Boxing’s Pound For Pound Rankings, Who’s Number 1?

The world of boxing may not be the most stable place but one thing that is great about boxing right now is the plethora of talent. It doesn’t matter what division you look at, what age group or how ever you categorize it. It is hard to find a place void of talent in boxing today. Lets take a look at the world’s best regardless of weight class.

Honorable Mention: The Heavyweight Division

(Photo via TalkSport)

For years in boxing, the heavyweight division was treated like the unwanted step child. The division was blamed for the downfall of boxing and pointed to as the division that once was. Now, times have changed as the division has given the fans some of the best action in all of boxing during these past few years.

Anthony Joshua, 22-0 (21 Knockouts), the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion is a knockout artist with power in both hands and skills to boot.

Deontay Wilder, 40-0-1 (39 KOs), the WBC heavyweight champion, is a killing machine. As a boxer, he is looking to knockout each and every opponent with his devastating right hand. Wilder isn’t as technically sound as most boxers but his power more than makes up for his faults.

Tyson Fury, 27-0-1, former champion, is a very skilled big man who is surprisingly light on his feet. Fury was out of the spotlight for a few years while dealing with his personal demons. Now he is back and ready to prove he is the best. Fury definitely proved he is among the elite with his performance against Wilder in December which ended in a draw.

The heavyweight division is in great hands with these three leading the pack. Boxing fans should get a series of wonderful fights in the near future.

5.) Errol Spence Jr

(Photo courtesy of Twitter)

Errol Spence Jr, 24-0 (21 KOs), the IBF welterweight champion, is an absolute beast in the ring. Spence is hungry to prove he is the best welterweight in the world and at 29-years old, he’s primed to do just that.

Spence has power in both hands, speed and skill. He is great at punching at different levels and keeping the opponent guessing while providing non-stop pressure. The Texas native already has some great names on his resume, like Kell Brook, Leonard Bundu, Lamont Peterson and Chris Algieri. Spence is looking to boost an already impressive resume by beating Mikey Garcia on March 16th.

4.) Mikey Garcia

(Photo via Yahoo Sports)

Mikey Garcia, 39-0 (30 KOs), the WBC lightweight champion, is chasing greatness and is not shy about it. Garcia is a very skilled boxer who can fight in a multitude of ways. He can sit back and be a counterpuncher or he can take the lead and smother his opponent with a variety of punches.

The California native has piled up some great names on his resume and isn’t done yet. Garcia has beaten the likes of Robert Easter Jr, Sergey Lipinets, Adrien Broner, Dejan Zlaticanin, Juan Carlos Burgos, Roman Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido among others. On March 16th, Garcia is jumping up two weight classes to take on welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr.

3.) Saul ” Canelo” Alvarez

(Photo courtesy of Forbes)

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, 51-1-2, the WBC and WBA middleweight champion, has one lone loss on his resume, which came at the hands of arguably the best boxer of his generation, Floyd Mayweather. Canelo has the most impressive resume in all of boxing right now and he is only 28-years old.

The Mexican fan favorite has accumulated quite the list of names on his resume: Gennady Golovkin, Liam Smith, Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Erislandy Lara, Austin Trout and Shane Mosley, just to name a few.

In baseball, there are some players who are referred to as five-tool players. Canelo is the equivalent of that in boxing. He has power in both hands, quick hands, can effectively punch to the head and body, can come forward and be the aggressor or lay back and beat his opponent with counter punches.

Alvarez will be looking to add to his stacked resume on May 4th when he takes on, IBF middleweight champion, Daniel Jacobs.

2.) Terence “Bud” Crawford

(Photo courtesy of Bad Left Hook)

The WBO welterweight champion, Terence “Bud” Crawford, is currently 34-0 (25 KOs).  Crawford is one of the most skilled boxers in the world right now as he can fight both orthodox and southpaw. Crawford can deliver power from both stances while also defending himself quite well.

Crawford is now looking to take over the welterweight division like he did the junior welterweight division where he unified all the major titles. Crawford has beaten several fighters who were previous undefeated, including Jose Benavidez Jr., Jeff Horn, Julius Indongo, Victor Postol and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Crawford’s next test will be against the speedy and skilled Amir Khan.

1.) Vasyl Lomachenko

(Photo via Sky Sports)

The boxer who ranks on top of the pound for pound rankings is the one with the least amount of victories on this list. Vasyl Lomachenko has a professional record of 12-1 (9 KOs) and already has held titles in two different weight classes.

Lomachenko is currently the WBA and WBO super lightweight champion. One of Lomachenko’s nicknames is “The Matrix”, because he moves around his opponents in a such a way that makes them feel as if they are in “The Matrix.”

How could someone with such limited professional experience be the best in the world?

It starts with his amateur background. The two-time gold medalist had hundreds of amateur fights that prepared him for his professional career. Lomachenko is not only beating the best but he is beating them in an embarrassing fashion. He has already defeated elite boxers like Jose Pedraza, Jorge Linares, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nicholas Walters and Gary Russell Jr.

Lomachenko is an exciting offensive fighter with the ability to make his opponent look silly with his defense. Boxing fans all around the world are anxiously waiting to see what Lomachenko does next.

Damian Adams

San Diego, California

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