The Sportsman Boxing Power Rankings is a monthly series that ranks boxers according to a variety of criteria in order to identify the most significant figures in the fight industry. The Power Rankings will compile performance, reputation, influence, and momentum rather than a pound-for-pound list.
The topic of who the finest boxers in the world are is debatable, and while examining the boxing odds, there are a number of things to take into account, particularly a boxer’s accomplishments and awards. It is challenging to choose the top names to include in a ranking when there are so many legendary fighters throughout history, but this list will highlight the best boxers.
Top 10 Best Boxers In The World 2022
1. Oleksandr Usyk
In only his third fight in boxing’s most prestigious division, the 2012 Olympic gold winner and former undisputed cruiserweight champion became the unified heavyweight champion of the world. Usyk is unquestionably the best heavyweight fighter in the world pound for pound after defeating Anthony Joshua for the second time. With mega-fights against Tyson Fury and perhaps even Deontay Wilder in the works, Usyk has a greater chance of making huge money and improving his already impressive résumé.
2. Naoya Inoue
The 29-year-old heavyweight known as the Monster is now at the top of the list after going 18-0 in world title contests. The extremely gifted 118-pounder, who won the World Boxing Super Series after defeating future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in our 2019 Fight of the Year, rose to the top of the list thanks to his brilliance in their rematch. Instilling dread in one of the former nine-time world champions, he stopped Donaire on June 7th by TKO, establishing himself as not only the best bantamweight in the world but also the best fighter pound-for-pound in the sport. Due to Canelo Alvarez’s recent defeat, Inoue was given the opportunity to overthrow him and accomplished so in an impressive manner. Inoue is one of the most dominant fighters in recent memory, and he has earned his spot among the best of the best, so there isn’t much that needs to be said about him that hasn’t already been said.
3. Canelo Alvarez
After losing to Dmitry Bivol, Canelo rebounded in a resounding way with a convincing victory against his main opponent Gennady Golovkin, ending the trilogy with two victories and a draw. As 2023 approaches, it’s unclear what the fighter, who has appeared to explore every avenue in his career, will do next. It appears probable that Canelo will face Bivol again at 168 pounds, giving him the chance to maybe revenge his lone defeat aside from his setback to Floyd Mayweather Jr. No matter which path he chooses, Canelo will continue to be the center of attention.
4. Devin Haney
It was time for Haney to climb this list and into the top five as he once again dominated Kambosos and kept all of the belts. Haney has all the makings of a star and future great in the sport, and he isn’t dodging any smoke. He is blessed with amazing technical defensive skills and a jab to keep opposition at bay. He has already named Gervonta Davis in his next fight, and there are rumors that he will face Vasiliy Lomachenko. He holds the throne in the lightweight class, which may be the most competitive in boxing right now. And he accepts all opposition.
5. Errol Spence Jr.
For Errol Spence Jr., difficulty is nothing. Spence returned to the ring in December 2020 to fight Danny Garcia following a terrifying car accident in which he was able to escape with only minor injuries. Despite not quite looking like the powerhouse who had taken the welterweight division by storm to win the IBF and WBC titles, Spence dominated Garcia with relative ease. He was set to challenge Manny Pacquiao for the WBA (Super) welterweight belt in 2021, but a torn retina again kept him from competing. In April of this year, Spence faced Yordenis Ugás for the WBA (Super) welterweight championship, a bout that Ugás won after stepping in to face Pacquiao in Spence’s place. This time, Spence entered the ring with more questions than answers. Spence aggressively attacked Ugás before winning by a 10th round TKO that left his opponent with a cracked orbital bone, and for the first time since his 2019 title fight with Shawn Porter, Spence looked the part of the finest welterweight boxer in the world. After his most recent performance, there is no denying that Spence is on the rise. He currently holds three of the four welterweight championship belts, all of which he has obtained by challenging the incumbent champion. There is no questioning Spence’s resume at 147 pounds, which includes victories over Kell Brook, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, and Ugás.
6. Terence Crawford
Terence Crawford never misses when he believes he can terminate a fight and goes in for the kill. And on November 20 of last year, that is exactly what occurred in the 10th round of his contest with Shawn Porter. It was quite difficult to move one boxer in front of the other midway through if you were scoring at home. Crawford, who began the bout as one of the toughest and most experienced welterweights in the world, eventually recognized his friend, connected with several brutal body blows, and finished the job. In the end, Bud twice knocked Porter to the ground before Shawn Porter’s trainer and father Kenny Porter stopped the bout. Despite the fact that Crawford caught Porter three years after Errol Spence Jr. had defeated him, some may argue that Crawford appeared more spectacular in his victory over Porter than Spence did. After the fight, which Spence was present to see, Crawford commented, “You see what I did compared to what he did.” There is nothing in the ring that the incredibly talented 34-year-old former undisputed junior welterweight champion can’t accomplish, and the general public likely underestimates his prowess. Crawford promised us before the fight that if he defeated Porter, Porter would earn his respect in the pound-for-pound rankings.
7. Josh Taylor
Two judges gave it to Taylor with scores of 114-111 and 113-112, while the other judge gave Catterall the win with a score of 113-112. 113–112 was my score for Taylor. Despite the lackluster performance, Canelo Alvarez, Devin Haney, and Jermell Charlo are the other three undisputed boxing champions, leaving Taylor as one of just four. The fact that Taylor defeated Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis, Viktor Postol, and Ivan Baranchyk ensures that he is still unquestionably the best 140-pound boxer in the world, despite the fact that he acknowledged he may have put too much pressure on himself before the match with Catterall, who deserves a lot of praise for almost pulling off a major upset. Taylor appears to be finished as a super lightweight, which is okay. What else is there for him to do in the division, barring a desire to challenge Teófimo López? If a Taylor-Terence Crawford mega-match can be held at 147, we’re all in. Additionally, will you kindly forbid Marcus McDonnell from officiating another championship match? He did a terrible job.
8. Vasiliy Lomachenko
In order for someone to become the champion in a fourth weight class, the 33-year-old Ukrainian was demoted from our top rank in late 2019. And after losing to Teófimo López in 2020 for the second time in his career, he was further relegated from the game. But his two fights in 2021 demonstrated that, despite his advanced age, Lomachenko hasn’t begun to exhibit signs of senility, and no other lightweight is capable of performing the feats he achieves in the ring. On December 11, at Madison Square Garden, the three-division champion, one of boxing’s most captivating athletes, battled masterfully once more as he demolished former lightweight champion Richard Commey to win a simple unanimous decision. Currently, Lomachenko is assisting his beloved Ukraine in their conflict with Russia, but if Lomachenko wants to return to the ring later this year, a super fight between the two is possible after Devin Haney defeated George Kambosos to become the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. And he may climb back up these ranks if he managed to defeat Haney.
9. Dmitry Bivol
Bivol defeated Alvarez by controlling the match’s parameters from the outset, achieving one of the more unexpected victories in recent memory. But Bivol also conveyed a message: he is here to stay, not just to Alvarez but to the entire boxing community. Although a rematch between them is possible in 2023, Alvarez is currently scheduled to take on GGG. Regardless, Bivol has the biggest boxing victory of the year to yet, and his standing is rapidly advancing.
10. Jermell Charlo
After losing his WBC light middleweight title to Tony Harrison in 2018, Charlo has been committed to become the undisputed global light middleweight champion. He defeated Jeison Rosario and most recently Brian Castao to win all of the division’s championships, avenging his loss to Harrison in 2019 and winning back his WBC title in the process. The WBO has now mandated that Charlo face Tim Tszyu in a championship defense, but before that happens, Charlo has earned his spot in the top 10 after an arduous ascent to elite status.
