After achieving the title of undisputed champion in two weight classes, where does Oleksandr Usyk currently stand in the imaginary pound-for-pound rankings?
The act of compiling a list of the world’s top 10 fighters sparks conflicting opinions within the boxing community. While some argue that it is a futile endeavor, others relish the opportunity to engage in passionate debates about who truly deserves the title of the best fighter on the planet.
The sport is in an era deep with future hall-of-famers such as Naoya Inoue, Terence Crawford, Usyk, Canelo Alvarez and others. Having watched the Ukrainian claim a stunning victory against Tyson Fury on Saturday night former WBA super-middleweight champion George Groves was asked by Boxing News if the 37-year-old is the new pound-for-pound number one replacing either Inoue or Crawford.
“Groves exclaimed, ‘He must be up there, isn’t he? He simply must be up there!'”
The pound-for-pound debate is never easy. It’s a constant discussion due to the presence of talented fighters like Crawford, Canelo, and Inoue.
“He has reached that level of excellence now, Usyk. And in certain respects, this is a pound-for-pound battle, as he has surrendered a significant amount of weight and size, yet managed to accomplish his mission.”
It is difficult to claim that Crawford has the ability to defeat Canelo. However, I believe he has the potential to compete against him. Only time will determine his standing among the all-time greats.
He deserves to be ranked highly among the modern giants because he has consistently outperformed them. Evander Holyfield managed to achieve this feat by defeating Mike Tyson, who stood at a height of 5’10” or 5’11”. Moreover, Holyfield also emerged victorious against Tyson Fury, who towers at 6’9″. Therefore, it is undeniable that Holyfield should be included in this elite group due to his exceptional talent.
