Pound for pound: Shakur Stevenson continues ascent after another strong performance

Pound for pound: Shakur Stevenson continues his ascent after another strong performance against Robson Conceicao on Friday.

Shakur Stevenson shows no signs of slowing down.

The gifted now-135-pounder dominated another good fighter on Friday in Newark, New Jersey, easily outpointing 2016 Olympic champion Robson Conceicao after losing his 130-pound titles on the scale the day before.

The victory wasn’t as monumental as his impressive triumphs over former titleholders Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez, who were more respected than Conceicao before meeting Stevenson. For example, the Brazilian also lost a wide decision to Valdez.

Thus, Stevenson won’t crack the Top 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list based on this performance

At the same time, another dazzling performance against a legitimate contender merits recognition. With that in mind, he moves up two notches, from No. 14 to No. 12.

That pushes Artur Beterbiev and Jermall Charlo — previously Nos. 12 and 13 — down one spot each. Gervonta Davis, a potential opponent for Stevenson, is No. 11.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan but no official announcement has been made.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Tyson Fury – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on Dec. 3 but no official announcement has been made.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New  York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to face Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada is the WBC’s junior bantamweight “franchise champion”.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured. No new date has been announced.
  13. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  14. Shakur Stevenson No fight scheduled.
  15. Roman Gonzalez Scheduled to face WBC junior bantamweight “franchise champion” Juan Francisco Estrada on Dec. 3.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall in January but no deal is in place).

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Pound for pound: Shakur Stevenson continues ascent after another strong performance

Pound for pound: Shakur Stevenson continues his ascent after another strong performance against Robson Conceicao on Friday.

Shakur Stevenson shows no signs of slowing down.

The gifted now-135-pounder dominated another good fighter on Friday in Newark, New Jersey, easily outpointing 2016 Olympic champion Robson Conceicao after losing his 130-pound titles on the scale the day before.

The victory wasn’t as monumental as his impressive triumphs over former titleholders Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez, who were more respected than Conceicao before meeting Stevenson. For example, the Brazilian also lost a wide decision to Valdez.

Thus, Stevenson won’t crack the Top 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list based on this performance

At the same time, another dazzling performance against a legitimate contender merits recognition. With that in mind, he moves up two notches, from No. 14 to No. 12.

That pushes Artur Beterbiev and Jermall Charlo — previously Nos. 12 and 13 — down one spot each. Gervonta Davis, a potential opponent for Stevenson, is No. 11.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan but no official announcement has been made.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Tyson Fury – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on Dec. 3 but no official announcement has been made.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New  York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to face Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada is the WBC’s junior bantamweight “franchise champion”.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured. No new date has been announced.
  13. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  14. Shakur Stevenson No fight scheduled.
  15. Roman Gonzalez Scheduled to face WBC junior bantamweight “franchise champion” Juan Francisco Estrada on Dec. 3.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall in January but no deal is in place).

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Pound for pound: Gennadiy Golovkin drops out after long, illustrious run

Pound for pound: Gennadiy Golovkin drops off Boxing Junkie’s list after a long, illustrious run near the top.

Gennadiy Golovkin, 40, is no longer one of the best.

That was abundantly clear on Saturday in Las Vegas, where he looked his age in a unanimous-decision loss to super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez in their third fight.

He did next to nothing for two thirds of the fight but showed some signs of life down the stretch, which might’ve saved him from embarrassment.

However, overall, the Triple-G we saw at T-Mobile Arena had no resemblance to the beast who ran roughshod over a long list of solid middleweight opponents for a decade-plus. That fighter is gone.

Thus, Golovkin (unlucky No. 13 in the most recent rankings) drops off of Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list.

That allows Jermall Charlo and Shakur Stevenson to move up one notch each from Nos. 14 and 15, respectively. And Roman Gonzalez ascends from Honorable Mention to No. 15.

Golovkin is replaced on the list by veteran Kazuto Ioka, who re-enters as an Honorable Mention. The Japanese junior bantamweight titleholder last fought in July, when he easily outpointed Donnie Nietes to avenge an earlier split-decision loss.

Meanwhile, Alvarez (No. 7) got back into the win column after his upset loss to Dmitry Bivol in May. However, a victory over this version of Golovkin wasn’t enough for him to climb the list. He stays put.

Stevenson, who is on the rise, is scheduled to defend his 130-pound titles against Robson Conceicao on Friday in Newark, New Jersey.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan but no official announcement has been made.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Tyson Fury – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on Dec. 3 but no official announcement has been made.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New  York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to face Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada is the WBC’s junior bantamweight “franchise champion”.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured. No new date has been announced.
  13. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  14. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.
  15. Roman Gonzalez Scheduled to face WBC junior bantamweight “franchise champion” Juan Francisco Estrada on Dec. 3.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall in January but no deal is in place).

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Pound for pound: Gennadiy Golovkin drops out after long, illustrious run

Pound for pound: Gennadiy Golovkin drops off Boxing Junkie’s list after a long, illustrious run near the top.

Gennadiy Golovkin, 40, is no longer one of the best.

That was abundantly clear on Saturday in Las Vegas, where he looked his age in a unanimous-decision loss to super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez in their third fight.

He did next to nothing for two thirds of the fight but showed some signs of life down the stretch, which might’ve saved him from embarrassment.

However, overall, the Triple-G we saw at T-Mobile Arena had no resemblance to the beast who ran roughshod over a long list of solid middleweight opponents for a decade-plus. That fighter is gone.

Thus, Golovkin (unlucky No. 13 in the most recent rankings) drops off of Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list.

That allows Jermall Charlo and Shakur Stevenson to move up one notch each from Nos. 14 and 15, respectively. And Roman Gonzalez ascends from Honorable Mention to No. 15.

Golovkin is replaced on the list by veteran Kazuto Ioka, who re-enters as an Honorable Mention. The Japanese junior bantamweight titleholder last fought in July, when he easily outpointed Donnie Nietes to avenge an earlier split-decision loss.

Meanwhile, Alvarez (No. 7) got back into the win column after his upset loss to Dmitry Bivol in May. However, a victory over this version of Golovkin wasn’t enough for him to climb the list. He stays put.

Stevenson, who is on the rise, is scheduled to defend his 130-pound titles against Robson Conceicao on Friday in Newark, New Jersey.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan but no official announcement has been made.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Tyson Fury – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on Dec. 3 but no official announcement has been made.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New  York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to face Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada is the WBC’s junior bantamweight “franchise champion”.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly has reached an agreement to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured. No new date has been announced.
  13. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  14. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.
  15. Roman Gonzalez Scheduled to face WBC junior bantamweight “franchise champion” Juan Francisco Estrada on Dec. 3.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall in January but no deal is in place).

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Pound for pound: Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin could shake up list

The third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin next Saturday in Las Vegas will put to rest one of the most compelling rivalries in recent years. It also could shake up Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound rankings even though neither is as …

The third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin next Saturday in Las Vegas will put to rest one of the most compelling rivalries in recent years.

It also could shake up Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound rankings even though neither is as high on the list as they once were.

Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) dropped from No. 2 to No 7 after his one-sided loss to light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7 at T-Mobile Arena, the same site as the upcoming showdown with Triple-G.

And the 40-year-old Golovkin, once near the top of the list, has gradually slipped down because of a series of so-so performances and the rise of other fighters. He’s currently at No. 13.

What would a victory do for Alvarez? Not much. The 32-year-old super middleweight champ is a significant favorite over his challenger, who is perceived to be in decline and moving up in weight for the fight.

Alvarez will likely retain his current position if he has his hand raised.

If Golovkin scores what would be a monumental upset? Well, he could jump back into the Top 10 depending. More important to Kazakhstani, he would claim his greatest victory and extend his status as one of the sport’s most significant stars.

And, naturally, Alvarez, considered by many to be the best in the business before the Bivol fight, would take another tumble. Could he recover from that?

Yes, a lot will be at stake on Sept. 17.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship before the end of the year.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship before the end of the year.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall but no deal is in place).

Pound for pound: Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin could shake up list

The third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin next Saturday in Las Vegas will put to rest one of the most compelling rivalries in recent years. It also could shake up Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound rankings even though neither is as …

The third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin next Saturday in Las Vegas will put to rest one of the most compelling rivalries in recent years.

It also could shake up Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound rankings even though neither is as high on the list as they once were.

Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) dropped from No. 2 to No 7 after his one-sided loss to light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7 at T-Mobile Arena, the same site as the upcoming showdown with Triple-G.

And the 40-year-old Golovkin, once near the top of the list, has gradually slipped down because of a series of so-so performances and the rise of other fighters. He’s currently at No. 13.

What would a victory do for Alvarez? Not much. The 32-year-old super middleweight champ is a significant favorite over his challenger, who is perceived to be in decline and moving up in weight for the fight.

Alvarez will likely retain his current position if he has his hand raised.

If Golovkin scores what would be a monumental upset? Well, he could jump back into the Top 10 depending. More important to Kazakhstani, he would claim his greatest victory and extend his status as one of the sport’s most significant stars.

And, naturally, Alvarez, considered by many to be the best in the business before the Bivol fight, would take another tumble. Could he recover from that?

Yes, a lot will be at stake on Sept. 17.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship before the end of the year.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Reportedly has reached an agreement to meet Paul Butler for the undisputed bantamweight championship on Dec. 13 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship before the end of the year.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall but no deal is in place).

Pound for pound: Did Oleksandr Usyk do enough to move up the list?

Pound for pound: Did Oleksandr Usyk do enough to move up the Boxing Junkie list?

Oleksandr Usyk did it again.

The brilliant boxer from Ukraine defeated Anthony Joshua by a split decision in their rematch Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which followed a unanimous decision victory last September.

Usyk’s ability to overcome a naturally bigger man with elite skills is a testament to his unusual ability.

But was it enough for Boxing Junkie’s No. 3 fighter pound-for-pound to move up the list, which is headed by No. 1 Terence Crawford and No. 2 Naoya Inoue?

No.

There is no doubting what Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) is capable of but the more-dynamic Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) and explosive Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) also are unbeaten and tremendous all-around fighters. They’ve demonstrated it over and over again.

Could Usyk one day land at No. 1? Absolutely. Crawford could lose to No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. in a pending showdown, which would shake up the top of the list.

And if Usyk fights and defeats fellow heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury, it will be more difficult to keep him out of the Top 2.

Stay tuned.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly set to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates but no official announcement has been made.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to defend his unified junior bantamweight titles against Argi Cortes on Sept. 3 in Hermosillo, Mexico.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall but no deal is in place).

Pound for pound: Did Oleksandr Usyk do enough to move up the list?

Pound for pound: Did Oleksandr Usyk do enough to move up the Boxing Junkie list?

Oleksandr Usyk did it again.

The brilliant boxer from Ukraine defeated Anthony Joshua by a split decision in their rematch Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which followed a unanimous decision victory last September.

Usyk’s ability to overcome a naturally bigger man with elite skills is a testament to his unusual ability.

But was it enough for Boxing Junkie’s No. 3 fighter pound-for-pound to move up the list, which is headed by No. 1 Terence Crawford and No. 2 Naoya Inoue?

No.

There is no doubting what Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) is capable of but the more-dynamic Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) and explosive Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) also are unbeaten and tremendous all-around fighters. They’ve demonstrated it over and over again.

Could Usyk one day land at No. 1? Absolutely. Crawford could lose to No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. in a pending showdown, which would shake up the top of the list.

And if Usyk fights and defeats fellow heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury, it will be more difficult to keep him out of the Top 2.

Stay tuned.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly set to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Gilberto Ramirez on Nov. 5 in the United Arab Emirates but no official announcement has been made.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face Jamaine Ortiz on Oct. 29 in New York but no official announcement has been made.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to defend his unified junior bantamweight titles against Argi Cortes on Sept. 3 in Hermosillo, Mexico.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his undisputed junior middleweight championship against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Had been scheduled to defend his unified titles against Anthony Yarde on Oct. 29. However, the fight was postponed after Beterbiev was injured.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his unified junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (scheduled to defend his undisputed lightweight championship in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. on Oct. 16 in Australia); Josh Taylor (reportedly in talks to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall but no deal is in place).

Pound for pound: Oleksandr Usyk next up among best of best

Editor’s note: Boxing Junkie erred when it indicated recently that Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin II on Sept. 17 is the next fight involving a fighter or fighters on our pound-for-pound list. We regret the error. Oleksandr Usyk is the next …

Editor’s note: Boxing Junkie erred when it indicated recently that Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin II on Sept. 17 is the next fight involving a fighter or fighters on our pound-for-pound list. We regret the error.

Oleksandr Usyk is the next pound-for-pounder up.

The talented heavyweight titleholder, coming off his impressive unanimous-decision victory over Anthony Joshua to win his belts last September in London, will meet Joshua in a pay-per-view rematch on Aug. 20 in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.

Usyk (No. 3 on the list) gave a brilliant boxing performance against Joshua, bolstering his reputation as one of the best in the business and leading many to believe he’ll beat his rival again.

Usyk’s career was on hold as a result of Russia’s invasion of his native Ukraine. However, his country’s leaders encouraged to him to get back into ring, where he can inspire his countryman.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to defend his heavyweight titles in a rematch with Anthony Joshua on Aug. 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – No fight scheduled.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly targeting this fall for his return to the ring.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his junior middleweight titles against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (no fight scheduled).

Pound for pound: Oleksandr Usyk next up among best of best

Editor’s note: Boxing Junkie erred when it indicated recently that Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin II on Sept. 17 is the next fight involving a fighter or fighters on our pound-for-pound list. We regret the error. Oleksandr Usyk is the next …

Editor’s note: Boxing Junkie erred when it indicated recently that Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin II on Sept. 17 is the next fight involving a fighter or fighters on our pound-for-pound list. We regret the error.

Oleksandr Usyk is the next pound-for-pounder up.

The talented heavyweight titleholder, coming off his impressive unanimous-decision victory over Anthony Joshua to win his belts last September in London, will meet Joshua in a pay-per-view rematch on Aug. 20 in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.

Usyk (No. 3 on the list) gave a brilliant boxing performance against Joshua, bolstering his reputation as one of the best in the business and leading many to believe he’ll beat his rival again.

Usyk’s career was on hold as a result of Russia’s invasion of his native Ukraine. However, his country’s leaders encouraged to him to get back into ring, where he can inspire his countryman.

Here is what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly in talks to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to defend his heavyweight titles in a rematch with Anthony Joshua on Aug. 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly in talks to face Terence Crawford for the undisputed welterweight championship in November.
  5. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  6. Dmitry Bivol – No fight scheduled.
  7. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles in a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.
  8. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly targeting this fall for his return to the ring.
  9. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  10. Jermell Charlo – Reportedly set to defend his junior middleweight titles against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but no official announcement has been made.
  11. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Gennadiy Golovkin – Scheduled to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez a third time on Sept. 17.
  14. Jermall Charlo – No fights scheduled.
  15. Shakur Stevenson Scheduled to defend his junior lightweight titles against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 23 in Newark, N.J.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Devin Haney (no fight scheduled); Josh Taylor (no fight scheduled).