Inoue signed a co-promotional deal with Top Rank in 2019, an indicator of his potential to one day be a top draw in the United States. When it comes to his ring skills, Inoue earned the highest marks of any fighter on the Star Index ballot. Despite being a bantamweight, he carries significant power that has produced some highlight-reel stoppages and some big wins against established veterans such as Juan Carlos Payano and Nonito Donaire. The 29-year-old is an absolute menace in the ring. Stock evaluation: The Japanese star is nicknamed "Monster" for a reason. Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images
Boxing star tier list series#
Record: 22-0, 19 KOs Naoya Inoue is a unified bantamweight world champion, winner of the World Boxing Super Series and big star in his home country of Japan. Naoya Inoue, unified bantamweight champion After that, he wants perhaps the hottest name in boxing - "Tank" Davis.Ģ. He has agreed to terms to face Javier Fortuna, a former junior lightweight champion. This requires moving up his competition level, which started in 2020 before Garcia went on a hiatus to address his mental health. What's next: Garcia wants to establish himself as one of the top lightweights in the world. If Garcia proves that his work with the gloves matches the glamor, his star power could be transcendent.
Since Garcia became a notable pro, all the things surrounding his persona have outsized his ring credentials. 1 on the list is why he has been highly touted by many in the sport. X-factor: Of all the fighters who made this year's Star Index, Garcia's ring skills were ranked the lowest by the voters. And that's what being a star is truly about. Very few athletes carry Garcia's mainstream appeal. Most recently, he appeared alongside Portland Trail Blazers star (and massive boxing fan) Damian Lillard in a Gatorade commercial. He has 8.8 million followers on Instagram, a medium he absolutely dominates with content like his "Body Shot Challenge." In 2021, he became co-owner of MARLOWE, a men's skincare brand. The 23-year-old amassed a legion of social media followers before he ever came close to sniffing a title. Stock evaluation: For years, the boxing industry has been infatuated with Garcia. Record: 22-0, 18 KOs Lightweight Ryan Garcia is a very talented fighter inside the ring, and a very popular one outside of it. Here's a look at who made (and missed) the cut. Given the volatility of the sport and how quickly things change, next year's Star Index surely could include popular fighters who just missed the cut, like Tim Tszyu, Jaron Ennis, Regis Prograis, Vergil Ortiz, Edgar Berlanga and others.įighters who have headlined pay-per-view cards were excluded from consideration. Having a mix of all the right things is crucial when it comes to being a prizefighter. Other fighters such as George Kambosos Jr., have shown they can compete and win belts but are lacking in other key categories that make stars. 1 fighter in this year's Star Index, his commercial appeal outpaces his resume, which also explains why he has garnered so much buzz throughout his career. Instead, the formula tries to account for many of the factors that truly turn a fighter into a star.įor those such as Ryan Garcia, the No. What makes the Star Index different from the pound-for-pound list is that it doesn't merely try to measure the quality of fighters, regardless of their weight class. Each voter ranked fighters on ring skills, potential, marketability and drawing power, with the latter categories weighted more heavily. The voters tasked with creating ESPN's pound-for-pound list were asked to judge some of the sport's top male and female fighters based on four weighted criteria. To find the next crop of stars, we're introducing the Star Index. Gervonta "Tank" Davis is also entering that category after carrying another big event this past weekend virtually on his own. are just a few of the names that are recognized in and out of the sport. Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury and Errol Spence Jr.
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