The Magno’s USA Prime 10 has been a Fourth of July custom for years, courting again to even earlier than I began writing for FightHype.com. This yr (a couple of days late), we have now some readability in the direction of the highest of the checklist, however an absolute logjam on the backside, the place inactivity, controversy, and lack of general resume depth make it onerous to clarify rankings at no. 9 and no. 10.
Anyway, right here I’m with my yearly stab at who’s who and who’s the place amongst American fighters. And, per regular disclaimer, that is all very subjective and 100% my standpoint, primarily based on my tackle a fighter’s inherent expertise/talent, latest physique of labor, and general resume. If you happen to disagree, good for you.
1. Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs)
Crawford’s dominant win over Errol Spence final July 29 was enormous and greater than sufficient to as soon as once more earn him the highest spot on this checklist. His inactivity since that career-defining victory has been a serious disappointment, as has his unwillingness to even entertain a bout with next-in-line welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis. “Bud” is scheduled to maneuver up in weight to tackle WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov August 3 in Los Angeles, in what many see as a child step in the direction of a potential big-money conflict with tremendous middleweight champ Saul Alvarez.
2. Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs)
This previous month, “Tank” walked down and finally blew away a really succesful and bonafide Prime 5 light-weight challenger in Frank Martin. It was his first combat since doing the identical to Ryan Garcia in April of 2023. As is the case with Terence Crawford, inactivity and an obvious unwillingness to fulfill the elite in his weight vary has upset, even within the face of explosive and elite-level virtuoso performances.
3. Jesse Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs)
Over the course of the final two years, “Bam’s” resume stands out amongst US expertise. His most up-to-date dominant efficiency in stopping Juan Francisco Estrada provides heft to a physique of labor that already options names reminiscent of Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Carlos Cuadras, and Sunny Edwards. At simply 24 years of age, he’s already a prime 3 presence on the American scene and arguments could possibly be made that he belongs even increased.
4. David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs)
Benavidez confirmed his standing because the indeniable and undeniably deserving prime contender to tremendous middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez with a one-sided beating and stoppage of Demetrius Andrade final November. An incapacity to land that large Canelo combat, nevertheless, led him to a transfer as much as mild heavyweight, the place he just lately beat former world champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk by way of decisive unanimous determination.
5. Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs)
An impressively dominant beating of Josh Taylor final yr was adopted up by a frustratingly uneven efficiency versus Jamaine Ortiz and, most just lately, a one-sided determination over the restricted Steve Claggett. Thus has gone the irritating profession movement of Lopez, who completely has the expertise to be an elite participant, however is suffering from inconsistent ring performances.
6. Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs)
The 27-year-old Stevenson has been his personal worst enemy at instances by favoring a safety-first method within the ring, regardless of having the talent and expertise to placed on electrifying performances. Now on the precipice of promotional free company, his uninspiring factors win over Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday did little to spice up his profile. Expertise-wise, nevertheless, he’s the true deal.
7. Jaron Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs)
Just lately signed to Matchroom Boxing, the Philadelphia fighter is coming again residence to face the pedestrian David Avanesyan in what’s presupposed to be the kickoff to a run at attaining true star standing. Ennis’ expertise is simple and his resume is crammed with stable “finest accessible” opposition, however he must land an enormous combat towards en elite-level opponent to cement his standing as an elite, himself.
8. O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs)
After capturing the vacant WBC tremendous featherweight title versus Rey Vargas in early 2023, Foster had defended twice versus high-end expertise earlier than dropping the belt to Brazil’s Robson Conceicao by way of obscenely controversial break up determination on the Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan undercard.
9. Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) / Vergil Ortiz Jr. (21-0, 21 KOs) / Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs)
Spence has been inactive since his stunning blowout loss to Terence Crawford final July and whereas there’s a legit debate available about his skill to as soon as once more develop into an elite-level participant, his physique of labor is deep and spectacular. That deserves a level of deference and a share of the no. 9 spot on this checklist.
Ortiz is a dynamic ring presence with a powerful physique of labor for a fighter at his stage. Inactivity between 2022 and 2024 stored him a step behind his contemporaries, however a transfer as much as 154 and an obvious dedication to combating extra continuously has introduced him again into prominence.
As soon as a really deserving prime canine amongst his friends because the absolutely unified junior middleweight champ, Charlo’s inventory has fallen enormously after a tepid/timid loss to Saul Alvarez final September. Inactive since then, and with nothing on the horizon, he offers off the vibe of somebody who has cashed out on his profession.
10. Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) / Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs)
Haney presents a puzzling conundrum relating to ranking him on a listing like this. His win over Regis Prograis, added to wins over Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos, make the case for a excessive ranking. His ugly drubbing by the hands of Ryan Garcia this previous April, nevertheless, is tough to miss, regardless of Garcia popping soiled for a banned substance and coming in over the burden restrict. There’s something to be stated for the road of thought that a lot of Haney’s success has come from going through opposition a lot smaller than him on combat night time. That’s an enormous qualifier relating to judging a physique of labor. Within the meantime, he stays on the fringes of this checklist.
Fundora’s rating could very properly be a one-and-done occasion. Fundora was in a position to determination Tim Tszyu this previous March (as a late substitute for Keith Thurman) in a bout the place the Australian star was clearly handicapped by a grotesque gash on his head that gushed blood into his face all night time. Nonetheless, Fundora gained, legitimately, and received that “W” towards one of many sport’s prime rising stars. However, given his technical/tactical weaknesses and the truth that he was coming off a KO loss to Brian Mendoza within the bout earlier than Tszyu, his time close to the highest could also be short-lived.
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