of London. The victory allowed Usyk to become undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time (after he was stripped of his IBF title last year for skipping a mandatory challenger in favor of an immediate rematch with Tyson Fury).
Already a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and the first four-belt, undisputed champion in cruiserweight history, Usyk’s one-sided dismantling of a recently rejuvenated Dubois seemed to be the true turning point in the court of public opinion over whether Usyk is approaching status as one of the top 10 heavyweights in boxing history.
Instead of looking to box against the devastating power and renewed intensity that Dubois brought to the table, just one fight removed from his fifth-round knockout of former champion Anthony Joshua, Usyk chose to go after him. The performance showcased just how ahead of the game that Usyk continues to be from any other heavyweight when it comes to strategy, ring IQ, footwork and perfect punch placement.
When Usyk first moved up to heavyweight in 2019 after becoming the last champion standing in the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament, the expectation was that Usyk was too small for this super heavyweight era. Critics felt he was skilled enough to potentially win a single world title in the right matchup but that his lack of one-punch power would become a detriment.
All Usyk has done since then is defy the odds on his way to scoring two wins apiece over Dubois, Fury and Joshua. And what makes his insane run even more crazy is that he’s seemingly getting better and more efficient with each breakthrough win.
It’s hard enough for any heavyweight to garner consideration among the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world at any given time, in any given era. But to be the almost universal choice for the top spot during a time in which contemporary legends like Naoya Inoue, Dmitry Bivol, Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez are around only makes it more special.
For as long as boxing has an active Usyk left, fans can know they are watching an all-time great athlete and competitor, not to mention someone who is respected just as much for his commitment to his God, country and family as he does for his tireless work ethic in the gym.
Pound-for-Pound Rankings
1. Oleksandr Usyk
Undisputed heavyweight champion (24-0, 15 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 1
Usyk’s professional run has been as decorated as it has been perfect. The former undisputed cruiserweight champ reached a similar status at heavyweight for the second time in July when he brutally knocked out Daniel Dubois in their rematch. Usyk has accomplished more as a pro through 24 fights than anyone else in history and now, in just eight appearances at heavyweight, the 38-year-old owns two wins apiece over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois.
2. Naoya Inoue
Undisputed junior featherweight champion (27-0, 25 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 2
The four-division champion, who has reached undisputed status in two different weight classes, continued his legendary takeover of the sport in January when he finished late replacement Ye Joon Kim in four rounds in Tokyo. “The Monster” returned to the U.S. in May, when he got up off the deck to finish a brave Ramon Cardenas. Inoue is expected to close 2025 with two additional fights, including his debut in Saudi Arabia.
3. Dmitry Bivol
Undisputed light heavyweight champion (24-1, 12 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 3
Despite coming up just short against Artur Beterbiev via majority decision in their undisputed clash in October, Bivol turned the tables four months later in their February rematch. Saying he needed to simply “do more,” Bivol did just that by rallying in the second half and holding off Beterbiev in Round 12. A trilogy fight, which has rumored to be pushed off until 2026, appears to be next.
4. Terence Crawford
WBA junior middleweight champion (40-0, 29 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 4
In his long-awaited return from his dismantling of Errol Spence Jr. in July 2023, Crawford moved up to 154 pounds to narrowly hold off WBA champion Israel Madrimov last summer. Up next, Crawford is set to take on the toughest test of his pro career when he moves up two weight classes to challenge undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on September 13 in Las Vegas.
5. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez
Unified junior bantamweight titleholder (21-0, 14 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 6
The 24-year-old phenom from San Antonio landed just shy of 50% of his power shots to dismantle 115-pound titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada last July. Rodriguez returned in November to defend his junior bantamweight title by stopping Pedro Guevara in Philadelphia. A unification bout against South Africa’s Phumelela Cafu is next on July 19.
6. Artur Beterbiev
Light heavyweight (21-1, 20 KOs) | Previous ranking: 5
Four months after narrowly defeating Dmitry Bivol to become the first four-belt undisputed champion in 175-pound history, Beterbiev came up just short in their February rematch via majority decision. At 40, Beterbiev still showed enough of a motor to surge in Round 12 to cut Bivol, but he will need to wait for redemption in a trilogy bout, which is expected for early 2026.
7. Canelo Alvarez
Unified super middleweight champion (62-2-2, 38 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 7
Alvarez remains a lightning rod for criticism in ways that now go above his shameless avoidance of David Benavidez. The Mexican icon, who signed a four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh earlier this year, made his Saudi Arabia debut in May against unheralded IBF titleholder William Scull as the two turned in a woeful performance that was worse than a sparring match. The win set Alvarez up for a September showdown against Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Netflix.
8. David Benavidez
Interim light heavyweight titleholder (29-0, 24 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 8
Frustrated with waiting around for his shot at Canelo Alvarez, “El Monstro” moved up in weight to outclass former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk last year and unbeaten David Morrell Jr. in January. Benavidez was upgraded to full WBC titleholder at 175 pounds after unified champion Dmitry Bivol chose to pursue a trilogy bout against Artur Beterbiev. He will make his first defense in his Saudi Arabia debut in November against Anthony Yarde.
9. Shakur Stevenson
WBC lightweight champion (24-0, 11 KOs) | Previous ranking: NR
After two years of criticism and performances deemed as boring, Stevenson showed what he’s truly capable of in an exciting July win over unbeaten mandatory challenger William Zepeda. Stevenson was more willing than normal to stand in the line of fire in order to land his own combinations on the inside. Stevenson even drew comparisons to Floyd Mayweather for how well he dodged incoming fire at close range.
10. Junto Nakatani
WBC bantamweight champion (30-0, 23 KOs) | Previous ranking: 9
A two-division titleholder, the native of Japan has become a breakout star after moving up to 118 pounds and scoring four title wins with four knockouts. Nakatani made the third defense of his WBC title in February when he needed just three rounds to finish 28-0 David Cuellar. Superfights against Naoya Inoue or Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez could be in the exciting southpaw’s future.
Dropped out: Gervonta Davis
Honorable mention: Davis, Teofimo Lopez Jr., Tyson Fury, Jaron Ennis, Keyshawn Davis
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