Oleksandr Usyk Unveils Questionable Top 5 Pound-for-Pound List

On May 13, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0,15 KOs) will step into the ring against former kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven (1-0, 1 KO) in Egypt. The backdrop of the iconic Pyramids of Giza will set the stage for his defense of the WBC title.

Usyk is a man of abundant titles and time. He sports an undefeated record and his ability to perform in big fights—and win them—became his calling card. He understands the sport in totality under those circumstances.

Since the dawn of the sport, determining who the best fighters in the world are has sparked debate among fans and the media. Fighters will always offer their opinions, too. Usyk followed suit in an interview with DAZN when asked to name his current top 5 pound-for-pound boxers, and some may question his choices.

Oleksandr Usyk names his top 5 current pound-for-pound fighters 👀📊

🎟️ Buy USYK vs RICO HERE --> https://t.co/FoiaUucafv #UsykRico | Glory In Giza | May 23 | @ringmagazine 🤳 pic.twitter.com/KCtYZ6rkgV
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 13, 2026

Usyk's current top 5 pounds-for-pound fighters

Terence Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs)

A five-division champion, Crawford's last fight was a 12-round unanimous decision win against Alvarez on September 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. He gave up size and jumped up multiple divisions to face a much larger fighter, but Crawford’s speed, timing, and footwork kept Alvarez guessing all night.

Slipping punches and preventing pressure with jabs and movement, Crawford earned his third undisputed crown in a different division. This cemented his status as one of the best fighters of his era and a pound-for-pound great.

Canelo Álvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs)

The September loss to Crawford should not diminish what Alvarez has accomplished. His three losses to Crawford, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Dmitry Bivol, came at the fists of generationally talented fighters, all with multiple world titles. Alvarez turns 36 in July, and fter 68 career fights, he doesn't appear to be slowing down.

Alvarez racks up points and wins rounds with body-punching and sharp punches. He isn't fleet of foot, but small adjustments help him compensate for any perceived lack of athleticism.

Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs)

Shakur Stevenson speaks about Terence Crawford's claim on Errol Spence — The Ring junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson | IMAGO / Torsten Helmke

Of all of the fighters on Usyk's list, Stevenson boasts the best anticipatory approach outside of Crawford. The current Ring and WBO junior welterweight champion uses distance to his advantage and is a master of defense. For example, Stevenson stays just out of reach yet still lands his punches, preventing quality counterpunching.

In January, he defeated Teofimo Lopez to win the aforementioned titles. That achievement easily placed him on Usyk's list.

Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs)

The former multi-divisional champion, now 36 and after a demanding career, still exists in the orbit of top fighters. Joshua’s inclusion on the list is Usyk's way of spotlighting a close friend. More than likely, Joshua will fight for another title before the close of his career. Recently, he gained worldwide applause for silencing Jake Paul via a sixth-round knockout.

Tyson Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs)

Another one of Usyk's friends makes the list. Fury has maintained a distinguished career, winning world championships and defeating fighters like Deontay Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko. Fury is 1-2 in his last three bouts, losing to Usyk twice.

Boxers snubbed by Usyk

Personal pound-for-pound lists are just opinions, and Usyk's list omits fighters that others consider among boxing's best. Case in point, undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue, who is currently The Ring's pound-for-pound No. 1.

Bam Rodriguez and current two-division belt holder David Benavidez are also missing from the list, as are Dmitry Bivol and others.

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