From the IBF, IBO, WBC, and WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk down to the IBF, WBC, WBO Super Bantamweight champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue, let’s take a look at two of boxing’s best.
Usyk had an amateur record of 335-15, representing Ukraine in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, losing to Italy’s Clemente Russo. In the 2012 Olympics in London, UK, he defeated Russo for the Gold Medal.
In the professional ranks, he would win the WBO Cruiserweight title in 2016, defeating Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki, 26-0, in Poland. Defending the title twice in the USA, first stopping South Africa’s Thabiso ‘The Rock’ Mchunu, 17-2, at the Inglewood Forum, in California, in 2016. Next, in 2017 at the MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, he defeated Michael Hunter, 12-0, of the USA by a lopsided decision. Later in that year, he traveled to Germany, stopping their ‘Kapt’n Marco Huck, 40-4-1, in ten rounds.
In 2018, he added the WBC title, winning a majority decision over Latvia’s Mairis Briedis, 23-0, at the Arena Riga in Latvia. Next in Russia, he defeated IBF champion Murat Gassiev, 26-0, in Moscow. Then also in 2018, the UK’s Tony ’Bomber’ Bellew, 30-2-1, stopped in Manchester, UK.
Back in the USA in 2019, in Chicago, IL, he stopped Chazz Witherspoon, 38-3, in a non-title fight in his first heavyweight fight. Then in 2020, he won the WBO Inter-Continental defeating Derek ‘War’ Chisora, 32-9, in Wembley, UK.
In 2021, he won the IBF, IBO, and WBO heavyweight titles, defeating the UK’s 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony ‘AJ’ Joshua, 24-1, in the UK and again in the rematch in 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by decision.
In 2023, he knocked out the UK’s Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois, 19-1, in Poland.
In 2024, he at 6’03” added the WBC title, winning back fights over 6’09” champion, the UK’s Tyson ‘the Gypsy King’ Fury, 34-0-1, by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and later that year again by decision in Riyadh. A man of few words, he listened to the much larger Fury who belittled him, returning with a smile on his face.
In his last fight, in a rematch with Dubois, he stopped him in Wembley, UK, improving his record to 24-0 with 15 stoppages.
Now let’s take a look at IBF, WBC, WBO Super Bantamweight champion, many feel pound for pound he may be the best in Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue, from Japan.
As an amateur, he was 75-5. In 2014, he won his first world title, the WBC Light Flyweight title, stopping Mexico’s Adrian ‘Big Bang’ Hernandez, 29-2-1, in Japan.
Later that year, after a defense stopping Thailand’s Wittawas Basapean, 17-4, he added the WBO title, knocking out Argentina’s Omar ‘Huracan’ Narvaez, 43-1-2.
He made seven title defenses, stopping Filipino Warlito Parrenas, 24-6-1, Mexico’s David ‘Severo’ Carmona, 20-3-5, by decision. Then, stopping Thailand’s Karoon Jarupianlerd, 35-7, Japan’s Kohei Kono, 32-9-1, USA Mexican Ricardo ‘Misento’ Rodriguez, 16-3, all in Japan.
In his only fight outside of his native Japan in the USA, he stopped American Antonio ‘Carita’ Nieves, 17-1-2, before returning to Japan, stopping France’s Yoan ‘Yo Boy’ Boyauex, 41-4, his third fight in 2017.
In 2018, he stopped the UK’s Jamie McDonnell, 29-2-1, and the Dominican out of the USA, Juan Carlos ‘Baby Pacquiao’ Payano, 20-1. In 2019, he added the IBF title, stopping world Bantam champion Manny Rodriguez, 19-0, in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, then stopped four division world champion from the Philippines, Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire, 40-5, by decision.
In 2020, he scored a knockout over Australia’s Jason Moloney, 21-1. In 2021, he stopped Filipino Michael Dasmarinas, 30-2-1, Thailand’s Aran Dipaen, 12-2. In 2022, in a rematch with Donaire, he stopped him, adding the WBC title. Later that year, he knocked out the UK’s Paul ‘Baby Face Assassin’ Butler, 34-2, adding the WBO title.
In 2023, he moved up to Super Bantam, taking the WBC and WBO titles, stopping the USA’s Stephen ‘Scooter’ Fulton, 21-0. At the end of the year, he knocked out Filipino Marlon ‘Nightmare’ Tapales, 37-3.
In 2024, he added the IBF title, stopping Mexico’s Luis Nery, 35-1. Then stopping Australia’s TJ Doheny, 26-4. In 2025, he knocked out South Korea’s Ye Joon ‘Troublemaker Pacquiweather’ Kim, 21-2-2, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in his only fight out of Japan.
In May, he stopped USA’s Ramon ‘Dinamita’ Cardenas, 26-1, improving his record to 30-0 with 27 stoppages. He is scheduled to fight Uzbekistan’s 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist and former WBA and IBF world Super Bantam champ Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 14-1, in Japan on September 14th.
So now you’ve seen the Heavyweight champion and possibly the best pound-for-pound boxer, the Super Bantam champ. What do you think?