Oleksandr Usyk, the two-time undisputed champion, has named his top five boxers in the world. The Ukrainian fighter put Terence Crawford at the top of his list and didn't include himself.
Usyk's opinion carries weight in the boxing world. He's the undisputed heavyweight champion and held the same status at cruiserweight in 2018. Many consider him one of the best pound-for-pound boxers today.
The Ukrainian's recent fights have shown his skill. He knocked out Daniel Dubois and beat Anthony Joshua twice in 12-round battles. Joshua's frustration after the second loss showed just how tough Usyk can be.
Usyk also faced Tyson Fury twice. In their first fight, he tried to add the WBC belt to his IBF, WBO, and WBA titles. The second bout in December saw him defend those belts. Both times, Usyk won on points after 12 rounds.
In a recent video, Usyk shared his top five boxers:
1. Terence Crawford 2. Saul Alvarez 3. Anthony Joshua 4. Tyson Fury 5. Naoya Inoue
Crawford tops the list, and it's easy to see why. He's a two-weight undisputed champion, having done it at super-lightweight and welterweight. Now, he holds a belt at 154 lbs and hasn't lost in 41 fights. The switch-hitter from Omaha, Nebraska, might face Canelo Alvarez in September. If Crawford wins that fight, jumping up two weight classes, he'll cement his spot as the world's best.
Canelo Alvarez, whose full name is Saul Alvarez, comes in second on Usyk's list. The Mexican fighter has 64 wins and only 2 losses in 66 fights.
It's interesting that Usyk put both Joshua and Fury on his list, given his history with them. This shows the respect he has for his rivals.
Usyk's list gives us a peek into how top boxers view each other. It's a reminder of the talent in the sport right now, across different weight classes.
