The latest BoxRec pound-for-pound rankings have raised eyebrows across the sport after delivering one of the most confusing top 20 lists in recent memory.
According to the site’s points-based system, undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk sits at just number 12. At the same time, fighters such as Raymond Muratalla, Hamzah Sheeraz, Nick Ball, and Brian Norman Jr. are ranked around him when he’s head and shoulders above anyone.
Even more shockingly, Terence Crawford, regarded by many as the best fighter in the world, is completely unranked after slipping out due to inactivity.
It seems BoxRec carries a one-year policy to drop fighters who don’t fight, similarly to what WBN used to do. World Boxing News changed the policy when this generation’s crop of greats began fighting less than their generational counterparts.
On the women’s side, Denmark’s Dina Thorslund has somehow been placed at number one pound for pound, ahead of proven pound-for-pound stars Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, and Gabriela Fundora.
Shields, a three-weight undisputed champion and the most decorated female boxer alive, finds herself absurdly at number six.
Naoya Inoue leads the men’s top ten. He rightfully occupies the top spot, but only in a hot debate with Usyk. From there, the system begins to unravel.
Canelo Alvarez and Junto Nakatani fill the second and third positions, with unbeaten American stars Shakur Stevenson and Jaron Ennis also ranking many places higher than Usyk.
For context:
Usyk defeated Tyson Fury twice to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years.
Crawford dominated Errol Spence Jr. in 2023, widely hailed as a masterclass, and became a four-weight champion in 2024.
Yet under the BoxRec computer system, neither man holds a position reflective of their status in world boxing.
A Flawed Formula?
The problem lies in BoxRec’s rigid algorithm. The system awards points based on activity, opponents’ ratings, and recent form, but it fails to capture greatness, historical wins, or the proper level of opposition.
As a result, activity is rewarded over actual achievement, leading to bizarre situations where solid contenders rate above all-time elite champions.
Reaction from Fans and Media
Fans across social media have branded the lists’ unfathomable’ and ‘an insult to boxing.’ Critics argue that pound-for-pound lists should reflect dominance, skill, and legacy, not just a mathematical equation that strips away context.
When fighters like Usyk, Shields, and Crawford get undervalued while names with limited resumes climb into the elite, it adds yet another layer of controversy to boxing’s already fractured ranking landscape.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.