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A loaded spring calendar of big fights has already begun heating up, highlighted by Errol Spence Jr.’s TKO of Yordenis Ugas in their April unification bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
At 32, Spence put all of the lingering physical fears behind him following a tumultuous three years that included eye surgery and recovery from a dangerous car accident. Against Ugas, Spence was as aggressive and sharp as he has looked in years with relentless power punching on the inside.
Hiring a nutritionist for the first time in his career helped Spence turn a normally difficult cut to 147 pounds into a more manageable one. The difference was notable as Spence, who admitted he had previously not had both feet all in on his training, used his gas tank as a weapon.
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Below is the latest Pound for Pound rankings update, which came after Josh Taylor’s questionable win over Jack Catterall in February.
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 last November. The Mexican superstar is slated to return to DAZN and the light heavyweight division when he takes on Dmitry Bivol in May with hopes of a trilogy bout against Gennadiy Golovkin in September.
2. Errol Spence Jr.
Unified welterweight champion (28-0, 22 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 4
Despite a 17-month layoff and surgery to repair a detached retina, Spence returned looking better than ever at age 32 in his demolition of Yordenis Ugas to unify three of four world titles. The only fight that makes sense for next is an undisputed showdown with WBO champion Terence Crawford in arguably the biggest fight the sport could make.
3. Terence Crawford
WBO welterweight champion (37-0, 27 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 2
Crawford made an incredible series of adjustments to slow down and finish Shawn Porter in their November pay-per-view clash. As a network and promotional free agent, the time has never been better for Crawford to seek a career-defining test for all four welterweight titles against Spence.
4. Naoya Inoue
Unified bantamweight champion (19-0, 17 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 3
The Japanese “Monster” closed off 2021 with a stay-busy knockout in his native Japan. Inoue’s combination of power, speed and boxing IQ is among the best in the game. Up next is a June title unification against living legend Nonito Donaire, in a rematch of their 2019 thriller.
5. Vasiliy Lomachenko
Lightweight (16-2, 11 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 5
The ongoing conflict in his native forced Ukraine Lomachenko to the frontlines and out of a possible title bout against unified lightweight king George Kambosos Jr. Regardless of when he returns, the 34-year-old Lomachenko used 2021 to remind his critics how dominant he still is by dismantling Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey.
6. Tyson Fury
WBC heavyweight champion (31-0-1, 23 KOs) | Previous ranking: 6
“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 and will take on long-time mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in April.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Unified heavyweight champion (19-0, 13 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 7
The former undisputed cruiserweight champ upset the apple cart at heavyweight by convincingly outpointing Anthony Joshua. A contractually obligated rematch is likely for this summer after Usyk was given clearance by his native Ukraine to begin training despite the ongoing conflict with Russia.
8. Shakur Stevenson
WBO junior lightweight champion (17-0, 9 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 8
The two-division champion produced the breakthrough performance his talent had regularly teased when he stopped Jamel Herring last October to claim a 130-pound title. At just 24, the southpaw is already being compared to a young Floyd Mayweather. Stevenson is set to take on Oscar Valdez on April 30 to unify the WBC and WBO belts.
9. Gervonta Davis
Secondary lightweight champion (25-0, 24 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 9
“Tank” battled through an injured hand to outpoint a determined Isaac Cruz in their December pay-per-view bout. Davis will bring his star to the Big Apple when he faces Rolly Romero in a May bout in Brooklyn that promises fireworks.
10. Josh Taylor
Undisputed junior welterweight champion (18-0, 13 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 10
“The Tartan Tornado” struggled to a split-decision win over mandatory challenger Jack Catterall in February which most felt Taylor had lost. Taylor, who was cut and dropped, along with being outlanded nearly 2-1 overall, announced he is likely heading to 147 pounds.
Dropped out: None
Honorable mention: Juan Francisco Estrada, Artur Beterbiev, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Yordenis Ugas, Roman Gonzalez
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