An important event has occurred in the world of professional boxing: the authoritative publication The Ring has updated its prestigious ranking of the best fighters regardless of weight class (P4P). The main question that concerned fans and experts was the position of the Ukrainian former champion Oleksandr Usyk. After he voluntarily vacated his titles, many wondered — would he maintain his position in the elite?
The answer turned out to be unequivocal: despite the change in status, Usyk confidently holds the second spot in the rankings. This confirms his status as one of the strongest boxers of modern times, even without directly holding belts.
Unshakable peak and a new player
The top of the ranking remained stable. The best boxer in the world according to The Ring continues to be the Japanese absolute champion Naoya Inoue. The top five of the list has not changed, which speaks to the high standard of quality at the very top of the sports pyramid.
However, serious movement has been recorded in the lower part of the top ten. The undefeated American Jaron Ennis has entered the elite club for the first time. The boxer, who took the WBA and WBO titles in the junior middleweight division from Puerto Rican Xander Zayas last weekend, immediately took 9th place.
Who left the top 10?
Ennis's appearance in the ranking caused a chain reaction. Another Puerto Rican, Oscar Collazo, moved to 10th place. And the former leader of the ranking, the star Mexican Emanuel Navarrete, completely left the top ten best boxers in the world.
It is worth noting the unique status of Oleksandr Usyk in the current list. He remains the only representative of the heavyweight division in The Ring's ranking. The last time another heavyweight — the British Tyson Fury — entered this elite top ten was back in 2022.
Earlier, details of Usyk's decision to vacate the titles were revealed by his team director Serhiy Lapin, who explained the athlete's motives, however, the sports community continues to evaluate his contribution and potential, confirming this with high positions in international rankings.