A Japanese, a Russian, a Ukrainian and two Americans: who is the best kilo for kilo in world boxing

Most sports have world tournaments in which the most important teams, clubs or athletes from each discipline face each other and which allow you to determine which is the best at any given time. While it doesn’t eliminate arguments entirely, that system delivers a verdict based on dispassionate criteria. In boxing, this doesn’t exist: dozens of samples distributed in 18 categories and recognized by four governing bodies keep alive a debate full of subjectivity and that never ends: who is number one?

While the unofficial (but closely followed) rankings of the best Pound for Pound of the planet are constantly updated, a result that in recent weeks has sparked controversy: the defeat against the Russian Dmitry Bivol from the Mexican Saul Canelo Alvareztoday’s highest-grossing boxer, who until then was regarded by much of the critics as number one.

These days, three men keep the belts of all four bodies in their divisions: Cinnamonwhich reigns among the supermediums (his setback against Bivol was at middle heavyweights) and the Americans Jermell Carlo (super welterweight), winner of Brian Castaño of Matanzas, e Devin Haney (light). Until a month ago, Scottish champion Josh Taylor (super light) was also the undisputed champion, but the World Boxing Association withdrew his recognition for refusing to defend his title against the mandatory challenger, the Dominican Alberto Puello.

In any case, the criteria for evaluating fighters and placing them in the volatile scale Pound for Pound It is not based only on the belts, but also at the level of the opponents that every boxer has faced and performance in those highly sought after duels. For this reason, hardly anyone considers Charlo, Haney or Taylor the best of this time.

On Tuesday one of the fighters who has been on the podium for five years (or thereabouts) gave a twist that elevates it: Japanese Naoya Inouewho in less than five minutes of action demolished a top opponent, Filipino Nonito Donaire, and kept the belts of the WBA, the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Council of the bantamweight division.

With a style that combines intelligence, precision and a power that has not suffered from the rise in the category, the Japanese, former champion of light flyweight and super fly, has blown away the small divisions. On their way, chained 23 wins and allowed only three rivals to hear the judges’ cards. Among his losers are nine world champions or former champions. One of them was Omar Narváez, of Chubut, who before Monster he suffered the only absolute defeat of his career: he was knocked down four times in less than two rounds.

Bivol has also earned the right to be in the conversation since its conquest Cinnamon Alvarez. Until his glory night on May 7 in Las Vegas, he was a solid 175-pound champion. In 2016 he had won the WBA title (which had recognized him first as an interim, then as a regular champion and finally as a super champion) and had defended him 10 times (six in the United States) against renowned rivals such as Cuban Sullivan Barrera, the Haitian Jean Pascal and American Joe Smith. The victory against Álvarez gave him a big leap, which he will have to ratify when he gives the red-haired Mexican his revenge.

The boxer born in Kyrgyzstan, Russian nationalized and the son of a Moldovan father and South Korean mother, has good speed and mobility for the category and a remarkable defense: according to the Compubox scoring system, he is the frontline boxer who receives the lowest percentage of hits from rivals (13.1%). If anything works against him, especially in sight of him, it’s his low knockout rate: he has only won 11 of the 20 fights before the limit and his last seven races have been resolved with cards.

Even the premier category of boxing, which no longer has Tyson Fury (will he keep his retirement promise?), Gets a name in the top five on the planet: Oleksandr Usyk. The unbeaten Ukrainian, who in 2018 became the undisputed cruiserweight champion, managed to establish himself among the heavyweights even with a small physique in the kingdom of giants and in September last year he gave the bell by dethroning Britain’s Anthony Joshua in front of 66.267 spectators at Tottenham Stadium.

The London 2012 Olympic champion southpaw is a strategist, has excellent footwork and a technique honed during his years as an amateur. He also has a remarkable temper that allowed him to emerge victorious in foreign territory in demanding commitments: before beating Joshua at home, he had won the World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title against the Polish Krzysztof Glowacki in Gdansk; that of the WBC, against the Latvian Mairis Briedis in Riga; and those of the WBA and the IBF, against the Russian Murat Gassiev in Moscow.

To stay in the lead, Usyk will also have to revalidate his scrolls soon: next week, the exact date and place of the rematch with Joshua, which will be in the Middle East in August, will be confirmed, according to promoter Eddie Hearn. If this revenge has been postponed it is because the champion went to his country a few hours after the start of Russian military operations and remained there for four weeks without training.

With a name little known to those who don’t follow boxing regularly, American Terence Crawford also has reasons to claim his place in the top five pounds per pound on the planet for his present and flawless career in the elite since won his first world bout in March 2014 against Ricky Burns of Scotland for the WBO lightweight title.

The 34-year-old fighter born in Omaha was the undisputed champion of the super light division (he collected all four belts by beating Namibian Julius Indongo in August 2017) and since June 2018 he is the holder of the WBO welterweight crown, which he won against Australian Jeff Horn and saved five times.

Bud He is an explosive boxer who handles both protections very well (a rarity in the sport), who has won his 38 professional fights and finished 29 before the agreed distance. Among those who have succumbed to him are champions like Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa, British Amir Khan and Kell Brook, and compatriot Shawn Porter, his latest opponent, who he eliminated last November in Las Vegas.

One of the criticisms that accompanied him is that he did not face some of the best members of the division. For that, he blamed his former promoter Bob Arum, who he ended up suing with racism charges included. Already without the accompaniment of veteran Arum, Crawford is looking to arrange a duel with another of today’s best pound-for-pounds: Errol Spence, who is the WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight champion. If the negotiations are successful, the long-awaited fight will take place before the end of the year that will consecrate the 147-pound king and elevate the winner to the podium of the best fighters on the planet.

What in Crawford’s career is still in Spence’s must-have column is an obvious advantage: since he became IBF Welterweight Champion in May 2017 by eliminating Kell Brook on his land, six of his seven Cup games of the World have been against champions or former champions, some very important: Lamont Peterson, Mikey García, Shawn Porter, Danny García and Yordenis Ugás fell in front of him.

Spence, unbeaten in 28 races (with 22 category wins), had to go through two extremely complex situations before arriving at this lucky present. In October 2019, he suffered a chilling car accident in Dallas that nearly cost him his life. And last year, a few days before facing Filipino Manny Pacquiao, a retinal detachment was detected in his left eye for which he had to undergo an emergency operation.

Along with these men, there are others who aspire to regain their place among the best pound-for-pound in the world such as Cinnamon Álvarez, the Ukrainian Vasiliy Lomachenko and the Nicaraguan veteran Román Chocolate Gonzalez. And also some rising youngsters who dream of entering the top five soon, such as Americans Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Stephen Fulton.