The debate for boxing’s pound-for-pound throne after Crawford’s retirement

The final weeks of 2025 have helped reshape the boxing landscape. With Terence Crawford’s retirement on December 16, the mythical throne of the pound-for-pound rankings king is now vacant. However, following a historic four-fight campaign in a single calendar year defending his undisputed title, a new number one has presented itself in the pound-for-pound rankings.

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Pound-for-pound rankings – 1. Naoya Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs)

Following his dominant, unanimous decision victory over Alan Picasso on December 27, “The Monster” has solidified his claim as the world’s best. By defending his undisputed super-bantamweight crown for the sixth time, Inoue matched a legendary record of four world title defenses in a single year. His blend of terrifying power, surgical accuracy, and elite footwork makes him a nightmare in the lower weight classes. As he eyes a 2026 mega-fight at the Tokyo Dome against Junto Nakatani, Inoue stands alone at the summit of our pound-for-pound rankings.

2. Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs)

While he drops to the second spot due to Inoue’s high activity, Oleksandr Usyk remains the gold standard of heavyweight boxing. In 2025, the Ukrainian wizard successfully defended his titles with a clinical 5th-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley. Usyk’s ability to exhaust his opponents with his constant feinting alongside his impressive ring IQ sees him remain at the summit of the heavyweight division, ready for his next fight in 2026.

3. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs)

The 2025 campaign for Jesse Rodriguez has been nothing short of spectacular. “Bam” moved up the rankings after a one-sided beatdown of Fernando “Puma” Martinez in November, where he added the WBA title to his WBC and WBO collection. Rodriguez is arguably the most technically proficient “small man” in the sport today, utilizing relentless pressure and balleric movemnet to defeat his opponents. At just 25, he is the youngest elite talent on this list.

4. Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs)

Dmitry Bivol remains the technician’s choice for the top five. After a razor-thin loss in late 2024, Bivol got his revenge in a February 2025 rematch against Artur Beterbiev, reclaiming his status as the premier light heavyweight on the planet. His disciplined jab and razor-tight defence are nearly impossible to solve. Despite a recent back surgery that has kept him sidelined for the tail end of the year, his masterclass performances against the elite of 175 lbs ensure his place on our pound-for-pound rankings.

5. Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs)

Rounding out the top five is the defensive master Shakur Stevenson. In 2025, Stevenson continued his streak of dominance at lightweight, including a career-best win over William Zepeda. While his style sometimes divides fans, his ability to avoid clean shots is statistically unrivaled. With a massive move to 140 lbs scheduled for January 31, 2026, against Teofimo Lopez, Stevenson is on the cusp of proving he can conquer yet another division and cement his place among the elite.

Do you agree with our pound-for-pound rankings? Who do you have in your top five?