The ubiquity of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine boxing’s status.
That’s why Boxing Junkie launched the “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight , lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.
Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and WBA and WBC bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight, etc. up to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and welterweight straw.
In this “Great Eight” installment, we crown a new heavyweight champion for the first time since the feature began in 2020.
Oleksandr Usyk rallied from a slow start to score a takedown and Defeat Tyson Fury by split decision on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, thereby claiming the undisputed heavyweight championship and replacing longtime kingpin Fury as the “Great Eight” champion.
And there is no doubt that Usyk deserves top Boxing Junkie honors, with back-to-back wins over Anthony Joshua, a knockout of Daniel Dubois and now a decision over previously unbeaten Fury in his last four fights most although he is smaller than all of the above.
Of course, Usyk may not reign for long. He and Fury said in their post-fight interview that they plan to fight again, perhaps in the fall.
Fury, who fought well and could have walked away with a draw without a ninth-round knockdown, would reclaim his throne by winning the rematch.
Keep stable.
Here are the top fighters in the eight initial divisions:
HEAVYWEIGHT
Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) – Usyk accomplished much with his win over Tyson Fury on Saturday, becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in a quarter of a century and just second heaviest opponent in the Great Eight.
LIGHT-WEIGHT
Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – Bivol was set to face Artur Beterbiev for 175-pound dominance on June 1 in Saudi Arabia but the fight was postponed after the latter was injured during practice. Instead, Bivol will face Malik Zinad (22-0, 16 KOs) on that date.
MEDIUM
Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder has not fought since he lost to 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez in September and subsequently lost his sanctioning body title 154. However, he is still the best at 160 and 154… at the moment.
WEIGHT
Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford is set to move from 147 to 154 to challenge WBA titleholder Israil Madrimov on August 3 in Los Angeles. The winner will likely replace Charlo as Great Eight middleweight champion.
LIGHT-WEIGHT
Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko may have something to say about who will dominate the Great Eight before it was all said and done. Davis is scheduled to face Frank Martin on June 15 in Las Vegas..
FEATHER WEIGHT
Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue delivered arguably his most spectacular performance against Luis Nery on May 6 in Tokyo, rallying from a first-round knockdown – the first of his career – to stop dramatic opponents. Can anyone compete with this guy?
BANTAM class
Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The reigning Mexican 115-pound champion is scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, our Great Eight flyweight champion, in a blockbuster bout on June 29 in Phoenix. The winner will be the bantamweight king here.
WEIGHT
Jesse “Bam” Rodríguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez will hold the title until the 112-pounder steps into the ring to challenge Estrada at 115, meaning we likely have a flyweight champion new in early July.
