There are some merely improbable fighters plying their commerce proper now, and loads of them had themselves a fantastic 2024. We’ve seen some nice motion this yr, together with some completely elegant boxing talent. It will likely be a troublesome job with regards to choosing 2024’s Battle of the Yr, that’s for positive. However that’s one other article (or articles).
One other robust job, or possibly not, relying in your view, is choosing the ultimate ten nice fighters who see out this yr because the pound-for-pound finest on the planet. Wonderful fighters akin to Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk, and others will all be stating their case for being on the prime of the pile as 2024 involves a detailed; or they are going to be leaving their followers and supporters to make their case.
So, who’re the ten finest fighters on the market at present and who’re the ten P-4-P finest as we inch in direction of subsequent yr?
Right here’s a shot at it:
1: Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk had himself a fantastic yr, with the a lot smaller man twice besting Tyson Fury in good, engrossing and at occasions dramatic fights. Usyk is actually particular.
2: Naoya Inoue.
Lively and busy, Inoue would have boxed thrice this yr, however for his December 24 combat with IBF obligatory challenger Sam Goodman being postponed resulting from Goodman having to tug out with a minimize. As it’s, the unified super-bantamweight king scored two spectacular stoppage win. “The Monster” now appears to be like forward to a much bigger 2025.
3: Terence Crawford.
“Bud” boxed simply as soon as right here in 2024, however he made it depend as he gained one more world title. Crawford, who like Usyk and Inoue might nicely retire unbeaten, moved as much as 154 kilos to take the robust Israel Madrimov’s WBA belt and in addition decide up the vacant WBO interim strap on the weight.
4: Canelo Alvarez.
Canelo boxed two occasions this yr and in so doing he knocked off two younger and unbeaten fighters. Canelo confirmed he has loads left at age 34 along with his commanding wins over Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga. Who may the Mexican star face in 2025?
5: Artur Beterbiev.
The super-tough and in addition expert Beterbiev made two memorable ring appearances this yr. The unbeaten mild heavyweight king stopped a recreation Callum Smith in January, and he then edged Dmitry Bivol to scoop up all of the belts at 175 kilos in October. Beterbiev and Bivol will after all meet once more in February.
6: Dmitry Bivol.
Bivol, who loads of folks really feel deserved the win over Beterbiev, boxed late sub Malik Zinad in June, this when the Beterbiev combat was initially postponed, and Bivol gained a large determination. Bivol then misplaced a razor-close combat with Beterbiev and he’s hungry for revenge. And he might nicely get it.
7: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
“Bam” fought twice this yr, and he gave us two spectacular KO wins as he did so. Juan Francisco Estrada was routed save for a flash knockdown he managed to attain earlier than being stopped within the seventh spherical in June, whereas the beforehand unstopped Pedro Guevera was crushed inside three rounds in November. Rodriguez is a future nice within the opinion of loads of folks.
8: Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
“Tank” is way too good a fighter for him to have boxed simply as soon as this yr, this when he stopped Frank Martin in eight rounds again in June. Hopefully, the in-his-prime Davis could have a much more energetic 2025.
9: Junto Nakatani.
The excellent southpaw from Japan gave “Monster” Inoue an actual run for his cash so far as which fighter from Japan had one of the best 2024. Nakatani boxed thrice this yr and he scarcely misplaced a spherical. Nakatani scored three KO wins in WBC bantamweight title fights. May we see Nakatani Vs. Inoue subsequent yr?
10: Shakur Stevenson.
Like “Tank,” Stevenson is way too proficient a fighter to be having only one combat a yr, as was the case right here in 2024. The knock on Shakur in keeping with some folks is he’s “boring.” However Stevenson is massively gifted. A large determination win over Artem Harutyunyan noticed Stevenson showcase a few of his abilities, however not practically sufficient. Hopefully Stevenson could have himself a much more energetic 2025.
