Top 25 Pound-for-Pound Boxers After Mayweather vs. Berto
It's that time of year again.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. soundly defeated Andre Berto on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the latest big-time boxing match. Mayweather was just too good for Berto. All three judges at ringside scored the bout for Mayweather, the best fighter of his era.
Even at age 38, Mayweather is a lock for the top spot on Bleacher Report's top-25 pound-for-pound list. But how do the other fighters stack up against one another? Did Berto do well enough to warrant inclusion? Is Manny Pacquiao still ranked No. 2 in the world?
Bleacher Report presents the top 25 fighters in boxing. Fighters are ranked according to the opposition they've faced as well as their perceived willingness to face everyone. We gave special emphasis to how fighters have performed over the last calendar year.
Ins and Outs
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In: Leo Santa Cruz, Keith Thurman and Kell Brook all make an appearance in this edition of Bleacher Report’s pound-for-pound top 25.
Out: Juan Manuel Marquez has not been active for more than a year, so he was removed from the rankings. Additionally, Marco Huck suffered a knockout loss to Krzysztof Glowacki, and Carl Froch announced his retirement.
25. Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: The knock on the undefeated Santa Cruz was that he’d been coddled for too many fights in a row without facing top competition. That ended when he faced and defeated Abner Mares in August. In that fight, Santa Cruz looked like the elite fighter everyone was hoping he’d turn out to be when he burst onto the scene two years ago.
Previous Ranking: N/A
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous majority decision win over Mares
Who He Should Fight Next: Santa Cruz looked as ready as he’ll ever be to face undefeated junior featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, perhaps the most avoided fighter in all of boxing.
24. Amnat Ruenroeng (16-0, 5 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: It might not look pretty, but Ruenroeng’s style is effective. He’s undefeated and a game competitor. In fact, he should have probably been mentioned as a Fighter of the Year candidate last year more than he was.
Previous Ranking: 25
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over John Riel Casimero
Who He Should Fight Next: At age 35, Ruenroeng needs big-money fights, and he needs them now. A return bout against Zou Shiming, whom the IBF flyweight champion defeated earlier this year, might make some sense, as would a showdown with Juan Francisco Estrada.
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23. Adonis Stevenson (26-1, 21 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: You shouldn’t blame Stevenson for following his adviser Al Haymon’s plan for his career. Stevenson is the lineal light heavyweight champion and has strung together five defenses over the last two years without having to face the likes of Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal. Stevenson, age 37, is one of the best punchers in boxing, and he’s on his way to a nice career.
Previous Ranking: 22
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Sakio Bika
Who He Should Fight Next: Stevenson soundly defeated Tommy Karpency this weekend. Now, a rematch with Andrzej Fonfara could draw some real interest among fight fans who are coming to grips with the fact that they’ll likely never see Stevenson clash with Kovalev.
22. Takashi Uchiyama (23-0-1, 19 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Uchiyama is a tough-as-nails knockout artist from Japan who is probably the best fighter most fans on this side of the planet have never seen. He’s the best 130-pound fighter on the planet.
Previous Ranking: 23
Last Fight: Round 2 knockout of Jomthong Chuwatana
Who He Should Fight Next: Uchiyama should rematch fellow Japanese fighter Takashi Miura. The first fight, a Uchiyama win, was one in which Uchiyama had to rise from the canvas in order to secure a Round 8 stoppage. Moreover, the winner would be crowned the lineal junior lightweight champion.
21. Erislandy Lara (21-2-2, 12 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Poor Lara. He seems to get lambasted by fight fans for the Cuban style he employs, and it makes it tough for him to procure lucrative fights on the regular. Regardless, the southpaw stylist is one of the toughest outs in boxing, and his pinpoint accuracy makes him dangerous to any other junior middleweight in the world.
Previous Ranking: 21
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Delvin Rodriguez
Who He Should Fight Next: Lara should face recently stripped titleholder Demetrius Andrade. Both men are clever boxers who need a win over the other to make them more attractive to big-name opponents.
20. Lucas Matthysse (37-3, 34 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Matthysse is a good boxer who has lots of power in both hands. Moreover, he’s aggressive and probably a little easier to be hit than he’d like to be. His fights are action-packed and compelling, and he’s one of the best junior welterweights in boxing.
Previous Ranking: 20
Last Fight: 12-round majority decision over Ruslan Provodnikov
Who He Should Fight Next: Matthysse is scheduled to face the undefeated Victor Postol in October for a vacant alphabet title. It should be a good tussle.
19. Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Enjoy Hopkins while you can. The 50-year-old is a living legend. The skill he employs inside the ring is masterful—so much so that he’s still on pound-for-pound lists at least 15 years after he probably should have retired. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime fighter.
Previous Ranking: 19
Last Fight: Unanimous-decision loss to Sergey Kovalev
Who He Should Fight Next: Hopkins should invite middleweight monster Gennady Golovkin to a catchweight bout with him. The fight is sellable, and Hopkins would give Golovkin looks he’s never seen before inside the boxing ring.
18. Keith Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Thurman is a great athlete, a skilled boxer and a devastating puncher. The undefeated welterweight has all the attributes one needs to become an elite fighter, and he’s already strung together enough good wins to warrant inclusion on this list. If you could buy into fighters like stock, Thurman would be a good buy right now. He’s on his way up.
Previous Ranking: N/A
Last Fight: Round 7 stoppage of Luis Collazo
Who He Should Fight Next: There are plenty of good welterweights for Thurman to prove himself against. The two best options seem to be Shawn Porter and Amir Khan. A win over either would prove Thurman fans are right in thinking he’s the future at 147 pounds.
17. Nonito Donaire (35-3, 23 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Donaire hast fast hands, great reflexes and good power. His only two losses over the last 10 years have been to elite fighters. His move up to featherweight proved unsuccessful, so he’s back down at junior featherweight and has looked great in his last two fights.
Previous Ranking: 18
Last Fight: Round 2 knockout of Anthony Settoul
Who He Should Fight Next: Donaire should seek redemption against lineal champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, who defeated Donaire by decision two years ago. Donaire came into that fight looking a bit lethargic and still managed to knock the Cuban to the floor.
16. Kell Brook (35-0, 24 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Brook is an exceptional welterweight who deserves fights against the very best. He has long arms and is effective at negotiating distance. His hands are fast, and he possesses enough power to inflict damage on anyone at 147 pounds.
Previous Ranking: N/A
Last Fight: Round 6 knockout of Frankie Gavin
Who He Should Fight Next: Brook deserves a bout against countryman Amir Khan but will have to settle for a fight against Diego Chaves in October instead. Still, his IBF title should help him get other big-name welterweights in the ring with him soon enough.
15. Terence Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Crawford already appears to be one of the top five talents in the sport. The only problem is that he’s yet to face another elite fighter to prove it. Still, his resume is shaping up nicely for 27-year-old. He’s already held one lineal championship at lightweight, and now he has his sights set on junior welterweight.
Previous Ranking: 17
Last Fight: Round 6 knockout of Thomas Dulorme
Who He Should Fight Next: Crawford is set to face Dierry Jean in October. It’s not quite the type of fight his fans were probably hoping for at this point, but Jean is a tough fighter, and Crawford, at the very least, is staying busy while he waits for the likes of Lucas Matthysse and Manny Pacquiao.
14. Naoya Inoue (8-0, 7 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Inoue is a monster puncher who seeks and destroys the best competition available. He’s only 22 years old and is already heralded by hardcore boxing fans as the type of fighter all young boxers should emulate. Inoue is a legit threat to become a global phenomenon.
Previous Ranking: 16
Last Fight: Round 2 knockout of Omar Narvaez
Who He Should Fight Next: If there is one fight that boxing fans should hope for this year, it’s Inoue against lineal flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez. Both fighters are elite talents who are always looking for the knockout. It’d be an explosive, high-level action fight for the ages.
13. Nicholas Walters (26-0, 21 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Walters punches hard and has a good chin. He’s been the dark horse of the featherweight scene for years now, but fans are finally starting to recognize him for the elite talent he is. Walters had trouble making the 130-pound limit in his last fight, so it might be time for him to move up.
Previous Ranking: 15
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Miguel Marriaga
Who He Should Fight Next: Just as it was last time we published our list, Walters against Vasyl Lomachenko would be one of the best fights in boxing. Both are tremendous offensive fighters with legitimate knockout power.
12. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Alvarez has superstar written all over him. The 25-year-old just seems to get better and better every outing. He has fast hands and throws powerful and creative combinations. Alvarez already has a slew of admirers, and he could someday soon become boxing’s next mainstream crossover success story.
Previous Ranking: 14
Last Fight: Round 3 knockout of James Kirkland
Who He Should Fight Next: Alvarez will face lineal middleweight champion Miguel Cotto in the best-made fight of 2015. Both fighters are stars, and neither has ever looked better than in his most recent bouts. A win over Cotto would make Alvarez the favorite to become the face of boxing once Floyd Mayweather retires.
11. Danny Garcia (31-0, 18 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Garcia is a great counterpuncher. He throws his punches with forceful vigor and has worked his way from an unknown into one of boxing best undefeated fighters. The former junior welterweight champion is now a welterweight, where big battles loom against other top-tier opponents.
Previous Ranking: 13
Last Fight: Round 9 knockout of Paulie Malignaggi
Who He Should Fight Next: Garcia looked the part of a strong welterweight against Malignaggi, so it’s time for him to face someone like Adrien Broner or Shawn Porter next. A win over either could make him an attractive opponent for a titleholder in the near future.
10. Juan Francisco Estrada (32-2, 23 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Estrada is a durable, tough and skilled flyweight with superb talent. He’s legitimately one of the most accomplished fighters in boxing, and big fights loom in his future that could potentially vault him into the upper echelon of the sport.
Previous Ranking: 12
Last Fight: Round 3 knockout over Rommel Asenjo
Who He Should Fight Next: Estrada defends his two alphabet flyweight titles against Hernan Marquez in September. After that, he should try to secure a rematch with lineal champion Roman Gonzalez, who defeated Estrada at junior flyweight three years ago.
9. Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Cotto has had quite the turnaround over the last couple of years. After losing two in a row in 2012, he reeled off three wins over boxers fighting above the 147 welterweight limit. If there was any doubt about him as a middleweight after his trouncing of Sergio Martinez last year, he certainly erased it when he dominated Daniel Geale in June.
Previous Ranking: 10
Last Fight: Round 4 knockout over Daniel Geale
Who He Should Fight Next: Cotto will defend his middleweight throne against Canelo Alvarez in November. Will the old lion stave off the young upstart? He might well pull it off. Cotto’s body attack has devastated recent opponents, and his punches have never seemed more powerful than now.
8. Sergey Kovalev (28-0-1, 25 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Kovalev is steadily becoming one of the best fighters in boxing. He is a great boxer with fast feet. He knows how to gauge distance and the timing of his punches is incredible. Kovalev is a destructive puncher who fights mean and aggressively. He’s a unified light heavyweight champion and one of HBO’s bell cows.
Previous Ranking: 9
Who He Should Fight Next: Kovalev might be favored over anyone in boxing pound-for-pound. He’s that good. But light heavyweight options are dwindling as of late thanks to competing promotional entities. Still, Yunieski Gonzalez probably deserved the nod over Jean Pascal in his last fight, so he might well deserve a crack at Kovalev.
7. Timothy Bradley (32-1-1, 12 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Bradley dropped a few spots in this edition, but only because he has seemed so hittable over recent fights. Regardless, he is a solid all-around fighter who might compete with more grit and determination than anyone else in the sport. He doesn’t punch that hard, but he fights like he does anyway. That’s something exceptional in its own right, and his overall skill set makes him one of the best fighters in boxing.
Previous Ranking: 5
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Jessie Vargas
Who He Should Fight Next: Bradley faces Brandon Rios in November, although it may not be a title defense for Desert Storm. Nevertheless, Rios offers Bradley the chance to brawl like he so obviously loves to do.
6. Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Golovkin is becoming global sensation. His fighting ability is only matched by his charisma, something that doesn’t come along very often. He’s knocked out 20 opponents in a row and is quite possibly the most perfect offensive fighter since Joe Louis.
Previous Ranking: 7
Last Fight: Round 6 knockout of Willie Monroe Jr.
Who He Should Fight Next: Golovkin faces fellow middleweight titlist David Lemieux in October in a unification bout that’s sure to be explosive. Both fighters punch hard, and neither man tries to win by decision. The bout will also be Golovkin’s first pay-per-view fight, a sign that he’s headed to the next level of the sport.
5. Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Rigondeaux is the hardest type of fighter to beat. He’s a great boxer with tremendous natural ability who also hits like a mule. Oh, and he’s a southpaw too. Fighters have two choices when they face him: Either stay back and get outboxed in a boring fight or come forward and be knocked out. Almost everyone who has fought him has chosen the former, though most folks just avoid fighting him altogether.
Previous Ranking: 6
Last Fight: Round 11 knockout of Hisashi Amagasa
Who He Should Fight Next: At this point, it would seem Rigondeaux would settle for anyone with a pulse. He needs fights, and he needs them now. He’s 34 years old and the lineal junior featherweight champion of the world. Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Vasyl Lomachenko, Scott Quigg, Carl Frampton—any of them will do.
4. Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Pacquiao is the second-best fighter of his generation behind Floyd Mayweather, whom he lost to in May in a fight that fans had looked forward to seeing for six long years. But Pacquiao came into the fight with a torn shoulder, and his half-hearted effort, one in which he allowed the defensive-minded Mayweather to out-throw and out-land him, dropped him down a couple of spots. At his best, Pacquiao is still one of the best fighters in the sport. But until we see him in the ring again, let’s start to assume his best years are far behind him.
Previous Ranking: 2
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision loss to Floyd Mayweather
Who He Should Fight Next: The only two fights that make any sense for the 36-year-old Pacquiao right now are a return bout with Mayweather or a fifth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. Both seem unlikely, so it might be time for Pacquiao to face Terence Crawford in a potential pass-the-torch bout.
3. Wladimir Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Statistically speaking, only two heavyweights in history have accomplished as much as Klitschko: Joe Louis and Larry Holmes. Klitschko hits harder than Louis and has a better jab than Holmes. He’s taller than both, bigger than both and one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
Previous Ranking: 4
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Bryant Jennings
Who He Should Fight Next: Klitschko faces Tyson Fury in October in one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in recent history. Both giants have the ability to knock each other out, and it will be a rare moment in Klitschko’s career when he walks into the ring as the shorter man.
2. Roman Gonzalez (43-0, 37 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Gonzalez is the best pressure fighter in boxing. His punches are precise and compact, and his footwork is superb. Gonzalez is the lineal flyweight champion and one of the most accomplished fighters in the sport. With HBO finally taking notice of his ability, fans are at last getting to see perhaps the most dominant diminutive fighter since Ricardo Lopez.
Previous Ranking: 3
Last Fight: Round 2 knockout of Edgar Sosa
Who He Should Fight Next: Gonzalez faces Brian Viloria in October in a bout that is sure to be a barnburner. If he gets past him as expected, future dates with Juan Francisco Estrada and Naoya Inoue loom large on the horizon.
1. Floyd Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs)
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Why He’s Here: Mayweather, at 38 years old, is the most talented fighter of a generation. He’s probably made more money than any boxer ever, and his legacy will always be solidified by the fact that he faced and defeated Pacquiao in May. Mayweather’s defense is unrivaled among his peers, and he’s one of the best counterpunchers of all time.
Yes, he's insisted he's retiring. But there are many reasons to doubt that he'll be out of boxing for long, and he's still clearly the best in the business today.
Previous Ranking: 1
Last Fight: 12-round unanimous-decision win over Andre Berto
Who He Should Fight Next: Mayweather could stay retired, face Pacquiao in a rematch or test himself against someone scary such as Gennady Golovkin. Any of those things would do, so the 38-year-old has some thinking to do over the next few months.
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