Tag: Tim Tszyu

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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Sebastian Fundora’s plan: work hard, win fights, maintain faith his chance will come

Sebastian Fundora’s plan: work hard, win fights and maintain faith that his big chance will come.

Sebastian Fundora’s instinct to brawl in spite of his 6-foot-6 frame has always been intriguing.

The 154-pound contender didn’t want to be too predictable, though. So he’s been working on using his physical advantages by boxing more than he typically does, which we saw in his unanimous decision victory over Carlos Ocampo in October.

Does that mean we’ll see the same thing against Brian Mendoza on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (Showtime)?

Fundora’s not telling.

“I did want to box more,” he told Boxing Junkie, referring to the Ocampo fight. “I wanted to show fans I’m not a one-dimensional fighter, that I can do different things. We displayed that. If this fight calls for it, why not [do it again]?

“Honestly, I just want to get the job done.”

Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) has always gotten the job done, aside from a draw with Jamontay Clark in 2019.

The resident of the Southern California desert delivered his break-through victory in April of last year, when he got up from a knockdown to stop Erickson Lubin in the ninth round and become a prime candidate to fight for a world title. He followed that with the victory over Ocampo.

Now comes Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs), who hit the jackpot when he took a fight with former unified champion Jeison Rosario on short notice and knocked him out in November.

The oddsmakers have made Fundora a heavy favorite but he believes Mendoza might be better than many people realize.

“I would think so,” said Fundora, who holds the WBC’s “interim” belt. “He’s fighting for the … title. I can’t speak for anybody else but there’s a reason he’s fighting here. … He looked strong [against Rosario], he looked good. This should be a good fight.”

If Fundora wins, he’ll continue to wait for bigger and better opportunities. That could be matchups with other big-name 154-pounders or the holy grail, a shot at a world title.

Waiting hasn’t been easy. For example, Fundora was expected to fight former champ Tony Harrison in March. However, Harrison ended up facing (and losing to) Tim Tszyu after the Australian’s fight with undisputed champion Jermell Charlo was postponed.

Fundora felt he was “skipped over.”

“Harrison was supposed to fight us,” he said. “He was the mandatory for us, for the WBC [interim title]. They made a big deal about it. I was like, “Great. We have this fight with Harrison, we have an ex-champion.’ The fight didn’t turn out. And the next thing you know he’s fight Tim Tszyu.

“I guess that’s the business of boxing but you gotta be fair. That’s what I think.”

Fundora is a realist, though. He knows he can only take one path going forward: continue to work hard, continue to win, continue to impress and continue to have faith that the big opportunities will come his way.

He hopes to face the winner of the Charlo-Tszyu fight, which is projected for this summer.

“I just continue to train,” he said. “My parents, my coach (father Freddy Fundora) keep me in line if I ever start questioning things or whatever the case is. Just continue to work. My time will come soon.”

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Sebastian Fundora’s plan: work hard, win fights, maintain faith his chance will come

Sebastian Fundora’s plan: work hard, win fights and maintain faith that his big chance will come.

Sebastian Fundora’s instinct to brawl in spite of his 6-foot-6 frame has always been intriguing.

The 154-pound contender didn’t want to be too predictable, though. So he’s been working on using his physical advantages by boxing more than he typically does, which we saw in his unanimous decision victory over Carlos Ocampo in October.

Does that mean we’ll see the same thing against Brian Mendoza on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (Showtime)?

Fundora’s not telling.

“I did want to box more,” he told Boxing Junkie, referring to the Ocampo fight. “I wanted to show fans I’m not a one-dimensional fighter, that I can do different things. We displayed that. If this fight calls for it, why not [do it again]?

“Honestly, I just want to get the job done.”

Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) has always gotten the job done, aside from a draw with Jamontay Clark in 2019.

The resident of the Southern California desert delivered his break-through victory in April of last year, when he got up from a knockdown to stop Erickson Lubin in the ninth round and become a prime candidate to fight for a world title. He followed that with the victory over Ocampo.

Now comes Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs), who hit the jackpot when he took a fight with former unified champion Jeison Rosario on short notice and knocked him out in November.

The oddsmakers have made Fundora a heavy favorite but he believes Mendoza might be better than many people realize.

“I would think so,” said Fundora, who holds the WBC’s “interim” belt. “He’s fighting for the … title. I can’t speak for anybody else but there’s a reason he’s fighting here. … He looked strong [against Rosario], he looked good. This should be a good fight.”

If Fundora wins, he’ll continue to wait for bigger and better opportunities. That could be matchups with other big-name 154-pounders or the holy grail, a shot at a world title.

Waiting hasn’t been easy. For example, Fundora was expected to fight former champ Tony Harrison in March. However, Harrison ended up facing (and losing to) Tim Tszyu after the Australian’s fight with undisputed champion Jermell Charlo was postponed.

Fundora felt he was “skipped over.”

“Harrison was supposed to fight us,” he said. “He was the mandatory for us, for the WBC [interim title]. They made a big deal about it. I was like, “Great. We have this fight with Harrison, we have an ex-champion.’ The fight didn’t turn out. And the next thing you know he’s fight Tim Tszyu.

“I guess that’s the business of boxing but you gotta be fair. That’s what I think.”

Fundora is a realist, though. He knows he can only take one path going forward: continue to work hard, continue to win, continue to impress and continue to have faith that the big opportunities will come his way.

He hopes to face the winner of the Charlo-Tszyu fight, which is projected for this summer.

“I just continue to train,” he said. “My parents, my coach (father Freddy Fundora) keep me in line if I ever start questioning things or whatever the case is. Just continue to work. My time will come soon.”

[lawrence-related id=36521,33211]

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).

Great Eight: The list could look considerably different by year’s end

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best. A significant shakeup could come soon, though. Seven of …

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best.

A significant shakeup could come soon, though.

Seven of the “Great Eight” champions will or could face serious threats in the near future, including one who is moving up in weight to face another champ. Have a look:

  • Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is expected to fight fellow titleholder Oleksander Usyk for the undisputed championship as early as June. That’s obviously a genuine test for “The Gypsy King.”
  • Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol appears to be on a collision course with his fellow beltholder and countryman, Artur Beterbiev. Another significant risk.
  • Tim Tszyu is a longshot to beat junior middleweight Jermell Charlo but his chances seem to be better than ever after his spectacular knockout of Tony Harrison.
  • Welterweight Terence Crawford and yet another fellow champ, Errol Spence Jr., have pumped a little life into the possibility they will meet in their long-awaited showdown. That’s a 50-50 fight.
  • Gervonta Davis is a significant favorite to beat Ryan Garcia on April 22 but Garcia brings a lot of talent into that fight. Don’t rule anything out.
  • Junior featherweight Stephen Fulton has accepted the challenge of “Great Eight” bantamweight king Naoya Inoue, who will be moving up in weight. Still, that’s a tough, tough fight for Fulton given Inoue’s ability and punching power.

Get the point? It likely that the “Great Eight” list will look at least somewhat different before the end of the year or perhaps early next year, which means great fights are being made.

Or are they? We just have to keep our fingers crossed that the Fury-Usyk, Bivol-Beterbiev, Charlo-Tszyu  and Crawford-Spence fights actually get made.

Here is how “Great Eight” works.

The original eight weight classes are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

Here’s the current list.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. Ryan Garcia could pose a threat on April 22.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Now comes his biggest test: Naoya Inoue.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

[lawrence-related id=36095,14631,36101,35838]

Great Eight: The list could look considerably different by year’s end

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best. A significant shakeup could come soon, though. Seven of …

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best.

A significant shakeup could come soon, though.

Seven of the “Great Eight” champions will or could face serious threats in the near future, including one who is moving up in weight to face another champ. Have a look:

  • Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is expected to fight fellow titleholder Oleksander Usyk for the undisputed championship as early as June. That’s obviously a genuine test for “The Gypsy King.”
  • Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol appears to be on a collision course with his fellow beltholder and countryman, Artur Beterbiev. Another significant risk.
  • Tim Tszyu is a longshot to beat junior middleweight Jermell Charlo but his chances seem to be better than ever after his spectacular knockout of Tony Harrison.
  • Welterweight Terence Crawford and yet another fellow champ, Errol Spence Jr., have pumped a little life into the possibility they will meet in their long-awaited showdown. That’s a 50-50 fight.
  • Gervonta Davis is a significant favorite to beat Ryan Garcia on April 22 but Garcia brings a lot of talent into that fight. Don’t rule anything out.
  • Junior featherweight Stephen Fulton has accepted the challenge of “Great Eight” bantamweight king Naoya Inoue, who will be moving up in weight. Still, that’s a tough, tough fight for Fulton given Inoue’s ability and punching power.

Get the point? It likely that the “Great Eight” list will look at least somewhat different before the end of the year or perhaps early next year, which means great fights are being made.

Or are they? We just have to keep our fingers crossed that the Fury-Usyk, Bivol-Beterbiev, Charlo-Tszyu  and Crawford-Spence fights actually get made.

Here is how “Great Eight” works.

The original eight weight classes are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

Here’s the current list.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. Ryan Garcia could pose a threat on April 22.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Now comes his biggest test: Naoya Inoue.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

[lawrence-related id=36095,14631,36101,35838]

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).