The fictional pound for pound rankings have always been of great interest and a talking point for fight fans across the globe. While we can figure out the best fighters in each division when they face off inside of the squared circle, it's far more difficult to decide who the best fighter in the world is, regardless of weight class.
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The ongoing discussion has lasted for decades as major combat sports publications rank their pound for pound lists and Sporting News is jumping into that arena. Our combat sports team has voted and decided who are the top 10 active fighters in the sport. This list will be released monthly starting in January 2019 and evolve based on what happens inside of the ring.
Without any futher ado, here is the inaugural boxing pound for pound list for January.
Note: Results are through January 13th, 2019.
10. Naoya Inoue
Last Month: N/A
Record: 17-0, 15 KOs
Division: Bantamweight (WBA Regular champion)
Last Fight: 10/7/2018 - def. Juan Carlos Payano (KO 1)
Next Fight: TBD – vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez
9. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
Last Month: N/A
Record: 47-4-1, 41 KOs
Division: Super Flyweight (WBC, The Ring & lineal champion)
Last Fight: 10/6/2018 - def. Iran Diaz. (UD 12)
Next Fight: TBA
8. Anthony Joshua
Last Month: N/A
Record: 22-0, 21 KOs
Division: Heavyweight (WBA Super, IBF, WBO & IBO champion)
Last Fight: 9/22/2018 - def. Alexander Povetkin (TKO 7)
Next Fight: 4/13/2019 – vs. TBA
7. Gennady Golovkin
Last Month: N/A
Record: 38-1, 34 KOs
Division: Middleweight
Last Fight: 9/15/2018 – LOSS vs. Canelo Alvarez. (MD 12)
Next Fight: TBA
6. Mikey Garcia
Last Month: N/A
Record: 39-0, 30 KOs
Division: Lightweight (WBO champion)
Last Fight: 10/13/2018 - def. Robert Easter Jr. (UD 12)
Next Fight: 3/16/2019 – vs. Errol Spence Jr.
5. Errol Spence Jr
Last Month: N/A
Record: 24-0, 21 KOs
Division: Welterweight (IBF champion)
Last Fight: 1/16/2018 - def. Carlos Ocampo (KO 1)
Next Fight: 3/16/2019 – vs. Mikey Garcia
4. Oleksandr Usyk
Last Month: N/A
Record: 16-0, 12 KOs
Division: Cruiserweight (WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO, The Ring & lineal champion)
Last Fight: 11/10/2018 - def. Tony Bellew (KO 8)
Next Fight: TBA
3. Canelo Alvarez
Last Month: N/A
Record: 51-1-2, 35 KOs
Division: Middleweight/Super Middleweight (WBA Super, WBC, The Ring & lineal champion/WBA Regular champion)
Last Fight: 12/15/2018 - def. Rocky Fielding (TKO 3)
Next Fight: 5/4/2019 – vs. TBA
2. Vasiliy Lomachenko
Last Month: N/A
Record: 12-1, 9 KOs
Division: Lightweight (WBA Super, WBO & The Ring champion)
Last Fight: 12/18/2018 - def. Jose Pedraza (UD 12)
Next Fight: 4/12/2019 – vs. TBA
1. Terence Crawford
Last Month: N/A
Record: 34-0, 25 KOs
Division: Welterweight (WBO champion)
Last Fight: 10/13/2018 - def. Jose Benavidez Jr. (TKO 12)
Next Fight: 4/20/2019 – vs. Amir Khan
