By Paul R Jones!: Oxon Hill, MD – Over the weekend, unified Super Welterweight Champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd (23-0, 16 KOs) and contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams (26-1-1, 1 NC, 16 KOs) formally announced their May 11th clash in a kickoff presser at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Although Hurd and Williams fielded a plethora of media questions, it was Hurd’s response to a
question about where he ranked himself on the mythical pound-for-pound (P4P) list that drew the interest of several reporters, including yours truly.
“On a pound-for-pound list . . . I’m 8 or 9, realistically,” said Hurd, donning black attire, accented with diamond-studded jewelry.
Ironically, despite being a unified champion and having stopped over two-thirds of his opponents, including current and former champs like Tony Harrison (28-2, 21 KOs) and Austin Trout (31-5, 17 KOs), Hurd remains outside of many prominent pound-for-pound lists.
At the time of this writing, for instance, Hurd failed to crack ESPN’s Top 10 P4P. Only ESPN’s Steve Kim even cast a vote for Hurd, ranking him at 10.
The Ring also left Hurd outside of their top 10.
According to Hurd’s cold calculus, however, he ranks outside the Top 6 P4P, which consists of:
1. Canelo Alvarez
2. Terence Crawford
3. Vasiliy Lomachenko
4. Errol Spence Jr.
5. Anthony Joshua
6. Oleksandr Usyk
Hurd ranks Alvarez number one because “he’s done the most.”
He largely attributes Crawford’s number 2 ranking to the Nebraskan achieving undisputed champion status.
Because Hurd doesn’t “. . .think Lomachenko loses at all,” he ranked the Ukrainian technician third.
After Usyk (number 6), however, Hurd believes his name belongs in the P4P conversation.
The fact that Hurd often remains outside of the P4P discussion is a pain point for the Maryland native, especially when he sizes up the competition at or near his weight class.
“I feel some type of way because . . . I could be facing 160 pounders and I can have 147 pounders step up and face me,” Hurd explained. “I even have the size to step up to 168 (pounds). All of these fights can be made.”
“I just know what I can do,” said Hurd. “It’s just hard to convince others, because they can’t actually see what I see. But, man, I know I got these fighters.”
Beyond P4P status, Hurd was also miffed about being constantly critiqued about his defense.
“That’s one thing I find so funny,” Hurd said.
“Everyone criticizes me on my defense. [They say] Jarrett gets hit a lot . . .but no one says nothin’ about my opponent,” Hurd added.
“After my fights I go home to my family. My opponents, some may go to the hospital. I don’t have any bruises on my face and I win the fight. But I get criticized for my defense.”
Points well taken, Jarett Hurd.
But, where do you rank Jarrett Hurd on your personal P4P list?
Be sure to let us know on our Twitter poll, here.
📊 POLL: Where does "Swift" Jarrett Hurd rank on your pound-for-pound list?@boxingnews24 @eastsideboxing @swift_jarretthurd#boxing #boxingnews #Pound4Pound #HurdWilliams
— Boxing Epicenter (@boxingepicenter) March 27, 2019
■ About Paul R. Jones!
Paul R. Jones! is a boxing writer and ringside photographer for Boxing News 24. A scientist by day and boxing writer by night, he covers the humorous, offbeat, and absurd from the sport of boxing. Paul’s articles have appeared in PEDIATRICS, Race and Social Problems, and Motivation and Emotion, and he’s covered boxing online for East Side Boxing, BOXINGINSIDER, TheFightJournal, and WRAPSONTV.
You can keep up with more of what Paul R. Jones! is thinking about on Twitter @boxingepicenter, YouTube, and Medium.com. Or e-mail him at prjones1@hotmail.com for bookings or inquiries.
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