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Ranking the Best Boxers in the World Right Now

Terence Crawford punches Errol Spence Jr. during round 5 of the World Welterweight Championship bout at T-Mobile Arena. Who are the best boxers in the world right now, pound-for-pound?

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Canelo Alvarez is truly king in the ring. The super middleweight champion towered over Jaime Munguia in their much-anticipated fight on Saturday (May 4), and he scored a unanimous win. So, who are the best boxers in the world right now, pound-for-pound?

Best Boxers in the World Right Now: Latest Fight

Before we get to the best boxers in the world right now, let's look closer at Alvarez and his win. Now that he's consistently pulled off definitive wins, the public wants to see him fight David Benavidez, "The Mexican Monster," who caught everyone's attention after beating both Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade.

After the May 4 fight, Alvarez was asked about fighting Benavidez, who has been talking smack about him, as they say. "If the money's right ... I can fight [Benavidez] right now," Alvarez said in a post-fight press conference. "I don't give a s---. It's only a matter of money at this point. Everybody is asking for everything. When I fought [Erislandy] Lara, Austin Trout, Miguel Angel Cotto, [Floyd] Mayweather, Billy Joe Saunders, GGG, everybody said I don't want to fight them, and I fought all of them. So right now ... I can do whatever I want."

It's true that Alvarez can do whatever he wants, as he's very successful. But, is he really the best if he won't fight the one guy that everyone wants him to fight? Hey, I can't contest Alvarez's record and legacy. But, give the people what they want, Alvarez. Everyone would love to see some of the best boxers in the world duke it out.

Benavidez wants the fight with Alvarez. He wants it badly. He was there Saturday, promoting his June 15 Las Vegas fight vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk. "The fans now are getting upset because this is the biggest fight on the table," Benavidez told ESPN during a news conference. "And why are we going to leave it on the table for no reason? This is a fight that has to happen. ... And I'm going to keep putting these types of performances on where people are going to want to see it. The demand of this fight is really high. It's bad blood. I don't like him. He doesn't like me."

So, we all want to see the fight. If it happens, it will draw a lot of money and interest. For now, lots of interest rests on Benavidez's upcoming fight against Gvozdyk. He's moving up to light heavyweight for the fight. I'm such a fan of boxing, since it's so classic and old-fashioned. My dad was actually a boxer in Detroit when he was in high school, and I've always loved the sport. Now, let's get into some of the best boxers in the world right now, pound-for-pound. Reach out to me with your thoughts, too.

5. Dmitry Bivol

Dmitry Bivol is the current light heavyweight champion. The Russian currently lives in California and has been in the spotlight for years, but especially took the limelight when he beat Canelo Alvarez in 2022 in a controversial fight. He's super fun to watch in the ring.

4. Canelo Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez just upped his game with another win, as he took down Jaime Munguia in the two's much-anticipated fight on Saturday (May 4). I want to see him fight David Benavidez. Make it happen, guys and agents.

3. Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk has held the the unified heavyweight titles since 2021. The Ukrainian professional boxer is one of the best Ukrainian boxers and cruiserweights of all time. He has a May 18, 2024, fight against Tyson Fury. He also takes on David Benavidez June 15, 2024, in Las Vegas.

2. Naoya Inoue

Naoya Inoue is such a versatile boxer. The Japanese boxer is actually only the second male boxer, behind Terence Crawford, to be the undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era. He has also won multiple world championships in four weight classes.

1. Terence Crawford

It shouldn't be a surprise that Terence Crawford is ranked No. 1 on this list. He has won multiple world championships in three weight classes and multiple World Boxing titles. On Aug. 3, 2024, he'll go up against Israil Madrimov.

Bonus: David Benavidez

He's not one of my top five, but David Benavidez absolutely deserves a mention. He's more than proven himself after beating both Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. He talks a lot of smack, too, which fans love. Let's see if he finally gets his fight with Canelo Alvarez.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.