Latest updates to the men's and women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings.
Katie Taylor made it 3-0 in her historic rivalry with Amanda Serrano earlier this month at a sold-out Madison Square Garden.
Taylor and Serrano, two of Uncrowned's top pound-for-pound boxers, had two controversial Fight of the Year contenders in 2022 and 2024. But when they met for the third time on July 11, Ireland's Taylor outboxed the Puerto Rican for a more convincing victory to take a clean sweep in their much-hyped trilogy of fights.
By doing so, Taylor convinced Uncrowned's panel of experts — Kel Dansby, Alan Dawson, Darshan Desai, Jake Donovan, Lewis Watson and Elliot Worsell — that she was worthy of dethroning Claressa Shields for the No. 1 spot in the Women's pound-for-pound rankings.
But that isn't the only change to our list. The last month and a half of boxing has seen 8 fighters in Uncrowned's previous rankings compete with mixed results. So we thought this was the perfect time for our updated pound-for-pound list.
Uncrowned's voters have ranked the men's and women's pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings. (Being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point.)
Without further ado, here are our rankings for July!
MEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Oleksandr Usyk — Unified heavyweight champion (Prev: 1)
Oleksandr Usyk brutally knocked out Daniel Dubois to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion at Wembley Stadium this past Saturday — and reassert his position as pound-for-pound the best fighter in boxing.
A road warrior, Usyk has boxed in title fights in seven different countries, mostly against fighters from those regions.
He won the World Boxing Super Series at cruiserweight by clearing out the best fighters in that division, and rivals Evander Holyfield as the best 200-pound fighter the world has ever seen. After becoming undisputed champion at cruiserweight, he then moved up to heavyweight and wasted no time defeating Anthony Joshua (twice) and Tyson Fury (twice), despite surrendering a considerable size advantage to the modern day giants. In that sense, he epitomizes what the concept of pound-for-pound is all about.
Now, Usyk, 38, might have just one fight left in boxing. Whether it's Joseph Parker, Moses Itauma, or even Fury for a third time, rest assured that Usyk will produce something special on the night.
2. Naoya Inoue — Undisputed super bantamweight champion (Prev: 2)
Like Usyk, Naoya Inoue is a two-division undisputed world champion. The Japanese fighter has held world championships across four weight classes and is building a hulking résumé, with signature wins over Nonito Donaire (twice), Stephen Fulton, and Luis Nery.
Inoue was last in action this past May, where he exchanged knockdowns with Ramon Cardenas before stopping the game Mexican fighter in the eighth round of an instant classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Inoue will fight Matchroom's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September, before a potential all-Japanese superfight with Junto Nakatani next spring.
3. Terence Crawford — WBA super welterweight champion (Prev: 3)
Terence Crawford is your favorite fighter's favorite fighter. Even Usyk recognizes Crawford as the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world, over himself.
"Bud" managed to clean out super lightweight without too much adversity, then dove into 147 pounds as a feared fighter. When Crawford finally landed his long-awaited superfight with Errol Spence Jr., he showed exactly why he was avoided for so long. A fight initially thought to be an even match on paper became a total mismatch in reality, as Crawford pummeled Spence for a ninth-round TKO win. It was a brutally one-sided demolition job.
More recently, the Omaha native edged Israil Madrimov to become a four-division champion. He now heads toward a legacy bout with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight world championship in September at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
4. Dmitry Bivol — Undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 4)
Bivol held the WBA light heavyweight crown for seven years until falling short to Beterbiev in their undisputed title fight this past October. During his reign, Bivol made 12 successful defenses, which included an upset win over "Canelo" in 2022.
Bivol managed to avenge his defeat to Beterbiev earlier this year and ascend as only the 11th man to become undisputed champion of the four-belt era. Bivol and Beterbiev are likely to run it back later in 2025 or early 2026.
Outside of that, there are numerous other significant fights available for Bivol, including David Benavidez, a rematch with Alvarez, or the consensus No. 1 cruiserweight Jai Opetaia.
Regardless, out of every fighter on this list, it is Bivol who has two of the most significant and meaningful wins, considering his victories over both "Canelo" and Beterbiev. His ticket to the Hall of Fame in Canastota has already been punched.
5. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez — WBC & WBO flyweight champion (Prev: 5)
Rodriguez stepped in to face Carlos Cuadras on five days' notice for his first world title in 2022. It was a two-division jump for "Bam," but his trainer, Robert Garcia, had no doubt he was up to the test.
Rodriguez impressed to capture the WBC super flyweight crown and has never looked back. The 24-year-old has taken out three of the four kings at super flyweight and now chases undisputed status at 115 pounds.
"Bam" is not just a fight fan's favorite anymore. He's now a star of the sport. He stopped Phumelela Cafu in a unification fight in front of 10,000 people at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, this past Saturday, and will look to add another belt to his name when he faces WBA titleist Fernando "Puma" Martinez on Nov. 22.
Rodriguez even signed to fight Naktani — another man on this list — but Akihiko Honda, who co-promotes both fighters, vetoed the fight.
6. Artur Beterbiev — Former undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 6)
After edging a controversial decision over Bivol in October to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, Beterbiev fell short in the rematch earlier in the year. Now the pair looks headed toward a trilogy — arguably the most significant three-fight series since Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury.
Beterbiev, 40, picked up boxing's 175-pound titles one by one prior to his first career loss and could move up to cruiserweight to become a two-division champion after the Bivol trilogy.
A fight between Beterbiev and Opetaia would be a sensational matchup some time in the next 12 months, and there's a chance that it could be for all four cruiserweight belts — meaning a win would see Beterbiev join the top three names on this list as two-division undisputed champions.
7. Junto Nakatani — WBC & IBF bantamweight champion (Prev: 8)
Nakatani is perhaps in the position Inoue was among the wider boxing community before Inoue's win over Fulton. As an undefeated three-division champion, but one based in the lower weights and away from the Western community, Nakatani is still building a fan base in the U.S.
Nakatani knocked out David Cuellar in Tokyo on Feb. 24 to make the third defense of his WBC bantamweight title. He then added the IBF championship to his WBC crown with a 6th-round TKO win over Ryosuke Nishida in June.
Nakatani could land his big breakout fight against Inoue in the spring of 2026. It has all the makings to be the Japanese equivalent of Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns.
8. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez — Undisputed super middleweight champion (Prev: 7)
Alvarez has been the sport's biggest commercial star for almost a decade. The Mexican champion faced the best opponents boxing had to offer across many divisions until his May 2022 defeat to Bivol. But since then, Alvarez has seemingly become more reluctant to take on some of the bigger challenges available to him, and is arguably showing his age by throwing fewer punches.
This past May in Saudi Arabia, "Canelo" made his Riyadh Season debut against William Scull, looking listless throughout the show but still securing a decision win. He has not knocked out anybody since 2021, and will now put his undisputed status at 168 pounds on the line against Crawford this September in Las Vegas at the home of the NFL's Raiders.
Had that fight taken place last year, few would have picked against "Canelo." But questions are now being asked about whether Alvarez is finally showing his age in boxing years. It may well become a more competitive fight than what it once was.
9T. Shakur Stevenson — WBC lightweight champion (Prev: 10T)
Shakur Stevenson produced the most exciting performance of his career when he outclassed William Zepeda earlier this month in New York. Not only was it compelling television, it also showcased the different facets of Stevenson's game. The three-division world champion isn't just a mover, but he can hold his feet and land the harder punches.
For many years, fight fans have been calling for Stevenson to entertain them and show that there is more to his game than simply dominating dull, low-output contests against overmatched, befuddled opposition.
He has now done that, but he is still crying out for a big name to share the ring with him. With Gervonta "Tank" Davis' latest issues outside the ring, Vasiliy Lomachenko recently retiring, and Keyshawn Davis set to move up to super lightweight, Stevenson might have to jump two divisions to welterweight and face Conor Benn for that big fight.
9T. David Benavidez — WBC light heavyweight champion (Prev: 9)
A two-weight world champion, David Benavidez is proving to be a BMF for boxing as he seeks out the toughest fights and over-delivers with a relentless and grueling fighting style.
With wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, Benavidez has continually delivered in elite fights. He has struggled to get Alvarez and Bivol to step into the ring with him, and so will return to face another top contender, Anthony Yarde, on Nov. 22 before setting his sights on the Bivol vs. Beterbiev 3 winner in 2026.
Outside of that, Benavidez could jump up to cruiserweight and share the ring with Opetaia or "Zurdo" Ramirez. The hard-hitting champion certainly has the frame to compete at cruiserweight, and now that he features on Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season cards, it should become easier for "The Monster" to land the bigger fights.
(Others receiving votes: Kenshiro Teraji, Lamont Roach.)
WOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Katie Taylor — Undisputed super lightweight champion (Prev: 2)
Taylor's sublime boxing ability was available for all to see when she comfortably outboxed Serrano for a decision win earlier this month.
Some believed that Taylor's brilliant résumé, which includes wins over Serrano, Delfine Persoon, and Chantelle Cameron, wasn't enough to crown her as the No. 1 pound-for-pound women's boxer due to the closeness of her fights and the controversy stemming from several of them. But with her more convincing victory over Serrano, the time is now for Taylor to wear her crown as the best in the world.
The Irishwoman is nearing the end of her pro career and could have just one bout left. Taylor hopes for a grand send-off at her dream venue, the 80,000-capacity Croke Park Stadium in Ireland, in 2026.
2. Claressa Shields — Undisputed heavyweight champion and WBO light heavyweight champion (Prev: 1)
Shields is a five-division world champion and the only boxer, male or female, to have held undisputed titles in three different weight divisions of the four-belt era.
She won undisputed gold at middleweight in 2019 (where there are only 37 active participants in the world), at super welterweight in 2021 (which has 63 registered boxers), and most recently at heavyweight, (home to just 18 fighters).
With 118 fighters competing in the three divisions she's won the undisputed championships in, it's understandable why the two-time Olympic champion has struggled to find big-name dance partners. Regardless, she's beaten every contender put in front of her, and that's all that anyone can ask of any pugilist.
Shields returns on July 26 to defend her undisputed heavyweight crown against New Zealand's IBF light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels.
3. Gabriela Fundora — Undisputed flyweight champion (Prev: 4)
Fundora stopped Gabriela Alaniz in impressive fashion to unify the flyweight division this past November in Las Vegas. She then followed up that win with a seventh-round knockout over Marilyn Badillo Amaya at a Golden Boy show in Oceanside, California, in April.
At just 22 years old, she is the youngest undisputed champion of the four-belt era — and she could very well be the face of women's boxing in the years to come.
4. Amanda Serrano — Unified featherweight champion (Prev: 3)
Puerto Rico's Serrano was defeated for a third time by Taylor in their undisputed title fight earlier in July. This time, however, there was no controversy on the night — Serrano was simply beaten by the better woman. Regardless of coming out 0-3 in the historic series, Serrano will always be able to say that she took part in the first major trilogy of fights in women's boxing.
It is unclear what the future holds for Serrano, but fights with Chantelle Cameron or Alycia Baumgardner — both of whom share a promoter with Serrano — would make for compelling viewing.
5. Chantelle Cameron — WBC interim super lightweight champion (Prev: 5)
Chantelle Cameron captured the undisputed super lightweight title with victory over Jessica McCaskill in 2022, but her biggest triumph undoubtedly came when she upset Taylor in her homecoming bout at a packed 3 Arena in Dublin the following year.
Taylor would produce a fantastic performance against all odds to defeat Cameron in the rematch and become a two-division undisputed champion. Cameron has since recorded three wins on the trot, including a decision over Jessica Camara on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 undercard.
The Brit wants another shot at Taylor, but the fight could prove difficult to make after the Irishwoman, uncharacteristically, fired shots at Cameron's commercial standing in the post-fight press conference after her third win over Serrano.
6. Alycia Baumgardner — Undisputed super featherweight champion (Prev: 7)
Baumgardner announced herself to the pugilist community when she knocked out Terri Harper on her feet to win the WBC super featherweight title in November 2021.
Baumgardner eventually became the undisputed champion at 130 pounds, beating Mikaela Mayer, but her career was halted for some time after failing an anti-doping test in the lead-up to her title defense against Christina Linardatou. The American fought to a no-contest against Delfine Persoon in her return fight this past September.
Baumgardner has since made big moves in the women’s game, signing with Jake Paul and Nikisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions. She made her debut for the company on the Taylor vs. Serrano undercard, defeating Jennifer Miranda. Baumgardner now hopes to land a fight with Taylor for all of the marbles at 140.
7. Dina Thorslund — Former Unified bantamweight champion (Prev. 6)
Thorslund has secured world titles in two weight classes: Bantamweight and super bantamweight. Since unifying in 2023, she has made three successful defenses of her bantamweight crown.
Thorslund was scheduled to take on Shurretta Metcalf in a three-belt unification bout on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 undercard, but the Danish woman withdrew one month out due to an impending pregnancy.
Thorslund ended up relinquishing her WBC and WBO titles due to her extended period out of the ring. New Zealand's Chernkea Johnson defeated Metcalf for the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF undisputed bantamweight title on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 bill. Thorslund's return could see her get a straight shot at the undisputed crown against Johnson.
8. Lauren Price — Unified welterweight champion (Prev: 10)
There are few active fighters who are more decorated than burgeoning Welsh fighter Lauren Price, who won the gold medal for Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games, and has parlayed that success into the pro game. She's unified three major world championships, as well as The Ring Magazine title, after only nine bouts.
In that short space of time, she's already defeated McCaskill and Natasha Jonas. At just 30 years old, the southpaw's best years may still be ahead of her. Price was hoping to unify her three titles with WBO champion Mayer in an undisputed bout, but the boxer's respective teams were unable to reach an agreement. Neither fighter's promoters, Top Rank or BOXXER, have a network deal at this time, so the fight could prove difficult to organize.
9. Ellie Scotney — Unified super bantamweight champion (Prev: Unranked)
Ellie Scotney debuts on Uncrowned's women's pound-for-pound list at No. 9.
She won her first world title when she outpointed New Zealand's Johnson, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, in June 2023. The Catford woman added the WBO belt to her collection with a dominant decision over Segolene Lefebvre in April 2024.
Still, Scotney has struggled to gain recognition outside of the boxing community. To further her cause, she penned with Paul's Most Valuable Promotions earlier this year and added the WBC strap with a convincing win over Yamileth Mercado on the Netflix-streamed Taylor vs. Serrano 3 show, which was viewed by an audience of 6 million.
Now Scotney has just one belt remaining to become undisputed champion — the WBA title currently held by the little-known Mexican Mayelli Flores. Outside Flores, Scotney could face the former WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicolson in a super bantamweight title defense after Nicolson moved down to 122 pounds following her loss to Tiara Brown in March.
10. Mikaela Mayer — WBO welterweight champion (Prev: 8T)
Mayer has been on the wrong end of two disputed decisions. In 2022, she was considered unlucky not to get her hand raised after 10 brilliant rounds with Baumgardner, and in 2024, she came away second-best again in the eyes of the judges against Natasha Jonas.
The rub of the green finally favored Mayer in September, though, when she edged Sandy Ryan to win the WBO welterweight title. Mayer vs. Ryan, alongside Taylor vs. Serrano 2, was the frontrunner for fight of the year honors in 2024.
Mayer and Ryan fought a rematch on March 29, news of which was first reported by Uncrowned. It was a case of repeat rather than revenge as Mayer, again, won via decision.
(Others receiving votes: Cherneka Johnson, Caroline Dubois, Yokasta Valle, Shadasia Green.)
Here is how Uncrowned’s boxing team voted:
Kel Dansby
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Naoya Inoue
Terence Crawford
Jesse Rodriguez
Dmitry Bivol
Saul Alvarez
Junto Nakatani
Shakur Stevenson
David Benavidez
Artur Beterbiev
WOMEN
Claressa Shields
Katie Taylor
Gabriela Fundora
Amanda Serrano
Alycia Baumgardner
Mikaela Mayer
Lauren Price
Dina Thorslund
Chernkea Johnson
Chantelle Cameron
Alan Dawson
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Dmitry Bivol
Naoya Inoue
Terence Crawford
Jesse Rodriguez
Artur Beterbiev
David Benavidez
Lamont Roach
Shakur Stevenson
Junto Nakatani
WOMEN
Katie Taylor
Claressa Shields
Gabriela Fundora
Chantelle Cameron
Alycia Baumgardner
Dina Thorslund
Amanda Serrano
Caroline Dubois
Shadasia Green
Ellie Scotney
Darshan Desai
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Naoya Inoue
Terence Crawford
Dmitry Bivol
Jesse Rodriguez
Artur Beterbiev
Saul Alvarez
Shakur Stevenson
Junto Nakatani
David Benavidez
WOMEN
Katie Taylor
Claressa Shields
Gabriela Fundora
Amanda Serrano
Chantelle Cameron
Alycia Baumgardner
Ellie Scotney
Mikaela Mayer
Lauren Price
Cherneka Johnson
Jake Donovan
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Naoya Inoue
Terence Crawford
Dmitry Bivol
Jesse Rodriguez
Artur Beterbiev
Junto Nakatani
Saul Alvarez
Shakur Stevenson
David Benavidez
WOMEN
Katie Taylor
Claressa Shields
Gabriela Fundora
Amanda Serrano
Chantelle Cameron
Dina Thorslund
Lauren Price
Mikaela Mayer
Alycia Baumgardner
Ellie Scotney
Lewis Watson
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Naoya Inoue
Terence Crawford
Dmitry Bivol
Artur Beterbiev
Jesse Rodriguez
Junto Nakatani
Kenshiro Teraji
David Benavidez
Shakur Stevenson
WOMEN
Katie Taylor
Claressa Shields
Gabriela Fundora
Amanda Serrano
Dina Thorslund
Chantelle Cameron
Ellie Scotney
Alycia Baumgardner
Yokasta Valle
Lauren Price
Elliot Worsell
MEN
Oleksandr Usyk
Terence Crawford
Dmitry Bivol
Naoya Inoue
Jesse Rodriguez
Artur Beterbiev
Saul Alvarez
Junto Nakatani
David Benavidez
Shakur Stevenson
WOMEN
Claressa Shields
Katie Taylor
Gabriela Fundora
Amanda Serrano
Chantelle Cameron
Lauren Price
Ellie Scotney
Alycia Baumgardner
Mikaela Mayer
Chernkea Johnson
Category: General Sports