Devin Haney Returns to the World Boxing Top 10
In an exciting comeback, Devin Haney has climbed back into the top 10 of the pound-for-pound rankings of the best boxers. This achievement marks his reappearance on the list after 20 months, following his unanimous decision victory over Brian Norman Jr. in Saudi Arabia, where he was crowned WBO welterweight champion.
After his majority decision defeat to Ryan Garcia in April 2024, a result that was later turned into a “no decision” due to Garcia’s positive test for a banned substance, Haney had fallen out of the top 10. Despite having suffered three knockdowns in that fight, Haney had not managed to rejoin the list until now.
“In 2024, I lost everything, everything fell apart,” Haney declared after his recent fight. “In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m going for everything.”
Devin Haney
Haney now holds the tenth position, displacing Canelo Álvarez.
In the main event of Saturday’s card, David Benavidez defended his WBC and WBA super-middleweight titles with a dominant performance against Anthony Yarde. Benavidez achieved a technical knockout in the seventh round, maintaining his undefeated record and moving up to seventh place in the rankings.
“I rate my performance a B+”, Benavidez said during his post-fight interview. “I’m not going to lie. I think I could have done some things better, but there’s always room for improvement. People wanted to see the knockout. They were saying I couldn’t stop this guy, that I didn’t have power at 175 and you know, I made it look easy”.
David Benavidez
Also, on the same card, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez defeated Fernando Martinez in the tenth round, unifying three super flyweight titles. Rodriguez retains his fifth place on the list.
The Alofoke Deportes expert panel, made up of various analysts, cast their votes to create the ranking.
Ranking of the Best Pound-for-Pound Boxers
Record: 42-0, 31 KOs. Division: Super welterweight (undisputed champion). Last fight: Victory (UD12) against Canelo Álvarez, on September 13th. Next fight: To be announced.
Crawford demonstrated his brilliance by overcoming Canelo, becoming the undisputed super welterweight champion. His ability to move up two weight classes and dominate a renowned boxer solidifies him as the best pound-for-pound fighter today.
Record: 24-0, 15 KOs. Division: Heavyweight (unified champion). Last fight: Victory (KO5) against Daniel Dubois, July 19. Next fight: To be announced.
Usyk consolidates himself as one of the best heavyweights of the century, after his resounding victory over Dubois. With two victories over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois, Usyk seems to have no rivals.
Record: 31-0, 27 KOs. Division: Super bantamweight (undisputed champion). Last fight: Victory (UD12) against Murodjon Akhmadaliev, September 14th. Next fight: December 27th vs. David Picasso.
Inoue continues to demonstrate his excellence in the ring, this time surpassing Akhmadaliev. His next fight will be on December 27 against Picasso, and the boxing community eagerly awaits his match with Junto Nakatani in 2026.
Record: 24-1, 12 KOs. Division: Light Heavyweight (unified champion). Last fight: Victory (UD12) against Artur Beterbiev, on February 22nd. Next fight: To be announced.
Bivol avenged his only defeat by defeating Beterbiev in an excellent performance. He is likely to face Beterbiev again in his next fight, and a possible clash with Benavidez could be the highlight of 2026.
Record: 23-0, 16 KOs. Division: Super flyweight (unified champion). Last fight: Victory (KO10) against Fernando Martínez, November 22nd. Next fight: To be announced.
Rodriguez demonstrated his superiority by defeating Martinez and adding the WBA title to his collection in the super flyweight division. At 25 years old, he is one of the youngest and most promising boxers in the ranking.
Record: 21-1, 20 KOs. Division: Light heavyweight. Last fight: Loss (UD12) against Dmitry Bivol, February 22. Next fight: To be announced.
Beterbiev suffered the only defeat of his professional career in his rematch with Bivol on February 22. He is expected to remain active and face Nicholson on the Riyadh season card on November 22.
Record: 31-0, 25 KOs. Division: Light Heavyweight (champion). Last fight: Victory (TKO7) against Anthony Yarde, November 22. Next fight: May 2 vs. Gilberto Ramírez.
Benavidez showed his power and speed by defeating Yarde, stopping him in the seventh round. His next challenge will be in cruiserweight, where he will face “Zurdo” Ramirez on May 2nd, with the aim of becoming a champion in three divisions.
Record: 24-0, 11 KOs. Division: Lightweight (champion). Last fight: Victory (UD12) against William Zepeda, July 12th. Next fight: To be announced.
Stevenson dominated Zepeda, adding more aggressiveness to his tactical style. Despite his exceptional performance, his biggest criticism is that he often seems to make victories too easy.
Record: 31-0, 24 KOs. Division: Bantamweight (unified champion). Last fight: Victory (TKO6) against Ryosuke Nishida, June 8th. Next fight: December 27th vs. Sebastian Hernandez Reyes.
Nakatani, the other Japanese boxer in the rankings, unified the bantamweight titles on June 8th. His expected match with Inoue could be the biggest fight in Japanese history. Nakatani will make his super bantamweight debut on December 27th.
Record: 33-0 1NC, 15 KOs. Division: Welterweight Champion. Last fight: Victory (UD12) against Brian Norman Jr., on November 22. Next fight: To be announced.
Haney proved his worth by defeating Norman, becoming the WBO champion and silencing his critics. This triumph highlights his skill and determination, solidifying him in the top 10.
The Classification Method:
The rankings are based on a descending points system, where first place awards 10 points, second place, 9, and so on. In case of a tie, the boxer with the highest ranking is prioritized, and then the one with the most votes in that position.
Other boxers who received votes: Teofimo Lopez Jr. (76), Canelo Alvarez (6), Gervonta Davis (1).
Alofoke Deportes Experts’ Vote:
