7:46 AM ET
Mike CoppingerESPN
The age-old pound-for-pound statement rages connected twelvemonth aft year. Just who is the baddest antheral connected the planet? Fighters jockey for presumption successful their respective value classes but they're besides measured against each different clip and again. Those who tin rack up titles successful aggregate value classes sometimes are pushed up of others during these watercooler arguments crossed the world, and really, it's intolerable to person a statement No. 1 nary substance who's competing astatine the time.
This is each subjective. After all, astir of the fighters connected this database volition ne'er look each other, sometimes adjacent erstwhile they're competing successful the aforesaid value class. That's the world of today's more-fractured-than-ever boxing landscape. But we tin inactive try to find who deserves to basal supra the remainder crossed planetary boxing, taking into relationship accomplishments, existent form, endowment level, potential, and astir of all, the vaunted oculus test. Some fighters conscionable look the part.
One specified boxer is "The Gypsy King," Tyson Fury, the hulking heavyweight who defends his lineal and WBC title connected Saturday successful a tuneup trilogy bout against Derek Chisora successful London (1 p.m. ET, ESPN+). A triumph should propel the 34-year-old Englishman into a outpouring conflict with Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Following a brace of victories implicit Anthony Joshua and an undisputed cruiserweight title reign, Usyk is different combatant successful the premix arsenic the world's champion careless of weight. The victor of Fury-Usyk (if it happens) volition person arsenic beardown an statement arsenic anyone for the pound-for-pound throne. Two much fighters with a assertion -- Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez -- meet connected Saturday successful a trilogy fight. But those aren't the lone 4 fighters with a realistic claim. Boxers from 105 pounds to 200-plus are each pushing toward the aforesaid goal: to beryllium the champion successful the world.
Note: A ranking of the champion women's boxers successful the satellite volition follow.
1. Naoya Inoue, 29, WBA/WBC/IBF bantamweight champion (23-0, 20 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 13 vs. Paul Butler (Watch connected ESPN+)
Inoue is simply a generational talent. He has proved peerless successful 3 value classes and is smack-dab successful his prime. A combatant similar Inoue apt won't beryllium genuinely tested until helium faces acold bigger men, overmuch similar Vasiliy Lomachenko earlier him. While Inoue hasn't faced an elite combatant yet, the mode helium dispenses his foes has shown his greatness. He intends to determination up to 122 pounds aft this adjacent fight. The lone happening stopping Inoue from wide acclaim arsenic the champion combatant successful the world? The information that astir of his fights instrumentality spot successful Japan and truthful successful the early-morning hours successful the United States.
2. Terence Crawford, 35, WBO welterweight champion (38-0, 29 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 10 vs. David Avanesyan
A switch-hitting boxer-puncher, Crawford is 1 of the champion finishers successful the sport. With an unmatched nasty streak wrong the ringing and immoderate of the champion fundamentals successful boxing, Crawford hasn't gone the region since a 2016 triumph implicit Viktor Postol successful a 140-pound unification fight. What continues to elude Crawford is simply a marquee combat contempt an abundance of top-tier endowment astatine 147 pounds during his reign. A combat with Errol Spence Jr. remains possibly the biggest the athletics tin offer, but the sides person been unable to adjacent a deal successful 2022.
3. Oleksandr Usyk, 35, WBA/WBO/IBF heavyweight champion (20-0, 13 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An Olympic golden medalist with fantabulous footwork who tin determination astir the ringing arsenic good arsenic anyone, Usyk ruled implicit the cruiserweights arsenic undisputed champion earlier mounting his sights connected boxing's glamor division. At heavyweight, Usyk proved he's among the elite fighters successful the athletics with a brace of determination victories implicit Anthony Joshua. A triumph implicit Tyson Fury successful a projected outpouring matchup for the undisputed heavyweight crown would stamp Usyk's travel to the Hall of Fame.
4. Tyson Fury, 34, WBC and lineal heavyweight champion (32-0-1, 23 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 3 vs. Derek Chisora (Watch connected ESPN+)
2:53
Tyson Fury explains wherefore it was truthful hard for him to enactment retired of the ringing and wherefore helium chose to travel back.
"The Gypsy King" defies logic with his boxing quality astatine 6-foot-9, 270 pounds. Fury tin determination similar a middleweight, capable to evade punches successful choky quarters portion delivering his own. Earlier successful his career, Fury was criticized for the deficiency of enactment successful his bouts, but present astatine 34, his fights are thing but boring. He's adapted his style, and his 2021 trilogy conflict with Deontay Wilder is one of the top successful heavyweight history. Fury's resume is already Hall of Fame worthy. He is unfairly penalized connected pound-for-pound lists for being a heavyweight, but if helium tin unify each 4 titles with a convincing triumph implicit Oleksandr Usyk, helium could scope the pinnacle of the athletics and beryllium regarded arsenic its top fighter.
5. Dmitry Bivol, 31, WBA airy heavyweight champion (21-0, 11 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A slick boxer with impeccable defence and an fantabulous jab, Bivol has been a airy heavyweight titleholder for years but didn't interruption done until May erstwhile helium upset Canelo Alvarez successful a rout. For an encore, Bivol played with Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez implicit 12 rounds earlier this month. Bivol has agelong been touted arsenic an elite combatant and proved it beyond a shadiness of a uncertainty successful his triumph implicit Alvarez. Bivol didn't conscionable outpoint Alvarez; helium dealt plentifulness of harm with five- and six-punch combinations, displaying different furniture to his game. He appears to beryllium improving each clip out.
6. Canelo Alvarez, 32, undisputed ace middleweight champion (58-2-2, 39 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Boxing's apical star, Alvarez remains the undisputed 168-pound champion pursuing a nonaccomplishment to Dmitry Bivol astatine 175 pounds. Alvarez didn't look his champion successful September's trilogy triumph vs. Gennadiy Golovkin and precocious underwent near wrist surgery. When Alvarez is connected his game, he's arguably the apical combatant successful the sport, having shown the quality to portion done value classes portion carrying his power. He besides is among the champion antiaircraft fighters successful the athletics and possesses arguably boxing's champion résumé. Besides the wins implicit GGG, Alvarez scored a brutal KO of Sergey Kovalev successful a 175-pound rubric combat and stopped Caleb Plant to unify each 4 168-pound belts. Alvarez tin instrumentality to the apical spot with a triumph implicit Bivol successful a rematch, but a triumph implicit David Benavidez mightiness besides reconstruct his presumption arsenic pound-for-pound king.
7. Errol Spence Jr., 32, WBA/WBC/IBF welterweight champion (28-0, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A beardown welterweight with 1 of the champion southpaw jabs successful the game, Errol Spence Jr. returned successful December 2020 from a superior car mishap successful October 2019 and showed nary sick effects successful the ring. Even a detached retina that canceled his combat with Manny Pacquiao didn't dilatory him. There's much enactment to beryllium done if helium wants to cleanable retired the division. Besides Terence Crawford, Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. are worthy of fights with Spence, but they'll person to hurry up due to the fact that Spence volition apt determination up to 154 pounds successful the adjacent future. Next for Spence could beryllium a combat with erstwhile champion Keith Thurman.
8. Artur Beterbiev, 37, WBC/WBO/IBF airy heavyweight champion (18-0, 18 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 28 vs. Anthony Yarde
Boxing's lone champion with a 100% knockout ratio, Beterbiev seldom loses a round. A punishing puncher with a stiff jab, Beterbiev added a 3rd 175-pound rubric successful June with a two-round beatdown of Joe Smith Jr. While Beterbiev's all-around crippled can't beryllium questioned, helium has been inactive implicit the years and has conscionable 18 vocation fights arsenic helium approaches 38 years old. With an expected triumph implicit Anthony Yarde, talks could resume to lucifer Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed airy heavyweight title successful a mouth-watering matchup.
9. Devin Haney, 24, undisputed lightweight champion (29-0, 15 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
At conscionable 24 years old, Haney already is the undisputed champion successful 1 of boxing's champion value classes and has a defence of each 4 belts to his name. A crafty combatant with loads of ringing smarts, an fantabulous jab and footwork, Haney doubly traveled to Australia for lopsided determination wins implicit George Kambosos Jr. Haney broke done successful 2021 with wins implicit erstwhile champions Jorge Linares and Joseph Diaz Jr., and present has a brace of wins implicit the antheral who dethroned Teofimo Lopez Jr. He has a accidental to support improving and amusement his endowment if a projected outpouring matchup with Vasiliy Lomachenko tin beryllium finalized.
10. Shakur Stevenson, 25, inferior lightweight (19-0, 9 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
0:26
Shakur Stevenson lands a cardinal knockdown of Robson Conceicao with 1 2nd remaining astatine the extremity of Round 4.
An Olympic metallic medalist, Stevenson rapidly developed into 1 of the champion boxers successful the world. With a operation of crisp defence and creaseless boxing, Stevenson has the look of a aboriginal pound-for-pound king. Already a two-division champion, Stevenson volition pursuit much titles astatine 135 pounds aft helium failed to marque value for his September combat vs. Robson Conceicao. He appears much than equipped to marque the leap arsenic helium grows into his body, and a aboriginal showdown with Devin Haney oregon Vasiliy Lomachenko could materialize.
11. Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, 35, inferior bantamweight (51-3, 41 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 3 vs. Juan Francisco Estrada
A volume-punching phenom who routinely unloads upward of 1,000 punches per fight, Gonzalez appeared finished erstwhile helium was brutally knocked retired by Srisaket Sor Rungvisai successful a 2016 rematch. Turns retired it was simply different accidental for Gonzalez to beryllium his greatness. Since the defeat, helium won different title, dropped a highly arguable determination to Estrada successful past year's rematch and steamrolled Julio Cesar Martinez successful March. Gonzalez is simply a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer with titles successful 4 value classes. He has a accidental to add to that resume with Saturday's trilogy battle vs. Estrada for the WBC's franchise rubric astatine 115 pounds. Win oregon lose, the erstwhile pound-for-pound king changed the crippled for the smaller value classes forever.
12. Jermell Charlo, 32, undisputed inferior middleweight champion (35-1-1, 19 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 28 vs. Tim Tszyu
The undisputed 154-pound champion scored his champion triumph successful May erstwhile helium outlasted Brian Castano successful a grueling rematch. Charlo has fundamentally cleaned retired the 154-pound division, but it's 1 of the weakest value classes successful the sport. Next, he'll conscionable Tim Tszyu connected Jan. 28, and aft that, determination are nary viable challengers extracurricular of Sebastian Fundora. He has exchanged insults with Terence Crawford for months, and that would beryllium a combat that, if helium were to win, could vault him to different level.
13. Juan Francisco Estrada, 32, inferior bantamweight lineal champion (43-3, 28 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 3 vs. Roman Gonzalez
Estrada is simply a aboriginal Hall of Famer and remains the apical combatant astatine 115 pounds each these years later. He divided a brace of fights with some "Chocolatito" and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and besides racked up awesome wins during a lengthy 112-pound rubric reign.
Estrada's triumph implicit Gonzalez past twelvemonth was controversial, but he'll person 1 much accidental to people a convincing triumph implicit his rival this Saturday. Win oregon lose, a determination to 118 pounds could beryllium connected the horizon.
14. Vasiliy Lomachenko, 34, lightweight (17-2, 11 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
1:05
Vasiliy Lomachenko defeats Jamaine Ortiz via unanimous determination successful beforehand of a large assemblage astatine Madison Square Garden.
Formerly boxing's apical pound-for-pound fighter, Lomachenko was astatine his champion astatine 126 and 130 pounds. Now 34, the magic that made Lomachenko look invincible appears to beryllium slipping away. He struggled with Jamaine Ortiz successful October, and of course, mislaid his lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez Jr. successful 2020. Lomachenko volition apt person his accidental to regain his grip connected the 135-pound part with a projected outpouring showdown against Devin Haney for the undisputed championship.
15. Josh Taylor, 31, WBO inferior welterweight champion (19-0, 13 KOs)
Next fight: Feb. 4 vs. Jack Catterall (ESPN+)
1:02
Josh Taylor gets knocked down but inactive manages to drawback the triumph and support his titles against Jack Catterall.
A large 140-pounder who likes to usage his spot connected the inside, Taylor captured the undisputed title successful 2021. He has since vacated each but 1 of his inferior welterweight belts for a rematch with Jack Catterall aft the arguable determination implicit Catterall successful February 2022.
Taylor planned to determination up to 147 pounds aft the Catterall bout, but pursuing the outcry implicit the scoring, Taylor volition tally it backmost connected Feb. 4. With an emphatic victory, Taylor could reclaim his spot successful ESPN's pound-for-pound apical 10 and look guardant to a high-stakes showdown with Teofimo Lopez Jr. (or a rematch with Regis Prograis) if helium sticks astatine 140.
16. Gervonta Davis, 28, WBA "regular" lightweight champion (27-0, 25 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 7 vs. Hector Luis Garcia
One of the biggest stars successful boxing, Davis has added layers to his crippled implicit the years. He tin locomotion opponents into concussive powerfulness shots -- arsenic helium did successful his May KO of Rolando "Rolly" Romero -- but besides outbox foes implicit 12 rounds with his southpaw jab. "Tank" has bounced betwixt 130, 135 and 140 pounds, but appears to beryllium settled astatine lightweight for the clip being. He's ne'er faced anyone approaching the apical level, and that volition alteration if helium emerges victorious from the Garcia matchup. A superfight with apical contender Ryan Garcia is penciled successful for April 15 successful Las Vegas.
17. David Benavidez, 25, WBC interim ace middleweight champion (26-0, 23 KOs)
Next fight: March 18 vs. Caleb Plant
A punishing measurement puncher with powerfulness successful some hands, Benavidez is an violative machine. He's a two-time ace middleweight titleholder (both times was stripped, erstwhile for investigating affirmative for the banned substance benzoylecgonine, and erstwhile for missing value up of a rubric fight) who's finished each hostile since 2019. He conscionable mightiness beryllium the astir avoided combatant successful the sport -- and with bully reason. Benavidez volition yet person the accidental to beryllium his greatness erstwhile helium steps mode up successful people for a grudge lucifer with Caleb Plant. A triumph would enactment Benavidez successful the catbird presumption for a changeable astatine Canelo Alvarez's 4 titles.
18. Stephen Fulton, 28, WBC/WBO inferior featherweight champion (21-0, KOs)
Next fight: TBA
One of the champion all-around boxers successful the game, the Philadelphia combatant has not lone tossed upward of 1,000 punches successful aggregate fights, but besides showed the quality to outbox opponents with a rangy jab. His majority-decision triumph implicit Brandon Figueroa was 1 of the champion fights of 2021 and screams for a rematch. After the WBC ordered a featherweight rubric eliminator betwixt the pair, they could conscionable adjacent twelvemonth astatine 126 pounds if Fulton decides to determination up.
19. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, 22, inferior bantamweight (17-0, 11 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Perhaps nary combatant had a bigger breakthrough successful 2022 than "Bam" Rodriguez. With emphatic wins implicit 115-pound stalwarts successful Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras, Rodriguez appears primed for a lengthy tally astatine the apical of the sport. He'll run astatine 112 pounds going forward, wherever a brace of compelling matchups await him. If helium tin decision Sunny Edwards oregon Julio Cesar Martinez, Rodriguez volition fortify his pound-for-pound case.
20. Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 28, WBA/IBF inferior featherweight champion (11-0, 8 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An Olympic bronze medalist, Akhmadaliev's wrong warring has proven excessively overmuch to flooded truthful far. He's present made 4 defenses of the 2 112-pound titles helium won from Daniel Roman successful 2020. A combat with Stephen Fulton would crown an undisputed champion astatine 122 pounds, but there's a bully accidental Fulton moves to 126 pounds next. However, Naoya Inoue is jumping up to 122 pounds, presenting a big-money combat for Akhmadaliev successful 2023 and beyond.
21. Gennadiy Golovkin, 40, WBA/IBF middleweight champion (42-2-1, 37 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An all-time large middleweight who possesses 1 of the champion knockout streaks successful part history, GGG is nearing the extremity of his career. More than simply an imposing puncher, Golovkin ruled implicit the middleweight part for years and proved his mettle successful 3 fights with Canelo Alvarez. Golovkin appears to person a fewer much bully performances successful him, and there's nary crushed to judge helium can't instrumentality to 160 pounds and decision the champion of a anemic division.
22. Kazuto Ioka, 33, WBO inferior bantamweight champion (29-2, 15 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 31 vs. Joshua Franco
One of the astir underrated fighters successful the sport, Ioka has held a 115-pound rubric since 2019. He volition look to adhd a 2nd rubric erstwhile helium meets Joshua Franco connected New Year's Eve successful Japan. With a win, helium could look to a matchup with Juan Francisco Estrada oregon Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez successful 2023.
23. Deontay Wilder, 37, heavyweight (43-2-1, 42 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Wilder remains the biggest puncher successful each of boxing. He added to his bequest successful decision with an epic trilogy combat with Fury that volition beryllium remembered for a agelong time. "The Bronze Bomber" is successful enactment for respective marquee fights successful 2023 aft a destructive first-round KO of erstwhile sparring spouse Robert Helenius successful October. Wilder is expected to combat Andy Ruiz Jr. successful the archetypal fractional of '23 aft the WBC ordered the rubric eliminator, but Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, insists he'd alternatively prosecute the long-awaited matchup with Anthony Joshua. Either way, Wilder volition find himself successful a winnable high-stakes fight.
24. Jermall Charlo, 32, WBC middleweight champion (32-0, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A unsafe puncher with a stiff powerfulness jab, the bigger Charlo duplicate was erstwhile considered the much talented of the pair. But inactivity has stymied his advancement successful the middleweight division. He hasn't fought since June 2021 and has nary combat scheduled, though helium was successful talks to combat Jaime Munguia earlier this year. Charlo challenged Dmitry Bivol to a combat this past play astatine the Regis Prograis-Jose Zepeda bout. He besides exchanged words with Jose Benavidez astatine the Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas bout successful April. Both are big-money bouts for Charlo, but there's nary specified combat connected the skyline for him astatine the moment.
25. Jaron "Boots" Ennis, 25, welterweight (29-0, 27 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Arguably the astir talented combatant successful the athletics who has yet to triumph a title, Ennis has recovered trouble landing a marquee bout. With his blend of speed, powerfulness and punch variety, Ennis volition surely triumph a rubric erstwhile helium gets his chance. Ennis fought lone erstwhile successful 2022, disappointing enactment for a combatant primed for specified large things. He volition look for bigger bouts successful 2023.
26. Kenshiro Teraji, 30, WBA/WBC inferior flyweight champion (20-1, 12 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The No. 1 inferior flyweight successful the world, Teraji unified 108-pound titles with a seventh-round TKO of Hiroto Kyoguchi past month. He avenged his lone decision with a third-round KO of Masamichi Yabuki successful March. There are nary marquee fights disposable for Teraji astatine 108 pounds, but plentifulness await astatine 112 pounds and yet 115.
27. Sunny Edwards, 26, IBF flyweight champion (19-0, 4 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A crisp boxing caput who tin container circles astir his foes, Edwards hasn't mislaid galore rounds frankincense far. He's among the champion defenders successful the game, and his pinpoint jab makes up for his deficiency of pop. Edwards has agelong called for a unification combat with Julio Cesar Martinez, but it continues to elude him. Now that Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez resides astatine 112 pounds, helium has different enactment for a high-stakes fight, but the existent marquee matchups prevarication up astatine 115.
28. Teofimo Lopez, 25, inferior welterweight (17-1, 13 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 10 vs. Sandor Martin (Watch connected ESPN+)
1:33
Teofimo Lopez defeats Pedro Campa by seventh-round TKO to triumph inferior welterweight debut.
Lopez remains connected the comeback way aft helium shockingly mislaid his undisputed lightweight title to George Kambosos Jr. past year. He was hospitalized afterward with a flimsy teardrop successful his esophagus but returned this summertime with a stoppage triumph implicit Pedro Campa successful a confidence-building matchup. He hopes to go a two-division champion and continues that travel against Martin successful New York. With a victory, he'll warrant himself a aboriginal WBC rubric shot.
29. Regis Prograis, 33, WBC inferior welterweight champion (28-1, 24 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Prograis is present a two-time 140-pound champion aft a destructive decorativeness of Jose Zepeda. His lone nonaccomplishment came via bulk determination successful a unification with Josh Taylor successful 2019. With fantabulous caput movement, punch assortment and power, Prograis has a accidental to found himself arsenic the champion 140-pounder successful the world. He'll person the accidental to beryllium it arsenic the WBC already laid retired his archetypal 2 defenses: Jose Ramirez followed by the victor of Teofimo Lopez Jr.-Sandor Martin.
30. Anthony Joshua, 33, heavyweight (24-3, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
One of the biggest stars successful planetary boxing, Joshua performed amended successful the rematch with Oleksandr Usyk yet intelligibly isn't connected the aforesaid level. Joshua boasts 1 of the champion resumes successful the athletics with wins implicit Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz Jr. Talks to lucifer Joshua with Tyson Fury successful a U.K. mega-fight weren't fruitful, but Joshua is definite to onshore a large bout regardless. The combat everyone truly wants to spot is betwixt Joshua and Deontay Wilder, 2 of the biggest punchers successful heavyweight history. But first, Joshua mightiness privation a confidence-builder aft 2 consecutive losses.
31. Caleb Plant, 30, ace middleweight (22-1, 13 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A slick boxer with an fantabulous jab, Plant was nary lucifer for Alvarez but is surely amended for the acquisition connected the elite level. In his archetypal combat since the setback, Plant scored possibly the KO of the twelvemonth against Anthony Dirrell successful October. He gets different ace astatine the apical level erstwhile helium meets longtime rival David Benavidez connected March 18 successful Las Vegas. It's a compelling clash of styles fixed Benavidez's pressure, and the victor could onshore connected the pound-for-pound list.
32. Emanuel Navarrete, 27, WBO featherweight champion (36-1, 30 KOs)
Next fight: TBA vs. Oscar Valdez Jr.
0:58
Emanuel Navarrete lands a fight-ending liver changeable connected Eduardo Baez successful the sixth circular for the knockout win.
A volume-puncher from Mexico, Navarrete has proven excessively big, excessively beardown and excessively bully for opponents astatine 122 and 126 pounds, wherever helium claimed titles. He's presently regarded arsenic the champion featherweight successful the world, but volition determination up to 130 pounds if a rubric combat against Oscar Valdez Jr. tin beryllium finalized for aboriginal 2023. The matchup shows the benignant of assurance Navarrete has, too. After all, this volition beryllium his archetypal combat astatine 130 pounds.
33. Ryan Garcia, 24, inferior welterweight (23-0, 19 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Garcia has proven to beryllium acold more than conscionable a combatant with a monolithic societal media following. Following wrist country and a intelligence wellness sabbatical, Garcia moved up to 140 pounds for a brace of fights with Emmanuel Tagoe and Javier Fortuna successful 2022. After a January tune-up, the long-awaited showdown with Gervonta Davis awaits. If Garcia wins, helium has a accidental to scope superstardom successful boxing. He'll person a large size vantage vs. Davis successful summation to the fastest hands successful the sport.
34. Jack Catterall, 29, inferior welterweight (26-1, 13 KOs)
Next fight: Feb. 4 vs. Josh Taylor
Catterall was viewed arsenic a regular rubric defence for Taylor successful a homecoming, but it turned retired to beryllium thing but. Catterall enactment connected a show with awesome fundamentals. He floored Taylor, chopped him implicit his oculus and appeared to merit the motion connected the scorecards. He was forced to settee for a arguable divided decision, but has an accidental to acceptable the grounds consecutive erstwhile they conscionable again connected Feb 4.
35. Vergil Ortiz Jr., 24, welterweight (19-0, 19 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
One of the astir breathtaking fighters successful the sport, Ortiz broke done past twelvemonth with a KO of Maurice Hooker and a TKO of Egidijus Kavaliauskas. He is wide considered 1 of the champion young boxers successful the satellite and seems destined for titles successful aggregate value classes. For Oritz, 2022 was mostly a mislaid year. A March combat with Michael McKinson was postponed aft Oritz was hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis, past helium earned a TKO triumph implicit McKinson successful August. He could combat Eimantas Stanionis successful 2023 aft the WBA ordered the matchup.
36. Junto Nakatani, 24, inferior bantamweight (24-0, 18 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Japanese southpaw is 1 of the champion young fighters successful the sport. His 112-pound rubric reign was abbreviated, but included emphatic stoppage victories implicit Angel Acosta and Ryota Yamaguchi. Nakatani precocious vacated his 112-pound rubric to prosecute a title astatine 115 pounds. In his inferior bantamweight debut, helium pounded retired a lopsided determination implicit durable seasoned Francisco Rodriguez. Nakatani figures to onshore different rubric changeable soon.
37. Andy Ruiz Jr., 33, heavyweight (35-2, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The archetypal heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, Ruiz scored 1 of the biggest upsets successful part history erstwhile helium TKO'd Anthony Joshua successful 2019. Ruiz has ultra-quick hands, explosive powerfulness and a granite chin, but defence isn't his beardown suit. When Ruiz connects, helium makes opponents pay. Next up is simply a apt combat with Deontay Wilder that volition warrant the victor different rubric shot.
38 Brian Castano, 33, inferior middleweight (17-1-2, 12 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A relentless unit combatant from Argentina, Castano is adept astatine picking disconnected shots portion helium attacks. His 2019 gully with Erislandy Lara was 1 of the champion fights of the year, and his brace of bouts with Jermell Charlo were thrilling, too. A confidence-building combat could beryllium next, but helium has thing scheduled.
39. Joe Joyce, 37, heavyweight (15-0, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
1:01
Joe Joyce ends his combat with Joseph Parker successful Round 11, acknowledgment to 1 punch to Parker's face.
There was a clip erstwhile Joyce wasn't taken earnestly arsenic a heavyweight rubric contender, but those days are agelong gone aft a drawstring of awesome performances. "The Juggernaut" fractured Daniel Dubois's orbital successful a breakthrough 2020 show and became the archetypal antheral to halt erstwhile champion Joseph Parker successful September. Joyce is the WBO's No. 1 contender and is successful enactment for a rubric shot. He whitethorn not determination effortlessly similar Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, but Joyce's operation of size, brute spot and boxing smarts marque the Olympic golden medalist a pugnacious retired for anyone.
40. David Morrell, 24, WBA "regular" ace middleweight champion (8-0, 7 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Following an awesome amateur career, expectations are precocious for Morrell. He's rapidly processing into a superior menace astatine 168 pounds. Morrell showed his all-around crippled successful a 12th-round KO of rugged fringe contender Aidos Yerbossynuly past month. Morrell is intelligibly acceptable for a top-10 contender adjacent year.
41. Yordenis Ugas, 36, welterweight (27-5, 12 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Cuban combatant changed his beingness with an upset triumph implicit Manny Pacquiao past year, a combat helium accepted connected abbreviated notice. He parlayed the rubric triumph into a unification with Errol Spence Jr., but suffered a fractured orbital successful a 10th-round stoppage loss. Ugas hasn't competed since the injury, but determination should beryllium plentifulness of options for him astatine welterweight erstwhile helium returns, whether it's against Jaron Ennis, Vergil Ortiz Jr. oregon Eimantas Stanionis.
42. Brandon Figueroa, 25, inferior featherweight (23-1-1, 18 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The younger member of Omar Figueroa, Brandon has made a sanction for himself with his countless enactment fights and beardown performances. His seventh-round KO of Luis Nery past twelvemonth was a career-best victory, and helium followed it up by dropping a constrictive determination to Fulton successful a brutal fight. Next twelvemonth could bring the rematch with Stephen Fulton. No substance what happens, it's a harmless stake Figueroa -- who made his 126-pound debut successful 2022 -- volition triumph a rubric astatine featherweight, too.
43. Sebastian Fundora, 24, WBC interim inferior middleweight champion (20-0-1, 13 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Known arsenic "The Towering Inferno" for his tallness (6-foot-5 ½) and volume-punching, helium rapidly established himself arsenic a unit to beryllium reckoned with astatine 154 pounds. Fundora proved his accomplishment and mettle successful a grueling TKO triumph implicit Erickson Lubin earlier this twelvemonth and adjacent survived a knockdown. With his quality to present punches from uncanny angles with his agelong arms, Fundora is simply a hard puzzle to solve. He could conscionable the victor of Jermell Charlo-Tim Tszyu adjacent year.
44. Jose Ramirez, 30, inferior welterweight (27-1, 17 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A hard-nosed unit combatant from Mexico, Ramirez was floored doubly by Josh Taylor and mislaid his 2 140-pound titles via determination past year. He returned with a triumph implicit Jose Pedraza successful March. Ramirez passed up the accidental to combat Jose Zepeda successful a rematch for the vacant WBC rubric due to his wedding. Now, Ramirez is successful enactment for an contiguous changeable against Regis Prograis.
45. Subriel Matias, 30, inferior welterweight (18-1, 18 KOs)
Next fight: TBA vs. Jeremiah Ponce
One of boxing's best-kept secrets, Matias unloads nonstop punches with atrocious intentions. He avenged his lone vocation decision with a ninth-round TKO of Petros Ananyan successful a January rematch. Matias fights an atrocious batch similar a 140-pound mentation of Antonio Margarito and has what it takes to scope the apical of the division. He'll vie for his archetypal rubric erstwhile helium meets Jeremiah Ponce successful aboriginal 2023.
46. Rey Vargas, 32, WBC featherweight champion (36-0, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Vargas utilized his exceptional tallness (5-foot-7 ½) to outbox challengers during his 122-pound rubric reign. And successful conscionable his 2nd combat astatine 126 pounds, helium captured a rubric with a split-decision triumph implicit Mark Magsayo successful July. Vargas was lined up to combat Leo Santa Cruz successful a rubric unification aft the WBA allowed Santa Cruz to proceed with the combat alternatively than a mandatory defence against Leigh Wood. However, aft Wood's combat with Mauricio Lara was postponed, the WBC ordered Vargas to combat No. 1 contender O'Shaquie Foster.
47. Mauricio Lara, 24, featherweight (25-2-1, 18 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 3 vs. Samuel Carmona
A swarming unit combatant from Mexico, Lara mislaid his pro debut and was relegated to anonymity boxing successful his homeland. He broke done with an upset of Josh Warrington past year, but Lara was robbed of calling himself champion erstwhile Warrington vacated his loop up of the fight. Lara's rematch with Warrington ended successful a two-round no-contest erstwhile a clash of heads created a gruesome chopped implicit Lara's eye. A planned September scrap with Leigh Wood was canceled erstwhile the Englishman suffered an injury, preventing Lara's accidental to cement himself arsenic the apical contender astatine 126 pounds. The combat with Wood could beryllium rescheduled adjacent twelvemonth if Lara tin instrumentality attraction of Samuel Carmona.
48. George Kambosos Jr., 29, lightweight (20-2, 10 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Kambosos didn't look primed for large things successful boxing pursuing split-decision victories implicit Mickey Bey and Lee Selby, but changed his vocation trajectory with a shocking triumph implicit Teofimo Lopez Jr. successful 2021. He deserves respect for accepting a pugnacious combat against Devin Haney successful the archetypal defence of his undisputed lightweight championship. Then helium mislaid successful the rematch. There's nary shame successful back-to-back losses vs. idiosyncratic similar Haney, but present he'll look his top test. Can helium beryllium the triumph implicit Lopez wasn't simply 1 large night? He tin commencement by defeating a 135-pounder similar Joseph "JoJo" Diaz, Isaac Cruz oregon Jose Zepeda successful his adjacent fight.
49. Leigh Wood, 34, WBA "regular" featherweight champion (26-2, 16 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Wood is riding a blistery streak and exceeding expectations. He routed Xu Can past summertime with a stoppage successful the last circular of a connection performance. For an encore, Wood survived a knockdown to people different 12th-round KO, this clip by sending Michael Conlan done the ropes successful a combat helium was losing. That bout is the front-runner for combat of the twelvemonth honors. Wood could situation Leo Santa Cruz for the WBA rubric adjacent year, oregon helium could revisit a bout with Lara that was scheduled for September.
50. Callum Smith, 32, airy heavyweight (29-1, 21 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A erstwhile champion astatine 168 pounds, Smith picked up a career-best triumph successful 2018 erstwhile helium defeated George Groves successful the World Boxing Super Series final. Smith landed a big-money combat with Canelo Alvarez afterward but wasn't remotely competitive. And his 2019 triumph implicit John Ryder was a highly arguable decision. Now campaigning astatine 175 pounds, Smith is precocious successful the WBC rankings and successful enactment for a rubric changeable soon. So far, helium appears to beryllium each spot the damaging puncher astatine 175 arsenic helium was astatine 168.
51. Oscar Valdez Jr., 31, inferior lightweight (30-1, 23 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A two-time Olympian from Mexico, Valdez captured titles astatine 126 and 130 pounds. In his lone combat against elite competition, Valdez was routed by Shakur Stevenson successful April. Valdez is acceptable to combat Emanuel Navarette successful aboriginal 2023 for a vacant 130-pound rubric successful what shapes up arsenic a 3rd consecutive pugnacious task. His September 2021 triumph implicit Robson Conceicao, a disputed decision, was marred by a affirmative PED trial up of the fight.
52. John Ryder, 34, WBO interim ace middleweight champion (32-5, 18 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Ryder is acold amended than his grounds would pb you to believe. Despite his 5 losses, the Englishman is riding 1 of the champion runs successful the athletics for a non-champion. He's undersized, but makes up for it with an robust volition and awesome wrong fighting. Now the WBO interim titleholder astatine 168 pounds after a TKO triumph implicit Zach Parker, Ryder is connected the abbreviated database of imaginable Canelo Alvarez opponents successful May.
53. Eimantas Stanionis, 28, WBA "regular" welterweight champion (14-0, 9 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A beardown unit combatant with an accomplished amateur background, Stanionis established himself arsenic a top-10 welterweight erstwhile helium defeated Radzhab Butaev successful April. The WBA ordered a combat betwixt Stanionis and Vergil Oritz Jr., a can't-miss enactment combat if it happens. Stanionis is seldom mentioned with Ortiz and Jaron Ennis astatine 147 pounds, but this projected matchup with Ortiz feels similar a coin-flip fight.
54. Tim Tszyu, 28, inferior middleweight (21-0, 15 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 28 vs. Jermell Charlo
The lad of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, Tim Tszyu rallied from a first-round knockdown to people a determination triumph successful March implicit Terrell Gausha. The career-best triumph was Tszyu's archetypal extracurricular Australia, wherever he's already a star. Tszyu is acceptable to leap mode up successful people with a Jan. 28 combat against Jermell Charlo for the undisputed inferior middleweight championship.
55. Jose Zepeda, 33, inferior welterweight (36-3, 27 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Zepeda was connected a bully run, including a brutal KO of Ivan Baranchyk successful the 2020 combat of the year, but it came to a screeching halt successful a one-sided TKO nonaccomplishment to Regis Prograis connected Saturday. After the convulsive stoppage decision to Prograis, Zepeda volition person to enactment his mode backmost to different rubric shot.
56. William Zepeda, 26, lightweight (27-0, 23 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Zepeda was erstwhile 1 of boxing's astir underrated fighters, but he's nary longer a concealed aft helium unloaded much than 1,500 punches successful a wide-points triumph implicit Joseph "JoJo" Diaz past month. Now an established contender astatine 135 pounds, Zepeda is connected the cusp of a rubric changeable and should find himself successful different meaningful combat successful the archetypal fractional of 2023.
57. Demetrius Andrade, 34, middleweight (31-0, 19 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Andrade is an immensely talented fighter, but inactivity has plagued him. He hasn't competed since past November and has nary combat scheduled. Andrade vacated his middleweight rubric alternatively than look Janibek Alimkhanuly and signed to combat Zach Parker astatine 168 pounds. But pursuing a enarthrosis injury, he withdrew from that bout. It's unclear erstwhile he'll instrumentality to the ring.
58. Joe Cordina, 30, inferior lightweight, (15-0, 9 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Welshman won a 130-pound rubric with a spectacular one-punch KO of Kenichi Ogawa successful June, but was stripped aft undergoing close manus surgery. He'll person a accidental to regain his rubric erstwhile helium fights Shavkat Rakhimov adjacent year. Cordina should beryllium favored to go a two-time champ.
59. Nonito Donaire, 40, bantamweight (42-7, 28 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Donaire cemented his Hall of Fame candidacy with a late-stage tally that included ESPN's 2019 combat of the year against Naoya Inoue and a blistering KO of Nordine Oubaali. "The Filipino Flash" continues to defy logic by prospering successful the little weights astatine property 40. Donaire won't beryllium warring for excessively overmuch longer, but helium could regain different rubric earlier he's done. The WBC ordered a combat betwixt Donaire and Jason Moloney that figures to instrumentality spot for a vacant rubric with Inoue acceptable to determination up to 126 pounds.
60. Keith Thurman, 34, welterweight (30-1, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Once a borderline top-10 pound-for-pound fighter, inactivity and a rash of injuries person hampered Thurman's lasting successful the sport. Since the thrilling split-decision nonaccomplishment to Manny Pacquiao successful 2019, Thurman has fought lone once. The erstwhile unified welterweight champion could combat Errol Spence Jr. adjacent aft the WBA ordered the rubric fight.
61. Julio Cesar Martinez, 27, WBC flyweight champion (18-2, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A power-punching flyweight champion from Mexico, Martinez was picked isolated by Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez erstwhile helium accepted the combat with the aboriginal Hall of Famer connected abbreviated announcement earlier this year. Martinez wasn't competitory with Gonzalez, but who is? Matchups with Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards, should they materialize, volition fto america cognize what level Martinez is genuinely on.
62. Josh Warrington, 32, IBF featherweight champion (31-1-1, 8 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 10 vs. Luis Alberto Lopez
Warrington's champion triumph remains a determination implicit Carl Frampton successful 2018, and helium ne'er genuinely capitalized. Following a split-decision triumph implicit Kid Galahad, Warrington vacated his rubric alternatively than look him successful a rematch. The result: Warrington was stopped successful the ninth circular of a brutally one-sided combat by Mauricio Lara successful an upset. Warrington has a accidental to caput into 2023 with immoderate momentum, though, erstwhile helium faces pugnacious contender Luis Alberto Lopez.
63. Robeisy Ramirez, 28, featherweight (11-1, 7 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A two-time Olympic golden medalist, Ramirez suffered a nonaccomplishment successful his pro debut, slowing the hype bid down immensely. It's backmost connected way present aft a drawstring of awesome wins successful developmental fights. Ramirez hasn't faced world-class absorption yet, but arsenic the contention has dilatory risen to the gatekeeper level, he's proven he's an elite endowment worthy of the hype his 2 golden medals carried. Next twelvemonth should bring different measurement successful class, possibly adjacent a rubric shot. He's ready.
64. Mark Magsayo, 27, featherweight (24-1, 16 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A protégé of Manny Pacquiao, Magsayo won his archetypal rubric with an upset triumph implicit Gary Russell Jr. successful January. The Filipino mislaid his rubric via divided determination to Rey Vargas successful a combat implicit the summertime and volition look to summation different 126-pound rubric changeable adjacent year.
65. Gary Russell Jr., 34, featherweight (31-2, 18 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Once connected the brink of pound-for-pound recognition, Russell has go champion known for his mind-boggling inactivity. Since 2014, he hasn't fought much than erstwhile successful a year (and didn't combat astatine each successful 2021). Russell's longtime featherweight rubric reign ended successful January erstwhile helium dropped a determination to Mark Magsayo portion warring with a enarthrosis injury. He had country afterward, and whenever helium does return, expect him to reside successful a caller value class.
66. Isaac Cruz, 24, lightweight (24-2-1, 17 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Cruz has realized his committedness -- and possibly past immoderate -- as a touted prospect from Mexico who tin thrill fans with his relentless style. "Pitbull" proved his mettle with a astonishing show vs. Gervonta "Tank" Davis past December successful a adjacent determination defeat. That benignant of effort connected abbreviated announcement gained Cruz a batch of respect successful boxing circles, particularly erstwhile you see whom it came against. Since then, he's feasted connected fringe contenders with explosive knockouts, including an April triumph implicit erstwhile champion Yuriorkis Gamboa. The mode he's being moved, he'll undoubtedly onshore different large combat soon.
67. Shavkat Rakhimov, 28, IBF inferior lightweight champion (17-0-1, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Rakhimov was held to a gully successful his archetypal rubric changeable aft Joseph "JoJo" Diaz missed weight. He capitalized connected his 2nd chance, rising disconnected the canvas to halt Zelfa Barrett past period successful a vacant 130-pound rubric fight. He'll conscionable Joe Cordina next, who was stripped of the rubric aft undergoing manus surgery.
68. Anthony Yarde, 31, airy heavyweight (23-2, 22 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 28 vs. Artur Beterbiev
A bruising 175-pounder with powerfulness and strength, Yarde was this close to knocking disconnected Sergey Kovalev successful a 2019 rubric fight. He rebounded with a fourth-round KO of Lydon Arthur past year. Yarde has a accidental to beryllium what helium learned successful his lone rubric bid erstwhile helium meets different Russian airy heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, connected Jan. 28 connected Yarde's location turf successful London.
69. Jaime Munguia, 26, middleweight (41-0, 33KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Munguia is already among the astir fashionable fighters from Mexico extracurricular of Canelo Alvarez, and that carries a batch of weight. Given his marketability, he's been mostly protected frankincense far. Despite a rubric tally astatine 154 pounds, Munguia has yet to look a existent contender. Both of his fights successful 2022 came against anonymous domestic-level fighters. Hopefully, Munguia volition yet measurement up successful people adjacent year.
70. Joseph "JoJo" Diaz Jr., 30, lightweight (32-3-1, 15 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An breathtaking unit combatant who represented Team USA astatine the Olympics, Diaz won a rubric astatine 130 pounds and besides pushed a premier Gary Russell Jr. successful a 126-pound rubric tilt. In his 135-pound debut, Diaz scored an awesome triumph implicit Javier Fortuna, but has since dropped 2 straight.
71. Joshua Franco, 27, WBA inferior bantamweight champion (18-1-2, 8 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 31 vs. Kazuto Ioka
The older member of Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, Franco was elevated from secondary champion this summertime and present steps up to a career-defining combat with Kazuto Ioka successful Japan.
72. Lawrence Okolie, 29, WBO cruiserweight champion (18-0, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Okolie captured the cruiserweight rubric with a sixth-round KO of Krzysztof Glowacki successful 2021, but hasn't fought since his February triumph implicit Michal Cieslak portion he's embroiled successful a quality with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
73. Carlos Adames, 28, middleweight (22-1, 17 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Formerly a inferior middleweight prospect, Adames has recovered caller beingness astatine middleweight aft helium was released by Top Rank. The Dominican outpointed Sergiy Derevyanchenko past twelvemonth and followed up with a third-round KO of Juan Macias Montiel successful October.
74. Robson Conceicao, 34, inferior lightweight (17-2, 8 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An Olympic golden medalist, Conceicao proved his people with a disputed determination nonaccomplishment to Oscar Valdez Jr. successful 2021. Against Shakur Stevenson backmost successful Spetember, Conceicao wasn't competitive, but fewer boxers volition beryllium against that benignant of peculiar talent. Conceicao should onshore different rubric accidental successful 2023.
75. Yuniel Dorticos, 36, cruiserweight (25-2, 23 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
One of boxing's astir explosive punchers, the Cuban dropped a bulk determination to Mairis Briedis successful 2020 and has fought lone 1 since.
76. Billy Joe Saunders, 33, ace middleweight (30-1, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Saunders hasn't competed since helium suffered a fractured orbital bony successful a rubric unification decision to Canelo Alvarez successful May 2021, but helium showed his people successful the combat by winning rounds with his jab and question against an elite boxer. Saunders is expected to instrumentality successful 2023 but inactive has nary combat scheduled.
77. Jai Opetaia, 27, IBF cruiserweight champion (22-0, 17 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Australian upset agelong cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis successful July, and astir impressively, did truthful portion warring with a breached jaw suffered aboriginal successful the fight.
78. Conor Benn, 26, welterweight (21-0, 14 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Benn was rapidly becoming the adjacent prima from the U.K. with a drawstring of blistering knockouts, but the lad of Nigel Benn saw his British ace combat with Chris Eubank Jr. canceled erstwhile helium tested affirmative for the banned substance clomifene successful October and is awaiting a imaginable suspension.
79. Radzhab Butaev, 28, welterweight (14-1, 11 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Russian broke done with a TKO triumph implicit Jamal James past twelvemonth but mislaid his secondary rubric erstwhile helium met Eimantas Stanionis successful an April slugfest.
80. Leo Santa Cruz, 34, WBA featherweight champion (38-2-1, 19 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The longtime champion hasn't defended his 126-pound rubric since 2019, but could enactment it connected the enactment adjacent twelvemonth vs. Leigh Wood. He's competed lone erstwhile since helium was brutally knocked retired by Gervonta Davis successful 2020.
81. Fernando Martinez, 31, IBF inferior bantamweight champion (15-0, 8 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Argentine ended Jerwin Ancajas' agelong rubric reign with a determination triumph successful February and followed up with an arsenic lopsided triumph successful the October rematch.
82. Danny Garcia, 34, inferior middleweight (37-3, 21 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The erstwhile two-division champion has agelong been 1 of boxing's champion counter-punchers, but he's fought lone erstwhile since a 2020 nonaccomplishment to Errol Spence Jr. -- a majority-decision triumph implicit Jose Benavidez successful his 154-pound debut.
83. David Avanesyan, 34, welterweight (29-3-1, 17 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 10 vs. Terence Crawford
Since helium was stopped by Egidijus Kavaliauskas successful 2018, the Armenian has stopped each six of his opponents, including an awesome triumph implicit Josh Kelly. Now helium steps up to the elite level with a rubric changeable against Crawford.
84. Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez, 31, airy heavyweight (44-1, 30 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The erstwhile ace middleweight titleholder was connected a knockout rotation since helium jumped to airy heavyweight, but helium wasn't remotely competitory successful a nonaccomplishment to Dmitry Bivol connected Nov. 5.
85. Joe Smith Jr., 33, airy heavyweight (28-4, 22 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
1:32
Despite his mean name, Mark Kriegel details however airy heavyweight Joe Smith Jr.'s bonzer vocation exceeds his name.
Smith was slated to instrumentality connected Jan. 14, but an ankle wounded scrapped those plans. The power-puncher is looking to rebound from a two-round beatdown astatine the hands of Artur Beterbiev.
86. Daniel Jacobs, 35, ace middleweight (37-4, 30 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Jacobs dropped competitory decisions to Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, but the erstwhile middleweight champ has lone competed 3 times implicit the past 3 years, including a determination decision to John Ryder successful February.
87. Erislandy Lara, 39, WBA "regular" middleweight champion (29-3-3, 17 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Lara dropped a arguable determination to Canelo Alvarez successful 2014 and developed a estimation for tactical fights. In his 2nd act, helium produced ESPN's 2018 combat of the year successful a nonaccomplishment to Jarrett Hurd and a thrilling slugfest gully with Brian Castano the pursuing year. Since then, he's feasted connected 4 consecutive journeyman opponents and moved up to 160 pounds.
88. Janibek Alimkhanuly, 29, WBO middleweight champion (13-0, 8 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Alimkhanuly throws compact, crisp punches and rapidly gained a rubric aft an awesome amateur career. He mislaid immoderate of his radiance pursuing a conflict with long-odds underdog Denzel Bentley past month. Alimkhanuly remains a titleholder successful a part that lacks extent and could proceed to feast connected constricted opposition. But arsenic a champion, sooner than aboriginal he'll person to measurement up successful class.
89. Artem Dalakian, 35, WBA flyweight champion (21-0, 15 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Ukrainian has made 5 defenses of the rubric helium won against Brian Viloria successful 2018 and shows nary signs of slowing down.
90. Hector Luis Garcia, 31, WBA inferior lightweight champion (16-0, 10 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 7 vs. Gervonta Davis
Garcia shocked Chris Colbert successful February arsenic a 10-1 underdog and followed up with a rubric triumph implicit Roger Gutierrez. Now he'll look a overmuch tougher trial erstwhile helium meets Gervonta Davis adjacent month.
91. Liam Smith, 34, inferior middleweight (32-3-1, 19 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 21 vs. Chris Eubank Jr.
A erstwhile inferior middleweight titleholder, the older member of Callum Smith has enjoyed a vocation resurgence pursuing a 2018 nonaccomplishment to Jaime Munguia. Smith dropped a arguable determination to Magomed Kurbanov past twelvemonth and followed up with a TKO triumph implicit Jessie Vargas.
92. Israil Madrimov, 27, inferior middleweight (8-0-1, 6 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
A decorated amateur from Uzbekistan, Madrimov showed disconnected his athleticism successful a brace of fights with top-10 contender Michel Soro, though some bouts ended without a decisive winner.
93. Sivenathi Nontshinga, 23, IBF inferior flyweight champion (11-0, 9 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The South African captured the IBF rubric with a split-decision triumph implicit Hector Flores Calixto successful September successful 1 of the champion fights of 2022.
94. Jamaine Ortiz, 26, lightweight (16-1-1, 8 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
With his effectual jab and ample framework for the 135-pound division, Ortiz upset Jamel Herring earlier helium pushed Vasiliy Lomachenko to the brink of decision successful October.
95. Joshua Buatsi, 29, airy heavyweight (16-0, 13 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
An diversion puncher from London by mode of Ghana, Buatsi is closing successful connected a airy heavyweight rubric changeable aft helium outpointed Craig Richards earlier this twelvemonth successful a career-best win.
96. Michel Soro, 35, inferior middleweight (35-3-2, 24 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
The Frenchman was stopped by Israil Madrimov erstwhile helium absorbed respective punches good aft the bell, and the July rematch ended successful a no-contest aft suffered a chopped from a clash of heads.
97. Hiroto Kyoguchi, 29, inferior flyweight (16-1, 11 KOs))
Next fight: TBA
The 108-pounder from Japan owns prime stoppage wins implicit erstwhile champions Hekkie Budler and Esteban Bermudez, but was stopped by Kenshiro Teraji successful 7 rounds past month.
98. Tony Harrison, 32, inferior middleweight (29-3-1, 21 KOs)
Next fight: TBA
Harrison is wildly inconsistent -- helium drew with Bryant Perella past twelvemonth -- but erstwhile he's connected his game, his crafty boxing is pugnacious to contend with. Look nary further than Harrison's disputed triumph implicit Jermell Charlo to triumph a 154-pound rubric successful 2018.
99. Chris Eubank Jr. 33, middleweight (32-2, 23 KOs)
Next fight: Jan. 21 vs. Liam Smith
The lad of a legendary British fighter, Eubank has suffered losses to George Groves and Billy Joe Saunders, but has reeled disconnected six consecutive wins, including victories implicit James DeGale and Liam Williams. He faces different pugnacious trial adjacent period aft his bout with Conor Benn was scrapped.
100. Michael Conlan, 31, featherweight (17-1, 8 KOs)
Next fight: Dec. 10 vs. Karim Guerfi
Conlan floored Leigh Wood successful the opening circular of their March combat and was up connected the scorecards erstwhile helium was ejected from the ringing successful a brutal knockout, the frontrunner for the 2022 combat of the year. He rebounded with 3 knockdowns of Miguel Marriaga successful an August victory.
Just missed: Jared Anderson, Arnold Barboza Jr., Alberto Puello, Ilunga Makabu, Mairis Briedis, John Riel Casimero, Frank Martin, Sandor Martin, Zach Parker, Michel Rivera, Ryota Murata, Gustavo Lemos, Daniel Dubois, Chris Colbert, Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Rashidi Ellis, Jonathan Gonzalez, Knockout CP Freshmart, Petchmanee CP Freshmart.
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