The Tennessean is ranking the best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class, to determine who is the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
Call it our boxing power rankings.
While subjective, pound-for-pound rankings take into account a number of factors in trying to determine the 10 best male boxers across all weight classes.
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The simplest, but perhaps the most important, criteria is performances in the ring; how has a boxer looked and performed in recent fights? Another is quality of opponent. To be ranked, a fighter must defeat credentialed opponents within his division.
Also taken into account are titles won and historical success. Pound-for-pound rankings hinge on recent performances, but long-held championship pedigree also factors into determining the rankings.
A fighter is no longer eligible for The Tennessean’s pound-for-pound rankings after 18 months of inactivity, barring injury.
Here are The Tennessean’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings for April 2026.
Pound for pound boxing rankings
1. Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 1
Oleksandr Usyk remains atop the pound-for-pound rankings for April, but his position may be in jeopardy next month as both he and No. 2-ranked Naoya Inoue return to the ring. Usyk is set for a clash against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, a deserved break from the long list of top contenders he’s faced in recent years, but a fight which will ultimately have little to no bearing on his pound-for-pound status. With Inoue facing No. 8-ranked Junto Nakatani, he may just leap Usyk into the No. 1 spot.
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Titles held: WBC, WBA, IBF heavyweight titles
Last fight: Win − Fifth-round knockout vs. Daniel Dubois, July 19, 2025
Next fight: May 23 vs. Rico Verhoeven
More: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao rematch set for Netflix in September
2. Naoya Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 2
Titles held: WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF junior featherweight titles
Last fight: Win − Unanimous decision vs. Alan David Picasso, Dec. 27, 2025
Next fight: May 2 vs. Junto Nakatani (Pound-for-pound No. 8)
3. Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 3
Titles held: WBO, WBA, IBF light heavyweight titles
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Last fight: Win − Majority decision vs. Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22, 2025
Next fight: May 30 vs. Michael Eifert
4. Jesse Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 4
Titles held: WBC, WBO, WBA junior bantamweight titles
Last fight: Win − 10th round knockout vs. Fernando Martinez, Nov. 22, 2025
Next fight: TBD
5. Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 5
Titles held: WBO junior welterweight title
Last fight: Win − Unanimous decision vs. Teofimo Lopez, Jan. 31, 2026
Next fight: TBD
More: Tyson Fury retirement ends with fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov in April
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6. Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 6
Titles held: None
Last fight: Loss − Majority decision vs. Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22, 2025
Next fight: TBD
7. David Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 7
Titles held: WBC light heavyweight title
Last fight: Win − Seventh round technical knockout vs. Anthony Yarde, Nov. 22, 2025
Next fight: May 2 vs. Gilberto Ramirez
8. Junto Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 8
Titles held: None
Last fight: Win − Unanimous decision vs. Sebastian Hernandez, Dec. 27, 2025
Next fight: May 2 vs. Naoya Inoue (Pound-for-pound No. 2)
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9. Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 9
Titles held: WBO welterweight title
Last fight: Win − Unanimous decision vs. Brian Norman Jr., Nov. 22, 2025
Next fight: TBD
10. Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs)
Previous ranking: No. 10
Titles held: None
Last fight: Loss − Unanimous decision vs. Terence Crawford, Sept. 13, 2025
Next fight: TBD
More: Terence Crawford retiring from boxing, closes career 42-0. Here’s why
Just outside
Vergil Ortiz Jr., Gervonta Davis, Jaron Ennis, Oscar Collazo, O’Shaquie Foster.
Harrison Campbell covers combat sports for The Tennessean and high school sports for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Boxing pfp rankings: Oleksandr Usyk, Naoya Inoue top April list
