Men’s boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Shakur, ‘Bam’ Rodriguez move up after exciting wins

Three fighters in the top 10 were in action since our last rankings, and all three delivered exciting performances.

Oleksander Usyk solidified his No. 1 spot with a one-sided demolition of Daniel Dubois in their rematch at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Usyk applied pressure for as long as the fight lasted and dropped Dubois in Round 5 twice before the fight was stopped.

With the victory, Usyk became a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion and made a case for him to be the best fighter of the last 25 years.

Also on Saturday, at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez dominated Phumelela Cafu in a 10th-round TKO victory to unify the WBC and WBO junior bantamweight titles.

“I felt like it was a good performance,” Rodriguez said after the fight. “Probably my best performance up to today, against my toughest opponent, my toughest fight yet. [Cafu was] a lot tougher than I thought he was going to be, but we got the job done no matter what.”

He has been getting the job done like that since 2022, when he won the WBC junior bantamweight title. Since then, Rodriguez has a record of 7-0 with 5 KOs, all title fights. He moves up one spot to No. 5 ahead of Artur Beterbiev.

On July 12, Shakur Stevenson turned in an impressive master class against William Zepeda in a unanimous decision win at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. Stevenson, routinely criticized for his no-risk, defensive style, added some offense against Zepeda to win by scorecards of 118-110, 118-110 and 119-109. Stevenson outlanded the power hitter Zepeda in total punches (295 to 272) and in power punches (199 to 153).

“He came in, pushed me,” Stevenson said of Zepeda after the fight. “He pushed me to another level.

“At the end of the day, I told you all, whatever it takes to get the job done, I got dog in me. I’m not a puppy. I’m not a poodle. I’m a tough guy, so I got dog in me.”

Stevenson’s performance helped him move up three spots to No. 7.

Our panel of Andreas Hale, Timothy Bradley Jr., Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Bernardo Pilatti, Charles Moynihan, Salvador Rodriguez, Claudia Trejos, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro, Aladdin Freeman, Victor Lopez and Damian Delgado Averhoff shares its votes.

More ESPN rankings: Divisional rankings and women’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Note: Results are through July 23.

1. OLEKSANDR USYK     Previous ranking: 1

RECORD: 24-0, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Heavyweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO5) Daniel Dubois, July 19
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

Usyk is beginning to stake his claim as the best heavyweight of this century with a definitive finish of Dubois to become the undisputed champion once again. There would be no controversy this time around as Usyk wiped Dubois out in the fifth round and took little damage. Joseph Parker is likely the next in line to get his shot, but with two wins apiece over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois, there really isn’t much left for Usyk to do aside from lap the competition. — Andreas Hale

2. NAOYA INOUE     Previous ranking: 2

RECORD: 30-0, 27 KOs
DIVISION: Junior featherweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO8) Ramon Cardenas, May 4
NEXT FIGHT: Sept. 14 vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev

It’s rare to see a fighter who is as dominant and exciting as Inoue. His thrilling battle with Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas further cemented the Japanese superstar as must-see television. He’s already slotted in for a September showdown with Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Japan and could then make the move to featherweight or engage in an All-Japan showdown with fellow champion Junto Nakatani in 2026. — Hale

3. TERENCE CRAWFORD     Previous ranking: 3

RECORD: 40-0, 31 KOs
DIVISION: Junior middleweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Israil Madrimov, Aug. 3
NEXT FIGHT: Sept. 13 vs. Canelo Alvarez

The only true argument against Crawford being No. 1 is his lack of activity. But his hiatus will finally end after a year when he jumps up to super middleweight to challenge Canelo Alvarez for the opportunity to become the only boxer in the four-belt era to be undisputed in three weight classes. It’s obscene to think that Crawford started his career collecting titles at 135 pounds and will now attempt to dethrone the sport’s biggest star at 168 pounds. But if anybody can do it, it’s “Bud.” — Hale

4. DMITRY BIVOL     Previous ranking: 4

RECORD: 24-1, 12 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (MD12) Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

Bivol avenged his only loss when he defeated Artur Beterbiev on Feb. 22 in an excellent performance. He’ll avoid David Benavidez (for now) as he will likely engage in a rubber match with Beterbiev for his next fight. Should he emerge victorious, a highly anticipated showdown with “The Mexican Monster” could be on the menu for 2026. — Hale

5. JESSE RODRIGUEZ     Previous ranking: 6

RECORD: 22-0, 15 KOs
DIVISION: Junior bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO10) Phumelela Cafu, July 19
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

At 25, Rodriguez somehow manages to be underrated despite his pound-for-pound status. He collected yet another world title by thumping WBC titleholder Phumelele Cafu for a 10th-round finish. When we talk about the smaller weight classes, we often mention Inoue’s name. But maybe we should be talking a lot more about “Bam.” He’ll face WBA titleholder Fernando Martinez in November, which will be an opportunity to put his name on the ballot for fighter of the year. — Hale

6. ARTUR BETERBIEV     Previous ranking: 5

RECORD: 21-1, 20 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD12) Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

Beterbiev suffered the only loss of his pro career in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol on Feb. 22 but still made a great account of himself against a fellow pound-for-pound fighter. Considering the competitive nature of both fights, it makes sense for the Russian to hold his spot on the P4P list. He will likely get a chance to avenge the blemish in a return bout later this year. Although he has crossed into his 40s, Beterbiev still is performing at an elite level. — Hale

7. SHAKUR STEVENSON     Previous ranking: 10

RECORD: 24-0, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) William Zepeda, July 12
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

Stevenson finally got the kind of opponent fans were asking for, and once again, he came out on top, adding a little more aggression to his flawless tactical style. Stevenson dominated William Zepeda on July 12 in New York in an exciting performance. As exceptional as Stevenson has been, the biggest complaint he faces is that he almost makes it look too easy inside the squared circle and coasts to decision victories. He was supposed to have his hands full with a high-volume puncher in Zepeda, but he was able to handle everything Zepeda threw his way. Stevenson used a jab to the body, uppercuts and effective combination to slow Zepeda down and put any complaints about his lack of offense to rest. — Hale

8. CANELO ALVAREZ     Previous ranking: 7

RECORD: 63-2-2, 39 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) William Scull, May 3
NEXT FIGHT: Sept. 13 vs. Terence Crawford

Boxing’s biggest star underwhelmed in his most recent outing against William Scull, despite again becoming the undisputed champion at 168 pounds. However, Canelo needed to get that fight out of the way to set up arguably the biggest fight of the year when he accepts the challenge of Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sept. 12. Recent opposition aside, Canelo has amassed an excellent résumé and will have a chance to add another future Hall of Famer to his portfolio. — Hale

9. DAVID BENAVIDEZ     Previous ranking: 8

RECORD: 30-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Light heavyweight (champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) David Morrell, Feb. 1
NEXT FIGHT: Nov. 22 vs. Anthony Yarde

For whatever reason, nobody wants to fight Benavidez. He did everything he needed to at 168 pounds but was unable to land a fight with Canelo Alvarez. Now he finds himself in a similar position at light heavyweight as Dmitry Bivol vacated the WBC title so he could face Beterbiev in a rubber match, instead of facing Benavidez. With wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and David Morrell on his résumé, it’s only a matter of time until “The Mexican Monster” gets to test himself against the biggest names in the sport. But first, he will meet Anthony Yarde in November. The scary thing is that he is only 28 and hasn’t hit his physical prime. — Hale

10. JUNTO NAKATANI     Previous ranking: 9

RECORD: 31-0, 24 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (unified champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO6) Ryosuke Nishida, June 8
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

Japan’s other pound-for-pound fighter on this list unified the bantamweight titles on June 8 against IBF titleholder Ryosuke Nishida. “Big Bang” is exciting to watch and has won all five of his bantamweight fights by knockout since making the move from junior bantamweight last February. An eventual blockbuster showdown with countryman Naoya Inoue appears to be on the horizon in what would be the biggest fight in the history of Japan. — Hale

The formula

The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote awarding 10 points, a second-place vote awarding nine points and so on. A tie goes to the fighter with the highest ranking, then the one with the most votes at that ranking.

Others receiving votes: Teofimo Lopez Jr. (5), Gervonta Davis (5), Janibek Alimkhanuly (1).

How our writers voted

Bradley: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3: Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Alvarez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Benavidez

Hale: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Alvarez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Nakatani

Atlas: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Benavidez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Alvarez

Tessitore: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Bivol, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Alvarez

Parkinson: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Alvarez, 8. Nakatani, 9. Stevenson, 10. Benavidez

Raskin: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Benavidez, 9. Alvarez, 10. Nakatani

Osuna: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Stevenson, 7. Nakatani, 8. Beterbiev, 9. Alvarez, 10. Benavidez

Rodriguez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Crawford, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Alvarez, 7. Beterbiev, 8. Nakatani, 9. Benavidez, 10. Stevenson

Trejos: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Stevenson, 7. Alvarez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Nakatani, 10. Beterbiev

Woodyard: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Rodriguez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Benavidez, 9. Davis, 10. Beterbiev

Moynihan: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Bivol, 5. Alvarez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Rodriguez, 9. Benavidez, 10. Davis

Pilatti: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Beterbiev, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Benavidez, 7. Stevenson, 8. Crawford, 9. Nakatani, 10. Alimkhanuly

Zirolli: 1. Usyk, 2. Crawford, 3. Inoue, 4. Stevenson, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Alvarez, 9. Lopez, 10. Nakatani

Mascaro: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Nakatani, 8. Benavidez, 9. Davis, 10. Lopez

Freeman: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Rodriguez, 5. Bivol, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Stevenson, 8. Nakatani, 9. Alvarez, 10. Lopez

Lopez: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Crawford, 4. Bivol, 5. Beterbiev, 6. Alvarez, 7. Rodriguez, 8. Benavidez, 9. Stevenson, 10. Nakatani

Delgado Averhof: 1. Usyk, 2. Inoue, 3. Bivol, 4. Crawford, 5. Rodriguez, 6. Beterbiev, 7. Benavidez, 8. Stevenson, 9. Alvarez, 10. Lopez

ESPN experts’ poll

First place: Usyk (17)

Second place: Inoue (10), Crawford (7)

Third place: Inoue (7), Crawford (7), Bivol (3)

Fourth place: Bivol (10), Crawford (2), Rodriguez (2), Beterbiev (2), Stevenson (1)

Fifth place: Rodriguez (6), Bivol (4), Beterbiev (4), Alvarez (2), Benavidez (1)

Sixth place: Beterbiev (7), Rodriguez (4), Alvarez (3), Stevenson (2), Benavidez (1)

Seventh place: Stevenson (6), Nakatani (4), Alvarez (3), Rodriguez (2), Beterbiev (1), Benavidez (1)

Eighth place: Benavidez (7), Rodriguez (3), Nakatani (3), Crawford (1), Beterbiev (1), Stevenson (1), Alvarez (1)

Ninth place: Stevenson (5), Alvarez (4), Nakatani (3), Benavidez (2), Davis (2), Lopez (1)

10th place: Nakatani (4), Benavidez (3), Lopez (3), Beterbiev (2), Alvarez (2), Stevenson (1), Davis (1), Akhmadaliev (1)