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Boxing was about as hot as can be in 2021 with just about every member of the pound for pound rankings making it to the ring at least once. The sport thrived with big names like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua all competing on the highest level of the sport over the course of 12 months.
Now, all eyes head to 2022 with hopes of even more action to come in each of the sport’s glamorous divisions. The biggest start and P4P No. 1 has many options for his next fight after unifying all four titles at 168 pounds. Plus, could we see the same in the heavyweight division this year after Oleksandr Usyk scored a shocking upset of Joshua with Fury lurking in the wings?
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And then there’s the lightweight division, which saw its own upheaval at the top when George Kambosos scored a shocking upset of Teofimo Lopez Jr. to claim the unified titles at 135 pounds. Now, everyone from Lopez to Devin Haney to former unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is hoping to get a crack at the Australian next and lay claim to gold.
Below is the latest Pound for Pound rankings update, which came after Lomachenko’s resounding victory over Richard Commey last November.
Pound-for-Pound Rankings
1. Canelo Alvarez
Undisputed super middleweight champion (57-1-2, 38 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 1
The best in the world somehow keeps getting better. Alvarez became the first undisputed king at 168 pounds by stopping unbeaten Caleb Plant. The Mexican superstar is weighing his options between light heavyweight and cruiserweight regarding his spring return.
2. Terence Crawford
WBO welterweight champion (37-0, 27 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 2
No longer can Crawford’s critics claim he has yet to face an elite fighter in the 147-pound division. “Bud” made an incredible series of adjustments to slow down and finish Shawn Porter in their November pay-per-view clash. As he enters promotional free agency, it’s time for Crawford to secure the fights that will cement his legacy.
3. Naoya Inoue
Unified bantamweight champion (19-0, 17 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 3
Inoue, the Japanese “Monster,” closed off 2021 with a stay-busy knockout in his native country. The 28-year-old slugger can do it all and has yet to find his ceiling as to how high up in weight he can carry his power.
4. Errol Spence Jr.
Unified welterweight champion (27-0, 21 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 4
Surgery on a detached retina forced Spence out of a PPV date against Manny Pacquiao in August and has raised concerns over the 31-year-old’s future. When active, Spence has the making to be a generational talent, but injuries have slowed his progress.
5. Vasiliy Lomachenko
Lightweight (16-2, 11 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 7
At 33, Lomachenko spent his time in 2021 reminding fans of his greatness despite an upset loss to Teofimo Lopez Jr. the previous year. With the recent upheaval atop the division, Lomachenko is dangerous as anyone to the undisputed crown.
6. Tyson Fury
WBC heavyweight champion (31-0-1, 23 KOs) | Previous ranking: 5
“The Gypsy King” returned from a near two-year absence to rise from the canvas twice in a thrilling 11th-round knockout of Deontay Wilder in their trilogy bout. Although Fury’s hope of becoming undisputed champion in 2021 failed to happen, he remains the face of the division.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Unified heavyweight champion (19-0, 13 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 6
The former undisputed cruiserweight champ upset the apple cart at heavyweight by convincingly outpointing Anthony Joshua in London. A contractually obligated rematch is up next, likely early in 2022, as Usyk continues his takeover of a second division.
8. Josh Taylor
Undisputed junior welterweight champion (18-0, 13 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 8
“The Tartan Tornado” made a resounding statement in May when he dropped and outpointed unbeaten Jose Ramirez to unify all four titles at 140 pounds. Next up is a mandatory defense in February against Jack Catterall.
9. Shakur Stevenson
WBO junior lightweight champion (17-0, 9 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 9
The two-division champion produced the breakthrough performance his talent had regularly teased when he stopped Jamel Herring in October to claim a 130-pound title. At just 24, the southpaw is already being compared to a young Floyd Mayweather.
10. Gervonta Davis
Secondary lightweight champion (25-0, 24 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 10
“Tank” battled through an injured hand to outpoint a determined Isaac Cruz in their December pay-per-view bout. Davis appears focused on campaigning at lightweight for the near future where a number of big-fight opportunities await him.
Dropped out: Teofimo Lopez Jr.
Honorable mention: Juan Francisco Estrada, Artur Beterbiev, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Yordenis Ugas, Roman Gonzalez
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