The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Pound for Pound

The Ring first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. Almost a century later, it’s no exaggeration to claim that these independent rankings are the most respected and talked-about in world boxing.

The Ring Ratings Panel is made up of a dozen experts from around the world. Opinions are shared, debate takes place, and the final decision on who should be rated where is decided democratically every week. It sounds easy, but this can be an arduous and time-consuming process.

Here I will be going through each division in reverse order and work my way up from strawweight to heavyweight and look at each rated fighter’s respective achievements and gaze into my crystal ball as to what may lay ahead.

After a busy first half of 2024, we’re ready to compile another divisional breakdown.

We begin with the always subjective mythical pound-for-pound top 10. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.

No. 1 – OLEKSANDR USYK

RECORD: 22-0 (14 KOs)

THE PAST: Usyk, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics, cleaned out the cruiserweight division, beating Krzysztof Glowacki (UD 12), Marco Huck (TKO 10), Mairis Briedis (MD 12), Murat Gassiev (UD 12) and Tony Bellew (TKO 8), all in their home countries. The manner in which he outboxed dangerous Gassiev to become undisputed champion was particularly eye-catching. After moving up to heavyweight, Usyk was hampered by injuries and the pandemic. He scored a routine win over late substitute Chazz Witherspoon (RTD 7) and outpointed perennial trier Derek Chisora (UD 12). The proud Ukrainian reminded everyone just how special he is when he bested Anthony Joshua to pick up the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles (UD 12) and repeated the trick (SD 12) while adding the vacant Ring title. He then stopped Daniel Dubois (KO 9) and, most recently, becoming undisputed heavyweight champion by beating WBC titlist Tyson Fury (SD 12).

THE FUTURE: The 37-year-old will rematch Fury at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21.

No. 2 – NAOYA INOUE

RECORD: 27-0 (24 KOs)

THE PAST: Inoue devoured all before him en route to claiming world titles at 108, 115, 118 and 122 pounds. The big-punching Japanese “Monster” has lived up to his moniker, demolishing the likes of Omar Narvaez (KO 2), Jamie McDonnell (TKO 1), Juan Carlos Payano (KO 1) and Emmanuel Rodriguez (KO 2). However, it’s his triumphs over four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire that provided Inoue with considerable acclaim. He edged Donaire (UD 12) in an instant classic that was later named 2019 Fight of the Year by The Ring and stopped him in the second round of their rematch. The 31-year-old became the undisputed bantamweight champion when he dominated Paul Butler, stopping the Brit in 11 one-sided rounds. With nothing left to conquer at 118, Inoue decided to move up in weight and looked just as impressive as ever bludgeoning Stephen Fulton (TKO 8), the consensus No. 1-rated junior featherweight, to add the WBC and WBO 122-pound titles to his growing list of accolades. He claimed the vacant Ring championship and the IBF/WBA titles against Marlon Tapales (KO 10) to become undisputed junior featherweight champion. Inoue got off the floor for the first time in his career to bludgeon former two-weight world champion Luis Nery (TKO 6) in front of a huge crowd of40,000+ in his last time out.

THE FUTURE: Will face TJ Doheny at the Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan on September 3.

次戦発表
9月3日(火)有明アリーナ
世界スーパーバンタム級4団体王座防衛戦
井上尚弥vsTJドヘニー#InoueDoheny#Lemino pic.twitter.com/FWms5qg0Cx

— 井上尚弥 Naoya Inoue (@naoyainoue_410) July 16, 2024

No. 3 – TERENCE CRAWFORD

RECORD: 41-0 (31 KOs)

THE PAST: Crawford started his pro career away from the bright lights, but soon enough the Nebraska native’s big break came when he stepped in on three days’ notice to whitewash former Amir Khan conqueror Breidis Prescott (UD 10). The super talented American switch-hitter went from strength-to-strength, winning titles at 135, 140 and 147. Bud has separated himself from the competition by becoming an undisputed champion at 140 and 147. The 36-year-old has made seven defenses of his WBO welterweight title, notably beating Khan (TKO 6), Kell Brook (TKO 4), Shawn Porter (TKO 10) and David Avanesyan (KO 6). However, he saved his best for his biggest night when he dominated long-time rival Errol Spence Jr. (TKO 9) to become Ring welterweight champion. He became a four-weight world champion on Saturday when he edged past Israil Madrimov (UD 12) to become the WBA junior middleweight titlist.

THE FUTURE: He had hoped to face Canelo in a super fight but reports after the weekend suggest that isn’t on the cards and perhaps Crawford will instead look through the plethora of options that he has at 154 pounds.

No. 4 – CANELO ALVAREZ

RECORD: 61-2-2 (39 KOs)

THE PAST: Canelo boasts a cache of outstanding wins over Shane Mosley (UD 12), Austin Trout (UD 12), Erislandy Lara (SD 12), Miguel Cotto (UD 12), Gennadiy Golovkin (MD 12), Daniel Jacobs (UD 12), Sergey Kovalev (KO 11), Callum Smith (UD 12), Billy Joe Saunders (RTD 8) and Caleb Plant (TKO 11). The 34-year-old is a modern day great, having captured world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. The Mexican superstar was upset by Dmitry Bivol (UD 12) but has bounced back by beating Golovkin (UD 12), John Ryder (UD 12), Jermell Charlo (UD 12) and, most recently, claimed Mexican bragging rights against Jaime Munguia (UD 12).

THE FUTURE: Canelo will meet Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas on September 14.

Canelo Alvarez presses the action against Jermell Charlo during their super middleweight title fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

No. 5 – JESSE RODRIGUEZ

RECORD: 20-0 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Rodriguez was a decorated amateur at junior level before turning professional at 17. “Bam” worked his way through the junior flyweight rankings and was a highly touted prospect when he appeared on ESPN during the pandemic. The Texan was given the opportunity to jump two weight classes and face savvy former titleholder Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC title. He made the most of his big chance, dropping Cuadras en route to claiming a 12-round unanimous decision. He went on to make two defenses, notably stopping Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (TKO 8). He decided to drop down in weight and picked up the vacant WBO title but suffered a broken jaw in the process against Cristian Gonzalez (UD 12). The 24-year-old southpaw stopped Sunny Edwards (RTD 9) to add the IBF title before electing to vacate both titles to move back up to 115-pounds, where, most recently, he won The Ring junior bantamweight belt and regained the WBC title by getting off the canvas to knockout former pound-for-pound entrant Juan Francisco Estrada (KO 7).

THE FUTURE: Estrada has a rematch clause, but if that doesn’t happen Rodriguez could look to further solidify his status by facing IBF/WBA counterpart Fernando Martinez later this year.

STATEMENT #RGBA @210bam @MatchroomBoxing @EddieHearn pic.twitter.com/kg2T34mUvT

— Robert Garcia Boxing (@GarciaBoxing) June 30, 2024

No. 6 – ARTUR BETERBIEV

RECORD: 20-0 (20 KOs)

THE PAST: Beterbiev was a standout amateur, winning gold at the 2009 World Championships and competing at the 2012 Olympics. The physically-imposing Russian moved quickly as a professional. He won the IBF light heavyweight title, stopping Enrico Koelling (KO 12) and defended against Callum Johnson (KO 4) and Radivoje Kalajdzic (KO 5). His breakout win came against then-WBC titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk (TKO 10) in a unification bout. The 39-year-old marked time against Adam Deines (TKO 10) and Marcus Browne (KO 9) before demolishing WBO counterpart Joe Smith Jr. (TKO 2), he showed his toughness in his win over Anthony Yarde (TKO 8) and, most recently, bludgeoned Callum Smith into defeat in eye-catching fashion (TKO 7).

THE FUTURE: Beterbiev ruptured his meniscus, forcing him to pull out of a June 1 fight with Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. However, it has been rescheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 12.

No. 7 – DMITRY BIVOL

RECORD: 23-0 (12 KOs)

THE PAST: Bivol was a standout amateur before turning professional in November 2014. The 33-year-old Kyrgyzstan-born technician claimed the WBA light heavyweight title in 2017 and has reeled off 12 successful defenses. He holds wins over Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD 12), Jean Pascal (UD 12) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD 12). A career-best win over Canelo Alvarez (UD 12) is what vaulted Bivol into the pound-for-pound ratings. He picked a part Gilberto Ramirez (UD 12), dominated Lyndon Arthur (UD 12) and stopped Malik Zinad (KO 6).

THE FUTURE: Will face Beterviev at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 12.

Gervonta Davis (right) catches Frank Martin with a right during their WBA 135-pound title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

No. 8 – GERVONTA DAVIS

RECORD: 30-0 (28 KOs)

THE PAST: Davis dominated his opposition on the way up before impressively ripping the IBF 130-pound title from Jose Pedraza (TKO 7). Since then, his star has risen and he is one of the most popular attractions in America, regularly selling out arenas across the country. The 29-year-old power-punching southpaw owns a highlight-reel knockout over Leo Santa Cruz (KO 6) and showed that his vaunted power carries up in weight by coming on strong to stop the much larger future WBC welterweight titlist Mario Barrios (TKO 11) at 140 pounds. “Tank” also won when not at his best against Isaac Cruz (UD 12), took care of Rolando Romero (TKO 6), WBA 130-pound titlist Hector Luis Garcia (TKO 9) shone against Ryan Garcia (KO 7) and, most recently, stopped Frank Martin (KO 8).

THE FUTURE: Davis had talks to face IBF counterpart Vasiliy Lomachenko before the Ukrainian elected to take the rest of the year off. He is likely to return in November and has put the feelers out to face free-agent Shakur Stevenson in a mega-fight.

No. 9 – JUNTO NAKATANI

RECORD: 28-0 (21 KOs)

THE PAST: The heavy-handed boxer-puncher ran through his early opposition and holds wins over future junior flyweight titlist Masamichi Yabuki (UD 4), future flyweight beltholder Seigo Yuri Akui (TKO 6) and passed the litmus test of former 108-pound titleholder Milan Melindo (TKO 6). Covid stymied the tall 26-year-old’s progress and he had to wait 13 months to win the vacant WBO title against Giemel Magramo (TKO 8). He made two defenses, including his American debut, when he stopped former titleholder Angel Acosta (TKO 4) and on the undercard of Gennadiy Golovkin-Ryota Murata, he was equally impressive bludgeoning Ryota Yamauchi (TKO 8). Moved up to 115-pounds and beat tough Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (UD 10) before capturing the vacant WBO title with a highlight reel knockout over Andrew Moloney (KO 11). He made one successful defense against Argi Cortes (UD 12) before heading to bantamweight where he looked every bit the future star stopping tough Mexican Alexandro Santiago (TKO 6) to annex the WBC title and has since drilled mandatory challenger Vincent Astrolabio (KO 1).

THE FUTURE: Recently signed a co-promotion with Top Rank as he bids to face countryman Inoue in what would be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. Before that he’ll likely return in the fall, when he’ll go in search of a unification match up.

1R 2:37

リング上では短い時間でしたが、この試合に向けて励んできた時間が凝縮された時間でした。
これからも過程を大切により精密に磨き上げていきます。
昨晩も皆様沢山の応援ありがとうございました！

感謝！感謝！

📷 @FinitoYamaguchi #boxing #primevideo #wbc #juntonakatani #中谷潤人 pic.twitter.com/ulYIsAoZ4F

— 中谷潤人 JUNTO NAKATANI (@BoxerJunto) July 21, 2024

No. 10 – DEVIN HANEY

RECORD: 31-0 (15 KOs)

THE PAST: Haney turned professional at 17 in Mexico. This super talent has scored wins over Mason Menard (RTD 9), Juan Carlos Burgos (UD 10) and Antonio Moran (KO 7). After being upgraded to full WBC titleholder, following his dominant win over Zaur Abdullaev (RTD 4), he defended his title, notably beating former three-division titlist Jorge Linares (UD 12) and former 130-pound titlist Joseph Diaz Jr. (UD 12). The 25-year-old scored a dominant win over IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder and then-The Ring champion George Kambosos Jr. (UD 12) to become undisputed champion and repeated the win in a rematch. Haney then edged past Vasiliy Lomachenko (UD 12) in controversial fashion. That lead to him heading to junior welterweight where he dominated Regis Prograis (UD 12) to claim the WBC title. He lost to an overweight Ryan Garcia but saw the result amended to a non-contest when Garcia tested positive for Ostarine.

THE FUTURE: Taking time off after the Garcia debacle. Hasn’t said anything about a possible return at this point though it wouldn’t be a surprise if he heads to welterweight.

On the Cusp: David Benavidez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Jai Opetaia, Shakur Stevenson and Kenshiro Teraji.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected].

Follow @AnsonWainwright