OLEKSANDR USYK has jumped to second in Ring Magazine’s top ten pound-for-pound list after victory over Anthony Joshua.
It leaves only Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez ahead of the new unified heavyweight champion.
Usyk had been in fourth, with Japanese Naoya Inoue, 28, second and American Terence Crawford, 34, third.
But the unbeaten pair have now dropped down a place each to make way for Usyk, 34, following his 12 round masterclass against AJ.
Still, it has not been enough to knock off boxing’s top attraction Canelo, who has won titles in FOUR divisions, and currently reigns at super-middleweight.
Scotland’s Josh Taylor, 30, is as high as fifth, above 27-0 Texan Errol Spence Jr, 31, who has not fought since September 2020.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn agreed that only Canelo deserves to be ahead of masterful southpaw Usyk in the mythical rankings.
Asked where he ranks, Hearn said: “Two, after Canelo.
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“I mean, when he was at cruiserweight, everyone called him a top five pound-for-pound.
“But then when he went to heavyweight, he went off everyone’s radar. After that win, he has to be on everyone’s top pound-for-pound.”
Tyson Fury, 33, is Ring’s highest-rated heavyweight but does not feature on the pound-for-pound list.
He faces Deontay Wilder, 35, in a trilogy bout on October 9, and Usyk, set to rematch Joshua, 31, fancies an undisputed fight with the winner.
He said: “Oh cool, I get to beat up Anthony Joshua twice.
“I have three of the main belts and Tyson Fury has the fourth, at the moment.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
