Tag: Roman Gonzalez

Pound for pound: Did Shakur Stevenson’s brilliant performance boost him up the list?

We had a dilemma. We normally don’t like to elevate pound-for-pound fighters unless they defeat an opponent who is also on our Boxing Junkie list, which is the best way to prove you belong. There are exceptions, though. Sometimes a boxer gives such …

We had a dilemma.

We normally don’t like to elevate pound-for-pound fighters unless they defeat an opponent who is also on our Boxing Junkie list, which is the best way to prove you belong.

There are exceptions, though. Sometimes a boxer gives such a sublime performance that he simply has to be rewarded.

That’s the case with No. 13-ranked Shakur Stevenson, who was nearly flawless in his sixth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino in Stevenson’s 135-pound debut Saturday in Newark New, Jersey.

Stevenson gave a hit-and-not be-hit clinic, picking a pitiful Yoshino apart from a perfect distance and taking almost nothing in return.

And he showed us something for which he’s not known, punching power. He put Yoshino down twice and ultimately landed so many hard, damaging blows that referee Allen Huggins had no choice but to stop the fight.

OK, Yoshino isn’t on the level of Gervonta Davis (No. 10), Vasiliy Lomachenko (No. 11), Devin Haney (No. 15) or the like. He’s a good, proven fighter, though. And he was overwhelmed.

Where does that leave Stevenson?

We feel he earned the right to leap frog Lomachenko and No. 12 Artur Beterbiev, lifting him to No. 11 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list.

A bonus to our decision is that Lomachenko’s fate is in his own hands. If the former three-division champion defeats undisputed 135-pound champ Haney on May 20, he likely would jump back into the Top 10.

And remember: Stevenson’s biggest fights lie ahead of him, which means he’ll have opportunities to demonstrate that he is truly what he believes he is — the best fighter in the world.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 13 Shakur Stevenson is scheduled to Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on Apri 8 in Newark, New Jersey.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has re-entered talks to face No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed 147-pound championship but deal has been reached.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Tokyo.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has re-entered talks to face No. 1 Terence Crawford for the undisputed 147-pound championship but deal has been reached..
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Expected to defend his 175-title against Canelo Alvarez in a rematch in September but no agreement has been reached..
  6. Tyson Fury – Reportedly considering a title defense against former beltholder Andy Ruiz Jr. in the summer but that seems to be only one option.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Expected to defend his undisputed 154-pound championship against top contender Tim Tszyu this summer but no agreement is in place.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to challenge undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney on May 20 in Las Vegas.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 135-pound championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 in Las Vegas..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York).

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Pound for pound: Did Shakur Stevenson’s brilliant performance boost him up the list?

We had a dilemma. We normally don’t like to elevate pound-for-pound fighters unless they defeat an opponent who is also on our Boxing Junkie list, which is the best way to prove you belong. There are exceptions, though. Sometimes a boxer gives such …

We had a dilemma.

We normally don’t like to elevate pound-for-pound fighters unless they defeat an opponent who is also on our Boxing Junkie list, which is the best way to prove you belong.

There are exceptions, though. Sometimes a boxer gives such a sublime performance that he simply has to be rewarded.

That’s the case with No. 13-ranked Shakur Stevenson, who was nearly flawless in his sixth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino in Stevenson’s 135-pound debut Saturday in Newark New, Jersey.

Stevenson gave a hit-and-not be-hit clinic, picking a pitiful Yoshino apart from a perfect distance and taking almost nothing in return.

And he showed us something for which he’s not known, punching power. He put Yoshino down twice and ultimately landed so many hard, damaging blows that referee Allen Huggins had no choice but to stop the fight.

OK, Yoshino isn’t on the level of Gervonta Davis (No. 10), Vasiliy Lomachenko (No. 11), Devin Haney (No. 15) or the like. He’s a good, proven fighter, though. And he was overwhelmed.

Where does that leave Stevenson?

We feel he earned the right to leap frog Lomachenko and No. 12 Artur Beterbiev, lifting him to No. 11 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list.

A bonus to our decision is that Lomachenko’s fate is in his own hands. If the former three-division champion defeats undisputed 135-pound champ Haney on May 20, he likely would jump back into the Top 10.

And remember: Stevenson’s biggest fights lie ahead of him, which means he’ll have opportunities to demonstrate that he is truly what he believes he is — the best fighter in the world.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 13 Shakur Stevenson is scheduled to Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on Apri 8 in Newark, New Jersey.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Reportedly has re-entered talks to face No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed 147-pound championship but deal has been reached.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Tokyo.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Reportedly has re-entered talks to face No. 1 Terence Crawford for the undisputed 147-pound championship but deal has been reached..
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Expected to defend his 175-title against Canelo Alvarez in a rematch in September but no agreement has been reached..
  6. Tyson Fury – Reportedly considering a title defense against former beltholder Andy Ruiz Jr. in the summer but that seems to be only one option.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Expected to defend his undisputed 154-pound championship against top contender Tim Tszyu this summer but no agreement is in place.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to challenge undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney on May 20 in Las Vegas.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 135-pound championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 in Las Vegas..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York).

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Pound for pound: Was David Benavidez’s victory over Caleb Plant enough to elevate him?

Pound for pound: Was David Benavidez’s victory over Caleb Plant enough to elevate him higher on the list?

David Benavidez demonstrated in his one-sided victory over Caleb Plant on Saturday that he’s the best 168-pounder in the world not named Canelo Alvarez.

But was that accomplishment enough to lift the Honorable Mention pound-for-pounder higher on the list?

No. Here’s why.

Plant, an excellent boxer, arguably was the toughest opponent of Benavidez’s career even though the Phoenix native is a two-time world titleholder. And while it took time for Benavidez to close the distance on his fleet opponent, he ultimately delivered a beat down.

That’s why Benavidez was named Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month for March.

However, Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) probably will have to take down an opponent on the pound-for-pound list or possibly someone on the cusp in order to climb into the Top 15.

Of course, he’ll eventually get that opportunity if he continues to win. And based on what we saw this past weekend, it’s a good bet he’ll do so.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 13 Shakur Stevenson is scheduled to Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on Apri 8 in Newark, New Jersey.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Tokyo.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Talks with No. 6 Tyson Fury for a heavyweight title-unification bout fell apart, leaving Usyk with no opponent for the time being.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – Talks with No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for a heavyweight title-unification bout fell apart, leaving Fury with no opponent for the time being.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Expected to defend his undisputed 154-pound championship against top contender Tim Tszyu this summer but no agreement is in place.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to challenge undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney on May 20 in Las Vegas.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 135-pound championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 in Las Vegas..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: Was David Benavidez’s victory over Caleb Plant enough to elevate him?

Pound for pound: Was David Benavidez’s victory over Caleb Plant enough to elevate him higher on the list?

David Benavidez demonstrated in his one-sided victory over Caleb Plant on Saturday that he’s the best 168-pounder in the world not named Canelo Alvarez.

But was that accomplishment enough to lift the Honorable Mention pound-for-pounder higher on the list?

No. Here’s why.

Plant, an excellent boxer, arguably was the toughest opponent of Benavidez’s career even though the Phoenix native is a two-time world titleholder. And while it took time for Benavidez to close the distance on his fleet opponent, he ultimately delivered a beat down.

That’s why Benavidez was named Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month for March.

However, Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) probably will have to take down an opponent on the pound-for-pound list or possibly someone on the cusp in order to climb into the Top 15.

Of course, he’ll eventually get that opportunity if he continues to win. And based on what we saw this past weekend, it’s a good bet he’ll do so.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 13 Shakur Stevenson is scheduled to Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on Apri 8 in Newark, New Jersey.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Tokyo.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Talks with No. 6 Tyson Fury for a heavyweight title-unification bout fell apart, leaving Usyk with no opponent for the time being.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – Talks with No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for a heavyweight title-unification bout fell apart, leaving Fury with no opponent for the time being.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Scheduled to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Expected to defend his undisputed 154-pound championship against top contender Tim Tszyu this summer but no agreement is in place.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to challenge undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney on May 20 in Las Vegas.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 135-pound championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 in Las Vegas..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: Tim Tszyu one victory away from joining best in business

It’s not quite time to give Tim Tszyu pound-for-pound consideration but that could come the next time he fights. Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) delivered an attention-grabbing ninth-round knockout of veteran Tony Harrison in a scheduled 12-round 154-pound …

It’s not quite time to give Tim Tszyu pound-for-pound consideration but that could come the next time he fights.

Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) delivered an attention-grabbing ninth-round knockout of veteran Tony Harrison in a scheduled 12-round 154-pound bout over the weekend in Sydney, Australia, Tszyu’s hometown.

That sets up the opportunity of his career, a shot at No. 9-ranked Jermell Charlo’s undisputed championship in the next fight for both men, as early as summertime.

Tszyu has already knocked out former 147-pound titleholder Jeff Horn, outpointed capable Terrell Gausha and stopped another former beltholder in Harrison.

However, a victory over a pound-for-pounder on the rise like Charlo would allow Tszyu to follow in the footsteps of his famous father — Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu — and claim a place among the best handful of boxers on the planet.

Of course, defeating Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) would be no easy task, but most would give Tszyu a better chance after watching him disassemble Harrison (the only man to beat Charlo) than they would’ve beforehand.

Let’s hope negotiations go smoothly.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention David Benavidez, who fights Caleb Plant on March 25 in Las Vegas.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place. Also reportedly talking to No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. about a title-unification showdown.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on May 7 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Reportedly near a deal to face No. 6 Tyson Fury in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made. Also reportedly talking to No. 1 Terence Crawford about a title-unification showdown.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – Reportedly is near a deal to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico but no announcement has been made.
  9. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to fight Caleb Plant on March 25); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on May 7 in Japan.); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: Tim Tszyu one victory away from joining best in business

It’s not quite time to give Tim Tszyu pound-for-pound consideration but that could come the next time he fights. Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) delivered an attention-grabbing ninth-round knockout of veteran Tony Harrison in a scheduled 12-round 154-pound …

It’s not quite time to give Tim Tszyu pound-for-pound consideration but that could come the next time he fights.

Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) delivered an attention-grabbing ninth-round knockout of veteran Tony Harrison in a scheduled 12-round 154-pound bout over the weekend in Sydney, Australia, Tszyu’s hometown.

That sets up the opportunity of his career, a shot at No. 9-ranked Jermell Charlo’s undisputed championship in the next fight for both men, as early as summertime.

Tszyu has already knocked out former 147-pound titleholder Jeff Horn, outpointed capable Terrell Gausha and stopped another former beltholder in Harrison.

However, a victory over a pound-for-pounder on the rise like Charlo would allow Tszyu to follow in the footsteps of his famous father — Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu — and claim a place among the best handful of boxers on the planet.

Of course, defeating Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) would be no easy task, but most would give Tszyu a better chance after watching him disassemble Harrison (the only man to beat Charlo) than they would’ve beforehand.

Let’s hope negotiations go smoothly.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention David Benavidez, who fights Caleb Plant on March 25 in Las Vegas.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place. Also reportedly talking to No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. about a title-unification showdown.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on May 7 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Reportedly near a deal to face No. 6 Tyson Fury in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made. Also reportedly talking to No. 1 Terence Crawford about a title-unification showdown.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – Reportedly is near a deal to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico but no announcement has been made.
  9. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to fight Caleb Plant on March 25); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on May 7 in Japan.); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: Waiting for boxing’s best to seal deals

Pound for pound: Many of boxing’s best fighters have been unable to finalize agreements that would get them back into the ring.

Three fighters on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list have bouts in place.

However, the majority of them have yet to finalize agreements — which serves to tease loyal, but frustrated boxing fans clamoring for important matchups — and some have nothing in the works, including those who fought recently

These are the fighters who have announced fights:

  • No. 10 Gervonta Davis (Ryan Garcia), No. 13 Shakur Stevenson (Shuichiro Yoshino) and Honorable Mention David Benavidez (Caleb Plant).

These are the fighters who are in talks with specific potential opponents but have not made official announcements:

  • No. 1 Terence Crawford (Aleix Rocha), No. 2 Naoya Inoue (Stephen Fulton Jr.), No. 3 Oleksander Usyk (Tyson Fury), No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. (Keith Thurman), No. 5 Dmitry Bivol (Artur Beterbiev), No. 6 Fury (Usyk), No. 8 Canelo Alvarez (John Ryder), No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko (Devin Haney), No. 12 Beterbiev (Bivol), No. 15 Haney (Lomachenko), HM Fulton (Inoue), HM Kazuto Ioka (Joshua Franco) and HM Josh Taylor (Teofimo Lopez).

Next pound-for-pounder up: The Benavidez-Plant fight on March 25 in Las Vegas.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place
  2. Naoya Inoue – In talks to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. this spring in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – In talks to face No. 6 Tyson Fury in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – In talks to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico but no announcement has been made.
  9. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to fight Caleb Plant on March 25); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (in talks to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue this spring); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: Waiting for boxing’s best to seal deals

Pound for pound: Many of boxing’s best fighters have been unable to finalize agreements that would get them back into the ring.

Three fighters on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list have bouts in place.

However, the majority of them have yet to finalize agreements — which serves to tease loyal, but frustrated boxing fans clamoring for important matchups — and some have nothing in the works, including those who fought recently

These are the fighters who have announced fights:

  • No. 10 Gervonta Davis (Ryan Garcia), No. 13 Shakur Stevenson (Shuichiro Yoshino) and Honorable Mention David Benavidez (Caleb Plant).

These are the fighters who are in talks with specific potential opponents but have not made official announcements:

  • No. 1 Terence Crawford (Aleix Rocha), No. 2 Naoya Inoue (Stephen Fulton Jr.), No. 3 Oleksander Usyk (Tyson Fury), No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. (Keith Thurman), No. 5 Dmitry Bivol (Artur Beterbiev), No. 6 Fury (Usyk), No. 8 Canelo Alvarez (John Ryder), No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko (Devin Haney), No. 12 Beterbiev (Bivol), No. 15 Haney (Lomachenko), HM Fulton (Inoue), HM Kazuto Ioka (Joshua Franco) and HM Josh Taylor (Teofimo Lopez).

Next pound-for-pounder up: The Benavidez-Plant fight on March 25 in Las Vegas.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – Ordered by the WBO to defend his 147-pound title against Alexis Rocha but no agreement is in place
  2. Naoya Inoue – In talks to challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. this spring in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – In talks to face No. 6 Tyson Fury in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – Unified 147-pound titleholder reportedly set to face Keith Thurman at 154 pounds in April but no official announcement has been made.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – Reportedly in talks to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  6. Tyson Fury – In talks to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk in a heavyweight title-unification bout but no agreement is in place.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico but no announcement has been made.
  9. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to face Ryan Garcia in a 136-pound bout on April 15 in Las Vegas.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Reportedly in talks to face No. 5 Dmitry Bivol in a 175-pound title-unification fight as early as June but no agreement is in place.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – Scheduled to face Shuichiro Yoshino in a 135-pound bout on April 8 in Newark, New Jersey.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly has agreed to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to fight Caleb Plant on March 25); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (in talks to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue this spring); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly scheduled to challenge 115-pound titleholder Joshua Franco in June in Japan but no announcement has been made); Josh Taylor (reportedly will defend his WBO 140-pound title against Teofimo Lopez on June 10 in New York but no announcement has been made).

Pound for pound: The clock is ticking for No. 1-ranked Terence Crawford

Pound for pound: The clock is ticking for No. 1-ranked Terence Crawford.

The clock is ticking for No. 1 Terence Crawford.

The welterweight champion was expected to face No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. in a title-unification showdown last this year but talks fell apart and Crawford fought David Avanesyan instead on Dec. 10, stopping the Russian in six rounds.

Thus, Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) enters another year with a single defining victory on his resume, a 10th-round knock out of former two-time 147-pound champion Shawn Porter last year.

Beyond that? A string of victories over solid contenders but no one considered pound-for-pound material.

And Crawford isn’t getting younger. He turned 35 this past September, an age when the vast majority of fighters have at least begun to decline. We haven’t seen evidence of slippage but it has to be around the corner, right?

“Bud” said that he still wants to fight Spence, which would give him the opportunity to record by far the most significant victory of his long career. And if they can’t come to terms, he’d like to face undisputed 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo in what would be another defining matchup.

That’s just talk, however, He has to do everything in his power to make these fights happen sooner rather than later or risk losing a step and retiring with a lot of what-ifs.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Kazuto Ioka, who will face Joshua Franco in a 115-pound title-unification matchup on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo.

No. 10 Gervonta Davis will face Hector Luis Garcia in a lightweight bout Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – No fight scheduled.
  6. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Junior middleweight champion’s defense against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 was postponed after Charlo broke his hand.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to fight Hector Garcia on Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his light heavyweight titles against Anthony Yarde on Jan. 28 in London.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly in talks to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (reportedly has reached an agreement to fight Caleb Plant early next year but no official announcement has been made); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to face Joshua Franco in a junior bantamweight title-unification bout on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo); Josh Taylor (scheduled to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall on Feb. 4 in Glasgow, Scotland).

[lawrence-related id=34819,34796,34717]

Pound for pound: The clock is ticking for No. 1-ranked Terence Crawford

Pound for pound: The clock is ticking for No. 1-ranked Terence Crawford.

The clock is ticking for No. 1 Terence Crawford.

The welterweight champion was expected to face No. 4 Errol Spence Jr. in a title-unification showdown last this year but talks fell apart and Crawford fought David Avanesyan instead on Dec. 10, stopping the Russian in six rounds.

Thus, Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) enters another year with a single defining victory on his resume, a 10th-round knock out of former two-time 147-pound champion Shawn Porter last year.

Beyond that? A string of victories over solid contenders but no one considered pound-for-pound material.

And Crawford isn’t getting younger. He turned 35 this past September, an age when the vast majority of fighters have at least begun to decline. We haven’t seen evidence of slippage but it has to be around the corner, right?

“Bud” said that he still wants to fight Spence, which would give him the opportunity to record by far the most significant victory of his long career. And if they can’t come to terms, he’d like to face undisputed 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo in what would be another defining matchup.

That’s just talk, however, He has to do everything in his power to make these fights happen sooner rather than later or risk losing a step and retiring with a lot of what-ifs.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Kazuto Ioka, who will face Joshua Franco in a 115-pound title-unification matchup on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo.

No. 10 Gervonta Davis will face Hector Luis Garcia in a lightweight bout Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C.

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

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – No fight scheduled.
  4. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  5. Dmitry Bivol – No fight scheduled.
  6. Tyson Fury – No fight scheduled.
  7. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  8. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  9. Jermell Charlo – Junior middleweight champion’s defense against Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 was postponed after Charlo broke his hand.
  10. Gervonta Davis – Scheduled to fight Hector Garcia on Jan. 7 in Washington, D.C.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly in talks to challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney but no official announcement has been made.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his light heavyweight titles against Anthony Yarde on Jan. 28 in London.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Reportedly in talks to defend his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasiliy Lomachenko but no official announcement has been made..

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (reportedly has reached an agreement to fight Caleb Plant early next year but no official announcement has been made); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Stephen Fulton Jr. (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to face Joshua Franco in a junior bantamweight title-unification bout on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo); Josh Taylor (scheduled to defend his WBO junior welterweight title in a rematch with Jack Catterall on Feb. 4 in Glasgow, Scotland).

[lawrence-related id=34819,34796,34717]