1. Usyk and it’s not even close. Usyk was unstoppable at Cruiserweight, possibly the best Cruiserweight of all time. Then he went up to Heavyweight and unified against someone with SUBSTANTIAL weight and reach and height advantages. He also has two wins over Anthony Joshua, and a win over Daniel du Bois, who looks like he’ll end up the new face of the Heavyweight division from the next generation. Also, Usyk is undefeated. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also fought in the Russo-Ukrainian War and is an icon in his home country, even bigger than their president. He’s basically like Pacquiao in terms of fame, only if Pacquiao had been better boxer.
2. Inoue. He looks fairly close to being invincible and he’s raising his stock by moving up the weight classes and taking more names. He is a superstar in his home country, and a big name outside of it, at least with boxing purists, who often compare him to the legends of old in terms of his style and skill.
3. Beterbiev is part of the proud tradition of Chechnya’s Musulman athletes and wrestlers/boxers. He is one of the most brutal punchers of our time, but with great fundamentals as well. He is famous in his own land and among his own people, and with boxing purists outside of it as well.
4. Bud. I’d rank him higher, but I feel like his stock has dropped to some degree since peaking after his comprehensive domination of Errol Spence.
5. Haney. Everyone saw what happened in his fight with that blustery, alcoholic, skirt-chasing brawler. Even though the result was changed because of the steroid complaint, I really don’t think his career can recover from that. It’s not like he lost to a prime PrettyBoy or Oscar or maybe even Tank, in which case there’d probably be a lot more respect for going out on his shield to a legend.
2. Inoue. He looks fairly close to being invincible and he’s raising his stock by moving up the weight classes and taking more names. He is a superstar in his home country, and a big name outside of it, at least with boxing purists, who often compare him to the legends of old in terms of his style and skill.
3. Beterbiev is part of the proud tradition of Chechnya’s Musulman athletes and wrestlers/boxers. He is one of the most brutal punchers of our time, but with great fundamentals as well. He is famous in his own land and among his own people, and with boxing purists outside of it as well.
4. Bud. I’d rank him higher, but I feel like his stock has dropped to some degree since peaking after his comprehensive domination of Errol Spence.
5. Haney. Everyone saw what happened in his fight with that blustery, alcoholic, skirt-chasing brawler. Even though the result was changed because of the steroid complaint, I really don’t think his career can recover from that. It’s not like he lost to a prime PrettyBoy or Oscar or maybe even Tank, in which case there’d probably be a lot more respect for going out on his shield to a legend.
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