The 25 Best Boxers of the 21st Century: An In-Depth Analysis
On September 13th, the boxing world will be paralyzed when the undisputed super middleweight champion, Canelo Álvarez, faces super lightweight champion, Terence Crawford, at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This highly anticipated fight, dubbed by some as “the fight of the century”, has motivated Alofoke Deportes to compile a list of the 25 best boxers who have stepped into the ring since the year 2000, to determine where Canelo and Crawford rank.
Of the 17 retired boxers on the list, 14 have already been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The remaining three, Gennadiy Golovkin, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Tyson Fury, will join the group when they become eligible. Manny Pacquiao, after being inducted into the Hall of Fame, joined a select group of pugilists who have fought for a world title. The list includes numerous current undisputed champions.
The task of selecting the top 25 was not easy, but our panel of experts, composed of Andreas Hale, Mark Kriegel, Nick Parkinson, Bernardo Osuna, and Andres Ferrari, took on the difficult task. From Floyd Mayweather to Oleksandr Usyk, including Canelo and Crawford, we present the ranking of the best boxers of the century.
1. Floyd Mayweather
Key achievements this century: 28-0, 10 KOs between 2000 and 2017; world champion in five divisions; long-time pound-for-pound leader; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021.
Mayweather is undeniably the best boxer of the 2000s decade. Although he always prioritized the most lucrative purses, which led many current boxers to protect their undefeated record, the idea that he avoided difficult challenges is disproven by analyzing his victories over five boxers on this list: Manny Pacquiao, Canelo, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Márquez and Miguel Cotto. His incredible intelligence in the ring, impenetrable defense, sublime footwork, lethal counterattack and millimeter precision made him an almost unbeatable rival, as demonstrated by his overall record of 50-0, with 27 KOs, and world titles in five weight categories. His transformation from “Pretty Boy” to “Money” positioned him as the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018, according to Forbes, consolidating him as a benchmark in the pound-for-pound rankings from 2005 to 2015.
Floyd Mayweather remains boxing’s biggest showman.
2. Manny Pacquiao
Key achievements this century: 35-6-3, 20 KOs between 2000 and 2025; world champion in eight divisions; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2025.
Pacquiao, unknown when he debuted in the United States in 2001, became the only world champion in eight weight categories. He conquered the flyweight title (112 pounds) in 1998 and, in 2010, won his eighth weight division with a super welterweight world title (154 pounds). His aggressive and constant style, with punches thrown from all angles, surpassed great boxers like Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto. “PacMan” (62-8-3, 39 KOs in total) recovered from a brutal knockout against Juan Manuel Márquez in 2012 to win six more fights for the welterweight title until 2019. Pacquiao, who began his professional career at 16 years old, is still active at 46. He returned from retirement and was close to breaking his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion, when he drew against Mario Barrios in July.
Watch Pacquiao’s full fights.
3. Bernard Hopkins
Key achievements this century: 19-6-1, 1 NC, 5 KOs between 2000 and 2016; oldest world champion in boxing history at 49 years old; made 10 of his 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses; world champion in two divisions; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.
Hopkins, who entered in the 2000s with a record of 36-2-1 at 35 years old, dominated the first part of the decade, establishing himself as one of the best middleweights of all time by extending a streak that became a record of 20 title defenses. His victory over Felix “Tito” Trinidad in 2001 cemented him as a prominent name in boxing, and his knockout by body shot over Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 made him the undisputed champion at 160 pounds. But he wasn’t finished yet. He defeated Jean Pascal for the light heavyweight title in 2011 to become the oldest world champion in boxing at 46 years old, and at 49, he knocked out WBA light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov. “The Alien” demonstrated a surreal physical condition and a remarkably high IQ even after reaching an age when a boxer is no longer supposed to be at his best, solidifying himself as an all-time great.
Bernard Hopkins’ life and career would be a compelling movie.
4. Oleksandr Usyk
Key achievements: 23-0, 14 KOs between 2013 and 2025; current undisputed heavyweight champion; previously undisputed in cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Usyk, 38, has twice defeated one of the best heavyweights of his era, Tyson Fury, and has achieved undisputed champion status on three occasions (two at heavyweight, one at cruiserweight). After winning Olympic gold in 2012, Usyk made six defenses as cruiserweight champion from 2016 to 2018 and became the first undisputed cruiserweight champion in the four-belt era. He then moved up to heavyweight, where he won a title for the first time in 2021 and has made five title defenses since then. He has defeated former champions Fury and Anthony Joshua twice each, erasing any doubt about who should be considered the best heavyweight of the generation. His victory over Daniel Dubois in July was a defining moment in Usyk’s career. He is the best heavyweight since the peak of Lennox Lewis in the late 1990s.
Usyk solidifies his legacy as the best heavyweight of his generation.
5. Canelo Álvarez
Key achievements: 63-2-2, 39 KOs between 2005 and 2025; four-division world champion; current (and only) undisputed super middleweight champion.
An early defeat to Mayweather at age 23 didn’t stop Canelo from achieving greatness. The second-highest ranked active boxer on this list, 35-year-old Canelo, can improve his position depending on how his fight against Terence Crawford goes. The current and only undisputed super middleweight champion has held world titles in four weight classes by defeating a long list of opponents throughout his career. Canelo truly established himself as one of the best boxers of this era in his trilogy with Golovkin, with a 2-0-1 record against the tough middleweight puncher. Although he didn’t achieve the light heavyweight title in 2022, Canelo and his iron jaw have held the title of the face of boxing since Mayweather’s retirement in 2017. The hunter will become the prey on September 13th when he defends his titles against Crawford, but Canelo’s status as one of the best boxers of this century is firmly established.
The biggest star in boxing returns to Mexico, to his horses and to a moment that took 11 years to arrive.
6. Andre Ward
Key achievements: 32-0, 16 KOs between 2004 and 2017; world champion in two weight categories; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ward retired in 2017 at the age of 33 with an undefeated record after unifying world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. Ward won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and, as a professional, retired as ESPN’s number 1 pound-for-pound boxer. His best victories were a decision over Carl Froch in the Super Six World Boxing Classic finals in 2011 and an eighth-round technical knockout victory over Sergey Kovalev in 2017 in a rematch, after Ward controversially won the first fight seven months earlier. Ward was an intelligent boxer, a consummate technician with a great jab that allowed him to handle strong punchers like Froch and Kovalev. He is arguably the best super middleweight in history.
The five best victories of Andre Ward.
7. Terence Crawford
Key achievements: 41-0, 31 KOs between 2008 and 2025; world champion in four weight categories, undisputed in welterweight and super lightweight; current super welterweight champion.
Crawford discreetly debuted in 2008 without the expectation that some of his contemporaries received, and has used that as motivation to torment his opponents for the next two decades. His unilateral demolition of Errol Spence Jr. in 2023 made him the first male boxer to become undisputed champion in two weight categories (welterweight and super lightweight) during the four-belt era. On September 13, Crawford will seek to become undisputed champion in a third division when he goes up to 168 pounds to challenge Canelo Álvarez. His unwavering will to win and his ruthless finishing ability have made Crawford one of the best boxers of this generation. For a boxer who began his career at 130 pounds, the possibility of defeating Canelo, an all-time great much bigger, gives Crawford the opportunity to solidify his place.
Watch Crawford’s full fights.
8. Juan Manuel Márquez
Key achievements this century: 26-5-1, 17 KOs between 2000 and 2014; world champion in four weight categories; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.
Márquez delivered one of the most memorable and astonishing knockouts of recent years when he sent the great Pacquiao to the canvas in the sixth round of their 2012 bout. The pair fought four times; after a draw, Pacquiao won two fights before Márquez’s right hand put a shocking end to their last encounter. Márquez (56-7-1, 40 KOs total) had been in trouble in round 5, but demonstrated the toughness that defined his career to recover and finish Pacquiao. “El Dinamita” won titles in four weight categories (featherweight, super lightweight, lightweight and super lightweight) and defeated boxers such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Díaz and Joel Casamayor.
Look on ESPN: Márquez knocks out Pacquiao.
9. Roy Jones Jr.
Key achievements this century: 26-9, 14 KOs between 2000 and 2023; four-division world champion; long-time pound-for-pound leader; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022.
Jones is undeniably one of boxing’s most gifted athletes. And if he had competed during the social media era, he would probably be the most viral boxer of all time. Unfortunately, in terms of this list, his best years were during the 1990s. However, Jones still managed to have significant success in the early 2000s, as he joined Bob Fitzsimmons as the only boxers to capture world titles in middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight when he moved up two weight divisions to beat John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight title in 2003. Jones (66-10, 47 KOs in total) returned to light heavyweight eight months later and achieved his last significant victory, a majority decision over Antonio Tarver that unified the titles. But the weight fluctuation devastated his body, and Jones was never the same, with a record of 17-9 for the rest of his career after starting with 49-1. Still, the last half of his career shouldn’t detract from how spectacular the “Captain Hook” boxer was.
Roy Jones Jr. is one of the greatest in history.
10. Naoya Inoue
Key achievements: 30-0, 27 KOs between 2012 and 2025; world champion in four weight categories, undisputed in two weight divisions; current undisputed super bantamweight champion.
“The Monster” is among the best boxers in the world, currently ranked number 2 in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings and is the current undisputed super bantamweight champion. Inoue, 32, possesses speed, power, and skillful footwork that allows him to open up a variety of angles to throw punches. He has achieved undisputed status in two weight classes after unifying the four bantamweight belts in 2022. He has also won titles in four divisions and has made eight defenses of the bantamweight world title from 2018 to 2022, seven at super flyweight from 2014 to 2018, and one at light flyweight in 2014. He made his super bantamweight debut in style when he demolished Stephen Fulton in eight rounds in July 2023. The best days of the undefeated Inoue may well be ahead, with a possible showdown against the number 1 bantamweight and Japanese rival Junto Nakatani in 2026.
12 reasons why Naoya Inoue defines must-see boxing.
11. Gennadiy Golovkin
Key achievements: 42-2-1, 37 KOs between 2006 and 2022; two-time unified champion; shares the record of 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses with Hopkins.
The combination of sublime power and a granite jaw made Golovkin a fixture on the pound-for-pound lists from 2015 to 2020. “GGG” recorded 23 consecutive knockout victories from 2008 to 2016 and tied Hopkins’ record for most middleweight title defenses (20) in May 2018, before losing a majority decision to Canelo four months later. Although he didn’t achieve success in his highly publicized trilogy with Canelo (0-2-1), it can be argued that Golovkin won at least one of their encounters. The Kazakh boxer left the sport without having been knocked down in 45 professional and 350 amateur fights, securing his place as the possessor of one of the most durable jaws in boxing history.
Introducing Gennadiy Golovkin: the boxing KO king.
12. Joe Calzaghe
Key achievements this century: 19-0, 9 KOs between 2000 and 2008; super middleweight champion with the longest reign.
Calzaghe retired in 2009 with an undefeated record of 46 fights after a career spent primarily at super middleweight. He was the third longest-reigning world champion in boxing (10 years, 11 months). Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KOs total) complained of being avoided before overcoming Jeff Lacy and Sakio Bika in 2006 and then Mikkel Kessler in 2007, all in title unification fights. He enjoyed a glorious end to his career, including a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Kessler to successfully defend his WBO super middleweight title for the twenty-first time and claim Kessler’s WBA and WBC belts. After that, Calzaghe’s hand speed was too much for Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. in decision victories at light heavyweight in the U.S. He is arguably Britain’s best boxer in memory.
10 years later: Remembering Joe Calzaghe’s best fight.
13. Erik Morales
Key achievements this century: 17-9, 7 KOs between 2000 and 2012; first Mexican-born boxer to win championships in four weight classes; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2018.
Morales set the stage for his inclusion on this list with an epic and bitter trilogy with his Mexican compatriot Marco Antonio Barrera from 2000 to 2004. Although Morales (52-9, 36 KOs in total) lost two of those three fights, he spent the early years of the 2000s demolishing the opposition. His ruthless aggression and precise punches overwhelmed his opponents. “El Terrible” was one of the few boxers capable of stopping the rise of Manny Pacquiao’s bullet train by surpassing him in their 2005 encounter. A whirlwind of violence that switched between a cold-blooded fighter and a ring tactician at any moment, Morales is one of the best from Mexico.
Erik “El Terrible” Morales, elected to the Hall of Fame.
14. Vasiliy Lomachenko
Key achievements: 18-3, 12 KOs between 2013 and 2025; world champion in three weight categories; won his first world title in only his third professional fight.
One of the best amateur boxers of all time amassed an incredible record of 396-1 with two Olympic gold medals before making his professional debut in 2013. Instead of building his record by facing mediocre opposition, Lomachenko was thrown into the fire immediately. He challenged for a world title in only his second fight, but fell short in a controversial split decision against Orlando Salido in March 2014. But “Hi-Tech” delivered on his second effort less than four months later, defeating Gary Russell Jr. in his third fight to capture featherweight gold. In just 21 fights, Lomachenko held world championships in three weight classes and ascended to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings with a dizzying run from 2016 to 2018 in which he earned the nickname “No Mas-Chenko” by forcing four of his five opponents (Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga, and Guillermo Rigondeaux) to quit in the corner between rounds. Lomachenko faced difficult matchups throughout his career, but his brilliant footwork, feline reflexes, and overwhelming speed made him one of the most talented boxers to ever step into the ring. Lomachenko decided to end his career at 37 years old and will surely be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Why Vasiliy Lomachenko was different from the rest.
15. Oscar De La Hoya
Key achievements this century: 8-5, 5 KOs between 2000 and 2008; won world championships in two of his six overall weight divisions; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014.
After having only one loss from 1992 (when he began his professional career) to 1999, De La Hoya lost five times in the last nine years of his career (2000-2008). But despite the setbacks, De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs in total) was boxing’s biggest star, generating approximately $700 million in pay-per-view revenue. He was entertaining with a brutal left hook. The “Golden Boy” from Los Angeles won titles in six weight classes (two in the 2000s). He has also become a leading promoter after establishing Golden Boy Promotions in 2002.
Watch De La Hoya’s full fights.
16. Roman “Chocolatito” González
Key achievements: 52-4, 42 KOs between 2005 and 2024; world champion in four weight classes.
Good things come in small packages, and the boxer affectionately known as “Chocolatito” brought attention to the smaller weight classes with his aggressiveness and crowd-pleasing punch combinations. González is the first and only Nicaraguan boxer to hold titles in four weight classes (strawweight, light flyweight, flyweight, and super flyweight), surpassing his legendary mentor and idol, Alexis Arguello, a three-division boxer…
