The Top 7 Pound-for-Pound Boxers on the Planet

Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed a plethora of title unifications and multi-divisional champions crowned. With the social media era in full effect, there’s also been no shortage of drama, thus providing plenty of fuel for the fire ahead of super fights and highly anticipated title bouts.

Everything we’ve witnessed in the ring, including results, records, competition level, activity, and achievements, will be factored into BetUS’s unique top 7, pound-for-pound list.

So, without further ado, I present the top seven P4P boxers on the planet as of August 2024.

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Top 7 Pound-for-Pound Boxers Right Now

7. Gervonta Davis

‘Tank’ is the most suited nickname for Gervonta Davis because his fists are optimized for high-velocity direct fire! This American brute has brought artillery to the ring since his 2013 pro boxing debut, and from 30 fights to date, he’s knocked out 28 of his opponents to hold an unblemished record besides a 93% KO clip.

While ‘Tank’ isn’t America’s most accomplished boxer in terms of championships and overall resume, the sheer brutality he delivers in competition has assisted him in becoming a superstar before he’s faced the biggest and baddest names in and around his weight class.

Some would argue that Shakur Stevenson or Devin Haney deserve this No.7 spot on our rankings, and these names do present a higher level of competition on their respective records. However, after demolishing Ryan Garcia with an eye-watering body shot KO/TKO in 2023, many fancy ‘Tank’ to achieve the same against Haney and Shakur.

The WBA lightweight titleholder has been dubbed ‘the face of boxing,’ and there’s a long list of exciting fights available, but only time will tell if he can live up to that moniker.

Davis Professional Record: 30-0-0 (28 KOs) 

6. Canelo Alvarez

Can you believe it’s been 11 years since Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez lost to Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather? Well, I guess time flies when you’re one of the most accomplished boxers in the sport’s history. The decade-plus since Canelo dropped a decision to Floyd has seen the Mexican pugilist hero establish himself as one of the most dominant and highest-earning competitors, including wins over the likes of Jermell Charlo, Gennadiy Golovkin, Miguel Cotto, Erislandy Lara, and much more.

Has Canelo been perfect? Not by a long shot. Haters will quickly point fingers at a controversial 2018 and that a handful of his wins were supported by questionable judging. However, when it comes to activity and the long list of elite fighters he’s defeated, his greatness is something we cannot deny.

As a titleholder in four different weight classes, Canelo deserves his flowers. Not to mention that in 2021, he became the first man in history to unify the super-middleweight straps. And sure, Dmitry Bivol stopped him from adding another light-heavyweight belt to the trophy cabinet, but this marked just his second defeat in 66 pro boxing bouts, as a record of 61-2-2 with 39 knockouts – And still growing – might not ever be replicated in the sport again.

Canelo Professional Record: 61-2-2 (39 KOs) 

5. Artur Beterbiev

When you’ve held light-heavyweight championships for the last seven years and collected 20 straight wins with 20 knockouts, entering the pound-for-pound top-five isn’t really a debate, and such is the case with Artur Beterbiev.

During this four-belt era, two men have dominated the 175lb landscape, and Beterbiev is one of them. The other is next on our list, and their placements in P4P rankings have always been a debate.

The good news is that after dropping Callum Smith twice before stopping the talented Brit earlier this year to retain his WBO, WBC, and IBF straps, the aforementioned debate will be put to bed when an undisputed light-heavyweight showdown takes place in October.

Critics will doubt Beterbiev due to his age of 39, but even in his late thirties, this man has dismantled every opponent, and regarding Russian boxers, he’s one of two who are the best on the planet.

Beterbiev Professional Record: 20-0-0 (20 KOs)

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4. Dmitry Bivol

Like his light-heavyweight foe and upcoming opponent, Dmitry Bivol has held 175-pound gold since 2017. During the seven years since Bivol captured the WBA strap, he’s defended it on twelve occasions. For this reason – four more title defenses than Beterbiev – and because he dominated Canelo from pillar to post, he sits higher on our pound-for-pound rankings than his compatriot and fellow light heavyweight star.

There’s a case to be made that Beterbiev should be higher than Bivol because the latter owns a streak of decision victories instead of knockouts. This, however, isn’t a factor that appreciates Bivol and his technical ability, which arguably has never lost a round of boxing since his 2014 debut.

This will be one of the final times we can argue about the two best 175lber in the world, as Russian power meets fundamental prowess on October 12 in a light-heavyweight unification bout of the ages!

Bivol Professional Record: 23-0-0 (12 KOs) 

3. Terence Crawford

Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford requires little introduction… With undisputed status obtained in the super-lightweight and welterweight divisions and world title wins across four weight classes overall, his accomplishments over a 16-year career speak for themselves.

The Omaha brute is one of three men to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era. Canelo can only match his activity as a pro boxer. Still, more impressively, six of his previous 12 fights involved unbeaten fighters, and he finished 11 of those men inside the distance.

When ‘Bud’ entered one of the most intriguing battles of the last decade versus Error Spence Jr in 2023, many betting experts expected a closely fought battle. Shockingly, he put on a masterclass and earned the right to be considered one of the best P4P boxers on earth.

Crawford Professional Record: 41-0 (31 KOs) 

2. Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk’s professional career has been as decorated as it has been flawless. The Ukrainian wiped out the cruiserweight division and left for the heavyweight division after accomplishing undisputed status. We then watched him batter Anthony Joshua twice to unify three of the four heavyweight straps before receiving the highlight anticipated, undisputed battle versus WBC champ Tyson Fury earlier this year.

A thrilling encounter between Usyk and Fury resulted in a split-decision victory for the former. This success made him the third male pugilist to obtain undisputed status in two weight classes in the four-belt era.

Depending on who you ask, Usyk could be third, second, or first in the pound-for-pound rankings. Personally, I’ve placed Usyk in second because ‘Bud’ himself stated how the Ukrainian had done enough to warrant a No.1 P4P ranking, and he’s also undersized as a heavyweight but has still been able to prove that technical prowess reigns supreme versus size and power.

What’s next? A rematch with the ‘Gypsy King’ in December… Fingers crossed that both fighters remain healthy because, after the first showing, we’re desperate for more elite heavyweight action!

Usyk Professional Record: 22-0-0 (11 KOs) 

1. Naoya Inoue

Coming in at first place on our boxing pound-for-pound rankings is the Japanese “Monster” Naoya Inoue. Crawford and Usyk could sit in this position with undisputed status in two weight classes. Still, I’m giving Inoue the slight edge based on the entertainment factor he brings to the ring as a four-weight world champion and two-division undisputed king.

When you watch Inoue compete, he’s effortlessly vicious, and you almost feel sorry for his opponents. Nasty body shots, one-punch KO power, and a scary punching output show him the second-best knockout percentage in our top-seven rankings.

The Japanese 31-year-old, funnily enough, doesn’t hold the star power like most P4P greats on our list, but boxing betting purists know the deal. He cleared out the bantamweight division after winning world titles at super and light-flyweight, vacated his undisputed status at 118lbs, and sought new challenges at super bantamweight. Of course, it didn’t take long before he took undisputed status in a second division, as he ripped Stephen Fulton apart to do so.

For the first time in his career, Inoue was dropped to the canvas earlier this year in his first defense of the undisputed super bantamweight crown against Luis Nery. This vulnerability didn’t last long… We witnessed another layer of the “Monsters” game unravel. He fought through adversity to drop Nery, a two-weight world champ, on three occasions before collecting a sixth-round stoppage victory.

Inoue Professional Record: 27-0-0 (24 KOs) 

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