This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2022) |
This list is incomplete. Please help to improve the page, or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Since 1989, The Ring has started naming the top 10 pound for pound best boxers in the world. [1] This list features fights where the boxers involved were in the active top 10 list at the time of their fight.
Fight name and Rank | Date | World title(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
(#4) Errol Spence Jr. vs. (#3) Terence Crawford | Jul 29, 2023 | Spence Jr.'s WBA (Super), WBC, and IBF welterweight titles | Crawford wins via 9th–round TKO |
Crawford's WBO welterweight title | |||
Vacant The Ring welterweight title |
Fight name and Rank | Date | World title(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
(#10) Errol Spence Jr. vs. (#7) Mikey Garcia | Mar 16, 2019 | Spence Jr.'s IBF welterweight title | Spence Jr. wins via UD (120-107, 120-108, 120-108) |
(#3) Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. (#4) Guillermo Rigondeaux | Dec 9, 2017 | Lomachenko's WBO super featherweight title | Lomachenko wins via 6th–round RTD |
(#7) Canelo Álvarez vs. (#2) Gennady Golovkin | Sep 16, 2017 | Álvarez's The Ring middleweight title | Split draw (118-110, 113-115, 114-114) |
Golovkin's WBA (Super), WBC, and IBF middleweight titles | |||
(#1) Andre Ward vs. (#2) Sergey Kovalev II | Jun 17, 2017 | Ward's WBA (Undisputed), IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles | Ward wins via 8th–round TKO |
Vacant The Ring light heavyweight title | |||
(#2) Sergey Kovalev vs. (#4) Andre Ward | Nov 19, 2016 | Kovalev's WBA (Undisputed), IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles | Ward wins via UD (114-113, 114-113, 114-113) |
(#7) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#9) Timothy Bradley III | Apr 12, 2016 | – | Pacquiao wins via UD (116-110, 116-110, 116-110) |
(#1) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#3) Manny Pacquiao | May 2, 2015 | Mayweather Jr.'s WBA (Unified), WBC, and The Ring welterweight titles | Mayweather Jr. wins via UD (116-112, 116-112, 118-110) |
Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title | |||
(#7) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#3) Timothy Bradley II | Apr 12, 2014 | Bradley's WBO welterweight title | Pacquiao wins via UD (116-112, 116-112, 118-110) |
(#8) Timothy Bradley vs. (#3) Juan Manuel Márquez | Oct 12, 2013 | Bradley's WBO welterweight title | Bradley wins via SD (113-115, 115-113, 116-112) |
(#1) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#9) Canelo Álvarez | Sep 14, 2013 | Mayweather Jr.'s WBA (Super) light middleweight title | Mayweather Jr. wins via MD (114-114, 116-112, 117-111) |
Álvarez's WBC and The Ring light middleweight titles | |||
(#1) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#8) Robert Guerrero | May 4, 2013 | Mayweather Jr.'s WBC welterweight title | Mayweather Jr. wins via UD (117-111, 117-111, 117-111) |
(#2) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#6) Juan Manuel Márquez IV | Dec 8, 2012 | – | Márquez wins via 6th–round KO |
(#5) Andre Ward vs. (#10) Chad Dawson | Sep 8, 2012 | Ward's WBA (Super), WBC, and The Ring super middleweight titles | Ward wins via 10th–round TKO |
(#2) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#8) Timothy Bradley | Jun 9, 2012 | Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title | Bradley wins via SD (113-115, 115-113, 115-113) |
(#1) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#5) Juan Manuel Márquez III | Nov 12, 2011 | Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title | Pacquiao wins via MD (114-114, 115-113, 116-112) |
(#7) Fernando Montiel vs. (#5) Nonito Donaire | Feb 19, 2011 | Montiel's WBC and WBO bantamweight titles | Donaire wins via 2nd–round TKO |
(#6) Sergio Martínez vs. (#5) Paul Williams II | Nov 20, 2010 | Martínez's WBC and The Ring middleweight titles | Martínez wins via 2nd–round KO |
(#2) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#3) Shane Mosley | May 1, 2010 | – | Mayweather Jr. wins via UD (119-109, 119-109, 118-110) |
Fight name and Rank | Date | World title(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
(#1) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#7) Miguel Cotto | Nov 14, 2009 | Cotto's WBO welterweight title | Pacquiao wins via 12th–round TKO |
(#1) Manny Pacquiao vs. (#8) Ricky Hatton | May 2, 2009 | Hatton's The Ring light welterweight title | Pacquiao wins via 2nd–round KO |
(#7) Kelly Pavlik vs. (#4) Bernard Hopkins | Oct 18, 2008 | – | Hopkins wins via UD (119-106, 118-108, 117-109) |
(#4) Bernard Hopkins vs. (#5) Joe Calzaghe | Apr 19, 2008 | Hopkins' The Ring light heavyweight title | Calzaghe wins via SD (113-114, 115-112, 116-111) |
(#3) Juan Manuel Márquez vs. (#2) Manny Pacquiao II | Mar 15, 2008 | Márquez's WBC super featherweight title | Pacquiao wins via SD (112-115, 115-112, 114-113) |
Vacant The Ring super featherweight title | |||
(#6) Israel Vázquez vs. (#10) Rafael Márquez III | Mar 1, 2008 | Vázquez's WBC and The Ring super bantamweight titles | Vázquez wins via SD (114-111, 111-114, 113-112) |
(#1) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#8) Ricky Hatton | Dec 8, 2007 | Mayweather Jr.'s WBC and The Ring welterweight titles | Mayweather Jr. wins via 10th–round TKO |
(#6) Bernard Hopkins vs. (#5) Winky Wright | Jul 21, 2007 | Hopkins' The Ring light heavyweight title | Hopkins wins via UD (116-112, 117-111, 117-111) |
(#6) Érik Morales vs. (#5) Manny Pacquiao II | Jan 21, 2006 | – | Pacquiao wins via 10th–round TKO |
(#9) Jermain Taylor vs. (#10) Bernard Hopkins II | Dec 3, 2005 | Taylor's WBA (Undisputed), WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles | Taylor wins via UD (115-113, 115-113, 115-113) |
(#8) Érik Morales vs. (#5) Manny Pacquiao | Mar 19, 2005 | – | Morales wins via UD (115-113, 115-113, 115-113) |
(#9) Oscar De La Hoya vs. (#1) Bernard Hopkins | Sep 18, 2004 | De La Hoya's WBO middleweight title | Hopkins wins via 9th–round KO |
Hopkins' WBA (Undisputed), WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles | |||
(#1) Roy Jones Jr. vs. (#10) Antonio Tarver II | May 15, 2004 | Jones Jr.'s WBA (Unified), WBC, and The Ring light heavyweight titles | Tarver wins via 2nd–round TKO |
(#5) Oscar De La Hoya vs. (#10) Shane Mosley II | Sep 13, 2003 | De La Hoya's WBA (Unified), WBC, and The Ring light middleweight titles | Mosley wins via UD (115-113, 115-113, 115-113) |
(#4) Marco Antonio Barrera vs. (#10) Érik Morales II | Jun 22, 2002 | Morales' WBC featherweight title | Barrera wins via UD (116-112, 115-113, 115-113) |
Vacant The Ring featherweight title | |||
(#2) Félix Trinidad vs. (#10) Bernard Hopkins | Sep 29, 2001 | Trinidad's WBA middleweight title | Hopkins wins via 12th–round TKO |
Hopkins' WBC and IBF middleweight title | |||
Vacant The Ring middleweight title | |||
(#7) Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. (#5) Diego Corrales | Jan 20, 2001 | Mayweather Jr.'s WBC super featherweight title | Mayweather Jr. wins via 10th–round TKO |
(#4) Oscar De La Hoya vs. (#5) Shane Mosley | Jun 17, 2000 | De La Hoya's WBC welterweight title | Mosley wins via SD (116-112, 113-115, 115-113) |
Fight name and Rank | Date | World title(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
(#1) Oscar De La Hoya vs. (#4) Félix Trinidad | Sep 18, 1999 | De La Hoya's WBC welterweight title | Trinidad wins via MD (114–114, 115–114, 115–113) |
Trinidad's IBF welterweight title | |||
(#2) Pernell Whitaker vs. (#3) Oscar De La Hoya | Apr 12, 1997 | Whitaker's WBC welterweight title | De La Hoya wins via UD (116-110, 116-110, 115-111) |
(#3) James Toney vs. (#8) Roy Jones Jr. | Nov 18, 1994 | Toney's IBF super middleweight title | Jones Jr. wins via UD (119-108, 117-110, 118-109) |
(#2) Pernell Whitaker vs. (#1) Julio César Chávez | Sep 10, 1993 | Whitaker's WBC welterweight title | Majority draw (115–113, 115–115, 115–115) |
(#5) Buddy McGirt vs. (#2) Pernell Whitaker | Mar 6, 1993 | McGirt's WBC welterweight title | Whitaker wins via UD (117-111, 115-114, 115-113) |
(#4) Evander Holyfield vs. (#6) Riddick Bowe | Nov 13, 1992 | Holyfield's WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles | Bowe wins via UD (115-112, 117-110, 117-110) |
(#3) Pernell Whitaker vs. (#7) Azumah Nelson | May 19, 1990 | Whitaker's WBC and IBF lightweight titles | Whitaker wins via UD (116-114, 116-111, 115-113) |
(#4) Michael Nunn vs. (#10) Marlon Starling | Apr 14, 1990 | Nunn's IBF middleweight title | Nunn wins via MD (114-114, 117-111, 118-110) |
(#2) Julio César Chávez vs. (#6) Meldrick Taylor | Mar 17, 1990 | Chávez's WBC light welterweight title | Chávez wins via 12th–round TKO |
Taylor's IBF light welterweight title |
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing-oriented publication. The magazine is currently owned by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Enterprises division of Golden Boy Promotions, which acquired it in 2007. Ring began publishing annual ratings of boxers in 1924. With its November/December 2022 issue, the magazine stopped publication of its regular monthly print issues and will remain a digital publication, offering occasional special interest print issues.
Walker Smith Jr., better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, pound-for-pound.
Henry Jackson Jr. was an American professional boxer and a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong.
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Eder Jofre was a Brazilian professional boxer and architect who was both bantamweight and featherweight world champion. He is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight boxer of all time.
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao is a Filipino politician, businessman, former professional basketball player and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He previously served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed between 1996 and 2017. He retired with an undefeated record and won 15 major world championships from super featherweight to light middleweight. This includes the Ring magazine title in three weight classes and the lineal championship in four weight classes. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal in the featherweight division at the 1996 Olympics, three U.S. Golden Gloves championships, and the U.S. national championship at featherweight.
Juan Manuel Márquez Méndez is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2014. He is world champion in three weight classes, having held major titles from featherweight to lightweight, including the lineal championship at lightweight.
The following tables show the professional boxers listed in the latest top-10 pound for pound world rankings published by each of:
Chad Dawson is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2019. He held multiple world championships in the light heavyweight division, and was one of that division's most highly regarded boxers between 2006 and 2013.
Rafael Márquez Méndez is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2013. He is a two-time world champion in two weight classes, having held the IBF bantamweight title from 2003 to 2007; and the WBC, Ring magazine, and lineal super bantamweight titles in 2007. He also held the IBO bantamweight title from 2005 to 2007, and challenged once for WBO featherweight title in 2011. Marquez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2023.
Nonito Gonzales Donaire Jr. is a Filipino American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes from flyweight to featherweight, and is the oldest boxer in history to win a bantamweight world title, as well as being the first three-time champion in that weight class. Donaire has also held world championships in three consecutive decades: the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s, being the sixth boxer to do so after Evander Holyfield, Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins, Erik Morales, and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Vasiliy Anatolyevich Lomachenko, also spelled Vasyl Anatoliyovych Lomachenko, is a Ukrainian professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in three weight classes from featherweight to lightweight, including the International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight title since May 2024. Previously he held unified and Ring magazine titles at lightweight.
Joseph William Calzaghe is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified and lineal titles at super-middleweight, and the Ring magazine light-heavyweight title.
Santos Saúl Álvarez Barragán, commonly known as Canelo, is a Mexican professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight, including unified titles in three of those weight classes and lineal titles in two. In 2021, Álvarez became the first and only boxer in history to become the undisputed champion at super middleweight, holding this distinction until July 2024. He has also held the Ring magazine super middleweight title since 2020.
Naseem Hamed, nicknamed Prince Naseem and Naz, is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2002. He held multiple featherweight world championships between 1995 and 2000, and reigned as lineal champion from 1998 to 2001. He also held the International Boxing Organization (IBO) featherweight title from 2002 to 2003, and the European bantamweight title from 1994 to 1995. In 2015, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The Ring magazine retroactively awarded Hamed their featherweight title in 2019 to acknowledge his dominance of the division and the multiple champions he defeated; he is the only former world champion in any division thus far to receive this honour.
In boxing, a weight class is a measurement weight range for boxers. The lower limit of a weight class is equal to the upper weight limit of the class below it. The top class, with no upper limit, is called heavyweight in professional boxing and super heavyweight in amateur boxing. A boxing match is usually scheduled for a fixed weight class, and each boxer's weight must not exceed the upper limit. Although professional boxers may fight above their weight class, an amateur boxer's weight must not fall below the lower limit. A nonstandard weight limit is called a catchweight.
Claressa Maria Shields is an American professional boxer and professional mixed martial artist. She has held multiple world championships in five weight classes, including the undisputed female light middleweight title since March 2021; the World Boxing Organization (WBO) female light heavyweight title and the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Federation (WBF) female heavyweight titles since July 2024; the undisputed female middleweight title from 2019 to 2020; and the unified WBC and IBF female super middleweight titles from 2017 to 2018. Shields currently holds the record for becoming a two and three division world champion in the fewest professional fights. As of October 2022, she is ranked the world's best active female middleweight by BoxRec, as well as the best active female boxer, pound for pound, by ESPN and The Ring.
Manny Pacquiao competed in professional boxing from 1995 to 2021. Regarded by boxing historians as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time, Pacquiao is the only boxer in history to win twelve major world titles in eight different weight divisions. He is also the first boxer in history to win the lineal championship in five different weight divisions, as well as being the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the original eight weight divisions of boxing, also known as the "glamour divisions": flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.