Is reigning, unbeaten WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson worthy of a spot on the pound-for-pound charts? According to the folks at The Bible of Boxing, Ring Magazine, he is. The new P-4-P top 10 has been published, and Stevenson, 24-0(11) is now ranked at #10. With Stevenson’s arrival, reigning WBC light heavyweight champ David Benavidez has been booted out of the top 10. Now, it’s entirely possible a good many fans will not agree with this.
But here is the new Ring Magazine‘s top 10 pound-for-pound list:
1: Oleksandr Usyk – heavyweight, 23-0(14)
2: Naoya Inoue – super bantamweight, 30-0(27)
3: Terence Crawford – super-welterweight/soon to be a super middleweight, 41-0(31)
4: Dmitry Bivol – light heavyweight, 24-1(12)
5: Artur Beterbiev – light heavyweight, 21-1(20)
6: Junto Nakatani – bantamweight, 31-0(24)
7: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – junior-bantamweight, 21-0(14)
8: Canelo Alvarez – super middleweight, 63-2-2(39)
9: Kenshiro Teraji – flyweight, 25-1(16)
10: Shakur Stevenson – lightweight, 24-0(11)
What’s Got Shakur Stevenson Jumping Over Benavidez?
So, what do YOU make of the new P-4-P list? Personally, I’m pleased to see the inclusion of two super lower-weight warriors who hail from Japan. Junto Nakatani is as talented as he is exciting, and of course we are all so looking forward to his much talked about all-Japanese super-fight with Naoya Inoue. Kenshiro Teraji is also super-special.
But back to Stevenson: did his recent, exciting win over William Zepeda do enough in your mind to earn him the 10th slot on the new P-4-P rankings? Or should Benavidez, unbeaten at 30-0(24) have remained in the top 10?
Is Benavidez Being Undervalued—Or Has Shakur Finally Arrived?
Speaking of “The Mexican Monster,” who last fought in February, this when he decisioned David Morrell in a good fight, he will perhaps thrill us all again in November, this when he fights Anthony Yarde. Both men have vowed to meet in the middle of the ring and slug it out. Stevenson was far more aggressive and willing to fight in-close against Zepeda, though, so many this is what impressed the staff at Ring?