Carl Froch has revealed who he believes is currently the number one pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.
Froch’s verdict came after there was adulation for Japanese star Naoya Inoue, who scored yet another stoppage win yesterday to cement his place as one of the world’s finest pugilists.
However, despite Inoue being a four-weight world champion and two-weight undisputed champion, ‘The Cobra’ stated there was another man on top of his list.
Earlier this year, Oleksandr Usyk matched The Monster’s feat of capturing all the world titles in two weight classes, when he defeated Tyson Fury for all the heavyweight marbles in May having already cleaned up at cruiserweight.
And in a video on his YouTube channel, Froch explained that was enough for the Ukranian to edge out Inoue and American star Terence Crawford.
“People are now saying, and I could be one of them, that Inoue is pound-for-pound the best in the world – number one.
“For me you’ve got Inoue, you’ve got Terence Crawford and you’ve got Oleksandr Usyk, that’s the top three.
“Would I put Inoue at number one? Four-weight world champion and currently undisputed at two weights, you could argue he’s the best in the world pound-for-pound.
“But Usyk’s dominated at cruiserweight, made the transition to heavyweight and you’ve seen him lick Anthony Joshua and put a whooping up Tyson Fury, and they’re the other two best heavyweights in the world.
“So it’s what you like, it’s subjective. But it’s got to be out of Usyk, Crawford and Inoue.
IT’S OVER.#InoueDoheny | @NaoyaInoue_410 pic.twitter.com/sftUzaxr3E
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 3, 2024
“I think I’d probably have Usyk number one.”
As Froch alluded to, Usyk, Crawford and Inoue are considered a class above the rest and there are few who would have anyone outside of them as their pound-for-pound king.
Usyk will have the chance to bolster his credentials even further on December 21st, when he will rematch Fury in Riyadh.
Only three world titles will be on the line this time, however, as the 37-year-old was forced to vacate the IBF belt, with Daniel Dubois elevated to full champion and set to defend that title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21.
