{"id":411305,"date":"2026-01-15T16:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/411305\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T16:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:47:13","slug":"mens-boxing-pound-for-pound-rankings-a-new-no-1-crowned-plus-a-top-10-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/411305\/","title":{"rendered":"Men’s boxing pound-for-pound rankings: A new No. 1 crowned, plus a top-10 return"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jan 15, 2026, 07:53 AM ET<\/p>\n

With last month’s retirement<\/a> of pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford<\/a>, there’s a new No. 1 in the ESPN men’s rankings.<\/p>\n

It’s unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk<\/a>, last seen dominating Daniel Dubois in a fifth-round KO victory<\/a> in July. Usyk, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, who turns 39 on Saturday, previously was ranked second.<\/p>\n

The No. 2 position in these rankings is now occupied by undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue<\/a>. He defeated David Picasso on Dec. 27 by unanimous decision<\/a> to set up a potential 2026 clash with countryman Junto Nakatani, which would be the biggest bout in Japanese boxing history.<\/p>\n

The retirement of Crawford also created space for a new face in the top 10, and the spot was claimed by Teofimo Lopez Jr.<\/a>, the WBO junior welterweight champion. No. 10-ranked Lopez has a pound-for-pound clash on Jan. 31 when he faces WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson<\/a>, who is ranked eighth.<\/p>\n

Our panel of Andreas Hale, Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Bernardo Pilatti, Charles Moynihan, Salvador Rodriguez, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro, Aladdin Freeman, Victor Lopez and Damian Delgado Averhoff shares its votes.<\/p>\n

More ESPN rankings: Divisional rankings<\/a> and women’s pound-for-pound rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Note: Results are through Jan. 15, 2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"1. OLEKSANDR USYK<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 2<\/p>\n

RECORD: 24-0, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO5) Daniel Dubois, July 19<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

The retirement of Terence Crawford elevates Usyk to the top spot on the pound-for-pound rankings. Although he is almost 39 years old, he remains elite with no signs of slowing down as evidenced by his one-sided knockout win in a rematch with Dubois last July. He has defeated Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois twice each, and is in need of a new opponent for his next fight. That name will likely be former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder<\/a>. Even though Wilder is 2-4 in his past six fights, he remains one of the biggest punchers in heavyweight boxing history and would serve as an intriguing opponent for Usyk to add to his decorated r\u00e9sum\u00e9. — Andreas Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"2. NAOYA INOUE<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 3<\/p>\n

RECORD: 32-0, 27 KOs
DIVISION: Junior featherweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) David Picasso, Dec. 27<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

Inoue completed his four-fight year in 2025 by notching his fourth win with a wide unanimous decision against Picasso. It’s been a blistering pace for the champion and one not typically seen from fighters of his stature. More importantly, he set the stage for a massive showdown with Junto Nakatani in early 2026. The gap between Inoue and Usyk for the top spot is razor thin and a win over Nakatani would vault Inoue to the top of the list. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"3. DMITRY BIVOL<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 4<\/p>\n

RECORD: 24-1, 12 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (MD12) Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

Bivol has been sidelined since his rematch win over Beterbiev while recovering from surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back. His manager, Vadim Kornilov, has reportedly said Bivol will be back in action in early 2026, likely against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert, before targeting the rubber match with Beterbiev later this year. If the Beterbiev fight doesn’t come to fruition, there’s a potential showdown with current WBC champion David Benavidez as well. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"4. JESSE RODRIGUEZ<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 5<\/p>\n

RECORD: 23-0, 16 KOs
DIVISION: Junior bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO10) Fernando Martinez, Nov. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

“Bam” Rodriguez took care of business in dominant fashion against Martinez to add the WBA title to his collection at junior bantamweight. It wasn’t just that he won, it was how easy he made it look. Martinez was undefeated heading into the fight, yet he was made to look like a novice as Rodriguez had his way before securing the finish in the 10th round. At 25, Rodriguez is the youngest fighter on the pound-for-pound list and will have plenty of time to crack the top four. Rodriguez is one of the best fighters in the world as well as one of the most entertaining to watch. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"5. ARTUR BETERBIEV<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 6<\/p>\n

RECORD: 21-1, 20 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD12) Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

Beterbiev was set to return in November after his loss to Bivol, but a fight with Deon Nicholson was scratched, leaving the powerful Russian without a clear next opponent. At 41 years old, Beterbiev is approaching the end of his career but still has several options for massive fights, including a rubber match with Bivol or an all-action showdown with WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez. He’ll likely need a tune-up first and will hopefully be back in action sometime during the first half of 2026. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"6. DAVID BENAVIDEZ \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 7<\/p>\n

RECORD: 31-0, 25 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO7) Anthony Yarde, Nov. 22<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: May 2 vs. Gilberto Ramirez<\/p>\n

After wiping out Yarde in November, Benavidez announced that he would move up to cruiserweight to challenge “Zurdo” Ramirez, the unified champion. The fight is set to take place during Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas, with Benavidez looking to become a three-division champion. Should Benavidez emerge victorious, his options are plentiful, as a move back down to light heavyweight for the right fight (Artur Beterbiev, Dmitry Bivol) is still in his plans. “The Mexican Monster” is primed to have a massive 2026 between his crowd-pleasing style and a bevy of quality opponents. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"7. SHAKUR STEVENSON<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 8<\/p>\n

RECORD: 24-0, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) William Zepeda, July 12<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: Jan. 31 vs. Teofimo Lopez Jr.<\/p>\n

Fresh off a victory over Zepeda in which he showed he’s more than just a slick ring tactician, displaying aggression and a willingness to trade in the pocket against a dangerous, high-volume puncher, Stevenson now raises the stakes. He moves up to 140 pounds to challenge Lopez, the WBO junior welterweight champion, on Jan. 31. A victory over Lopez would almost certainly propel Stevenson into the upper tier of the pound-for-pound rankings and position him for a future run at the No. 1 spot. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"8. JUNTO NAKATANI \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 9<\/p>\n

RECORD: 32-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Sebastian Hernandez, Dec. 27<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

Despite narrowly escaping with a controversial win over Hernandez, Nakatani still secured his end of a potential all-Japanese showdown with Naoya Inoue later this year. The performance was far from Nakatani’s best, but a move to a new weight class and a tougher-than-expected opponent likely contributed to a fight many expected him to cruise through. Off nights happen, and they’re forgivable. Nakatani will have the opportunity to silence any doubts by defeating Inoue. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"9. DEVIN HANEY<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: 10<\/p>\n

RECORD: 33-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Brian Norman Jr., Nov. 22<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: TBA<\/p>\n

Haney defeated the biggest puncher at welterweight with relative ease as he dominated Norman to become WBO champion. Comments about Haney’s demise after the Ryan Garcia fight were grotesquely exaggerated, and he silenced the naysayers by brilliantly outboxing a fighter with even bigger punching power than Garcia. A three-division champion who just turned 27, Haney cracks the list with his impressive skill set and instincts. — Hale<\/p>\n

\"\"10. TEOFIMO LOPEZ JR.<\/a> \u2003\"\" \u2003 Previous ranking: NR<\/p>\n

RECORD: 22-1, 13 KOs
DIVISION: Junior welterweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Arnold Barboza Jr., May 2<\/a>
NEXT FIGHT: Jan. 31 vs. Shakur Stevenson<\/p>\n

The supremely gifted Lopez has repeatedly shown an ability to rise to the occasion against elite competition — most notably against Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor — and he made it look effortless when he overwhelmed Barboza last May. If there’s a knock on Lopez, it’s that he often fights to the level of his opposition. If that pattern holds, his Jan. 31 title defense against Stevenson could bring out one of the best versions of him yet. Lopez is among the most complete fighters in the sport, and a victory over Stevenson would further cement his status as a top pound-for-pound fighter. — Hale<\/p>\n

The formula<\/p>\n

The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote awarding 10 points, a second-place vote awarding nine points and so on. A tie goes to the fighter with the highest ranking, then the one with the most votes at that ranking.<\/p>\n

Others receiving votes: Canelo Alvarez (9), Gervonta Davis (3), Vergil Ortiz Jr. (1), Osleys Iglesias (1).<\/p>\n

How our writers voted<\/p>\n

Hale: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Benavidez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Haney, 9. Nakatani, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Atlas: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Benavidez, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Stevenson, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Nakatani, 9. Haney, 10. Davis<\/p>\n

Tessitore: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Benavidez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Stevenson, 9. Lopez, 10. Haney<\/p>\n

Parkinson: 1. Inoue, 2. Usyk, 3. Bivol, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Haney, 6. Benavidez, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Stevenson, 9. Nakatani, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Raskin: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Stevenson, 7. Benavidez, 8. Alvarez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Ortiz<\/p>\n

Osuna: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Stevenson, 6. Nakatani, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Benavidez, 9. Haney, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Rodriguez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Benavidez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Stevenson, 9. Alvarez, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Woodyard: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Stevenson, 6. Benavidez, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Nakatani, 9. Haney, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Moynihan: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Benavidez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Alvarez, 9. Davis, 10. Nakatani<\/p>\n

Pilatti: 1. Inoue, 2. Usyk, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Benavidez, 5. Bivol, 6. Haney, 7. Stevenson, 8. Nakatani, 9. Beterbiev, 10. Iglesias<\/p>\n

Zirolli: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Stevenson, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Lopez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Haney<\/p>\n

Mascaro: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Bivol, 5. Nakatani, 6. Benavidez, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Stevenson, 9. Haney, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Freeman: 1. Inoue, 2. Rodriguez, 3. Usyk, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Stevenson, 7. Nakatani, 8. Haney, 9. Benavidez, 10. Lopez<\/p>\n

Lopez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Benavidez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Nakatani, 9. Haney, 10. Alvarez<\/p>\n

Delgado Averhof: 1. Inoue, 2. Usyk, 3. Rodriguez, 4. Bivol, 5. Benavidez, 6. Bterebiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Haney, 9. Lopez, 10. Nakatani<\/p>\n

ESPN experts’ poll<\/p>\n

First place: Usyk (11), Inoue (4)<\/p>\n

Second place: Inoue (11), Usyk (3), Rodriguez (1)<\/p>\n

Third place: Bivol (7), Rodriguez (6), Usyk (1), Stevenson (1)<\/p>\n

Fourth place: Bivol (6), Rodriguez (5), Beterbiev (2), Benavidez (2)<\/p>\n

Fifth place: Beterbiev (7), Bivol (2), Stevenson (2), Rodriguez (1), Benavidez (1), Nakatani (1), Haney (1)<\/p>\n

Sixth place: Benavidez (8), Stevenson (3), Rodriguez (1), Beterbiev (1), Nakatani (1), Haney (1)<\/p>\n

Seventh place: Stevenson (5), Beterbiev (4), Nakatani (3), Rodriguez (1), Benavidez (1), Lopez (1)<\/p>\n

Eighth place: Stevenson (4), Nakatani (4), Haney (3), Benavidez (2), Alvarez (2)<\/p>\n

Ninth place: Haney (6), Nakatani (3), Lopez (2), Beterbiev (1), Benavidez (1), Alvarez (1), Davis (1)<\/p>\n

10th place: Lopez (7), Nakatani (2), Haney (2), Alvarez (1), Davis (1), Ortiz (1), Igelsias (1)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jan 15, 2026, 07:53 AM ET With last month’s retirement of pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, there’s a new…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":411306,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447],"tags":[703,49,48,82],"class_list":["post-411305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-boxing","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=411305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/411306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=411305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=411305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=411305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}