- Vasyl Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KOs)
He looked rejuvenated in beating down no-hoper Anthony Crolla but we already knew that was a mismatch. The world’s reigning pound-for-pound boxer just needs to keep winning but the list of worthy opponents is thinning.
Next Fight: He’ll reportedly take on Luke Campbell for Mikey Garcia’s vacated WBC title in a unification bout on August 31 in London. Should he get past Campbell, expect the Ukrainian to target the lone remaining IBF strap currently held by Richard Commey.
- Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs)
Canelo’s willingness to take risky fights is what makes him so attractive and a recurring member of this exclusive list. Sure, some of his wins are debatable but the exciting Mexican has made a mockery of his critics proving that you can never count him out of any fight.
Next Fight: Canelo will have no shortage future fights to decide on with potential matchups with Callum Smith, GGG and even WBO light heavyweight boss Sergey Kovalev on the table.
- Terence Crawford (35-0, 26 KOs)
The big fights at 147-pounds continue to allude him but Crawford needs to stay busy to remain relevant at the highest strata of the division. Problem is that the pickings are not very attractive as you move past Spence, Thurman, Porter, Pacquiao and Garcia.
Next Fight: Crawford needs to be in competitive fights, but we could be a year away from seeing that come to fruition. At this point, we are most likely to see the gifted pugilist get it on with the likes of Collazo, Kavaliauskas, Brook or van Heerden to round out the year.
- Oleksandr Usyk (16-0, 12 KOs)
Unfortunately, the Ukrainian has not seen action this year having originally been slated to take on Carlos Takam in his heavyweight pro debut on May 25th before suffering a torn right bicep and being forced to withdraw. Yet he continues to be highly regarded for his sterling amateur career that included an Olympic gold medal and superb run at cruiserweight where he became undisputed champion.
Next Fight: Usyk’s team petitioned the WBO to make their fighter the heavyweight mandatory challenger to current champion Andy Ruiz Jr and they obliged.
- Errol Spence Jr. (25-0, 21 KOs)
Spence doesn’t just beat you; he beats you up. The Texas native’s precision, timing, ability to switch stances and underrated footwork all make him a handful for most opponents. The scary part is that he continues to improve with each new challenge.
Next Fight: Spence appears to be having trouble making 147-pounds as he looked huge alongside a much smaller Shawn Porter as the two recently appeared with PBC on Fox to promote their September unification fight. It shouldn’t be an easier fight than Mikey Garcia, but Spence is the favorite here.
- Naoya Inoue (18-0, 16 KOs)
WBA bantamweight “regular” world titleholder Naoya Inoue, of Japan, is perhaps the most dominant fighter in the world that many fans have never seen. That could quickly change if the lethal puncher continues to knock guys out as he moves up divisions.
Next Fight: Inoue will have another opportunity to prove that he is the total package when he meets Nonito Donaire in the WBSS finals for the coveted Ali Trophy.
- Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs)
It was a welcomed sight to see GGG get back to his winning ways in overpowering and scoring a devastating knockout against Steve Rolls a few weeks ago. Negotiations could prove tricky in trying to land a third fight with Alvarez, but it will be interesting to see how that unfolds.
Next Fight: At 37, Golovkin sees the end coming but he has a massive deal with DAZN and other reputable opponents like unbeaten WBO middleweight champion Andrade waiting for a shot.
- Mikey Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs)
He’s probably still trying to figure out the next move after losing his ‘0’ to Spence Jr and that is understandable. That humbling defeat still does not take anything away from his numerous achievements as a four-weight division champion.
Next Fight: Sources previously reported that Garcia was in talks to fight Danny Garcia but turns out that might not be the case. A recent interview with Fighthype.com revealed that the gifted Californian fighter has no upcoming fights in the queue yet.
- Callum Smith (26-0, 19 KOs)
The 168-pound champion has been quite impressive lately and continues to strengthen his claim as the best in the world at that weight after an emphatic third-round knockout over Hassan N’Dam in early June. The win followed on the heels of his thrashing of George Groves to win the WBA title in last year’s WBSS tournament.
Next Fight: Rumor has it that Smith could be lining up to face Canelo Alvarez later this year but that is all but certain. It’s an intriguing matchup and one that should be much more competitive than the Mexican’s mismatch against Rocky Fielding in December.
- Tyson Fury (28-0, 20 KOs)
Fury took care of business as expected in totaling dismantling Tom Schwarz in a lop-sided victory which ended in a second-round TKO back on June 15th in Las Vegas. What’s more, he looked sensational doing it even though the unheralded German was not in his league. Andy Ruiz Jr might be the new unified champion, but many fans consider the giant Brit to be the best active heavyweight on the planet.
Next Fight: Deontay Wilder will lock horns with dangerous Luis Ortiz again – though no date or venue has yet been confirmed – with a rematch to follow against Fury in early 2020. Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua will try to avenge his shock defeat to Ruiz in December which leaves Fury on the outside looking in. Fury’s next appearance will be at the iconic Madison Square Garden in late September or early October against an unnamed opponent.
