Terence Crawford Names 5 Best Pound-For-Pound Boxers in the World Right Now

The pound-for-pound debate has been one which has been a main topic of conversation in the sport of boxing for many years, and right now, the debate is as wide open as it has ever been.

Boxing is in its healthiest position right now in terms of the quality of match-ups and fighters, and such success has opened the door for many elite fighters such as Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, and Artur Beterbiev to get close to, or even achieve, undisputed status, which makes the decision to crown a pound-for-pound number one incredibly difficult.

Crawford, who, as mentioned, is a fighter who many class as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world right now, recently appeared on the Pound 4 Pound Podcast and was quizzed on which fighters make it onto his current pound-for-pound list. ‘Bud’ showed appreciation for some top fighters and managed to narrow down his pound-for-pound list to five names.

Terence Crawford

Professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25): 41-0

Terence Crawford has never been too shy to praise his own abilities inside the squared circle, and this is shown once again as he has named himself in his current pound-for-pound list. ‘Bud’ including himself may come across as arrogant to some, but he has the skills and legacy to back it up.

The 37-year-old dominated the welterweight division for almost a decade and seven months ago decided to finally take the leap up to light middleweight, and in his debut, he defeated the tough and skilled Israil Madrimov to win the WBA and WBO light middleweight titles. Crawford having instant success against elite competition in multiple divisions shows exactly why he is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters alive today.

Terence Crawford’s professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25)
41 fights	41 wins	0 losses
By knockout	31	0
By decision	10	0

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Naoya Inoue

Professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25): 29-0

Naoya Inoue is often overlooked when discussing the best active fighters as he fights in a lighter division. However, skill for skill, he is just as good as any other top-level boxer in the world right now, and that has been recognised by Terence Crawford. The Zama-native is already considered one of the greatest Asian fighters ever, and if he continues to improve and dominate, he may be considered the best ever.

What makes Inoue so special and incredible to watch is the power he carries for a man of his size. Inoue has the speed you would expect of a man who is 5’5 and just north of 120lbs, but he also carries the power of a heavyweight while maintaining his almost perfect technique.

Naoya Inoue’s professional boxing record (29/03/25)
29 fights	29 wins	0 losses
By knockout	26	0
By decision	3	0

Canelo Alvarez

Professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25): 62-2-2

This year is set to deliver one of the biggest boxing fights ever between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Despite the Mexican superstar likely being next up for ‘Bud,’ Crawford has recognised Canelo’s ability, which shows he definitely isn’t overlooking him as an opponent, which should make the fight even more interesting and high level.

Canelo is well-known to be arguably boxing’s biggest pay-per-view draw, but his actual in-ring ability probably doesn’t get enough appreciation. The Mexican has been a constant presence at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings in boxing for a long time, and rightly so, as he has shown he can defeat the very best in the world across multiple divisions.

Canelo Alvarez’s professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25)
66 fights	62 wins	2 losses
By knockout	39	0
By decision	23	2
Draws	2

The 10 best boxers in the world right now have been named & ranked - in order

10 Best Boxers in the World Right Now [Ranked]

Boxing is currently blessed with some serious talent…

Oleksandr Usyk

Professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25): 23-0

On the 18th of May 2024, Oleksandr Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in over 24 years. The Ukrainian’s first victory over Tyson Fury saw him become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis‘ reign in 2000, which just added another incredible achievement to his already impressive legacy.

When discussing the pound-for-pound greats in boxing, success and dominance in multiple divisions is arguably the most important factor, and Usyk has shown that he can completely wipe out multiple top-level divisions. Usyk has managed to claim undisputed status in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, which just shows his brilliance in the ring if you couldn’t already see it from watching him perform.

Oleksandr Usyk’s professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25)
23 fights	23 wins	0 losses
By knockout	14	0
By decision	9	0

Gervonta Davis

Professional boxing record (as of 29/03/25): 30-0-1

Even though Terence Crawford and Gervonta Davis have exchanged words on social media before, Crawford has put that aside and shown appreciation for ‘Tank’s’ ability by including him in his pound-for-pound list. Davis may have had a controversial last fight against Lamont Roach Jr, but it is important to still recognise his amazing ability amid the recent backlash against him.

‘Tank’ has shown that he can succeed in multiple divisions given his success at both super featherweight and lightweight, which is a key trait for fighters who want to be considered pound-for-pound greats. 28 of Davis’ 30 professional boxing wins have come via KO, which again should probably put him higher in the pound-for-pound rankings as he can put his opponents’ lights out as well as outclassing them for 12 rounds.