A heavyweight matchup between Oleksandr Usyk and Filip Hrgović?
You can keep it.
We are weeks removed from Oleksandr Usyk’s knockout win over Daniel Dubois and the buzz is that Uysk, the unified heavyweight champion, could face Hrgović before the end of the year. Hrgović (16–0), the IBF mandatory challenger who stopped Demsey McKean last month, is pushing for his shot, with a powerful team (manager Keith Connolly and promoters Wasserman and Matchroom) behind him.
I’ll pass.
This isn’t about Hrgović, a worthy challenger who deserves a shot. But there is only one fight with any meaning in the heavyweight division, one fight that would define both boxers legacies, one fight that would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era:
Usyk–Tyson Fury.
Yes, negotiations for Usyk–Fury stalled last spring. And Fury has business with MMAer-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou next month. But Fury and Usyk were this close to closing a deal before and (sorry, UFC fans) Fury will toy with Ngannou when they meet in Saudi Arabia. Reps for Usyk and Fury should be negotiating now, ironing out lingering issues (location, rematch clause) and building towards a fight early next year.
And Hrgović? Give him prominent placement on the undercard. Offer him a showcase fight and a bagful of cash. But for Usyk, 36, and Fury, 35, the clock is ticking. If a unification fight doesn’t happen soon, it may never happen at all.
On to Sports Illustrated’s latest pound-for-pound rankings.
Newspix/IMAGO
1. Terence Crawford
Record: 40–0
Last Month: 1
Last Fight: TKO win vs. Errol Spence Jr.
Next Fight: TBD
Perhaps the only way for Crawford to beat back Inoue for the top spot was to look as dominant. And he was, battering Spence over eight-plus rounds, dropping the unified champion three times before the referee waved it off. Crawford has knocked out every opponent he has faced since moving up to 147 pounds—eight in total—and at 35, he’s established himself as the unquestioned welterweight king. With Spence activating his rematch clause—no weight and date have been determined, I’m told—Crawford will have to face his longtime rival again before he can move on to other things, which could include a showdown with super middleweight king Canelo Álvarez.
2. Naoya Inoue
Record: 25–0
Last Month: 2
Last Fight: TKO win vs. Stephen Fulton
Next Fight: TBD
Inoue made his debut at 122 pounds in style, knocking out the No. 1 fighter in the division and claiming two belts in the process. Inoue bullied the bigger Fulton from the opening bell, slashing him with hard jabs to the head and body while rocking Fulton with blistering combinations. By the second round the only question was if Fulton would see the final bell. Marlon Tapales, super bantamweight’s other 122-pound titleholder, climbed into the ring for a photo-op after the fight. A Inoue-Tapales matchup is tentatively ticketed for December, which would give Inoue a chance to match Crawford as an undisputed titleholder in a second weight class.
3. Oleksandr Usyk
Record: 20–0
Last Month: 3
Last Fight: TKO win vs. Daniel Dubois.
Next Fight: TBD
Only Canelo Álvarez can claim a better résumé than Usyk, whose accomplishments includes wins over Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis and Tony Bellew at cruiserweight and a pair of wins over Anthony Joshua at heavyweight. Last month Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in the ninth round to retain his three versions of the heavyweight title. Usyk’s team hopes to finalize a unification fight with Tyson Fury in the first quarter of 2024, though, as noted above, Usyk may be forced to face Hrgović before he does.
4. Saul “Canelo” Álvarez
Record: 59-2-2
Last Month: 4
Last Fight: UD win vs. Gennadiy Golovkin
Next Fight: 9/30 vs. Jermell Charlo
In May, Álvarez returned home to Guadalajara, Mexico, successfully defending his 168-pound titles against John Ryder. While Álvarez is not the fearsome predator he was between 2018 and ’21 he remains near the top of his game, evidenced by the one-side battering of Ryder, who was coming off two career-best wins. After marching through most of Eddie Hearn’s stable, Álvarez has shifted allegiances to PBC, signing a three-fight deal with Al Haymon’s company last month. First up: Jermell Charlo, the undisputed 154-pound champion in men’s boxing’s first ever matchup of undisputed titleholders in the four-belt era.
5. Tyson Fury
Record: 32-0-1
Last Month: 5
Last Fight: KO win vs. Derek Chisora
Next Fight: 10/28 vs. Francis Ngannou
A December matchup against British rival Chisora went as expected, with Fury battering Chisora for the better part of 10 rounds before the referee mercifully stopped the fight. Fury, 34, is unquestionably the class of the heavyweight division, with a deep résumé that includes a win over Wladimir Klitschko and two over Deontay Wilder. The collapse of talks with Oleksandr Usyk was bizarre—both Fury and Usyk have well-earned reputations for finding a way to make fights—and left Fury without an opponent. So Fury will travel to Saudi Arabia to take on Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, who will attempt to beat Fury in his boxing debut.
6. Dmitry Bivol
Record: 21–0
Last Month: 6
Last Fight: UD win vs. Gilberto Ramírez
Next Fight: TBD
Bivol, 32, locked up the 2022 Fighter of the Year with an impressive performance against the undefeated Ramírez last November. After outmuscling the smaller Canelo last May, Bivol did the same to Ramírez, a physically bigger fighter, backing Ramírez up with the jab and battering him with combinations. Talks of a rematch with Canelo ultimately fizzled, leaving Bivol without a clear option. Bivol had hoped to return in a stay-busy fight this summer but nothing materialized. Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, told SI that Bivol is targeting a November return.
7. Devin Haney
Record: 30–0
Last Month: 7
Last Fight: UD win vs. Vasyl Lomachenko
Next Fight: TBD
Haney, 24, continues to build an impressive résumé, following up back-to-back wins over George Kambosos with a narrow decision win over Lomachenko. He will continue to build that résumé in his next fight: Haney is in advanced discussions to face 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis. It would give Haney an opportunity to win a title in a second weight class—and beat arguably the top man in the division to do it.
8. Shakur Stevenson
Record: 20–0
Last Month: 8
Last Fight: TKO win vs. Shuichiro Yoshino
Next Fight: TBD
Stevenson, 25, began his journey to become a three-division world champion by dominating the unbeaten Yoshino in his 135-pound debut. While Stevenson’s defense continues to be near impregnable, he continues to show a willingness to stay in the pocket. He landed 50% of his punches against Yoshino, per CompuBox, including 104 power shots. Stevenson has publicly campaigned for a crack at Haney, who is headed for 140 pounds. That will likely leave Stevenson to fight for a vacant title. The WBC has ordered a showdown between Stevenson and Frank Martin for its belt, a mouthwatering matchup if longtime promotional rivals Top Rank and PBC can get it done.
9. Gervonta Davis
Record: 29–0
Last Month: 9
Last Fight: KO win vs. Ryan Garcia
Next Fight: TBD
For years, Davis, 28, has been one of boxing’s biggest draws. A win over Garcia has firmly established him as one of boxing’s top talents. Facing the heavy-handed Garcia, Davis was dominant. He dropped Garcia with a counter left in the second round and finished him with a body shot in the seventh. He showcased defense, skills and patience while reaffirming his status as one of the sports top finishers. Davis will likely fight once more in 2023, with Isaac Cruz, who Davis defeated in 2021, the frontrunner to face him.
10. Errol Spence Jr.
Record: 28–1
Last Month: 10
Last Fight: TKO loss vs. Terence Crawford
Next Fight: TBD
Spence came up short in his anticipated showdown against Crawford, getting dropped three times before the fight was stopped in the ninth round. A career-long welterweight, Spence, 33, will head north to 154 pounds for his next fight. Will it be against Crawford? Spence has the contractual right to a rematch but it may be wiser to take a fight (or two) at junior middleweight before getting back in with Bud.
