Editor’s Note: This is the last “Great Eight” of 2022.
The rise of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to pinpoint the core of the boxing crop.
That’s why Boxing Junkie introduced the “Great Eight” feature, which named the best boxer in each of the original eight weight classes – heavy, light, middle, middle, light, feather class, bantam class and fly class.
Heavy includes cruiser class (and WBC weighbridge), light heavy includes super medium, etc.
It’s easy to exercise our selection in several departments. For example, Naoya Inoue dominated at 118 pounds that no one in that weight class or 115 was near him.
Other weight classes need more thought. And you’ll notice one change has been made since we last posted Great Eight.
Below are our current rankings.
WEIGHT WEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): Oleksandr Usyk deserves praise after his back-to-back victory over Anthony Joshua but Tyson Fury is still a tough man to beat. The Gypsy King took down Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora this year. A match against Usyk next year will leave no doubt as to who is No.
LIGHT-WEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): The 175-pound champion had a monster year, edging out Canelo Alvarez in a massively disappointing bout and letting Gilberto Ramirez lose his first fight by a one-way decision. A win over compatriot Artur Beterbiev would lift Bivol to new heights.
MEDIUM – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one in 160 or 154 is as dominant as the junior middleweight champion, who made the weight list.
WEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. was unable to reach terms in the fight to determine the best 147-pound person, which is unfortunate. Crawford, after a knockout win over David Avanesyan, remains top here by default.
LIGHT-WEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Could also make cases for undisputed champions Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson but Davis is the most complete boxer in and around this intensive division. . Also, keep an eye out for talented Frank Martin.
WEIGHT WEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0.8 KO): The defending unified featherweight champion could be in for a clash with the otherworldly Naoya Inoue, which would pose a serious threat to his supremacy. he. Currently, no one at 126 or 122 can touch the talented Fulton.
WEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight boxer just defeated Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, giving him a one-step lead over the others. 115-pound boxers Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.
FLIGHT WEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): Can also make cases for Sunny Edwards (112), Kenshiro Teraji (108) and Knockout CP Freshmart (105).
