In the aftermath of Terence Crawford’s abrupt retirement, the question emerged: Who is No. 1? Crawford’s win over Canelo Álvarez last September solidified him—temporarily at least—as the top fighter in boxing with his retirement sparking debate over whether Oleksandr Usyk or Naoya Inoue deserved the top spot.
More interesting: Who’s No. 3? Usyk and Inoue (or Inoue and Usyk) are 1–2 in virtually every pound-for-pound ranking. After that, it’s debatable. Dmitry Bivol is well credentialed after his win over Artur Beterbiev last year, while Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has been rising the rankings as he has risen in weight.
Still, last month Shakur Stevenson formally entered the discussions, after Stevenson scored a lopsided decision win over Teofimo Lopez. Stevenson is the best defensive fighter since Floyd Mayweather and one of the slickest since Pernell Whittaker, as Lopez learned in New York. And after earning a title in a fourth weight class—by beating the top fighter in that weight class, no less—he has earned an argument to be in that mix.
Where did Stevenson fall? Here are Sports Illustrated’s pound-for-pound rankings for February.
1. Oleksandr Usyk
Record: 24–0
Last Rankings: 2
Last Fight: KO win Daniel Dubois
Next fight: TBD
Usyk’s heavyweight reign rolled along last August with a decisive win over Dubois that (temporarily) reestablished Usyk as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk’s heavyweight résumé is impressive: two wins over Anthony Joshua, two over Tyson Fury and two over Dubois. Usyk, 38, relinquished one of his titles last fall but says he plans to fight on in 2026.
2. Naoya Inoue
Record: 32–0
Last Rankings: 3
Last Fight: UD win David Picasso
Next fight: TBD
No fighter was more prolific in 2025 than Inoue, who completed a flawless 4–0 calendar year with a lopsided decision win over Picasso in December. Inoue, 32, isn’t the wrecking ball that he used to be—his last two wins have come by decisions, and he was knocked down in a win over Ramon Cardenas last May—but he’s still the best blend of power and skill in the lower weight classes. An anticipated domestic showdown with Junto Nakatani looms this spring, after which the top U.S. name, Jesse Rodriguez, could be waiting.
3. Shakur Stevenson
Record: 25–0
Last Rankings: 6
Last Fight: UD win Teofimo Lopez
Next fight: TBD
Last month’s win over Lopez was a masterclass, with Stevenson, 28, sticking Lopez with a stiff jab, leaping out of range of his counters and outclassing the top fighter at 140-pounds. Stevenson’s skills are sublime, a blend of accuracy and defense not seen since Floyd Mayweather. Stevenson has yet to decide what weight class he will campaign in—he challenged Conor Benn, a welterweight contender, after the win over Lopez and has been linked to a fight with Ryan Garcia—but whatever it is, Stevenson will be tough to beat.
4. Jesse Rodriguez
Record: 23–0
Last Rankings: 3
Last Fight: KO win Fernando Martinez
Next fight: TBD
Rodriguez’s meteoric rise continued in Riyadh last November, with “Bam” stopping Martinez to claim a third version of the 115-pound title. It was Rodriguez’s fourth consecutive knockout since returning to the super flyweight division. Rodriguez has eyes on undisputed but his trainer, Robert Garcia, said if it doesn’t happen early this year, Rodriguez would move to 118-pounds.
5. Dmitry Bivol
Record: 24–1
Last Rankings: 5
Last Fight: UD win Artur Beterbiev
Next fight: TBD
Last February, Bivol evened the score with Beterbiev, outpointing him in a rematch of boxing’s top-two light heavyweights. Back surgery kept Bivol on the shelf the rest of the year and there are plans in place for him to defend his titles against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert this spring. There are big fights waiting after: Beterbiev is clamoring for a trilogy while David Benavidez has absorbed one of the belts that Bivol vacated.
6. Junto Nakatani
Record: 32–0
Last Rankings: 7
Last Fight: UD win Sebastian Hernandez
Next fight: TBD
Nakatani made a successful debut at 122-pound last month, outpointing Hernandez to win a surprisingly competitive decision. The win ended Nakatani’s five-fight knockout streak but it did preserve an anticipated showdown with Naoya Inoue in what would be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history
7. Devin Haney
Record: 33–0
Last Rankings: 10
Last Fight: UD win Brian Norman Jr.
Next fight: TBD
Last November, Haney, 27, rebounded from a lackluster win over Jose Ramirez in May to score a wide decision win over Norman Jr. The win established Haney as a three-division world champion and burnished his credentials as one of the 10 best fighters in the world. Haney continues to chase big fights with unified 154-pound champion Xander Zayas and former 135-pound titleholder Keyshawn Davis in his sights. The biggest fight though could be a rematch with Ryan Garcia, who will get another crack at a welterweight title this week.
8. Artur Beterbiev
Record: 21–1
Last Rankings: 8
Last Fight: UD loss Dmitry Bivol
Next fight: TBD
Bivol, 41, has been sidelined since last February, when he dropped a rematch to Bivol. Beterbiev had hoped for an immediate rubber match but Bivol’s back surgery sidelined him for the rest of the year. Beterbiev isn’t as destructive as he was early in his career but he remains a relentless pressure fighter with knockout power in both hands. A trilogy fight with Bivol remains his top option for 2026.
9. David Benavidez
Record: 31–0
Last Rankings: 9
Last Fight: KO win Anthony Yarde
Next fight: TBD
Benavidez, 29, continued to roll along last November, mowing down Anthony Yarde in a 175-pound title defense. Against Yarde, questions about Benavidez’s power at light heavyweight were answered, with Benavidez picking up his first knockout in the weight class. His power will be tested again in his next fight, with Benavidez penciled in for a cruiserweight showdown with unified champion Gilberto Ramirez.
10. Canelo Álvarez
Record: 63-3-2
Last Rankings: Not Ranked
Last Fight: UD loss Terence Crawford
Next fight: TBD
Ironically, Crawford’s retirement opened the door for Álvarez to re-enter the rankings. Álvarez, 35, isn’t as slick defensively as he was in the late 2010’s and in recent wins he has been more content to cruise to decisions than go for stoppages. Still, Álvarez cleaned out the 168-pound division the last few years and was competitive with Crawford until Crawford stepped on the gas in the final rounds of the fight. His days of contending for the top spot are over but he’s still good enough to be considered top 10.
More Boxing on Sports Illustrated
- Ryan Garcia Is Ready to Put His Tumultuous Past Behind Him With Mario Barrios Fight
- Andre Ward Has High Hopes for the Changes Zuffa Boxing will Bring to the Sport
- Pro Boxer Had Incredible Line After Getting His Toupee Knocked Off During Fight
- Five Things to Know Ahead of Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson Fight
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pound-for-Pound Rankings: Shakur Stevenson Is Among Boxing’s Best.
