By Highlights
- Gervonta Davis ignores Oleksandr Usyk on his top five pound-for-pound list.
- The 29-year-old, who returns to action this weekend, did include himself in his rankings.
- Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez also made the cut.
Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) is one of the best boxers on the planet. If you don’t believe it, just ask him! His authentic confidence, unbelievable talent and continuous ability to keep elevating his game has made him one of the best of his era.
When he was asked to name his top five pound-for-pound fighters right now, it was no surprise to see ‘Tank’ put himself on the list. Curiously, though, in his interview with PPV.com ahead of his fight with Frank Martin this Saturday, Davis did not name undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in his top five.
Davis may truly believe the Ukrainian champion isn’t worthy of a top five ranking or maybe he wants to see Usyk decisively beat Tyson Fury in the rematch to prove it wasn’t an anomaly outcome. Whatever the reason, Davis appears in a highly confident mood just a few days away from stepping back into the ring for the first time since he stopped Ryan Garcia with a scorching left to the body. The Baltimore native will be facing another challenger who will put his undefeated record to the test in Martin. Before fireworks go off this weekend, check out Gervonta’s top five active boxers.
5 Terence Crawford
Boxing record: 40-0 (31 KOs), Best win: Errol Spence Jr
The number five man on Gervonta’s list is Nebraska native Terence Crawford. The undefeated fighter has defied boxing logic with his switching of stances not only mid-fight, but also to get the finish. In ‘Bud’s’ masterful performance against Errol Spence Jr, he turned his lead hand into a power jab by going southpaw.
The win put the historically underappreciated fighter on the radar of every boxing fan. Like a true fighter, Crawford lets his fist do the talking, and he will continue to push up the ladder as he faces Israil Madirmov in August to kick off Riyadh Season’s ribbon-cutting event outside of Saudi Arabia. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is then expected to try and book a super-fight between Crawford and Canelo Alvarez down the road.
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Oleksandr Usyk reigns supreme at heavyweight, but names such as Canelo and Inoue also have a case to be considered the best boxer on the planet.
4 Naoya Inoue
Boxing record: 27-0 (24 KOs), Best win: Stephen Fulton
Naoya Inoue’s skill is one of the most beautiful expressions of boxing at its highest level. Though the elite Japanese superstar may be unfamiliar to casual fight fans, Inoue wins over those watching him for the first time with his style of fighting.
After his latest victory where he finished Luis Nery with a pristine cross-uppercut combination, the great Bob Arum declared Inoue – the undisputed super-bantamweight champion – as the greatest boxer he has ever seen. And that isn’t just hyperbole for Arum, who has seen so many great fighters in his lifetime. For Davis to recognize his peer’s efforts speaks volumes about what Inoue is cultivating.
3 David Benavidez
Boxing record: 28-0 (24 KOs), Best win: Caleb Plant
David Benavidez is one of boxing’s fast-rising stars. His casual temperament outside of competition matched with a marauding style on fight night has made him a draw for many fans across the world. Benavidez is extremely talented and can box with the best, but if there’s an extra fire lit underneath him, look out! The monsterous puncher looks better and better each time out. In his last fight against Demetrius Andrade, Benavidez quickly figured out the unorthodox style of his opponent and broke him down to end the fight in the sixth-round. The Arizona native looks to increase his mantle of scalps this weekend as he faces Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his light-heavyweight debut.
2 Canelo Alvarez
Boxing record: 61-2-2 (39 KOs), Best win: Gennady Golovkin
Canelo Alvarez is the most experienced boxer on this list as he started his professional career at the tender age of 15 years old. Alvarez has touched the sport’s greatest heights, winning championships across multiple weight divisions as well as facing the very best of his generation. Canelo on any active fighter pound-for-pound list is a no-brainer. The 33-year-old continues to excel and appears not to be hitting the brakes anytime soon.
The most respectable part of Canelo’s success has to be his willingness to test himself against any and all comers. His only two losses of his career have come against Floyd Mayweather Jr, which involved a weight restriction for the bigger Canelo. His other defeat came against Dmitry Bivol when the Mexican fighter decided to move up to a heavier weight class. Outside those fights, Canelo is a destroyer of all. His punching power and relentless attitude defines his greatness.
1 Gervonta Davis
Boxing record: 29-0 (27 KOs), Best win: Ryan Garcia
Naturally, Davis put himself as the best boxer in the world on his own list. The man oozes confidence and charisma and certainly has the gift of the gab. Normally, it would be insulting to the sport to pronounce yourself as the best in the world. However, the 29-year-old has proven his talent in the ring in recent years, especially after dominating Ryan Garcia a little over a year ago.
Davis has a wide variety of tools at his disposal. With one of the highest boxing IQ’s we’ve seen since Floyd Mayweather Jr, ‘Tank’ knows precisely how to draw his opponents into a compromising situation that will present a knockout opportunity. A great example of one of his spectacular counter-punching performances came against Rolly Romero, where he closed the show in the sixth with a sharp counter left hand.
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