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For a boxer who has held his ground for years atop a revolving door of historic names competing for the honor of being called the pound-for-pound best in the world, it's only fitting that Naoya Inoue would cap off a historic 2025 by regaining the top spot.

Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs), the four-division champion and 32-year-old living legend from Japan, became the first boxer since former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes in 1983 to make four defenses of his "Ring" championship in the same calendar year last weekend when outclassed unbeaten mandatory challenger Alan Picasso in their undisputed junior featherweight clash. 

Although he was unable to secure the knockout against his sharp Mexican foe, which caused Inoue to downgrade his own performance, "The Monster" took advantage of Terence Crawford's recent retirement and the sudden inactivity of Oleksandr Usyk to leave no doubt that he's the best boxer in the game at this moment. 

Inoue's victory also put him in a strong position to possibly claim fighter of the year for the second straight time depending upon how one votes as his four victories, which included a comeback stoppage of Ramon Cardenas in a fight-of-the-year contender and a pure boxing showcase against former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, stands up tall against Crawford's one big win when he moved up two divisions to upset undisputed super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez. 

Either way, Inoue has settled in nicely in his fourth division amid the second half of his career where he's less dependent upon one-punch power and more focused upon speed, movement and making his opponents miss. The victory over Picasso, which came in Inoue's debut fighting on Saudi Arabian soil, also set the stage for one of the biggest fights of 2026 against countryman and fellow P4P ranked Junto Nakatani, who moved up from bantamweight to narrowly edge Sebastian Hernandez in the co-main event. 

While it's unknown whether Inoue will ever attempt a move up to a fifth weight class, or whether his power and chin would carry up with him, he remains one of the most talented, skillful and accomplished boxers of not just this century but the history of the sport. And the Nakatani fight, proposed for May inside the Tokyo Dome, could go down as arguably the biggest win of his career (not to mention the biggest boxing match in Japanese history) should he prove to be successful. 

Pound-for-Pound Rankings

1. Naoya Inoue

Undisputed junior featherweight champion (29-0, 25 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 3

The four-division champion recorded his fourth victory of 2025 in late December when he widely outpointed mandatory challenger Alan Picasso in Inoue's Saudi Arabia debut. The fourth defense of his "Ring" title made him the first boxer to do so in a single calendar year since former heavyweight king Larry Holmes in 1983. A showdown with countryman Junto Nakatani awaits in 2026. 

2. Oleksandr Usyk

Unified heavyweight champion (24-0, 15 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 2

Usyk's professional run has been as decorated as it has been perfect. The former undisputed cruiserweight champ reached a similar status at heavyweight for the second time in July when he brutally knocked out Daniel Dubois in their rematch. Usyk has accomplished more as a pro through 24 fights than anyone else in history and now, in just eight appearances at heavyweight, the 38-year-old owns two wins apiece over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois.

3. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez

Unified junior bantamweight champion (22-0, 15 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 4

The 25-year-old phenom from San Antonio continues to build his case for inclusion in the argument of best fighter in the world. Rodriguez showcased everything that makes him special in a July dismantling of unbeaten Phumelala Cafu to unify titles at 115 pounds. He returned in November to further unify belts when he outclassed and stopped unbeaten Fernando "Puma" Martinez in Saudi Arabia. 

4. Dmitry Bivol

Undisputed light heavyweight champion (24-1, 12 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 5

Despite coming up just short against Artur Beterbiev via majority decision in their 2024 undisputed clash, Bivol turned the tables four months later in their February rematch. Saying he needed to simply "do more," Bivol did just that by rallying in the second half and holding off Beterbiev in Round 12. A trilogy fight in 2026 could be next for the future Hall of Famer. 

5. David Benavidez

Light heavyweight titleholder (31-0, 25 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 6

Frustrated with waiting around forCanelo Alvarez, "El Monstro" moved up to light heavyweight in 2024 to begin a string of impressive victories against former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk and unbeaten David Morrell Jr. in January. After being upgraded to full WBC titleholder, Benavidez made his debut in Saudi Arabia in November when he stopped Anthony Yarde. A shot at unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez appears next for May 2026 in Las Vegas. 

6. Artur Beterbiev

Light heavyweight (21-1, 20 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 7

Four months after narrowly defeating Dmitry Bivol to become the first four-belt undisputed champion in 175-pound history, Beterbiev came up just short in their February rematch via majority decision. At 40, Beterbiev is still chasing big fights for 2026, whether that comes in the form of a Bivol trilogy or a showdown against titleholder David Benavidez. 

7. Shakur Stevenson

WBC lightweight champion (24-0, 11 KOs) | Previous ranking: 8

After two years of criticism and performances deemed as boring, Stevenson showed what he's truly capable of in an exciting July win over unbeaten mandatory challenger William Zepeda. Stevenson was more willing than normal to stand in the line of fire in order to land his own combinations on the inside. Stevenson is expected to move up to 140 pounds in early 2026 in a long-rumored bout against titleholder Teofimo Lopez Jr.

8. Junto Nakatani

Junior featherweight (30-0, 23 KOs) | Previous ranking: 9

A two-division titleholder, the native of Japan has become a breakout star after a recent title run of big knockouts at 118 pounds. Nakatani closed 2025 by choosing to vacate his bantamweight title, however, with plans to move up to 122 pounds in hopes of landing a much-anticipated fight against countryman Naoya Inoue.

9. Devin Haney

Welterweight titleholder (33-0, 15 KOs) | Previous ranking: 10

For all of the criticism he absorbed over his last two fights, Haney reminded everyone of his P4P talent and ring IQ in November when he dropped and handled unbeaten WBO welterweight titleholder Brian Norman Jr. to become a three-division champion. Haney looked stronger and more sturdy at 147 pounds after years of difficult weight cuts. A high-profile unification rematch with Ryan Garcia, who will fight for a welterweight title in January, could be one of the biggest fights boxing produces in 2026. 

10. Teofimo Lopez Jr. 

Junior welterweight titleholder (22-1, 13 KOs) | Previous ranking: NR

Although he can be inconsistent at times, when the two-division titleholder is on his game, he's among the best fighters on the planet. The dynamic Lopez, who owns career-defining wins against Vasily Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, will look to add a third name of such stature to his resume when he welcomes unbeaten, three-division titleholder Shakur Stevenson on Jan. 31 in New York's Madison Square Garden. 

Dropped out: Terence Crawford
Honorable mention: Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta "Tank" Davis, Jaron "Boots" Ennis, Keyshawn Davis, Lamont Roach Jr.