Fansided

The top 10 pound-for-pound boxers pre-Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev II

By Zachary Alapi

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 12: Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev pose for photographs at the end of the press conference at the Roosevelt Ballroom on April 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Sergey Kovalev will challenge Andre Ward for the Unified Light Heavyweight World Championship Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 12: Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev pose for photographs at the end of the press conference at the Roosevelt Ballroom on April 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Sergey Kovalev will challenge Andre Ward for the Unified Light Heavyweight World Championship Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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6. Terence Crawford

For some time, fight fans have been clamoring for unified WBC/WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford to face a better caliber of opposition. Not because Crawford (31-0, 22 KOs) has balked at doing so, but because his myriad gifts are so obvious that it’s clear he only belongs in the ring with pound-for-pound talent.

Although a super fight against Top Rank stablemate Manny Pacquiao has yet to materialize, Crawford’s last fight against 2008 Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz was seen as a stern test, especially given that Diaz was returning to his more natural weight division after a two-fight foray at welterweight.

Diaz was certainly game against Crawford, but he was utterly outclassed in a manner that confirmed “Bud” is now one of the very best fighters in the world — a uniquely versatile boxer in his prime who would likely outclass anyone at 140 pounds and could beat the majority of elite welterweights. Here’s hoping Crawford lands the Pacquiao fight or faces the likes of Mikey Garcia should the lightweight champion best Adrien Broner as many expect.

Given that Crawford is in his athletic prime, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him leapfrog to the talent-rich welterweight division soon. There, it’s hard to imagine him losing to anyone but Errol Spence Jr., and he could be entering a string of marquee fights at the optimal moment of what, three years from now, could turn out to be a transcendent career.

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