In final month’s replace, we mentioned that each one eyes had been on Spence-Crawford and Inoue-Fulton so far as pound-for-pound goes, and boy, did we get some showings.
Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue each did every little thing they might do to show they deserved the highest spot, and we do have a brand new No. 1 man this month, with Oleksandr Usyk throwing in the towel.
So who has the highest spot, and is it a clear sweep? (Terence Crawford. And no.)
August 2023
The voters: Scott Christ, Wil Esco, John Hansen, Patrick Stumberg, and Lewis Watson
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Additionally Receiving Votes: Errol Spence Jr 7, Jaron “Boots” Ennis 6, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 5, Vasiliy Lomachenko 2, Juan Francisco Estrada 1
Scott Christ
(1) Terence Crawford, (2) Naoya Inoue, (3) Oleksandr Usyk, (4) Dmitry Bivol, (5) Gervonta Davis, (6) Artur Beterbiev, (7) Shakur Stevenson, (8) Devin Haney, (9) Kenshiro Teraji, (10) Vasiliy Lomachenko
To me, it’s gotta be Bud Crawford. However Naoya Inoue made his personal case.
Poor Usyk. Sorry, bubba. You didn’t do something incorrect. These different lads simply did one thing so, so proper.
I’m going with Crawford as a result of he embarrassed Spence to a level that made Fulton-Inoue look virtually aggressive. Fairly easy. However we’re witnessing two extremely particular fighters.
Fairly static previous the massive ones. Errol Spence falls out for me as a result of P4P is basically aggressive. However Spence was nonetheless in my thoughts for the again finish. I went with Lomachenko for now, as a result of I nonetheless assume he beat Devin Haney, however that No. 10 spot particularly might be taken. I’ve bought my eyes on Emanuel Navarrete as somebody who may take it; I’ve talked about him earlier than, and the way he hardly ever will get included in these conversations, but when he has an awesome exhibiting in opposition to Oscar Valdez, he needs to be taken extra severely within the P4P context.
I nonetheless don’t assume the present model of Canelo belongs right here. It’s simply that I noticed him in opposition to GGGrandpa and Ryder, is all.
Wil Esco
(1) Terence Crawford, (2) Naoya Inoue, (3) Oleksandr Usyk, (4) Dmitry Bivol, (5) Jaron “Boots” Ennis, (6) Artur Beterbiev, (7) Canelo Alvarez, (8) Shakur Stevenson, (9) Devin Haney, (10) Gervonta Davis
Large time housekeeping this month. , I nonetheless assume Stephen Fulton Jr is a very good fighter, and the way in which he was damaged down and stopped by Naoya Inoue, I used to be totally ready to place Inoue on the prime of the listing. A person alone. It’s type of humorous as a result of within the rapid aftermath of that Tuesday struggle I noticed loads of feedback about how Inoue was clearly No. 1 and there was no potential state of affairs to vary that.
I discussed that it was straightforward to say for the time being, however in a hypothetical state of affairs if Spence or Crawford had been in a position to dominate the opposite then which may change the outlook. And boy, oh boy did that change issues for me! I picked Crawford to cease Spence, however the dominating trend wherein he did it squarely locations him to the No. 1 pound-for-pound on my listing, even above Inoue. And never solely did Crawford’s efficiency blast him to the highest of the listing, it fully blows Spence off my listing solely. You simply can’t have the brakes overwhelmed off of you that comprehensively and nonetheless fee P4P. Sorry, not sorry.
In different information, Jermell Charlo loses his place on the listing as a consequence of a mixture of inactivity and permitting his carbon copy to get slapped by Caleb Plant, Jaron Ennis makes his return to the listing after one other dominant exhibiting, Shakur Stevenson elevates previous Devin Haney as a result of Haney is ducking that smoke, and Gervonta Davis sneaks in at No. 10. I’d in all probability rank Davis increased in any other case, however the reality is he’s not solely not combating elite competitors, he additionally isn’t even making an attempt to so far as I can inform.
John Hansen
(1) Naoya Inoue, (2) Terence Crawford, (3) Oleksandr Usyk, (4) Dmitry Bivol, (5) Artur Beterbiev, (6) Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, (7) Kenshiro Teraji, (8) Errol Spence Jr, (9) Gervonta Davis, (10) Devin Haney
Let’s begin on the prime. I believe a lot of the guys can have Terence Crawford on the No. 1 spot, and there’s actually no incorrect reply so far as I’m involved. Each Crawford and Inoue placed on grasp performances, each of them look ranges above different P4P stage fighters. I watched Fulton-Inoue and Spence-Crawford in reverse order from their precise broadcasts, which could have influenced my choose.
Principally, I requested myself who I’d choose if Crawford and Inoue had been equal measurement and fought one another, and determined I’d favor Inoue. That’s why he’s my primary this month. I actually don’t assume there’s a incorrect reply, and I believe we’re all lucky to see each of those males acting at this stage on the similar time.
I took Fulton out, however stored Spence in. Once more, I gained’t argue with anybody that drops him from their listing. I believe this struggle was an illustration of how wonderful Crawford is, not a retroactive stain on the remainder of Spence’s accomplishments. If Spence isn’t a worthy P4P man, that diminishes what Crawford confirmed us, and I believe that’s a nasty tackle the result. I’d nonetheless favor Spence over Boots Ennis, I’d nonetheless favor him over a 154 lb Jermell Charlo, I’d nonetheless favor him over anybody I can consider in his normal vary apart from Terence Crawford. Spence remains to be an awesome fighter to me, even when Crawford proved himself an all-time form of nice. It’s as much as everybody how a lot they wish to punish a man a lot for daring to take a problem. I can’t fairly convey myself to place Tank Davis above Spence but.
On the backside of my listing, Haney is in, which is one thing I by no means thought I’d say. If I a lot as yawn or take a look at my watch the subsequent time he fights, I’ll Rigondeaux Rule his ass proper again out. I imply it.
Patrick Stumberg
(1) Naoya Inoue, (2) Terence Crawford, (3) Oleksandr Usyk, (4) Canelo Alvarez, (5) Dmitry Bivol, (6) Shakur Stevenson, (7) Errol Spence Jr, (8) Artur Beterbiev, (9) Devin Haney, (10) Kenshiro Teraji
As somebody vehemently in opposition to 10-10 rounds, I can’t betray my rules by having Inoue and Crawford share the highest spot. It’d undoubtedly save me some waffling, although.
Right here’s my pondering, which I’ll admit may very well be tainted by my admitted bias in direction of Japanese fighters. Each Inoue and Crawford humiliated unified champions, however Errol Spence Jr boasted a far stronger physique of labor than Stephen Fulton. In a vacuum, Crawford’s was the higher efficiency. Factor is, we’ve to acknowledge that Inoue walked into a brand new weight class, instantly challenged the hardest man there, and completely wiped the ground with him. That, to me, deserves some weight when contemplating “pound-for-pound” standing. Plus, Crawford straight-up brutalizing Spence could have been extra visually spectacular, but it surely’s value contemplating that Inoue outclassed Fulton’s greatest weapon and beat him in a mid-range battle when most anticipated him to wrestle there however take over in opposition to the ropes.
On a extra subjective notice, I personally nonetheless have a neater time imagining Crawford dropping than Inoue dropping, although each have the potential to be three-weight undisputed.
Lewis Watson
(1) Terence Crawford, (2) Naoya Inoue, (3) Oleksandr Usyk, (4) Dmitry Bivol, (5) Artur Beterbiev, (6) Devin Haney, (7) Canelo Alvarez, (8) Kenshiro Teraji, (9) Kenshiro Teraji, (10) Juan Francisco Estrada
Inoue was my P4P king on Tuesday night time for roughly 4 and a bit days till Terence Crawford placed on an ATG efficiency in opposition to Errol Spence. It’s uncommon that you simply see such an ideal, full efficiency in a struggle that was pitched as a 50-50 super-fight, making Spence appear like simply one other welterweight contender. For that reasoning, Spence drops out of the highest 10, simply, and type of begrudgingly, however regardless of his bravery he took a hell of a beat down from Bud, and there are many fighters on the periphery that may profit and bounce in (Estrada).
Inoue can really feel onerous performed by if he’s studying this over a morning matcha. He’s my favorite fighter and completely terrifying, however Crawford’s full skill-set and dominance over Spence is not possible to disregard.
