Is Canelo Alvarez Still The P4P Best Boxer In The World?

Saul Canelo Alvarez, 57-2-2, champion across four weight classes. His recent display against the Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol has unfortunately left many people doubtful as to whether he still belongs at the top of the P4P rankings. He was beaten convincingly over the 12 rounds by the brilliant Russian in a unanimous decision loss, his first since he was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2013. There seems to be a rematch clause that will be exercised to give the Mexican a second chance at Bivol, but it's hard to see the fight going any other way. 

In the eyes of many, even after his loss Canelo Alvarez is still the pound for pound king and one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the ring.

Who Else Could Challenge Canelo’s P4P No 1 Ranking?

Talent in boxing is currently in a brilliant place. The talent within the sport is truly remarkable with seasoned professionals and young fighters putting their stamps on their respective divisions. The main contenders to Alzerez’s P4P throne would be Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk, heavyweight Tyson Fury, and Welterweight Terrance Crawford.

Oleksandr Usyk - In boxing it is notoriously difficult to have a heavyweight at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, this is because they are themselves pound-for-pound the largest. However, Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk had previously unified the cruiserweight division. He then made the step up to heavyweight and dethroned Anthony Joshua of his 4 belts in a masterful performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September.  

Tyson Fury - Another heavyweight that is impossible to leave out of the pound-for-pound conversion is the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury. The 6 ft 9 giant has a 32-0-1 record with the only blemish being an extremely controversial draw with power puncher Deontay Wilder, a fight that many believe Fury won comfortably. A few weeks ago he finally fought his WBC mandatory of over 1,600 days, Dillian Whyte. Fury comfortably took out his fellow brit with a beautifully timed uppercut in the sixth round. After the fight Fury seemingly alluded to his retirement, however, it's hard to walk away with super fights like Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk still looming. 

Terence Crawford - Terence Crawford has long been the main contender to Canelo in the P4P rankings. He has been listed in the ring tv's pound-for-pound list for an astonishing 326 weeks. The welterweight is currently undefeated with an impressive 38-0 record. The American has continued to take out huge names like Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Kell Brook, Jose Benevidez Jr, and many more. He is a three-weight world champion and is now looking ahead to a super fight with fellow P4P-ranked Errol Spence Jr.

While these are all phenomenal fighters, I think at this point it would be completely disrespectful to say that Canelo does not deserve the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. His resume is truly unmatched by anyone else in the sport currently. No other fighter is going up through the weights as quickly and as easily as Canelo Alvarez.

He dared to be great and came up short. There is no shame in that. He fought at a weight nowhere near his natural weight class and lost. A champion should not be defined by his wins or losses, he should be defined by how he deals with and comes back from them.

The definition of pound for pound is who is the best fighter, regardless of weight. Canelo is showing his skills in several weight classes, some far above his natural weight and daring to fight these much bigger opponents. Making him, in our eyes, the pound for pound number 1.

Is Canelo In The All-Time Pound For Pound Rankings?

Canelo is one of very few fighters that have ever been able to successfully navigate up weight classes and collect belt after belt along the way. He truly has embedded his names amongst the greats with his phenomenal accomplishments. But he established himself as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters ever? There are some huge names throughout the years that have also moved their way up the weight classes and had huge success in doing so. The most successful pound for pound/multi-weight world champions are: 

Sugar Ray Robinson - Boasting an unimaginable 173-19-6 record it is clear to see why many regard him as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Over his 25-year career, Robinson moved between welterweight and middleweight, picking up titles in both divisions. 

The legendary fighter went on a 91-fight win streak that spanned 1943 and 1951. It is impossible to think about an all-time pound for pound list and not include the great Sugar Ray Robinson.

Roy Jones Jr - When talking about pound-for-pound kings, the original is Roy Jones Jr. He held a 66-9 record with the bulk of his losses coming towards the end of his very long and overdrawn-out career.

Prime Roy Jones was a phenomenal sight to behold. He held world titles in 5 different weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight. 

‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard - Sugar Ray Leonard was another 5-weight world champion. In three of the five decisions Leonard was the lineal champion and at one point was the undisputed welterweight champion of the world.

Floyd Mayweather - When thinking about the best of boxing, you can not leave out the phenomenal Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. He truly mastered the sweet science as he became known for hitting and not being hit. 

Mayweather's brilliant boxing IQ and slick skills earned him a 49-0 record and world titles in 5 different weight classes. He is also the only man to ever boast a win over Canelo, albeit at a much earlier stage of his career than he is now.

Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao -  Pacquiao is the ultimate pound-for-pound fighter. The Filipino superstar held titles in a phenomenal 8 different weight classes and also became the only fighter ever to win lineal champ[ionships in five different weight classes. 

Pacman fought as low as flyweight and as high as light middleweight, picking up titles in all the weight classes in between. For this reason, there cannot be an all-time pound-for-pound conversation that does not involve the brilliant Manny Pacquiao.

Canelo is undoubtedly one of the best boxers around currently and by the end of his career, I can guarantee that he will be up there amongst the names of the greats. He might be the only active fighter that would not look too out of place in the presence of such greats. The feats that he has reached and continues to reach are undeniable, he is ticking off accomplishments that no other active fighter has come close to. 

I think it's safe to say that he undoubtedly belongs at the top of the current P4P rankings, and in regards to the all-time P4P list, let's come back to that at the end of his career. I feel there are still many more accomplishments to come for Saul Canelo Alvarez.