The boxing world is filled with an immense amount of talented and highly skilled fighters, each with their own individual style and strength. Fans gather from all over the world to watch their favorite fighter—based on their life story, fighting style, record, and personality in and out of the boxing ring. While boxing has many of its all-time greats like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, and Floyd Mayweather, there are many great fighters in the present who draw a lot of attention each time they get in the ring.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best boxers in today’s boxing world—in no particular order.
Terrence Crawford
Crawford has 38 wins, 29 of which have been victorious via knockout, and remains undefeated in his professional career. He’s held multiple world championship titles and is the first male boxer to hold all four major titles in boxing simultaneously, from WBA to WBC, IBF, and WBO. While he is known as a southpaw, he has a reputation for switching stances in his fights and being a great counter hitter. Crawford is often lauded for his high fight IQ and his impressive ability to quickly read his opponents and adapt to their style, breaking them down throughout the fight. Crawford may be one of the more underrated fighters on this list, but his style and skill is something to look out for next time he is set to fight. His last fight was at the end of 2021 on November 21 where he retained the WBO championship title against Shawn Porter and his next fight is yet to be officially announced.
Canelo Alvarez
Alvarez has a record of 57 wins and 1 loss in his professional career, with 39 of those wins obtained via knockout. He is the first boxer in history to become the undisputed champion at super middleweight and has held world championship belts in multiple weight classes. Canelo has a strong chin, but he has a strong ability to evade shots, counterpunch, and take advantage of specific feints and angles. Canelo is a great boxer for any fighter to watch and take inspiration from. Check out his next fight, scheduled for May 7, 2022 against Dmitry Bivol for the WBA super light heavyweight title.
Tyson Fury
This undefeated heavyweight is currently a two time world champion with a record of 31 wins, 22 of them earned via knockout. The 6’9 boxer is currently one of the tallest heavyweights and has an 85 inch reach on his opponents. Fury has some great attributes, one of which being how difficult it is to hit him because of his footwork and head movement.
In addition to being an excellent fighter in the ring, one of fans’ favorite things about Fury is his ability to be completely honest about some of his struggles, especially involving his mental health. He has overcome those times by sharing the lessons he’s learned, in hopes of helping others in the same situation. Currently Fury is slated to fight Dillian Whyte toward the end of April to defend the WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles.
Vasyl Lomachenko
Lomachenko has a professional record of 16-2 and is the first boxer with less than 12 professional fights to retain a world championship in three weight classes. He has an amateur record of 396 wins and 1 loss, a number that seems almost unbelievable for someone at the age of 34. Lomachenko has an interesting fighting style and is known for being a right-handed southpaw, meaning he actually fights with his strong side forward in order to generate more power in his punches—similar to other boxing greats like Mike Tyson who also fights with his strong side forward. His most recent fight was at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 11, 2021 for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title against Richard Commey. It is unclear when Lomachenko will fight next as he is currently in Ukraine fighting for his country in the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine.
Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk is 19-0 in his professional career with 13 knockouts and an amateur record of 335-15. Not to mention, he is also the fourth male boxer to simultaneously hold a belt in WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. Usyk is known for putting a lot of pressure on his opponents in his fights and having a ton of power in his right hand—he fights southpaw, just as he taught Lomachenko to do when he was his trainer. He most recently scored a big victory when he defeated Anthony Joshua and became the third boxer in history to win world titles in cruiserweight and heavyweight. The rematch between the boxers is rumored to be in negotiations at the moment but a date and venue has not yet been set..
By Jessica Militello
The women's division in the UFC has grown tremendously since women first started fighting in the organization in 2013. Since then, there have been many talented fighters to grace the octagon, from Ronda Rousey to up and...
By Jessica Militello
There’s a lot of great documentaries on interesting and inspiring stories from the world of combat sports and the incredible stories of the fighters who are brave enough to step inside the ring. It’s hard not to...
By Jessica Militello
Francis Ngannou most recently defended the title for the heavyweight championship on February 22 at UFC 270 against the interim champion Ciryl Gane. Ngannou is known for being a knockout artist with punching power equivalent...
Originally posted on 05/29/2020
It is widely accepted by fighters and other people around the world that Bruce Lee was the most influential martial artist of all time. From his famous action movies to his unique martial art of Jeet Kune...
By Jessica Militello
Throughout the three decades of the UFC, there have been tons of historical moments and unforgettable upsets that shocked fight fans everywhere. These days, if you ask anyone what their favorites were, you’ll probably...
By Jessica Militello
Martial arts has seen a gradual rise in popularity for women over the years for myriad reasons. With the rise of professional mixed martial arts in the mainstream and the prominence of female champions like Valentina...
By Jessica Militello
“Suga” Sean O’Malley’s career has been on the rise since he first got on the UFC’s radar back in 2017 on Dana White’s Contender Series. Since then, he’s had an impressive record of...
By Jessica Militello
The UFC recently marked the 28th anniversary of their first fight card on November 12, 1993. At the time, the promotion had entirely different owners and was a fight to the death with virtually no rules in a quest to see...
Originally posted on 05/09/2017
Martial arts serve as a wonderful tool for kids to build the skills they need to defend themselves and achieve better health and fitness. Martial arts teaches life skills that can help your child thrive...
By Jessica Militello
One of the UFC’s most legendary and respected fighters made a very long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 266 for a rematch with Robbie Lawler that was 17 years in the making and many couldn’t even believe it...
By Jessica Militello
Most fighters that you watch from boxing to MMA adopt a stance that is either orthodox or southpaw. In these combat sports, it has always been a tradition to stand with your less dominant side forward and your lead hand...
Originally posted on 08/09/2016
While practicing martial arts is an excellent way to improve your physical health and learn self-defense maneuvers, its greatest advantage is arguably in its ability to help finesse self-discipline...
By Jessica Militello
Every once in a while the MMA community revisits the debate of whether or not moves like the oblique stomp should be made illegal in the UFC.
The question has been getting attention again lately after viewers watched the...
By Jessica Militello
If you are looking for a martial art to enroll your child in, you may be wondering which style is the best for them to learn and have fun while still being appropriate for their age. Every martial art has a list of benefits...
Originally posted on 07/27/2018
Imagine being attacked. How would you protect yourself? Violence should be avoided, however, some circumstances leave one with no choice. Your body is the only weapon that you’ll have with you at all...
By Jessica Militello
There are several criteria that are a good idea to look for when choosing a martial arts school for your kids. Obviously anytime you are investing time and money into something, you want to make sure it’s the right...
By Jessica Militello
With all of the many choices of hobbies and sports to enroll your child in, it can become a little overwhelming to find the best one that both you and your child feel most confident about signing up for. Martial arts is a...
Originally posted on 08/11/2015
Updated: 5/19/2020
Most people have heard of someone who holds a black belt in karate or another martial art. These people are familiar with the skill and accomplishment it represents. However, there...
By Jessica Militello
Martial arts has many benefits including learning self-defense, getting regular physical activity, and learning Bruce Lee’s teachings while training in Jeet Kune Do.
But one benefit that both adults and children gain...
By Jessica Militello
Anxiety can be very uncomfortable and scary for anyone to deal with, but for parents who have children who deal with anxiety, it can feel frustrating to watch your kids struggle with it, especially if you are unsure of how to...
By Jessica Militello
Warning: This article may contain spoilers if you have not completed the first three seasons of the show Cobra Kai.
While fans of Cobra Kai anxiously wait for season 4 after a pretty intense season 3 finale, it’s...
By Jessica Militello
Some of the most brutal and historic moments in the UFC have been from fights finished with knockouts using knees. Fans have a tendency to look at a fighter’s grappling, striking, and kicks, and can tend to overlook...
Originally posted on 03/30/2021
By Jessica Militello
Something that adds even more fun and excitement to watching UFC fights on Saturday night is recognizing some of the tools that fighters use from your own martial arts training. Some...
By Jessica Militello
For every UFC fight, the conversations in the days and weeks leading up to the event and thereafter always returns back to the debate of who has the best skill set to defeat their opponent and what tools really win...
By Jessica Militello
There’s a lot of great documentaries on interesting and inspiring stories from the world of combat sports and the incredible stories of the fighters who are brave enough to step inside the ring. It’s hard not to...
By Jessica Militello
Francis Ngannou most recently defended the title for the heavyweight championship on February 22 at UFC 270 against the interim champion Ciryl Gane. Ngannou is known for being a knockout artist with punching power equivalent...
Originally posted on 05/29/2020
It is widely accepted by fighters and other people around the world that Bruce Lee was the most influential martial artist of all time. From his famous action movies to his unique martial art of Jeet Kune...
By Jessica Militello
Throughout the three decades of the UFC, there have been tons of historical moments and unforgettable upsets that shocked fight fans everywhere. These days, if you ask anyone what their favorites were, you’ll probably...
By Jessica Militello
Martial arts has seen a gradual rise in popularity for women over the years for myriad reasons. With the rise of professional mixed martial arts in the mainstream and the prominence of female champions like Valentina...
By Jessica Militello
“Suga” Sean O’Malley’s career has been on the rise since he first got on the UFC’s radar back in 2017 on Dana White’s Contender Series. Since then, he’s had an impressive record of...
By Jessica Militello
The UFC recently marked the 28th anniversary of their first fight card on November 12, 1993. At the time, the promotion had entirely different owners and was a fight to the death with virtually no rules in a quest to see...
By Jessica Militello
One of the UFC’s most legendary and respected fighters made a very long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 266 for a rematch with Robbie Lawler that was 17 years in the making and many couldn’t even believe it...
By Jessica Militello
Most fighters that you watch from boxing to MMA adopt a stance that is either orthodox or southpaw. In these combat sports, it has always been a tradition to stand with your less dominant side forward and your lead hand...
By Jessica Militello
Every once in a while the MMA community revisits the debate of whether or not moves like the oblique stomp should be made illegal in the UFC.
The question has been getting attention again lately after viewers watched the...
By Jessica Militello
If you are looking for a martial art to enroll your child in, you may be wondering which style is the best for them to learn and have fun while still being appropriate for their age. Every martial art has a list of benefits...
By Jessica Militello
There are several criteria that are a good idea to look for when choosing a martial arts school for your kids. Obviously anytime you are investing time and money into something, you want to make sure it’s the right...
By Jessica Militello
With all of the many choices of hobbies and sports to enroll your child in, it can become a little overwhelming to find the best one that both you and your child feel most confident about signing up for. Martial arts is a...
By Jessica Militello
Anxiety can be very uncomfortable and scary for anyone to deal with, but for parents who have children who deal with anxiety, it can feel frustrating to watch your kids struggle with it, especially if you are unsure of how to...
By Jessica Militello
Warning: This article may contain spoilers if you have not completed the first three seasons of the show Cobra Kai.
While fans of Cobra Kai anxiously wait for season 4 after a pretty intense season 3 finale, it’s...
By Jessica Militello
Some of the most brutal and historic moments in the UFC have been from fights finished with knockouts using knees. Fans have a tendency to look at a fighter’s grappling, striking, and kicks, and can tend to overlook...
By Jessica Militello
For every UFC fight, the conversations in the days and weeks leading up to the event and thereafter always returns back to the debate of who has the best skill set to defeat their opponent and what tools really win...
If you have ever watched mixed martial arts, you’ve no doubt seen someone use their elbow at some point during the bout. These elbow strikes can be some of the most vicious and effective attacks in any fighter’s arsenal.
There...
The art of Jeet Kune Do created by Bruce Lee integrates all facets of combat. Various styles are borrowed from boxing, fencing, and other types of fighting. But one of the things that makes it truly unique is Jeet Kune Do footwork.
If you...
If you want to achieve success as a martial artist, you need to improve your takedown defense as a way to avoid being brought to the ground during a fight. When mixed martial arts (MMA) first started, skilled grapplers won many of the first...
When you use a knee strike or stomp, you get a low-risk, high-reward option for self-defense. With a head kick, the potential high reward is counterbalanced by the real risk of you missing and the attacker staging a takedown.
But even if...
Unless an attacker or mugger threatens you with a gun, most instances where self-defense is necessary will be up close and personal. Learning close combat moves is essential to protecting yourself in these dangerous situations. It can help...
There’s a saying in the martial world that says, “Either you move your head or he’s gonna move it for you.”
Effective head movement is used to avoid oncoming attacks and also to set up strong counter moves. It can...
We all know that martial arts help people of all ages live healthier lives. People often miss the many benefits of martial arts for kids in school. Taking regular Jeet Kune Do martial arts classes at New York Martial Arts Academy can help your...
Setting New Year’s resolutions can be hit or miss. If you are only jumping on the bandwagon, you won’t get much out of it. But if your commitment is something you planned out and decide to stick with, you could choose this moment to be...
Martial arts was initially seen as combative and puzzling. It was mostly learned and practiced by adults and was chiefly about self-defense. Martial arts has ever since grown from that stage of tiny dirty schools to schools teaching...
Bruce Lee often called his art of Jeet Kune Do, fencing without a foil. In this entry we will be discussing what he meant by that statement.
If you take a look at fencing and Jeet Kune Do, you will not a few similarities. One of...
A slew of Bruce Lee types, embracing both men and women, could soon be making their way through the streets of New York--but with an added physical dimension; expertise in rough, tough and often savage street fighting. In brief, those bad...
By Cass Magda
JKD has its own identity and follows a design with a purpose. It is a system. A JKD man's movement is definitely different and distinguishable from other martial arts such as Thai kickboxing, wing chun, or karate. The physical...
By Cass Magda
In the Tao of JKD Bruce Lee said, "I hope that martial artists are more interested in the root of martial arts and not the different decorative branches, flowers or leaves. It is futile to argue as to which single...
Jeet Kune Do is training and discipline toward the ultimate reality in combat. The ultimate reality is returning to one's primary freedom, which is simple, direct, and nonclassical. A good Jeet Kune Do man does not oppose force or give way...
1. SDA (Single Direct Attack)
A direct attack is composed of a single movement. The objective is to go to the target by the most direct route. Although it is the simplest of the attacks, it is the hardest to complete successfully because the...
Like the people who run most magazines, we at Black Belt love to look at surveys--in particular, surveys that tell us what you want to read. Back in the 1970's those surveys told us you were interested in kung fu and jeet kune do. In the '80s, it...
The boxing world is filled with an immense amount of talented and highly skilled fighters, each with their own individual style and strength. Fans gather from all over the world to watch their favorite fighter—based on their life story, fighting style, record, and personality in and out of the boxing ring. While boxing has many of its all-time greats like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, and Floyd Mayweather, there are many great fighters in the present who draw a lot of attention each time they get in the ring.