Naoya Inoue has revealed his Mount Rushmore of the current boxing landscape, naming four elite fighters that would undoubtedly sit near the top of any pound-for-pound list.
The general consensus is that Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford and Inoue himself are among the very best, even if Crawford’s recent retirement would suggest that he is now out of the picture.
Prior to announcing his exit from the sport, ‘Bud’ had become a three-division undisputed champion following his monumental points victory over Canelo Alvarez in September.
By capturing the four major titles at super-middleweight, Crawford not only proved his doubters wrong but also replicated his previous successes at 147lbs and 140lbs.
A truly dominant performance against Errol Spence Jr in 2023, too, has led many to suspect that the decorated 38-year-old is the greatest champion of his generation.
Rivalling that status, however, is Oleksandr Usyk, who became a three-time undisputed king following his fifth-round finish over Daniel Dubois in July.
Given his achievements at both cruiser and heavyweight, it is certainly difficult to argue against the Ukrainian being at the top of any pound-for-pound list.
That said, two-weight undisputed champion Inoue also has a remarkably strong claim to be considered the flagship fighter of his era, not least because of his notable wins over Nonito Donaire, Stephen Fulton and Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
But while Crawford, Usyk and Inoue are rubber-stamped as the top three pound-for-pound stars, the fourth place is a little more contentious, with Dmitry Bivol and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez considered the most deserving candidates.
Speaking with DAZN Boxing ahead of his clash with David Picasso on December 27, Inoue gave his assessment on the matter.
“The fighters I currently consider the best in the world are Naoya Inoue [himself], Crawford, Usyk and ‘Bam’.
“These are the four who come to mind right now.”
