ESPN
Sep 17, 2025, 07:52 AM ET
Terence Crawford returns to the No. 1 spot 16 months after he was overtaken by Oleksandr Usyk following Usyk's heavyweight title fight win against Tyson Fury in May 2024.
Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) defeated then-No. 8 Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision in Las Vegas on Saturday, and the victory catapulted him from the No. 3 spot all the way to the top.
It was a brilliant performance by Crawford, who moved up two weight classes to challenge Canelo for the undisputed super middleweight championship. The win also made Crawford the only men's fighter in the four-belt era (since 2007) to be undisputed champion in three divisions (junior welterweight, welterweight and super middleweight).
Canelo (62-3-2, 39 KOs), a four-division champion, suffered his first defeat since losing a decision to Dmitry Bivol when he went up one division to challenge for the light heavyweight title in May 2022. He drops two spots to No. 10 following his defeat against Crawford.
Naoya Inoue was in action Sunday in Nagoya, Japan, successfully defending his undisputed super middleweight championship with a commanding unanimous decision victory over Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Despite the win, Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) slipped one spot to No. 3 in the rankings. This shift reflects the rising support for Crawford more than any flaws in Inoue's performance.
Our panel of Andreas Hale, Timothy Bradley Jr., Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Bernardo Pilatti, Charles Moynihan, Salvador Rodriguez, Claudia Trejos, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro, Aladdin Freeman, Victor Lopez and Damian Delgado Averhoff shares its votes.
More ESPN rankings: Divisional rankings and women's pound-for-pound rankings.
Note: Results are through Sept. 17.
1. TERENCE CRAWFORD 
Previous ranking: 3
RECORD: 42-0, 31 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Canelo Alvarez, Sept. 13
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
Don't let the close scorecards (116-112, 115-113 and 115-113) fool you; Crawford was absolutely brilliant in outclassing Canelo to become the undisputed super middleweight champion. The epitome of what it means to be a pound-for-pound fighter, Crawford moved up two weight classes and dominated a fellow pound-for-pound fighter -- one widely considered the face of boxing -- leaving him flustered and frustrated by the end of the fight. With his third undisputed status, Crawford settles in as the top pound-for-pound fighter today and, quite possibly, of this generation. -- Andreas Hale
2. OLEKSANDR USYK 
Previous ranking: 1
RECORD: 24-0, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO5) Daniel Dubois, July 19
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
Usyk is beginning to stake his claim as the best heavyweight of this century, his definitive finish of Dubois making him the undisputed champion once again. There would be no controversy in this rematch, as Usyk wiped Dubois out in the fifth round and took little damage. Joseph Parker is likely the next in line to get his shot, but with two wins apiece over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois, there really isn't much left for Usyk to do aside from lap the competition. -- Hale
3. NAOYA INOUE Previous ranking: 2
RECORD: 31-0, 27 KOs
DIVISION: Junior featherweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Murodjon Akhmadaliev, Sept. 14
NEXT FIGHT: Dec. 27 vs. David Picasso
It's not that Inoue did anything wrong to drop one spot to No. 2, as he was exceptional in dissecting Akhmadaliev. It's just that it's really difficult to hold Crawford back after what he did to Canelo. Nevertheless, Inoue continues to showcase his excellence inside the squared circle. This time he opted to use his wits and skill to outsmart and thoroughly dominate Akhmadaliev for a wide unanimous decision. He'll compete for a fourth time in 2025 when he faces Picasso on Dec. 27, but the fight everyone is waiting for is the All-Japan clash with current bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani in 2026. -- Hale
4. DMITRY BIVOL 
Previous ranking: 4
RECORD: 24-1, 12 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (MD12) Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
Bivol avenged his only loss when he defeated Beterbiev on Feb. 22 in an excellent performance. He'll avoid David Benavidez (for now) as he will likely engage in a rubber match with Beterbiev in his next fight. Should he emerge victorious, a highly anticipated showdown with Benavidez could be on the menu for 2026. -- Hale
5. JESSE RODRIGUEZ Previous ranking: 5
RECORD: 22-0, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Junior bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO10) Phumelela Cafu, July 19
NEXT FIGHT: Nov. 22 vs. Fernando Daniel Martinez
At 25, Rodriguez somehow manages to be underrated despite his pound-for-pound status. He collected yet another world title by thumping WBC titleholder Cafu for a 10th-round finish. When we talk about the smaller weight classes, we often mention Inoue's name. But maybe we should be talking a lot more about "Bam." He'll face WBA titleholder Martinez in November, which will be an opportunity to put his name on the ballot for fighter of the year. -- Hale
6. ARTUR BETERBIEV Previous ranking: 6
RECORD: 21-1, 20 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD12) Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: Nov. 22 vs. Deon Nicholson
Beterbiev suffered the only loss of his pro career in a rematch with Bivol on Feb. 22 but he still made a great account of himself against a fellow pound-for-pound fighter. Unfortunately, the rubber match would have to wait as Bivol elected to have back surgery which would sideline him until next year. Rather than wait, Beterbiev will stay active and face Nicholson on the Nov. 22 Riyadh Season card headlined by David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde. -- Hale
7. SHAKUR STEVENSON Previous ranking: 7
RECORD: 24-0, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) William Zepeda, July 12
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
Stevenson finally got the kind of opponent fans were asking for, and once again he came out on top, adding a little more aggression to his flawless tactical style. Stevenson dominated Zepeda on July 12 in New York in an exciting performance. As exceptional as Stevenson has been, the biggest complaint he faces is that he almost makes it look too easy and coasts to decision victories. He was supposed to have his hands full with a high-volume puncher in Zepeda, but he was able to handle everything Zepeda threw his way. Stevenson used a jab to the body, uppercuts and effective combinations to slow Zepeda down and put any complaints about lack of offense to rest. -- Hale
8. DAVID BENAVIDEZ Previous ranking: 9
RECORD: 30-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) David Morrell, Feb. 1
NEXT FIGHT: Nov. 22 vs. Anthony Yarde
For whatever reason, nobody wants to fight Benavidez. He did everything he needed to at 168 pounds but was unable to land a fight with Canelo. Now he finds himself in a similar position at light heavyweight, as Bivol vacated the WBC title so he could face Beterbiev in a rubber match, instead of facing Benavidez. With wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and David Morrell on his résumé, it's only a matter of time until Benavidez, who is nicknamed "The Mexican Monster," gets to test himself against the biggest names in the sport. But first, he will meet Yarde in November. The scary thing is that he is only 28 and hasn't hit his physical prime. -- Hale
9. JUNTO NAKATANI Previous ranking: 10
RECORD: 31-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO6) Ryosuke Nishida, June 8
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
Japan's other pound-for-pound fighter on this list unified the bantamweight titles on June 8 against IBF titleholder Nishida. "Big Bang" is exciting to watch and has won all five of his bantamweight fights by knockout since making the move from junior bantamweight last February. An eventual blockbuster showdown with countryman Inoue appears to be on the horizon in what would be the biggest fight in the history of Japan. -- Hale
10. CANELO ALVAREZ Previous ranking: 8
RECORD: 63-3-2, 39 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight
LAST FIGHT: L (UD12) Terence Crawford, Sept. 13
NEXT FIGHT: TBA
The Mexican superstar had no answers for Crawford and graciously handed over his undisputed super middleweight titles in front of more than 70,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Canelo has been a pound-for-pound fighter for a decade but was thoroughly outclassed by Crawford. Canelo is only 35 but has a lot of mileage on his body with nearly 70 fights in a 20-year professional career. Are we witnessing the twilight years of one of the greatest Mexican boxers of all time? All eyes will be on where Canelo goes from here. -- Hale
The formula
The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote awarding 10 points, a second-place vote awarding nine points and so on. A tie goes to the fighter with the highest ranking, then the one with the most votes at that ranking.
Others receiving votes: Teofimo Lopez Jr. (7), Gervonta Davis (5), Janibek Alimkhanuly (1), Rafael Espinoza (1).
How our writers voted
Bradley: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3: Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Nakatani, 7. Stevenson, 8. Beterbiev, 9. Alvarez, 10. Benavidez
Hale: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Benavidez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Alvarez, 10. Nakatani
Atlas: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Benavidez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Espinoza
Tessitore: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Davis
Parkinson: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Alvarez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Benavidez
Raskin: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Benavidez, 9. Alvarez, 10. Nakatani
Osuna: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Stevenson, 7. Nakatani, 8. Beterbiev, 9. Alvarez, 10. Benavidez
Rodriguez: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Alvarez
Trejos: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Alvarez, 9. Benavidez, 10. Nakatani
Woodyard: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Stevenson, 7. Benavidez, 8. Davis, 9. Beterbiev, 10. Nakatani
Moynihan: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Stevenson, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Alvarez, 10. Davis
Pilatti: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Benavidez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Nakatani, 10. Alimkhanuly
Zirolli: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Stevenson, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Lopez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Benavidez
Mascaro: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Davis, 10. Lopez
Freeman: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Nakatani, 9. Alvarez, 10. Lopez
Lopez: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Benavidez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Alvarez
Delgado Averhof: 1. Crawford, 2. Usyk, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Benavidez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Lopez, 10. Nakatani
ESPN experts' poll
First place: Crawford (14), Usyk (3)
Second place: Usyk (14), Crawford (2), Inoue (1)
Third place: Inoue (16), Crawford (1)
Fourth place: Bivol (13), Rodriguez (2), Beterbiev (1), Stevenson (1)
Fifth place: Rodriguez (7), Beterbiev (5), Bivol (4), Benavidez (1)
Sixth place: Beterbiev (8), Rodriguez (5), Stevenson (3), Nakatani (1)
Seventh place: Stevenson (6), Nakatani (5), Benavidez (4), Rodriguez (2)
Eighth place: Benavidez (6), Stevenson (3), Beterbiev (2), Canelo (2), Rodriguez (1), Nakatani (1), Lopez (1), Davis (1)
Ninth place: Alvarez (6), Stevenson (4), Nakatani (4), Beterbiev (1), Benavidez (1), Lopez (1)
10th place: Nakatani (5), Benavidez (4), Alvarez (2), Lopez (2), Davis (2), Akhmadaliev (1), Espinoza (1)
