The NBA’s Christmas Day slate has been highly anticipated since the 2024-25 schedule was announced in August. The five-game schedule is filled with superstar matchups, highly anticipated rivalries and a few holiday debuts for some rising stars.
Victor Wembanyama, fresh off a handful of history-making performances, makes his Christmas debut as the San Antonio Spurs take on Karl-Anthony Towns and the new-look New York Knicks. Will the French phenom Dunk the Halls, or can Jalen Brunson & Co. get a win in front of the home crowd at the Garden? In a rematch of the Western Conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Dallas Mavericks in their second meeting this season. Will Anthony Edwards get the best of the Mavs this time?
The dominant Boston Celtics will take on the struggling Philadelphia 76ers to kick off the evening slate, while LeBron James and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers will face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. James is the career leader in points (476) and games played (18) on Christmas. Lastly, MVP-favorite Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will take on the host Phoenix Suns to wrap up the holiday festivities.
Which stars will shine the brightest this holiday season? What teams will need a Christmas miracle to boost them to the postseason? Our NBA insiders preview all five matchups by answering some of the biggest questions surrounding these teams.
What are the next steps this season for the Spurs to become playoff contenders with Victor Wembanyama?
In Thursday’s win over Atlanta, the Spurs finally played with the starting lineup they envisioned at the start of training camp. Injuries to Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan kept them out for extended periods, thrusting rookie Stephon Castle into the starting lineup along with sharpshooter Julian Champagnie. Now that everybody is healthy, it’s up to the coaching staff to figure out optimal lineups to play alongside the franchise centerpiece. Acting head coach Mitch Johnson said it’s a good problem to have, especially considering all the experience gained by reserves playing more prominent roles earlier in the season. Wembanyama is already doing his part by gradually picking up the diverse strategies teams are using to defend him and learning how to use teammates more effectively in attacking them. — Michael Wright
Will the return of Mitchell Robinson be enough to give the Knicks a deep postseason run?
With how the Knicks are playing (third in the East) — and with how much they invested in upgrading their starting five this past offseason, with trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges — they have expectations to make a deep postseason run regardless of when Robinson comes back. The team is dominant offensively (second in the league) and has made considerable strides on defense over the past month despite a slow start. A healthy Robinson will give the team depth at center (a must given Towns’ occasional foul troubles) and improved rim protection. — Chris Herring
What will Wemby’s Christmas debut against the Knicks look like (KAT vs. Wemby)?
Dominant, if Wembanyama’s recent production is any indication. Over five games since returning from low back soreness, Wembanyama has averaged 29 PPG on near 40% 3-point shooting as well as 5.2 BPG, including a career-high-tying 10 Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Because of Wembanyama’s dangerous shooting, New York may put forward OG Anunoby on him rather than Towns. But that would give Wembanyama a massive eight-inch height advantage that Anunoby will seek to negate with his lower center of gravity. Anunoby defended Wembanyama in their lone meeting in November 2023, when Wembanyama scored 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting. — Kevin Pelton
What will it take for the Wolves to climb out of the play-in?
It’s a must for Minnesota to be an elite defensive team, which was the foundation of the Timberwolves’ success last season. That has happened in December, when the Wolves have had the stingiest defense in the NBA, allowing only 108.2 points per 100 possessions. Now, Minnesota has to work its way out of the muck offensively, which likely requires Donte DiVincenzo busting out of an extended slump. The Wolves anticipated that DiVincenzo’s volume 3-point shooting would boost their offense when they acquired him as part of the Towns trade, but he has shot only 37.3% from the floor and 33.1% from long range so far this season. — Tim MacMahon
What do the Mavs need to have a second-half surge like they did last season?
Stay healthy. This is the best the roster has looked during Luka Doncic’s career, as evidenced by the Mavs’ 6-2 record in games missed by their superstar. The Mavs might upgrade their frontcourt depth before the trade deadline, but unlike the past couple of seasons, Dallas doesn’t have any glaring needs. An opposing general manager told ESPN last week that the Thunder and Mavs are clearly the two best West teams. After a relatively slow start, Doncic’s best is likely yet to come this season, and he’s surrounded by a deep, well-rounded supporting cast. — MacMahon
Which duo dominates Christmas: Luka-Kyrie or Edwards-Randle?
First, we need to see whether Doncic returns to the lineup after missing two games with a heel contusion. Before the injury, Doncic delivered his best game of the season against the Warriors, a 45-point triple-double on 16-of-23 shooting. Having lost wing stopper Derrick Jones Jr. in the offseason, the Mavericks are no longer as well-equipped to defend Anthony Edwards, who went off for a game-high 37 points when these teams played in Minneapolis in October. But it was Doncic and Kyrie Irving who walked away winners, combining for 59 points and 13 assists. — Pelton
Should the 76ers reconsider their strategy and mark this season as a rebuild?
No, and for a variety of reasons. First, with the completely disastrous start, the 76ers enter Christmas with the league’s 24th worst-record with six teams behind them with better lottery odds. Plus, the team in front of them in the Eastern standings, the Brooklyn Nets, just traded their starting point guard, and there’s a chance they could play worse. Philadelphia has stabilized itself after its slow start, and Joel Embiid has impressed in his past couple of games. If the 76ers can have any sort of healthy stretch, they should be able to get themselves into the play-in, and if they can get into the playoffs healthy — a couple of huge ifs — they still believe they can make a deep run. — Tim Bontemps
How long will this dominant Celtics run last?
This season will play a large part in determining that. In its attempt to become the first Celtics team to defend a title since Bill Russell was playing, Boston also has one of the league’s highest payrolls — and is on pace to skyrocket to over $500 million in combined payroll and luxury taxes for the 2025-26 season. If the Celtics win the title, as they are favored to do, it’s virtually impossible to see them making a cost-saving move going into next season. But if they don’t? Well, then the math gets a little more interesting, especially when factoring in the looming sale of the team, which is expected to be completed between now and the end of the regular season. — Bontemps
What’s on the 76ers’ and Celtics’ wish list for this matchup?
For Philadelphia, it’s continued health for Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, who have played together just five times all season. The Sixers have outscored opponents by 13 points per 100 possessions in the 71 minutes all three have played, according to NBA Advanced Stats, but are 2-2 in those games. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has already gotten his Christmas wish: 51 3-point attempts per game, eight more than any other team, and two more makes than the second-place Chicago Bulls. –Pelton
Can LeBron continue to be the gift that keeps on giving through a postseason run for Los Angeles?
In the crowded Western Conference, the Lakers’ playoff projection has varied vastly week to week. They ran out to a 10-4 record and were in third place on Nov. 20. Losses in seven of their next nine games dropped them to No. 10 on Dec. 6, with LeBron James appearing ineffective at best and destructive at worst. James took advantage of the schedule to take eight days off to rehabilitate his left foot and only missed two games. With James back in the lineup, the Lakers won three straight, climbing back to No. 5 in the West on Dec. 21. James was brilliant in Saturday’s win over Sacramento, commanding the defense while punishing the Kings inside, scoring 32 points on 13-for-24 shooting. L.A. should not need nor expect that version of James on a nightly basis to qualify for the playoffs — not if they want James to have something left in the tank for the postseason. But getting that level of engagement out of him, combined with Anthony Davis returning to the MVP form he showed to start the season, will keep L.A. on track for a playoff berth. — Dave McMenamin
How is Dennis Schroder fitting in with Stephen Curry & Co. so far?
The Warriors have only had three games with Dennis Schroder so far but it hasn’t taken him long to show flashes of what he can do. During Saturday’s win at Minnesota, Schroder displayed some of the leadership qualities he will bring beyond his play, initiating player huddles despite it being just his second game. Having another point guard is also going to benefit younger players like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. Podziemski had perhaps his best game of the season in Minnesota with 12 points and seven rebounds. The Warriors will need Schroder to make some outside shots and score, and it will take some time for Schroder to adapt, but he’s already shown why Golden State needs him. “That [Minnesota] game was so illuminating for me,” Kerr said. “Watching Dennis, his leadership, when we talk about point guard, it’s not just how to run pick and roll or guarding the ball, it’s leadership. What he did in that game, his second game with us, barely knowing anybody, pulling young guys aside, pulling the whole group together. He’s a true leader and that’s one of the reasons we wanted him.” — Ohm Youngmisuk
LeBron or Steph: Which superstar will have a better Christmas Day performance?
I’m betting on Curry in part because he gets to play against the weaker defense. The Lakers rank 20th in defensive rating this season, 11 spots behind the Warriors. Curry averaged 33 PPG as Golden State won the season series 3-1 in 2023-24, his highest scoring average against any opponent he faced more than twice. Of course, James was even better against the Warriors, putting up 36.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 10.7 assists in the three games he played head-to-head. — Pelton
What do the Nuggets need before the trade deadline to build around Jokic?
The Nuggets are no longer a top-two team in the Western Conference but three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is still playing like the best player in the world. Jamal Murray is picking up his scoring lately, scoring 24 or more points in the three games prior to Monday night. Michael Porter Jr. (18.4 PPG) and Christian Braun (15.0 PPG) have been solid, as well as Russell Westbrook off the bench, but the Nuggets are in serious need of another reliable outside scorer who can create his own shot if they are to contend. On defense, they also need another perimeter stopper to help Aaron Gordon, Braun and Westbrook. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth doesn’t have a ton of assets to work with, although Porter would likely have to be dealt in any trade for a significant player. But what their record doesn’t necessarily show is the championship chemistry between Porter, Jokic and Murray. — Ohm Youngmisuk
What are the biggest factors holding the Suns back this season and can they overcome them for the postseason?
Just like last season, the biggest factor keeping Phoenix from coalescing is cascading injuries suffered by their stars. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal have each played only 17 games apiece this season. The 36-year-old Durant has been brilliant when he’s been on the court — averaging 27.4 points on 52/42/83 splits — and the Suns have been dreadful without him, going 1-9. While Phoenix has been linked to the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler as a potential trade destination, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 35-year-old Butler comes with his own durability concerns. He’s missed 65 games over the past three seasons. On the plus side, even with the time their stars have missed, the Suns still have the No. 8 offense in the league under new coach Mike Budenholzer. If they can sustain their health — with Butler included or not — the Suns could still make a push from their No. 11 spot in the Western Conference standings by unleashing that offense on the rest of the league. — McMenamin
How do the Suns stop Jokic from crashing their Christmas?
Phoenix’s game plan against Jokic was solid last season. Although Jokic averaged a triple-double against the Suns, Jokic’s 21.1 average game score was his second lowest against any West foe. Phoenix won two of those three games, which is no surprise. When opponents hold Jokic below a game score of 25 this season, Denver has gone 2-3. Familiarity is a plus for the Suns: not only did starting center Jusuf Nurkic play alongside Jokic to start their careers with the Nuggets, so too did new backup Mason Plumlee. — Pelton
Happy holidays everyone! The College Football Playoff has kicked off, with a ton of top-end prospects taking part. Here’s our third 2025 NFL mock draft to unwrap as a present, stuff your stocking, or do whatever else you want.
In this edition, Nate Tice makes the selection of the odd-numbered draft picks while Charles McDonald selects the even. Draft order via Tankathon.
Previous mock drafts:1.0 | 2.0
1. New York Giants — Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Ward seeks explosive plays and will bring a calmness to the QB position, both traits that have been desperately missing in recent years in New York. Ward has things to clean up, namely his heat check moments that can get him in trouble, but pairing Ward with the electric Malik Nabers would bring explosive plays in bunches even as Ward continues to refine his game. — Nate Tice
2. New England Patriots — Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Travis Hunter might be the best overall player in the class, and the Patriots need help at skill positions on offense and defense. Hunter would make a lot of sense as a shutdown cornerback across from Christian Gonzalez and can step in on offense here and there as needed. — Charles McDonald
3. Jacksonville Jaguars — Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Campbell plays like a veteran even at just 20 years old. He can consistently bend and move defenders in the run game and has the footwork, awareness and hand technique to consistently win in pass protection, even without ideal arm length. Whether he stays out at OT (I think he can) or has to move inside, I think Campbell is the best overall offensive lineman in this class and a winning player who would boost a Jags line with his maturity no matter where he ends up starting.
4. Tennessee Titans — Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Titans need a quarterback desperately, but they could also use a topflight cornerback to pair with some of the front seven talent that they already have accumulated. Will Johnson, step on down.
5. Cleveland Browns — Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Here’s the pass rusher with the most upside in this draft. Carter is twitchy and can bend around the corner. He still has to work on his overall consistency, especially against the run, where he can take himself out of too many plays. The Browns have gigantic questions looming at QB and even the future of their OL beyond 2025, but the thought of pairing Carter with Myles Garrett is exciting. And terrifying for offenses.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald’s third 2025 NFL mock draft is here, just in time to be unwrapped around the holidays. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
6. Las Vegas Raiders — Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Another team with a dire quarterback situation, the Raiders opt to take Sanders to shore up that position for them. They can’t walk into another season with Aidan O’Connell as their best option, even though he’s a good backup option to have moving forward.
After battling an ankle injury at the beginning of the year, Williams has started to ramp up his play — and the production has followed. Williams has an excellent combination of length, strength and explosiveness. With the added bonus of being able to affect the game from multiple spots along the line. His best ball is ahead of him and would be a fun fit next to Derrick Brown for a Panthers defense needing needle-movers.
8. New York Jets — Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Gang Green’s defense still has some of the top players in the NFL, but their depth was lacking this season as their defensive performance took a nosedive following the firing of Robert Saleh. Graham is a solid reinforcement for Quinnen Williams on interior defensive line.
9. Chicago Bears — Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/OG, Texas
Banks is explosive, plays balanced and can have impact snaps in the run and pass games. He’d be best at guard as a pro, which would be a great fit for the Bears who desperately need a boost on the inside and at right guard. The Bears targeting positional versatility doesn’t hurt at all, though.
10. New Orleans Saints—Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Saints can’t be picky at this point in their roster building journey. They’ll need help just about everywhere as they try to rebuild while staying cap compliant. Starks is a strong player to add on the backend of their defense who can play any safety position.
11. San Francisco 49ers—Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Conerly has light feet and can get to the second level in a hurry. His strength was a big question mark heading into this season and even over the first month. But he has really put it together over the second half of the season, showing off the ability to anchor and sustain blocks with much more consistency and playing with much better awareness for post-snap movement. Conerly is athletic enough to stay on the outside, but I could see his skill set translating across the offensive line. Perfect for a 49ers offense that needs to inject talent up front, and possibly start thinking about a Trent Williams succession plan.
12. Miami Dolphins—Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
Miami found a hit last year when they picked Chop Robinson out of Penn State to bolster their pass rush, and they dip in the well again here. Walker can be an all-around weapon for the Dolphins’ front seven, but he’s at his best when he’s moving forward and wreaking havoc against opposing offensive lines.
13. Indianapolis Colts — Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
The Colts’ defense has actually stepped up in recent weeks. They could still use a player at outside cornerback to pair with JuJu Brents when he returns from injury. Enter Revel, a cornerback with a prototypical build and the easy movement ability to develop into a true outside one-on-one defender. Revel suffered a season-ending ACL injury in September, but his aggressive play when he was on the field should keep him high on boards. Plus he has the length and other traits that make sense for what general manager Chris Ballard and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley prefer at the position.
Cincinnati needs to get more stout and physical up front to get back to being a real contender in the AFC — there might not be a better player to do that than the 330-pound Grant. He might not be a stat-stuffer in the NFL, but he can plug holes and has some real upside.
This would be a huge get for the Cowboys. McMillan is my easy WR1 in this class and offers true X-receiver upside at the next level. His size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds), catching range, and surprisingly easy bend for such a big receiver gives him matchup-wrecking potential. Pairing McMillan’s ability to win outside with CeeDee Lamb operating from the slot and Dallas would have ideal synergy between two pass-catchers. Ashton Jeanty is exciting, but McMillan would supercharge this offense and passing attack and has the added boost of fitting their personnel, even down to what Dak Prescott likes.
Arizona needs to shore up its defensive line if it wants to get serious about winning the NFC West. Harmon from Oregon is a talented player who can help the Cardinals get better up front immediately.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
It makes sense that Stewart was a former big-time recruit with how easy of a mover he is. Stewart can line up across the defensive line and his size, athleticism and do-everything style fits with what head coach Todd Bowles likes to do up front that changes based on the situation. It might be a bit of a hat-on-a-hat situation with what the Buccaneers have currently on their roster, but the other position that I looked at, inside linebacker, might be a reach here.
18. Seattle Seahawks — Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
No team has a need for offensive line help more than the Seahawks. Booker is a stout interior player who will be able to get them moving in the right direction again — and could be one of the missing pieces they need to beat some of the tougher teams in the NFL.
19. Atlanta Falcons — Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Even with the Falcons starting to pick up some sacks in recent weeks, injecting their defensive front with more talent seems like their obvious near-term plan (I feel like I could have written this every year for the past decade). I actually like where the Falcons sit with their offensive personnel, but adding a talented player like Nolen, a more dynamic interior player than what Atlanta currently has, would give head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake a fun player to work with and move around on their front. And his physicality would help the Falcons out on all downs.
20. Los Angeles Chargers — Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Chargers’ offense clearly has a vision and a plan, but they need more talented (and physical) players to make that happen. Warren might be one of the best players in the class, but falls to this pick due to that pesky positional value argument.
21. Houston Texans — Marcus Mbow, OT/OG, Purdue
Texans. Offensive line. Texans. Offensive line. We will see this pairing for the next hundred-plus days and thousand-plus mock drafts that happen. Justifiably so! C.J. Stroud is constantly under duress and the Texans’ run game is one of the least efficient in the league, despite Joe Mixon’s best efforts. Mbow is a very good athlete who springs out of his stance. He could look to add some lower body strength, but he plays tough and is able to bend and stay balanced in space, while also already showing off the ability to cut off defenders on the backside. He would boost the Texans’ offensive line no matter what spot he’d end up at.
22. Denver Broncos — Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The quest to continue building around Bo Nix continues for the Broncos. The cupboard might not be as empty as previously thought on offense for the Broncos, but if they’re going to make this Nix thing work, they’ll need a few more wide receivers.
23. Los Angeles Rams — Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
The Rams’ ever-revolving offensive line actually gets a first-round pick to plop in. Alaric Jackson is a free agent after this season and Rob Havenstein is another year older. Ersery would give the Rams a player with dozens of college starts under his belt, with still more to tap into and develop. Ersery has a large frame and plays with some pop on contact, while also being a solid mover in such a big frame and flashing improving hand placement (something that he could still clean up). Ersery would fit the Rams’ preference and give them the best of both worlds of having the experience to potentially play early and a player who could have more to develop for the future.
24. Washington Commanders — Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Campbell is the first true linebacker off the board, and he goes to a team that could stand to get a smidge faster on the second level of the defense. In a world where college football isn’t producing many true first-round talents at the position, the Crimson Tide product could be one of them.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers — Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
I know the Steelers don’t typically (or mostly ever) draft wide receivers in the first round. But this Steelers offense has been lethargic when George Pickens isn’t on the field. And while players at other positions could be intriguing here for the Steelers — another cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr., swapping out Najee Harris for Ashton Jeanty, possibly even a tight end like Colston Loveland — I went with the dynamic Burden, whose production was up and down in 2024 but his explosiveness was still apparent. Burden lined up mostly in the slot during college as Missouri liked to move him around the formation, but he showed off the ability to win from the outside and has the YAC and big-play potential to add to any offense. He fits perfectly opposite Pickens and in Arthur Smith’s offense.
A big, heavy-handed pass rusher for a team that loves big, heavy-handed pass rushers, Jackson had a solid year for Arkansas off the edge and projects well to the next level for defenses that like their pass rushers to be well-rounded players.
27. Green Bay Packers — Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
The FBS leader in sacks, Green is a riser among prospects. Green plays hard every snap and will even be disruptive against double teams. He’s only a redshirt sophomore but has already flashed secondary pass rush moves. It’s not all perfect and Green can get washed out when he doesn’t connect. Green’s athleticism, hard playing style, and flashes of advanced play remains an intriguing profile for the Packers to include.
28. Philadelphia Eagles — Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Eagles always love drafting ahead for future needs on the offensive line, and Simmons could fill that role as an eventual replacement for Lane Johnson. Simmons has the talent to be a starting offensive tackle in the NFL, but needs some refinement.
29. Buffalo Bills — James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The Bills look to constantly add to their defensive line and do so again with Pearce. While Pearce can be up and down against the run, he has upside as an impactful pass rusher. Pearce is long and can be a handful for offensive tackles right at the snap of the ball. He can be easily taken out of the play a bit too often, especially against the run. Pearce could continue to develop his consistency for a Bills franchise that prefers to have a deep rotational line under head coach Sean McDermott.
30. Minnesota Vikings — Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
A dynamic interior presence would really take the Vikings’ defense to the next level. Williams could be that guy for the Vikings as he’s shown some real penetrative ability at Ohio State.
31. Detroit Lions — Jonah Savaiinaea, OG, Arizona
A team built through the trenches is exactly where my eyes went to to keep the good times rolling in Detroit. The Lions have remained one of the best offenses in the NFL despite signing new guards this offseason. The Lions keep the assembly line going with Savaiinaea, a guard who has a good thick build and plays consistently balanced. Savaiinaea is smart and knows how to use his hands. He plays right tackle for Arizona, but I like him best on the inside at the next level.
32. Kansas City Chiefs — Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
A steal! Ashton Jeanty is one of the two or three best players in the class but winds up in the hands of the Chiefs, who should be thrilled about being able to add him to the offense. Jeanty has a rare combination of strength, balance and speed that will make him a nightmare for NFL defenses.
All the young NFL quarterbacks have their signature moments at some point, a play or a drive that shows off their talent and screams to the rest of the league that they are destined for special things.
Jayden Daniels had his moment Sunday.
The rookie quarterback for the Washington Commanders beat the Chicago Bears earlier this season on a Hail Mary, but that’s essentially an accident, not a moment. Any quarterback with a big arm is capable of that.
What we saw him do Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles is different. It’s career defining. It’s essentially sending out a loud message to the rest of the NFL that they will have to deal with him for at least the next decade.
The Commanders beat the Eagles, 36-33, thanks to a 9-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Jamison Crowder with six seconds left. He started that drive at his own 43-yard line with 1:52 left and promptly led the Commanders to the victory.
Daniels threw five touchdown passes, and he did it against an Eagles defense that had been dominant over the course of their 10-game winning streak heading into Sunday. In addition to the five touchdown passes, he also led the Commanders with 81 yards rushing.
Daniels is the first rookie quarterback to throw for five or more touchdowns and rush for 65 or more yards in a single game in NFL history.
The clutch gene, which all great quarterbacks have, is what makes him special. He never seems to get rattled. On a fourth-and-11 in the third quarter, he ran for 29 yards and a big first down. Before Sunday’s game, I said on our pre-game show that the Eagles game would be a proving game for Daniels and the Commanders.
It was for both in a big way, The Commanders, who are up to eighth in my Power Rankings this week, are 10-5 with two games to play. It’s unlikely they will catch the Eagles to win the NFC East, but they served notice that they will be a tough out come playoff time — no matter who they play.
Daniels made sure that happened Sunday, and in the process locked up the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. It’s special moments that decide those type of awards, and Daniels had his to beat the Eagles, a signature moment for sure.
Biggest Movers
Rk
Teams
Chg
Rcrd
1
Chiefs
They just keep on winning. The offense is starting to click, which is not a good thing for the rest of the league — starting this week against the Steelers.
—
14-1-0
2
Bills
They had a letdown against the Patriots, and it almost cost them. But good teams find ways to win games like that, which they did.
1
12-3-0
3
Lions
The offense showed it can move the football in any type of weather in the blowout of the Bears. The undermanned defense gave up yards, but made stops when needed.
1
13-2-0
4
Vikings
If they win out, they have the top seed in the NFC. But the schedule is tough with games against Green Bay and Detroit to close it out.
1
13-2-0
5
Packers
They can now play a physical brand of football, which will matter come playoff time. They need to show that off this week against the Vikings in a tough game.
1
11-4-0
6
Eagles
Losing Jalen Hurts to a concussion against Washington hurt, but the defense let them down as well. They have to get back on track after Jayden Daniels carved them up.
4
12-3-0
7
Ravens
By beating the Steelers, they are back in the division race. The defense is making strides at the right time.
1
10-5-0
8
Commanders
They can lock up a playoff spot by beating the Falcons this week. Jayden Daniels is on his way to being the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
2
10-5-0
9
Steelers
Two consecutive losses have set this team’s hopes back some in terms of trying to win the division. And here come the Chiefs on Christmas Day. They can’t afford another loss.
2
10-5-0
10
Rams
They just keep on winning and appear to be on their way to the division title. It wasn’t pretty against the Jets, but they found a way.
1
9-6-0
11
Buccaneers
Losing to the Cowboys takes them out of the top spot in the division. Now they need the Falcons to lose one, and they have to win out to make the playoffs.
1
8-7-0
12
Chargers
The Chargers bounced back from the blowout loss to the Bucs with a nice division victory over the Broncos. One more victory and they are in the playoffs.
1
9-6-0
13
Broncos
They haven’t locked up a playoff berth yet, but they are close. The loss against the Chargers wasn’t a good look after taking a lead early.
4
9-6-0
14
Texans
The loss of receiver Tank Dell to a knee injury will be damning for them. When he went out against the Chiefs, the offense became lifeless. Now they face a tough Ravens team.
—
9-6-0
15
Bengals
They aren’t done yet, but they are barely hanging on. They essentially play a playoff game this week with Denver.
3
7-8-0
16
Colts
Jonathan Taylor bounced back from his terrible fumble in the loss to Denver to rush for over 200 yards against the Titans. They are still alive, but need help.
1
7-8-0
17
Seahawks
Losing two straight games has their playoff chances slimming by the week. They need to win their last two and still might not get in.
2
8-7-0
18
Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. didn’t do a ton in his first start, but he didn’t need to against the Giants. But he will have to do a lot more against the Commanders this week on the road.
3
8-7-0
19
Cowboys
Two consecutive victories might be saving Mike McCarthy’s job — and probably should. They are still playing hard, even though they are done.
3
7-8-0
20
Panthers
Bryce Young is playing good football. That has to give them hope for the future.
6
4-11-0
21
Cardinals
They were eliminated from playoff consideration after losing to Carolina. They were a nice little story for a while, but the undermanned roster caught up with them.
5
7-8-0
22
Dolphins
They are still alive after beating the 49ers, but barely. They ran the ball in that game as well as they have all season, which keyed the victory.
3
7-8-0
23
49ers
The season full of misery is done. The injuries did this team in early this season and they never recovered. What a disappointment.
3
6-9-0
24
Bears
The defense didn’t even show up in the loss to the Lions. They looked disinterested, sort of like they were already in vacation mode.
1
4-11-0
25
Browns
They have to figure out the quarterback position next season — and it can’t be Deshaun Watson. They have issues going forward there.
1
3-12-0
26
Saints
The injuries have crippled this team. It’s a shame how bad they are right now. The question is who will be the coach next year.
1
5-10-0
27
Jets
So much for the push by the offense the past two weeks. Aaron Rodgers was bad against the Rams, and the coaching decisions were even worse.
—
4-11-0
28
Raiders
They lost by winning. They now wouldn’t draft in the top-2 spots, which means they would lose out on the top-2 quarterback prospects. Beating Jacksonville was not a good thing.
4
3-12-0
29
Patriots
They competed against the Bills, which is progress. It also sounds like head coach Jerod Mayo will get a chance to be back for his second season.
1
3-12-0
30
Jaguars
The silver lining of their awful season is rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. He is a future star at the position, but he’s one of the few on the roster.
2
3-12-0
31
Titans
They showed some fight in coming back against the Colts, but they fell in too big of a hole. They need to find a quarterback.
2
3-12-0
32
Giants
They are awful and heading for the top pick in the draft. That’s the good news for their failures, but they are tough to watch now.
Dacă sezonul s-ar încheia astăzi, primii doi clasați la votul Jucătorul defensiv al anului ar vota, sau cel puțin ar trebuifie Victor Wembanyama și Dyson Daniels în această ordine. Luni seara, ei s-au potrivit unul cu celălalt cu un opt în coloana de statistici cel mai strâns asociat cu priceperea lor defensivă.
Wembanyama a înregistrat opt blocuri într-o înfrângere a lui Spurs în fața celor de la 76ers, în timp ce Daniels a avut opt furturi într-o victorie a lui Hawks împotriva lui Timberwolves.
Wembanyama, în special, se află la un alt nivel defensiv chiar acum, cu un incredibil de 29 de blocuri combinate în ultimele sale patru jocuri. Sâmbătă, el a devenit doar al șaselea jucător din istorie care a înregistrat 30 de puncte și 10 blocaje în același joc și este acum primul jucător de la Anthony Davis care a blocat cel puțin opt lovituri în două jocuri consecutive.
Acesta este al 63-lea joc consecutiv în care Wembanyama a înregistrat cel puțin un șut blocat, un record Spurs. A avut patru blocuri în primul sfert și șase în primele 16 minute luni. Apropo, Wemby a făcut și șase triple în Philadelphia. Singurul alt jucător din istorie care a blocat cel puțin opt șuturi și a făcut cel puțin șase puncte de 3 în același joc este Brook Lopez, care a făcut-o în 2017.
Filtrați blocurile până la șapte, iar din moment ce NBA a adăugat linia de 3 puncte în urmă cu 45 de ani, Lopez este încă singurul care nu este numit Wembanyama care a blocat șapte lovituri și a făcut șase 3-uri în același joc. Wemby a făcut-o de două ori în mai puțin de 100 de jocuri în carieră.
Între timp, Daniels — australianul cunoscut și sub numele de „Marele Hoț de Barieră” (una dintre cele mai bune porecle pe care le veți auzi vreodată) — și-a ridicat furturile de lider în ligă la 89, cu 33 de alegeri mai multe decât următorul cel mai de succes hoț, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander din Oklahoma City (56). Wembanyama, între timp, este liderul blocurilor din liga cu 31 (95-64 peste Walker Kessler). Sunt marje ridicole.
Cele 89 de furări ale lui Daniels sunt cel mai mare număr din primele 28 de jocuri ale unui sezon de la Nate McMillan în 1993, conform Universității NBA. Cele opt furări de luni nu reprezintă doar un record în carieră pentru Daniels, dar marchează și a șasea oară în acest sezon când a avut cel puțin șase furări.
Nimeni nu a avut șase furturi în șase meciuri diferite într-un sezon întreg de la Chris Paul în 2008-09. Din nou, Daniels a făcut-o în 28 de jocuri. La naiba, au existat doar patru astfel de jocuri de către toți ceilalți jucători din liga combinate în acest sezon.
Împreună, Daniels și Wembanyama sunt singurii doi jucători din ligă care au pus 10 stocuri (furturi plus blocuri) într-un joc din acest sezon. Daniels a avut luni două blocuri pentru a merge cu cele opt furări ale sale, făcându-l cel mai tânăr jucător din istorie care a făcut asta.
Dacă Daniels reușește să rămână sănătos, are o șansă reală de a deveni doar al șaptelea jucător din istorie și primul în 35 de ani, să înregistreze 250 de furturi într-un singur sezon. El a ratat doar două jocuri până acum și are o medie de 3,2 furturi pe noapte. Are 14 doar în ultimele două jocuri.
Poate că va fi greu pentru unii alegători să-l claseze corect pe Daniels pe scara DPOY, având în vedere că Hawks sunt o apărare aproape de jos 10, dar aceasta este doar o poziție delirante de luat. Acest tip nu este doar un comerciant de furturi; el perturbă totul. El este, de asemenea, liderul de devieri al ligii cu o milă. El își asumă cele mai grele misiuni defensive în fiecare seară și face viața un iad celor mai buni marcatori din lume. Steaua din Minnesota Anthony Edwards a fost luni 7 pentru 20 de pe teren, cu cinci turnover-uri.
Într-o lume în care Wembanyama nu a existat, ar fi Daniels cu un caz legitim ca cel mai bun fundaș din lume.
Sondajul AP Top 25 de baschet universitar publicat luni a prezentat Tennessee menținându-se pe locul 1, în ciuda unei creșteri puternice de la numărul 2 Auburn. Voluntarii au primit 41 de voturi pentru primul loc, în timp ce Tigrii au obținut celelalte 21 de voturi pentru primul loc.
Săptămâna trecută, Auburn a primit 12 voturi pe primul loc de la alegători. Tigrii vin dintr-o victorie cu 87-69 asupra lui Purdue săptămâna trecută pentru a-și consolida argumentul ca echipă de top din țară. Auburn și-a câștigat ultimele patru jocuri de când a suferit prima pierdere la începutul acestei luni în fața lui Duke pe drum.
Kentucky a coborât șase locuri pe locul 10 după o înfrângere cu 85-65 în fața Ohio State în CBS Sports Classic weekendul trecut. Wildcats au intrat în weekendul trecut după ce au câștigat ultimele trei jocuri de când au suferit prima pierdere în fața lui Clemson în Provocarea masculină ACC/SEC.
Ohio State a folosit un efort dominant în repriza a doua pentru a trece prin Kentucky pentru a obține cea mai mare victorie a antrenorului Jake Diebler în timpul mandatului în program.
Top 25 AP
Primele 25 de echipe din sondajul de baschet al colegiului The Associated Press, cu voturi pentru primul loc în paranteză, înregistrări până duminică, puncte totale bazate pe 25 de puncte pentru un vot pe primul loc până la un punct pentru un vot pe locul 25 și clasamentul de săptămâna trecută :
Primind și voturi: Maryland 119, Dayton 108, Drake 91, St. John's 90, Memphis 65, Michigan 50, Georgia 45, Pittsburgh 27, West Virginia 26, Missouri 25, Ohio St. 23, North Carolina 20, Clemson 18, Arizona St 13, Utah St. 9, Wisconsin 9, Indiana 8, Texas Tech 8, St. Bonaventure 4, Penn St. 3.
Auburn reduce diferența pentru numărul 1
Săptămâna trecută, Auburn a primit 12 voturi pe primul loc de la alegători. Săptămâna aceasta, Tigrii au mai obținut nouă voturi pentru primul loc pentru a reduce diferența dintre echipa de top din țară. Tennessee (pe bună dreptate) rămâne numărul 1, dar Auburn este pe călcâie. Tigrii au unul dintre cele mai bune cv-uri generale și este greu să vezi pe cineva în afară de programul lui Bruce Pearl sărind pe locul 1 dacă Tennessee ar pierde în viitorul imediat.
Oklahoma ar trebui să fie clasată mai sus
Oklahoma a fost una dintre cele mai surprinzătoare echipe din acest sezon. Sooners au început sezonul cu 12-0 și vin dintr-o victorie dramatică în fața Michigan săptămâna trecută. Oklahoma a scăzut cu un loc în sondajul de săptămâna trecută și a urcat cu doar două locuri în această săptămână. Deși CV-ul (actualul) al Oklahomei nu este la fel de puternic ca unele dintre celelalte echipe care le au în frunte în sondaj, există un argument puternic pentru ca Sooners (cel puțin) să fie clasat în top 10. A fost surprinzător când Oklahoma a căzut ultima. săptămâna, și este și mai șocant că alegătorii nu-i plasează pe Sooners mai sus. Vestea bună este că Oklahoma va avea șansa de a-și îmbunătăți CV-ul în curând, când începe jocul SEC.
SEC rămâne dominantă în sondaje
Pentru prima dată de la începutul sezonului 2012-2013, o ligă are cel puțin 10 echipe clasate în Top 25. Acea conferință ar fi SEC, care cuprinde cinci echipe clasate în primele 10 și 10 echipe clasate la general. . Arkansas și Mississippi State au reintrat în sondaj săptămâna aceasta. Statul Mississippi l-a supărat pe Memphis pe drum, iar Arkansas a câștigat al cincilea joc consecutiv săptămâna trecută. Principala concluzie este că SEC va fi o mănușă.
Entering this weekend, the Buccaneers controlled their playoff destiny. Then Sunday night happened. Tampa Bay lost to Dallas, 26-24, handing the NFC South lead to the Falcons. The Buccaneers out-gained the Cowboys 411-317 but had two turnovers, including a devastating Rachaad White fumble to seal the loss. Tampa Bay and Atlanta are both 8-7 after Michael Penix Jr. beat the Giants in his first career start Sunday, but Atlanta has the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Ravenstook the AFC North lead with a 34-17 blowout of the Steelers on Saturday. Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes, Derrick Henry had 162 yards rushing and Marlon Humphrey had a pick six. Garrett Podell wonders if Baltimore, with its Steelers demons exorcised, are set up for a big postseason run.
The longest active winning streak in the NFL belongs to the Vikings after Minnesota squeezed by Seattle, 27-24. Justin Jefferson went for 10 catches, 144 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner from 39 yards out. Sam Darnold was a big winner (again), and Minnesota remains in the running for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The NFC West, in turn, went from the NFL’s most competitive division to just another division race. The Rams lead that race by a game thanks to a 19-9 win over the Jets coupled with the Seahawks’ loss. The Cardinals and 49ers were both eliminated from playoff contention.
In the AFC, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Miami are clinging onto playoff hopes. The Bengals thumped the Browns, 24-6, behind three Joe Burrow touchdown passes, and they host the Broncos in a must-win Week 17 contest. Jonathan Taylor ran for 218 yards and three scores in the Colts‘ 38-30 win over the Titans. The Dolphins beat the 49ers, 29-17, behind 190 yards from De’Von Achane.
🏈 Good morning to all, but especially to …
Getty Images
THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS …
The NFL’s most electrifying rookie engineered another exhilarating comeback while accomplishing something no one in his lifetime has done. Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdowns, including the game-winner with six seconds left to Jamison Crowder, and the Commanders pulled off a stunning 36-33 win over the shorthanded Eagles.
Daniels is the first Washington player to throw for five touchdowns since Mark Rypien in 1991, and the Commanders needed every one of them considering they also had five turnovers. It’s the first time since 2002 they’ve won a five-turnover game.
Philadelphia took an early 14-0 lead, but not before Jalen Hurts left, and he did not return due to a concussion. That was the start of an avalanche of injuries and exits for the visitors that included C.J. Gardner-Johnson getting ejected for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Even Kenny Pickett, who replaced Hurts, got X-rays on his ribs postgame.
Philadelphia will rue the injuries, sure, but also the missed opportunities: DeVonta Smith dropped a wide-open pass that could have put the game away.
Washington has 10 wins for the first time since 2012.
Wow. Daniels doing this against anyone is impressive. Him doing it against arguably the league’s best defense was jaw-dropping. On a day when running backs were stuffed, Daniels had 81 yards on the ground, including a 29-yard scramble on fourth-and-11. His preternatural calm belies the fact that he’s only 15 games into his career. I don’t have enough superlatives.
Oh yeah, and the Commanders won off the field over the weekend, too: The franchise could return to Washington, D.C. in the future after some legislation dramatically passed in the Senate.
Getty Images
… AND THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FIRST-ROUND WINNERS
The first round of the College Football Playoff is in the books, and all four favored hosts are through to the quarterfinals.
Jeremiyah Love broke off a 98-yard touchdown run early, and (7) Notre Dame never looked back in a 27-17 win over (10) Indiana. The final score doesn’t even reflect the hosts’ dominance: They led 27-3 with under five minutes left. It was an impressive win for the Fighting Irish, but for them to shed their spotty big-game reputation, they need another one, Dennis Dodd writes.
(6) Penn State overpowered (11) SMU 38-10, with a pair of early pick-sixes setting the tone. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen led a 189-yard effort on the ground. Much like Notre Dame, though, James Franklin and Penn State need another win to prove they’ve taken a step forward on the biggest stages, Will Backus writes.
(5) Texas ran for a season-high 292 yards and four touchdowns, with Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner both going over the century mark and scoring twice, in a 38-24 win over (12) Clemson. This was a statement performance by a legit championship threat, Chris Hummer writes.
But given everything going on over the past few weeks, the performance of the weekend belongs to (8) Ohio State, which walloped (9) Tennessee, 42-17. The Buckeyes led 21-0 after 12 minutes and smothered the Volunteers at every turn. Coming off a 13-10 loss to Michigan that rankled just about everyone associated with the scarlet and gray, the offense showed just how good it can be.
There was plenty of orange in the crowd, but the Buckeyes quieted those fans quickly. Jeremiah Smith had a 37-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive, and Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson both scored on the ground before the quarter was out. Ryan Day and Chip Kelly had it all rolling, and John Talty says it would behoove the Buckeyes to keep Smith — “simply better than everything Tennessee tried to throw at him” — involved early and often.
Call it game plan, call it approach, call it whatever you want. Ohio State didn’t have it against Michigan but it found it against Tennessee, John adds.
Talty:“When this version of Ohio State shows up, with an attacking offense and a ferocious defense, it has a legitimate argument as the best team in the country. This team looked loose in a way that it never does against Michigan and played as dominant a game as it has all season in a pressurized spot that prompted athletic director Ross Bjork to publicly defend Day earlier in the week.”
The Buckeyes aced Shehan Jeyarajah’s weekly grades
👍 Honorable mentions
🏈 And not such a good morning for …
Getty Images
THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF UNDERDOGS … AND THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM
The scoreboards don’t lie. It was ugly for first-round underdogs in the first 12-team playoff. Sure, Clemson showed some fight, and Kevin Jennings has a bright future at SMU, but there was little drama in what’s supposed to be the most dramatic action college football can offer.
People jumped on it. You knew they would. Lane Kiffinmocked the selection committee — never mind his Ole Miss team lost to a 4-8 Kentucky team that beat zero other power conference teams. You also could have argued for Alabama or any other team that just barely missed the playoff. But the Crimson Tide (9-3) lost straight up lost to Tennessee and got demolished, 24-3, to a 6-6 Oklahoma squad.
Long story short, the committee got it right, Will Backus says, and don’t let the benefit of hindsight change that.
Any 11-1 Big Ten team that dominated nearly every win and had no bad losses — Indiana’s exact profile — is going to make it.
SMU was a bigger question, but the Mustangs had zero bad losses and made a major conference championship game … where it lost on a walk-off 56-yard field goal.
Plus, isn’t this what is supposed to happen? Maybe not to this extent, but the first-round home teams get the advantage of hosting a weaker team but the disadvantages of (1) having to play that game and (2) having to win that game. Don’t overlook key details, Dennis writes.
Dodd:“Sorry to burst your bubble, Lane, but what happened over the weekend has been going on for 10 years. The CFP’s previous 20 first-round (semifinal) games were decided by an average of three scores (17.85 points). The four first-round games this year were won by an average of 19.25 points. … That’s football, dude.”
👎 Not so honorable mentions
🏈 Previewing College Football Playoff quarterfinals
CBS Sports design
OK, now here come the big boys. Maybe the playoff expanding to 12 was too big (at least based off this year’s very small sample size), but now that eight teams are left, we’re due for some real humdingers next week.
Fiesta Bowl: (6) Penn State vs. (3) Boise State, Dec. 31 (preview)
Peach Bowl:(5) Texas vs. (4) Arizona State, Jan. 1 (preview)
Rose Bowl: (8) Ohio State vs. (1) Oregon, Jan. 1 (preview)
We have early betting info and Dennis’ early thoughts on all four games.
Obviously the Rose Bowl stands out. The Buckeyes and the Ducks played a 32-31 thriller earlier this season, and now Ohio State gets a second chance, this time in the Granddaddy of Them All.
We’re all for second chances, so we gave our college football experts second-chance brackets, too.
⚾ Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, MLB’s steals leader, dies at 65
Getty Images
Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, MLB’s all-time steals and runs scored leader who played for nine teams across 25 seasons, died at 65 years old.
Henderson, nicknamed the “Man of Steal,” stole 1,406 bases. That’s 468 more than second-place Lou Brock. That’s the same as the gap between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who ranks 46th all-time with 470 steals. Henderson had thee 100-steal seasons, including a record 130 in 1982.
Henderson is also the all-time leader in leadoff home runs (81). The stats, simply put, are astounding.
His ledger includes 10 All-Star Game selections, three Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove and the 1990 AL MVP. He won two World Series — in 1989 with the Athletics and in 1993 with the Blue Jays — and was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 2009.
Here’s how sports stars reacted to the news.
The numbers tell only half the story. Henderson’s personality also made him a special, singular force, Matt Snyder writes.
Snyder:“Rickey had a swagger that was something to behold. Back before home run celebrations were ubiquitous, he would pick at his jersey while rounding the bases in style. The ‘cool’ just oozes out of the screen, man. There was just no one in his ballpark. He homered to set the all-time record for runs scored and fittingly slid into home plate.”
And still! Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury by unanimous decision to retain world heavyweight champion status. All three judges scored it 116-112 in favor of the Ukrainian, who also beat Fury back in February.
Though Usyk didn’t knock down Fury like earlier this year, he outlanded the Englishman, 179-144, with his big left hand doing most of the damage. Brian Campbell says Usyk cemented himself as an all-time great.
Campbell:“Even if Usyk walked away for good after such an impressive triumph, it’s hard to shake the idea that we might be watching the most purely skilled heavyweight the division has seen since — wait for it — Muhammad Ali. Usyk may not own devastating one-punch power, yet he landed the bigger shots for two consecutive fights against Fury despite giving up so much in terms of size and weight. And he’s clearly one of the mentally strongest champions with the highest boxing IQ to enter the division in a very long time.”
📺 What we’re watching Monday
🏈 Myrtle Beach Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA, 11 a.m. on ESPN 🏈 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Spurs at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV 🏈 Saints at Packers, 8:15 p.m. on ABC/ESPN 🏀 Pacers at Warriors, 10 p.m. on NBA TV
Iată cel mai recent pentru sâmbătă, 21 decembrie: Biden semnează un proiect de lege care previne închiderea guvernului; Un copil de 9 ani, printre cei uciși într-un aparent atac asupra unui târg de Crăciun din Germania; O rachetă din Yemen lovește Tel Aviv; Vizitatorii salută solstițiul de iarnă din orașul egiptean Luxor.
Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing InsiderDec 20, 2024, 07:41 AM ET
Close
Mike Coppinger has covered boxing since 2010 with roles at USA Today, Ring Magazine and The Athletic before he joined ESPN in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter: @MikeCoppinger
Boxing’s top two big men clash Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Tyson Fury looks to even the score with Oleksandr Usyk and reclaim the sport’s top prize in a rematch for the unified heavyweight championship (2 p.m. ET, DAZN PPV).
Usyk and Fury are not simply boxing’s top two heavyweights, though. When Usyk defeated Fury via a split decision in May, he became the undisputed champion in a second weight class (the Ukrainian also collected all four belts at cruiserweight) and rose to the No. 1 spot in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings.
It’s been a seismic year for boxing as Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, entered the space and helped unify divisive factions across the sport to assemble some of the matchups that have long eluded boxing fans.
And with so many high-stakes matchups across boxing, there’s been a ton of movement in ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 men’s fighters in the world.
Many have fallen off the list and replaced since last year. And yet a host of others — such as Daniel Dubois and Sebastian Fundora — became first-time champions to climb up the rankings.
This ranking isn’t perfect, of course, and is highly subjective, but it takes into consideration accomplishments, current form, talent level, potential, and most of all, the vaunted eye test. Some fighters just look the part.
(Editor’s note: To be eligible, boxers had to fight at least once in 2024 or in rare instances, have a fight scheduled for 2025).
Record: 22-0, 14 KOS Last fight: May 18 – W, MD12 vs. Tyson Fury Next fight: Dec. 21 vs. Fury Previous ranking: No. 3
Usyk ascends to the sport’s top spot after the best win of his career, a majority-decision victory over Fury in May to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. To hold onto his lofty perch, the Ukrainian must do it again when he meets Fury in Saturday’s rematch. Usyk was already proven at heavyweight after a pair of decisive wins over Anthony Joshua, but he now boasts a Hall of Fame résumé in boxing’s glamour division, following the win over an all-time great.
Perhaps most impressive was Usyk’s ability to hurt Fury; the Olympic gold medalist appeared on the verge of stopping Fury in Round 9 after a barrage of 14 unanswered punches forced him to be held up by the ropes for the knockdown. If Usyk can go undefeated in four fights against Fury and Joshua, it’s the stuff of legend. And Usyk’s KO win over Daniel Dubois last summer has aged gracefully, after Dubois stopped Joshua in September.
Record: 28-0, 25 KOs Last fight: Sept. 3 – W, TKO7 vs. TJ Doheny Next fight: Jan. 24 vs. Sam Goodman Previous ranking: No. 2
“The Monster” shows no signs of slowing down as he continues his dominance over the 122-pound division he’s comfortably settled into. Inoue will fight at the weight class for a fifth consecutive time on Christmas Eve when he defends his undisputed championship against Australia’s Sam Goodman.
Inoue’s blend of speed, power and precision punching has helped him earn status as one of the greatest boxers of all time. There’s nothing left for the Japanese star to accomplish in the ring, but he can still seek to become a stateside star just like another Asian great, the Philippines’ Manny Pacquiao.
Inoue, who has won titles in four divisions and has been undisputed champion at bantamweight and junior featherweight, hasn’t competed in the U.S. since June 2021, but he plans to return to Las Vegas in 2025. His toughest challenge could come against his countryman, Junto Nakatani. There are talks of the pair meeting at the Tokyo Dome in 2025.
Record: 41-0, 31 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – W, UD12 vs. Ismail Madrimov Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 1
Crawford fell from the top spot after he struggled with Madrimov in August. Crawford eked out a decision on the cards in a fight he was heavily favored to win, though Madrimov entered the ring vastly underrated.
The hallmark of Crawford’s career of late — other than his obvious greatness as a switch-hitter who can fight going forward or backward — is his lack of activity. The last year he fought more than once was 2019, and Crawford has stated he plans to retire after a couple more fights.
This could be his final year as an active boxer, especially if he lands his dream fight with Canelo Alvarez, which is being discussed for May in Las Vegas. If Crawford can somehow move up two more weight classes (after only one fight at 154 pounds) and defeat one of the all-time greats at 168 pounds, he will have entered a new stratosphere. If he can’t land Canelo, no obvious superfights are on the horizon.
4. Artur Beterbiev, 39, undisputed light heavyweight champion
Record: 21-0, 20 KOs Last fight: Oct. 12 – W, MD12 vs. Dmitry Bivol Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Beterbiev Previous ranking: No. 7
Those waiting for Beterbiev to show his age will have to wait longer. Despite a litany of injuries over the years — he had knee surgery this summer that postponed the original June date for the Bivol fight — Beterbiev looked as fresh as ever during their October meeting. In fact, he looked stronger as the fight went on, as usual.
He turns 40 right before his rematch with Bivol, but there’s no reason to believe Beterbiev will look any different. He absorbed a decent amount of punishment in the Bivol fight — his 100% KO ratio is no more — but he should be able to fight at an elite level for another year or two if he wishes. Aiding Beterbiev: he has participated in just 21 pro fights. No matter what happens in the rematch with Bivol, his legacy is secured as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and all-time great light heavyweight.
5. Dmitry Bivol, 34, light heavyweight
Record: 23-1, 12 KOs Last fight: Oct. 12 – L, MD12 vs. Artur Beterbiev Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Beterbiev Previous ranking: No. 4
Bivol finally met Beterbiev to determine light heavyweight supremacy, but 12 rounds weren’t enough to separate them. Bivol dropped a controversial majority decision in a fight he appeared to win. No matter, he’ll have a chance to even the score in the rematch in Riyadh.
Bivol built up a lead but faded down the stretch, allowing Beterbiev to pull out the final three rounds unanimously to win the fight. If Bivol can defeat Beterbiev in the return bout, it will be his second victory over a future Hall of Famer. In May 2022, Bivol routed Canelo Alvarez and was later named ESPN’s Fighter of the Year.
6. Canelo Alvarez, 34, WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion
Record: 62-2-2, 39 KOs Last fight:Sept. 14 – W, UD12 vs. Edgar Berlanga Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 5
Canelo remains the unquestioned, singular face of boxing as the sport’s top attraction. Regardless of who he fights, it’s big business when he’s on the marquee in Las Vegas for his two annual dates — Cinco de Mayo weekend and Mexican Independence Day weekend. But at this juncture of his career — with nothing left to prove — Alvarez no longer seems interested in tough challenges.
His 2024 campaign was underwhelming by his lofty standards: lopsided decision wins over Jaime Munguia and Berlanga. With David Benavidez now at 175 pounds, Canelo may never face him. If that’s the case, there’s only one opponent out there who Alvarez can meet for a superfight: Terence Crawford.
Record: 21-0, 14 KOs Last fight: Nov. 9 – TKO3 vs. Pedro Guevara Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 11
“Bam” Rodriguez has followed Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez’s footsteps as the next great fighter at 115 pounds and below. Rodriguez has no obvious flaw, a fighter with superb balance, punch placement and an excellent southpaw jab.
The Mexican-American’s 2024 campaign has been his best yet. He became the first fighter to stop future Hall of Famer Juan Francisco Estrada with a brutal body shot to earn a seventh-round KO in June. “Bam” followed up with a third-round TKO of Guevara in a routine title defense with another highlight-reel KO.
Record: 30-0, 28 KOs Last fight: June 15 – W, KO8 vs. Frank Martin Next fight: March 1 vs. Lamont Roach Previous ranking: No. 8
One of the sport’s top stars, “Tank” Davis was set to defend his title vs. Roach in December before the fight was postponed three months; no reason was given. It’s an underwhelming matchup for Davis, who is a prohibitive favorite against the 130-pound titleholder (-1600 per ESPN BET).
Davis recently claimed he will retire at the end of 2025, though it would be stunning if he followed through. He remains one of boxing’s most electrifying finishers. The southpaw counter-puncher is coming off a rousing eight-round KO of Martin. Davis needs another marquee opponent such as Ryan Garcia, where his star power will be on full display.
9. Junto Nakatani, 26, WBC bantamweight champion
Record: 29-0, 22 KOs Last fight: – W, TKO6 vs. Petch CP Freshmart Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 18
Nakatani is one of the biggest risers on the list. He was No. 35 in 2022, and two years later, he has cracked the top 10. Under the guidance of trainer Rudy Hernandez in Southern California, Nakatani has quickly established himself as a well-rounded force to be reckoned with.
A lanky southpaw at 5-foot-8, Nakatani possesses serious knockout power and the punch variety to set up his shots. Nakatani is already a three-division champion and he’s yet to face someone who can trouble him, but that should change if he can land a fight next year with his countryman, Naoya Inoue, at the Tokyo Dome. The fight would be, perhaps, the biggest in Japanese history.
10. Tyson Fury, 36, heavyweight
Record: 34-1-1, 24 KOs Last fight: May 18 – L, SD12 vs. Oleksandr Usyk Next fight: Dec. 21 vs. Usyk Previous ranking: No. 10
Fury finds himself in uncharted territory heading into Saturday’s fight with Usyk. After all, he’s never lost before. That loss to Usyk was ultra competitive. Fury was ahead on the scorecards after eight rounds, and it was the pivotal ninth that lost him the fight.
That’s when Usyk hit Fury with a bundle of unanswered punches for the knockdown after the ropes held Fury up. It appeared for a moment that Usyk might stop Fury. “The Gypsy King” showboated plenty in the fight and told ESPN last week he is taking this rematch far more seriously. If Fury can exact revenge, he’ll enhance his legacy, which already stands as one of the best heavyweights ever.
11. Devin Haney, 26, junior welterweight
Record: 31-0, 15 KOs Last fight: April 20 – NC vs. Ryan Garcia Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 6
Haney endured the most trying year of his career in 2024. His April fight with Garcia was easily his most high-profile to date, generating around 300,000 PPV buys. And in that fight, Haney was floored three times en route to a majority-decision loss.
Haney was at a disadvantage as he was weight-drained while Garcia didn’t bother to make weight and came in 3.2 pounds over the division limit. Garcia blasted Haney with left hooks in a thrilling fight. However, Garcia later tested positive for a banned substance, and the win was overturned to a no contest. A rematch is one of the biggest fights that can be made in boxing.
12. David Benavidez, 27, WBC interim light heavyweight champion
Record: 28-0, 24 KOs Last fight: June 15 – W, UD12 vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk Next fight: Feb. 1 vs. David Morrell Jr. Previous ranking: No. 17
Benavidez clearly earned a shot at Canelo Alvarez after a dominant run at 168 pounds. But when it became clear Alvarez had no interest in the matchup, Benavidez abandoned his pursuit and turned his attention to the 175-pound division. After a lackluster win over Gvozdyk this summer where Benavidez fought through several serious injuries, he’ll face what shapes up as his toughest test yet against Morrell on Feb. 1.
Record: 21-1, 13 KOs Last fight: June 10 – W, UD12 vs. Steve Claggett Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 9
Lopez’s up-and-down career continued in 2024. After a spellbinding win over Josh Taylor in 2023, Lopez claimed he was retired. He returned in February with a controversial decision win over Jamaine Ortiz in a lethargic fight. And he followed up with another unimpressive showing as he absorbed damage against Claggett in June.
There are preliminary talks to match Lopez with Jaron “Boots” Ennis at 147 pounds, which could be just what Lopez needs to once again reach the heights he’s capable of.
Record: 18-3, 12 KOs Last fight: May 12 – W, TKO11 vs. George Kambosos Jr. Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 13
Lomachenko may never fight again, but if he does, he proved in May against Kambosos that he remains an elite fighter. Top Rank and PBC discussed a long-awaited superfight between Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis that would have taken place last month. However, Lomachenko passed up the opportunity as he contemplates retirement.
15. Shakur Stevenson, 27, WBC lightweight champion
Record: 22-0, 10 KOs Last fight: July 6 – W, UD12 vs. Artem Harutyunyan Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Floyd Schofield Previous ranking: No. 14
Stevenson is badly in need of a rousing performance after back-to-back wins where he failed to entertain. An opportunity will present itself Feb. 22 when Stevenson takes on Schofield, a talented but unproven fighter with a pressing style. Hopefully, Stevenson will use his vast skills and deliver an exciting fight that puts him on a path to face the elite opposition that has eluded him.
Record: 33-0, 29 KOs Last fight: Nov. 9 – W, UD12 vs. Karen Chukhadzhian Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 19
“Boots” Ennis is a talented boxer who’s racked up wins at welterweight, albeit against fringe opposition. He has proven to be an attraction in Philadelphia, and now that he’s promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, he’ll need to land some marquee matchups in 2025 to reach the next level. A fight with Teofimo Lopez, which is being discussed, would fit the bill, though Ennis has long professed his desire to unify the welterweight division.
17. David Morrell, 26, WBA “regular” super middleweight champion
Record: 11-0, 9 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – W, UD12 vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic Next fight: Feb. 1 vs. David Benavidez Previous ranking: No. 23
Morrell moved up to 175 pounds in August and endured his toughest test yet with a shaky decision win over “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic. His performance has landed him the big fight he has been seeking. The Cuban will face Benavidez in February, with the winner positioned for a shot at the victor of Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol 2.
18. Kenshiro Teraji, 32, WBC flyweight champion
Record: 24-1, 15 KOS Last fight: Oct. 13 – W, TKO11 vs. Cristofer Rosales Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 22
“The Amazing Boy” continued his dominant run in 2024 with a pair of victories in Japan. He defended his 108-pound title once again with a decision victory over Carlos Canizales and followed up by capturing a 112-pound title in October. A unification fight with countryman Seigo Yuri Akui could materialize in 2025.
19. Israil Madrimov, 29, junior middleweight
Record: 10-1-1, 7 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – L, UD12 vs. Terence Crawford Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. Previous ranking: No. 86
The Uzbek delivered a breakthrough performance in his first loss, a razor-thin decision to Crawford that could have easily gone his way. Between his athleticism and footwork, Madrimov gave Crawford fits. He was set to fight Serhii Bohachuk on Saturday but withdrew with a case of acute bronchitis. However, he already had another fight lined up with Ortiz on Feb. 22 that Madrimov will now proceed with.
20. Sebastian Fundora, 26, WBC/WBO junior middleweight champion
Record: 21-1-1, 13 KOs Last fight: March 30 – W, SD12 vs. Tim Tszyu Next fight: TBA vs. Errol Spence Jr. Previous ranking: No. 91
“The Towering Inferno” possesses a dizzying size for a 154-pounder — at 6-foot-5 ½ with an 80-inch reach. After a major upset KO loss to Brian Mendoza last year, Fundora put it all together in March to win his first title with a decision victory over Tszyu. Now, Fundora will take part in his first marquee fight with a PPV headliner against Errol Spence Jr.
21. Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 37, junior bantamweight
Record: 52-4, 42 KOs Last fight: July 12 – W, TKO10 vs. Rober Barrera Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 16
At 37, Gonzalez probably doesn’t have many fights left. He has competed only once since his trilogy fight with Juan Francisco Estrada in December 2022, a stay-busy win in his native Nicaragua. There’s talk of Gonzalez fighting WBO champion Phumelela Cafu next year. Whatever happens, he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time and transformative for the smaller weight classes.
Record: 39-2-1, 32 KOs Last fight: Dec. 7 – W, KO6 vs. Oscar Valdez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 21
The Mexican volume-puncher moved up to lightweight and failed to win a title in a fourth weight class with a May loss to Denys Berinchyk. However, Navarrete is back on track after another win over Valdez, this time via sixth-round KO. He looked his usual self in the rematch, throwing punches from uncanny angles, and he heads into 2025 as the top 130-pounder in the world.
23. Jack Catterall, 31, junior welterweight
Record: 30-1, 13 KOs Last fight: Oct. 26 – W, UD12 vs. Regis Prograis Next fight: Feb. 15 vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. Previous ranking: No. 30
Catterall enjoyed his best campaign yet in 2024. Most importantly, he exacted revenge against Josh Taylor in May following his controversial loss for the undisputed championship in 2022. Catterall followed up with another big victory, a decision win over Prograis in October. He’s lined up for a reported Feb. 15 fight with Barboza in a WBO title eliminator.
24. Juan Francisco Estrada, 34, junior bantamweight
Record: 44-4, 28 KOs Last fight: June 29 – L, KO7 vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 15
A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Estrada might not have much left in the tank following a lopsided KO loss to “Bam” Rodriguez. Estrada owns two wins over Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and enjoyed a great run at 115 pounds. If he continues on, Estrada could find himself in another title fight in the stacked junior bantamweight division.
25. Errol Spence Jr., 34, welterweight
Record: 28-1, 22 KOs Last fight: July 29, 2023 – L, TKO9 vs. Terence Crawford Next fight: TBA vs. Sebastian Fundora Previous ranking: No. 17
Spence hasn’t competed since he was systematically picked apart by Crawford in their July 2023 undisputed title fight. When he does return, it will be against Sebastian Fundora, as Spence attempts to become a two-division champion in his 154-pound debut (he’s spent his entire career at 147). That bout is slated for April as he will look to once again overcome the odds. Already, he’s returned from a serious car crash and surgery to repair a detached retina.
26. Daniel Dubois, 27, IBF heavyweight champion
Record: 22-2, 21 KOs Last fight: Sept. 21 – W, KO5 vs. Anthony Joshua Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Joseph Parker Previous ranking: N/R
play
1:01
The numbers behind Daniel Dubois’ KO of Anthony Joshua
Check out some of the key statistics from Daniel Dubois’ stunning knockout victory over Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
Since Dubois was KOed by Oleksandr Usyk in his first heavyweight title challenge, he has appeared to be a different fighter. Perhaps it was the experience of sharing the ring with an elite boxer. Whatever it was, Dubois went on to defeat Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Filip Hrgovic before he earned the life-changing victory in September, a fifth-round KO of Joshua at Wembley Stadium to win the IBF heavyweight title. His first defense will be a tough task as he takes on former champion Parker on Feb. 22.
27. Vergil Ortiz Jr., 26, junior middleweight
Record: 22-0, 21 KOs Last fight: Aug. 10 – W, MD12 vs. Serhii Bohachuk Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Israil Madrimov Previous ranking: No. 42
Following a 2023 where he didn’t fight at all as he dealt with the effects of rhabdomyolysis, Ortiz moved up to 154 pounds and fought three times this year. After two tune-up bouts where he scored first-round KOs, Ortiz passed his toughest test yet with a majority-decision victory over Bohachuk. Ortiz was knocked down twice by Bohachuk — the first time he’s ever been knocked down — but came away with the win in a slugfest. Now, he moves onto an even bigger challenger with a February date vs. Madrimov.
28. Rafael Espinoza, 30, WBO featherweight champion
Record: 26-0, 22 KOs Last fight: Dec. 7 – W, TKO6 vs. Robeisy Ramirez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 53
The 6-foot-1 Mexican owns tremendous size for a 126-pounder and there’s talk he could move up to 130 in 2025, where he could meet countryman Emanuel Navarrete, a junior lightweight champion. Espinoza burst onto the scene when he outpointed Ramirez last December in ESPN’s Upset of the Year. Espinoza proved it was no fluke this year with another win over Ramirez, this time via sixth-round TKO after he broke the Cuban’s orbital bone. Espinoza is ESPN’s No. 1 featherweight.
29. Jai Opetaia, 29, IBF cruiserweight champion
Record: 26-0, 20 KOs Last fight: Oct. 12 – W, TKO6 vs. Jack Massey Next fight: Jan. 8 vs. David Nyika Previous ranking: No. 31
The Aussie possesses an impressive blend of hand speed and power that has helped launch him to the top of the division. A title unification with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez should materialize in 2025. And if Opetaia can clean out cruiserweight, a move to heavyweight could come afterward.
30. Fernando Martinez, 33, IBF junior bantamweight champion
Record: 17-0, 9 KOs Last fight: July 7 – W, UD12 vs. Kazuto Ioka Next fight: Dec. 31 vs. Kazuto Ioka Previous ranking: No. 67
The Argentine picked up his best win yet this year when he outpointed longtime champion Kazuto Ioka in July. They’ll meet in a New Year’s Eve rematch in Japan where Martinez will look to once again win fighting on the road. If he does, a title unification with WBC champ Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez would loom as an intriguing possibility. Martinez is No. 2 in the division behind Rodriguez.
Record: 47-1, 30 KOs Last fight: Nov. 16 – W, UD12 vs. Chris Billam-Smith Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 78
“Zurdo” Ramirez has found new life at cruiserweight after solid but unspectacular runs at super middleweight and light heavyweight. At 200 pounds, Ramirez has the speed to beat opponents to the punch yet still owns the requisite size and power to punish them. His November title unification victory over Billam-Smith was his best win yet.
32. Ryan Garcia, 26, junior welterweight
Record: 24-1, 20 KOs Last fight: April 20 – NC vs. Devin Haney Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 41
Garcia delivered a breakthrough performance against Haney, fulfilling his vast promise by scoring three knockdowns against one of the sport’s best defensive fighters. His vaunted left hook produced the damage, a lightning-quick shot that’s one of the best in boxing. But it was all for naught as Garcia tested positive for a banned substance. He was suspended one year and will be eligible to return in April. And when he does come back, it could be at 147 pounds.
33. Seigo Yuri Akui, 29, WBA flyweight champion
Record: 21-2-1, 11 KOs Last fight: June 24 – W, SD12 vs. Thananchai Charunphak Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Akui ended Artem Dalakian’s long title reign in January with a comfortable decision victory and followed up with two successful title defenses in Japan. Next up could be a 112-pound title unification vs. countryman Kenshiro Teraji.
34. Kazuto Ioka, 35, junior bantamweight
Record: 31-3-1, 16 KOs Last fight: July 7 – L, UD12 vs. Fernando Martinez Next fight: Dec. 31 vs. Martinez Previous ranking: No. 26
Ioka has been a 115-stalwart with eight consecutive title defenses before he dropped a lopsided decision to Martinez in July. Ioka has the opportunity to regain his title with a rematch in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve.
35. Joseph Parker, 32, WBO interim heavyweight titlist
Record: 35-3, 23 KOs Last fight: March 8 – W, MD12 vs. Zhilei Zhang Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Daniel Dubois Previous ranking: N/R
The former heavyweight champion enjoyed a career resurgence over the last 12 months. First, Parker scored a major upset when he dominated Deontay Wilder over 12 rounds last December and even threatened to stop him. Then, Parker survived two knockdowns to outpoint Zhang in March. Parker will attempt to become a two-time heavyweight champ when he meets Dubois on Feb. 22.
Record: 16-0, 11 KOs Last fight: Oct. 4 – W, TKO9 vs. Andrei Mikhailovich Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 44
The Kazakh only fought once in 2024 after a failed weight cut led to a canceled fight with Mikhailovich. Months later, Alimkhanuly scored a ninth-round TKO in the rescheduled bout in the challenger’s homeland, Australia. Alimkhanuly has held a middleweight title for years but has yet to face a notable opponent.
Record: 19-0, 7 KOs Last fight: Dec. 7 – W, SD12 vs. Liam Paro Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: 94
Hitchins’ decision victory over Paro earlier this month earned him the IBF junior welterweight title and landed Brooklyn, New York, its first world champion in years. The smooth boxer previously scored a disputed decision over Gustavo Lemos in an April slugfest. Against Paro, Hitchins returned to his box-and-move style.
38. Keyshawn Davis, 25, lightweight
Record: 12-0, 8 KOs Last fight: Nov. 8 – W, KO2 vs. Gustavo Lemos Next fight: Feb. 14 vs. Denys Berinchyk Previous ranking: N/R
The Olympic silver medalist is lined up for his first title shot, a planned Feb. 14 bout with Berinchyk in New York. Davis showcased his growing popularity in November in a sold-out homecoming in Norfolk, Virginia, with a second-round KO of Lemos, who missed weight by 6.5 pounds.
39. Zhilei Zhang, 41, heavyweight
Record: 27-2-1, 22 KOs Last fight: June 1 – W, TKO5 vs. Deontay Wilder Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Agit Kabayel Previous ranking: 32
A southpaw with imposing size at 6-foot-6, 280-plus pounds, Zhang was able to floor Joseph Parker twice in their March meeting but lost virtually every other round in a decision setback. Zhang, of China, rebounded nicely with a spectacular fifth-round TKO of Wilder in June that effectively ended the American’s hopes of another title shot. Next up is a coin-flip fight with Germany’s Kabayel, and the winner could face Anthony Joshua.
40. Caleb Plant, 32, super middleweight
Record: 23-2, 14 KOs Last fight: Sept. 14 – W, TKO9 vs. Trevor McCumby Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 35
Plant possesses an excellent jab along with deft footwork that allows him to outbox opponents from the outside. He was out of the ring for 18 months following a brutal beatdown versus. David Benavidez and struggled with McCumby before he stopped him in an entertaining fight.
Record: 25-1-1, 19 KOs Last fight: May 4 – W, KO9 vs. Jessie Magdaleno Next fight: Feb. 1 vs. Stephen Fulton Previous ranking: No. 38
Figueroa fought only once in 2024 and scored a ninth-round KO of Magdaleno. The volume-puncher, a former interim champion at 122 pounds, was elevated to featherweight champion and will meet Fulton in a rematch of their 2022 slugfest. Fulton eked by in that bout, but it’s Figueroa who has the momentum now.
42. Christian Mbilli, 29, super middleweight
Record: 28-0, 23 KOs Last fight: Aug. 17 – W, UD10 vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: 56
The Canadian action fighter was finally tested with an August decision victory over durable former champion Derevyanchenko. Mbili could next face Jaime Munguia in what shapes up as one of the best action fights that can be made in boxing. The WBC ordered the fight as a title eliminator, and with both fighters promoted by Top Rank, it should happen.
43. Nick Ball, 27, WBA featherweight champion
Record: 21-0-1, 12 KOs Last fight: Oct. 5 – W, TKO10 vs. Ronny Rios Next fight: March 15 vs. TJ Doheny Previous ranking: N/R
The Englishman is just 5-foot-2 and uses his diminutive size to pressure opponents and rough them up on the inside. Rey Vargas enjoyed a 5.5-inch height advantage and was dropped twice in a bout Ball appeared to win. The draw denied Ball his first world title, but he came through in his next fight with a split-decision victory over Ray Ford to win the WBA belt.
44. Ray Ford, 25, junior lightweight
Record: 16-1-1, 8 KOs Last fight: Nov. 9 – W, UD10 vs. Orlando Gonzalez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The Camden, New Jersey, native won his first world title with a thrilling victory over Otabek Kholmatov in March, stopping his opponent with just seven seconds left after being down on the scorecards. Ford dropped a tight decision to Ball in his first title defense and now campaigns in the weak 130-pound division, where he figures to become a two-division champ.
45. Carlos Adames, 30, WBC middleweight champion
Record: 24-1, 18 KOs Last fight: June 25 – W, UD12 vs. Terrell Gausha Next fight: Feb. 22 vs, Hamzah Sheeraz Previous ranking: No. 39
The Dominican was elevated to recognized champion after Jermall Charlo was finally stripped by the WBC. Adames fought only once in 2024, a comfortable decision victory over Gausha. Adames faces his toughest test yet on Feb. 22 against Sheeraz, when he will be the underdog.
46. Hamzah Sheeraz, 25, middleweight
Record: 21-0, 17 KOs Last fight: Sept. 21 – W, TKO2 vs. Tyler Denny Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Carlo Adames Previous ranking: N/R
Sheeraz has scored 15 consecutive wins inside the distance and stepped up his competition this year with a 11th-round TKO of Austin “Ammo” Williams. Sheeraz will challenge for his first world title in his next bout, a February meeting with Adames.
47. Serhii Bohachuk, 29, junior middleweight
Record: 24-2, 23 KOs Last fight: Oct. 10 – L, MD12 vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. Next fight: Dec. 21 vs. Ishmael Davis Previous ranking: N/R
The Ukrainian delivered a career-best performance in August with two knockdowns of Ortiz in a thriller. Bohachuk found himself on the wrong end of a controversial decision and then suffered more bad luck when his Dec. 21 scheduled fight with Israil Madrimov was canceled . He’s in line for a shot at the winner of the Feb. 22 Ortiz-Madrimov contest.
48. Stephen Fulton, 30, featherweight
Record: 22-1, 8 KOs Last fight: Sept. 14 – W, SD10 vs. Carlos Castro Next fight: Feb. 1 vs. Brandon Figueroa Previous ranking: No. 29
Fulton returned from the brutal loss to Naoya Inoue with his 126-pound debut and failed to impress as he was dropped by Castro in a split-decision victory. He’ll look to become a two-division champion with a rematch against Figueroa on Feb. 1.
49. Martin Bakole, 32, heavyweight
Record: 21-1, 16 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – W, KO5 vs. Jared Anderson Next fight: TBA vs. Efe Ajagba Previous ranking: 98
Bakole fights in the mold of George Foreman: with patient and thudding shots from his massive frame. He rose to the occasion in August with a fifth-round destruction of undefeated heavyweight Anderson. Bakole is clearly a heavyweight no one wants to face. He’ll meet fellow African big man Efe Ajagba in a heavyweight title eliminator in his next bout.
50. Liam Paro, 28, junior welterweight
Record: 25-1, 15 KOs Last fight: Dec. 7. – L, SD12 vs. Richardson Hitchins Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The Australian picked up one of the biggest upsets of the year this summer when he outpointed Puerto Rican boogeyman Subriel Matias. However, Paro lost the 140-pound title in his first defense when he met Hitchins.
Record: 15-0, 9 KOs Last fight: May 4 – W, UD12 vs. Gabriel Maestre Next fight: TBA vs. Shakram Giyasov Previous ranking: N/R
Stanionis finally returned to the ring after an intriguing fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. was canceled three separate times, which kept him inactive for all of 2023. The Lithuanian is expected to next face mandatory challenger Giyasov.
52. Oscar Collazo, 27, WBO/WBA strawweight champion
Record: 11-0, 8 KOs Last fight: Nov. 16 – W, TKO7 vs. Knockout CP Freshmart Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The smallest unified champion in boxing, Puerto Rico’s Collazo picked up a second 105-pound title with a seventh-round stoppage of CP Freshmart last month. The power-punching strawweight will have to eventually move up to 112 pounds for a matchup worthy of his talent.
Record: 13-1, 10 KOs Last fight: Dec. 14 – W, TKO3 vs. Ricardo Espinoza Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 48
The Uzbek’s lone fight of 2024 was Saturday, a third-round TKO of Ricardo Espinoza in a stay-busy fight. He remains in mandatory position for a shot at Naoya Inoue that could take place in 2025. Akhmdaliev has sat on that No. 1 contender status and avoided taking on tough fights that could spoil an Inoue payday, though he appears to be the clear-cut second best fighter in the division.
Record: 23-0, 17 KOs Last fight: Oct. 19 – W, TKO3 vs. Tim Tszyu Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The Russian wasn’t even ranked in ESPN’s top 10 at 154 pounds heading into the year. He never impressed against limited opposition and accepted step-aside money several times rather than fight Jermell Charlo. When Charlo finally vacated following his fight with Canelo Alvarez, Murtazaliev capitalized.
The bruising puncher broke out in 2024 with a much-improved game. Following an 11th-round KO over Jack Culcay in April to win the vacant title, he earned a career-best win with a shocking upset of Tszyu via third-round KO in October. Murtazaliev is in a nice position to land a unification fight in 2025.
55. Erislandy Lara, 41, WBA middleweight champion
Record: 31-3-3, 19 KOs Last fight: Sept. 14 – W, TKO9 vs. Danny Garcia Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Boxing’s oldest champion, Lara proved he’s still on top of his game after a lost 2023 where he didn’t fight once. He delivered a brutal KO of top-10 contender Michael Zerafa in May and followed up with a beatdown of faded former champion Danny Garcia in September via ninth-round TKO.
The Cuban southpaw was often criticized for his box-and-move style earlier in his career, but he’s engaged in several firefights in recent years, including ESPN’s 2018 Fight of the Year loss to Jarrett Hurd.
56. William Zepeda, 28, WBC interim lightweight champion
Record: 32-0, 27 KOs Last fight: Nov. 16 – W, SD10 vs. Tevin Farmer Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 51
Zepeda is one of the sport’s most-reliable action fighters as well one of its most devastating body punchers. He impressed with a string of early stoppages earlier this year: a fourth-round TKO of Maxi Hughes followed by a third-round KO of Giovanni Cabrera.
The Mexican’s biggest scare came in his last fight, a split-decision win over Farmer, a former champion, who floored him in Round 4. That was the fourth consecutive southpaw Zepeda faced as Golden Boy prepares him for a title shot against Shakur Stevenson. That bout was slated for February before Zepeda suffered an arm injury.
57. Subriel Matias, 32, junior welterweight
Record: 21-2, 21 KOs Last fight: Nov. 9 – W, TKO2 vs. Roberto Ramirez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 24
Matias was regarded as one of boxing’s most-avoided fighters until he was upset by Liam Paro via decision back in June. Paro showed the blueprint to defeat Matias; he threw straight punches down the middle and backed up the volume puncher. Matias rebounded with a second-round TKO of Ramirez in November in his native Puerto Rico and should find himself back in title contention in 2025.
58. Anthony Joshua, 35, heavyweight
Record: 28-4, 25 KOs Last fight: Sept. 21 – L, KO5 vs. Daniel Dubois Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 28
Joshua remains one of boxing’s top stars, but following another upset TKO defeat, it’s doubtful he can regain his footing as one of the sport’s elite fighters. The latest such loss came to Dubois in September before nearly 100,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Joshua’s punch resistance has been a concern since his stunning defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019, but he showed in two competitive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk that he has the boxing skills to hang with anyone. A bout with Deontay Wilder has lost its appeal but a showdown with Tyson Fury is still a blockbuster in the U.K., especially if Fury loses to Usyk again.
59. Agit Kabayel, 32, heavyweight
Record: 25-0, 17 KOs Last fight: May 18 – W, KO7 vs. Frank Sanchez Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Zhilei Zhang Previous ranking: N/R
The German broke out over the last 12 months to establish himself as a serious player in the heavyweight division. With his quick feet and hands, Kabayel knocked off two far slower, bigger top-15 heavyweights. First, it was Arslanbek Makhmudov via fourth-round TKO. Then, Kabayel ended the Frank Sanchez hype train in May on the Usyk-Fury undercard that ended in a seventh-round KO.
Kabayel is set for his first marquee fight, a Feb. 22 coin-flip showdown with Zhang, who fits the archetype of big, slow heavyweights he faced in his previous two bouts. Zhang, of course, is far more accomplished than the prior two.
60. Jose Valenzuela, 25, WBA junior welterweight champion
Record: 14-2, 9 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – W, SD12 vs. Isaac Cruz Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Valenzuela used his height, reach and solid jab to keep the hard-charging “Pitbull” Cruz on the outside and capture his first world title in August. The bout was Valenzuela’s 140-pound debut and followed one of the best KOs of 2023 as he exacted revenge against Chris Colbert.
61. Anthony Cacace, 35, IBF junior lightweight champion
Record: 23-1, 8 KOs Last fight: Sept. 21 – W, UD12 vs. Josh Warrington Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Cacace was an unknown commodity outside Ireland and the U.K. entering the year, but he changed his career with back-to-back marquee victories. Cacace sprang the upset in May with an eighth-round TKO of Joe Cordina to claim a 130-pound world title.
Cacace proved he was legit as he turned back former champion Josh Warrington via unanimous decision in September.
Record: 9-0, 7 KOs Last fight: Nov. 30 – W, TKO6 vs. Sunny Edwards Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The younger brother of former champion Kalal Yafai, Galal announced his arrival earlier this month with a sixth-round TKO of former No. 1 flyweight Edwards. The 112-pounder has just nine pro fights under his belt, but at 32, the Olympic gold medalist is ready to challenge for a world title.
63. Alberto Puello, 30, WBC junior welterweight champion
Record: 23-0, 10 KOs Last fight: June 5 – W, SD12 vs. Gary Antuanne Russell Next fight: March 1 vs. Sandor Martin Previous ranking: N/R
The Dominican southpaw showed off his smooth boxing ability as he cruised past junior welterweight contender Gary Antuanne Russell in June to win the WBC interim title (he was later upgraded to full champion). Puello faces another formidable challenge in his first title defense with a March 1 showdown against fellow tricky southpaw Martin.
64. Denys Berinchyk, 36, WBO lightweight champion
Record: 19-0, 9 KOs Last fight: May 18 – W, SD12 vs. Emanuel Navarrete Next fight: Feb. 14 vs. Keyshawn Davis Previous ranking: N/R
The Ukrainian became a first-time champion with an upset victory over Navarrete in May via split decision. In the win, Berinchyk displayed good footwork and a solid jab along with the ability to neutralize Navarrete’s dizzying punch output.
He’ll again be an underdog in his first defense as he heads back to the U.S. for a fight against Davis on Feb. 14.
Record: 11-0-3, 8 KOs Last fight: Oct. 14 – W, SD12 vs. Kosei Tanaka Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Cafu is now South Africa’s lone champion after he upset Japanese stalwart Tanaka to win a 115-pound title.
The southpaw possesses imposing size for the division at 5-foot-6. There’s talk of him landing a fight with the legendary Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez in 2025.
66. Yoshiki Takei, 28, WBO bantamweight champion
Record: 10-0, 8 KOs Last fight: Sept. 3 – W, UD12 vs. Daigo Higa Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The Japanese action fighter pulled off a pair of big wins in 2024 to enter the Top 100. He became a first-time champion with a May victory over Jason Moloney before the southpaw turned back Daigo Higa in his first defense in September.
67. Tim Tszyu, 30, junior middleweight
Record: 24-2, 17 KOs Last fight: Oct. 15 – L, TKO3 vs. Bakhram Murtazaliev Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 20
Tszyu’s quick star ascent came to a crashing halt in 2024, though it’s far too soon to write the Aussie off. The son of Hall of Fame boxer Kostya Tszyu, Tim fought with limited vision in a split-decision loss to Sebastian Fundora in one of the bloodiest battles in recent memory. The fight could have easily been stopped early on due to the gruesome cut on his forehead.
Tszyu attempted to regain a 154-pound title in his next bout — and was heavily favored to do so –but showed little defense as he was clubbed by Murtazaliev in three rounds. Tszyu should be rebuilt in Australia next year with a few confidence-building bouts before he re-enters the title picture in 2026.
68. Angelo Leo, 30, IBF featherweight champion
Record: 25-1, 12 KOs Last fight: Aug. 10 – W, KO10 vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Leo showed his mettle when he unloaded more than 800 punches — and faced nearly 1,200 in return — in his first title fight, a lopsided decision defeat against Stephen Fulton.
Leo was far more prepared for his second shot as he scored one of the year’s most spectacular knockouts when he lifted the featherweight title from Luis Alberto Lopez in August.
69. Anthony Olascuaga, 25, WBO flyweight champion
Record: 8-1, 6 KOs Last fight: Oct. 14 – W, TKO1 vs. Jonathan Gonzalez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Olascuaga was unsuccessful in his first title bid, a ninth-round TKO loss to Teraji last year.
Despite just eight previous pro bouts, Olascuaga, of Los Angeles, made good with his second title challenge as he KOed Jonathan Gonzalez in only one round.
Record: 23-3, 12 KOs Last fight: Nov. 2 – W, SD12 vs. Robson Conceicao Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 57
All three of Foster’s fights in 2024 resulted in a split decision. He floored Abraham Nova in the final round of their February meeting to seal the victory before he dropped a disputed decision to Conceicao in June.
Foster exacted revenge via split decision over Conceicao in November to regain his title. There’s talk of Foster meeting Navarrete in a title unification next year.
71. Chris Billam-Smith, 34, cruiserweight
Record: 20-2, 13 KOs Last fight: Nov. 16 – L, UD12 vs. Gilberto Ramirez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 62
England’s Billam-Smith looked competitive against “Zurdo” Ramirez, but was ultimately outgunned in a title unification. Still, Billam-Smith more than held his own and should land another title crack in the near future.
Record: 19-0, 13 KOs Last fight: Sept. 21 – W, SD12 vs. Willie Hutchinson Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Callum Smith Previous ranking: No. 82
Buatsi enjoyed his best campaign yet in 2024 with quality wins over Dan Azeez and Willy Hutchinson. He steps up to his toughest opponent yet with a Feb. 22 date with former champion Callum Smith.
73. Isaac Cruz, 26, junior welterweight
Record: 26-3-1, 18 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – L, SD12 vs. Jose Valenzuela Next fight: Feb. 1 vs. Angel Fierro Previous ranking: No. 65
“Pitbull” Cruz is one of the most entertaining fighters in boxing, but his split-decision loss to Valenzuela was anything but. That loss halted his momentum after a blistering TKO March victory over Rolando “Rolly” Romero to win a title at 140 pounds. He’ll remain at junior welterweight for what shapes up as a can’t-miss action fight against fellow Mexican Fierro on Feb. 1.
74. Robson Conceicao, 36, junior lightweight
Record: 19-3-1, 9 KOs Last fight: Nov. 2 – L, SD12 vs. O’Shaquie Foster Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 72
The Brazilian Olympic gold medalist finally struck gold in his fourth title shot, scoring a split-decision victory over Foster this summer, though the fight lacked action. The rematch was better, but it also meant Conceicao’s title reign was short-lived. He figures to land yet another title shot in the shallow 130-pound division.
75. Marlon Tapales, 32, junior featherweight
Record: 39-4, 20 KOs Last fight: Sept. 7 – W, UD10 vs. Saurabh Kumar Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 45
The Filipino southpaw broke out in 2023 with a split-decision upset victory over Murodjon Akhmadaliev to become a unified champion at 122 pounds. He parlayed that career-best win into a showdown with Naoya Inoue. And while Tapales enjoyed some moments, he was knocked out by the generational talent in the 10th round.
Record: 10-0, 2 KOs Last fight: Dec. 15 – W, KO7 vs. Anuchai Donsua Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Nishida is one of four Japanese champions at 118 pounds; he joined his countrymen for the clean sweep after a win over longtime top-10 bantamweight Emmanuel Rodriguez back in May.
77. Seiya Tsutsumi, 28, WBA bantamweight
Record: 12-0-2, 8 KOs Last fight: Sept. 7 – W, UD12 vs. Takuma Inoue Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Tsutsumi, like Nishida, is a Japanese bantamweight champion. He won the title with an upset victory over Naoya Inoue’s brother, Takuma, in September..
78. Angel Ayala, 24, IBF flyweight champion
Record: 18-0, 8 KOs Last fight: Aug. 9 – W, KO6 vs. Dave Apolinario Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The Mexican champion at 112 pounds won the title in 2023 with a victory over Felix Alvarado and fought only once in 2024.
79. Pedro Taduran, 28, IBF strawweight champion
Record: 17-4-1, 13 KOs Last fight: July 28 – W, TKO9 vs. Ginjiro Shigeoka Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The 105-pounder continued the storied history of lower-weight champions from the Philippines with an upset victory over Japan’s Ginjiro Shigeoka.
80. Arnold Barboza Jr., 33, junior welterweight
Record: 31-0, 11 KOs Last fight: Nov. 16 – W, UD10 vs. Jose Ramirez Next fight: Feb. 15 vs. Jack Catterall Previous ranking: N/R
Barboza appeared to lose to the unheralded Sean McComb in April but received what was widely considered a gift decision. Barboza left no doubt in the rematch with a surprisingly lopsided decision win over former champion Ramirez in November.
81. Diego Pacheco, 23, super middleweight
Record: 22-0, 18 KOs Last fight: Aug. 31 – W, KO6 vs. Maciej Sulecki Next fight: Jan. 25 vs. Steven Nelson Previous ranking: No. 100
Pachecho has tremendous size for the 168-pound division at 6-foot-4. He solidified himself as a contender in 2024 with an impressive sixth-round KO of gatekeeper Maciej Sulecki.
82. Chris Eubank Jr., 35, middleweight
Record: 34-3, 25 KOs Last fight: Oct. 12 – W, TKO7 vs. Kamil Szeremeta Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 79
The son of British legend Chris Eubank, he’s in talks to once again fight Conor Benn in a high-stakes U.K. grudge match.
83. Mark Magsayo, 29, junior lightweight
Record: 27-2, 18 KOs Last fight: Dec. 14 – W, KO2 vs. Bryan Mercado Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 59
The former champion moved up to 130 pounds last December and stayed busy with two wins in 2024. He could land a title shot in the wide-open division next year.
84. Sam Goodman, 26, junior featherweight
Record: 19-0, 8 KOs Last fight: July 7 – W, UD12 vs. Thachtana Luangphon Next fight: Jan. 24 vs. Naoya Inoue Previous ranking: No. 96
The Australian will have to wait one month for his showdown with Inoue in Tokyo after a cut suffered in sparring postponed the Christmas Eve fight.
85. Conor Benn, 28, welterweight
Record: 23-0, 14 KOs Last fight: Feb. 3 – W, UD12 vs. Peter Dobson Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 69
Benn was finally reinstated from suspension for a failed drug test this fall and should get his career back on track in 2025, whether it’s against Chris Eubank Jr. at 160 pounds or with a 147-pound title shot.
86. Raymond Muratalla, 27, lightweight
Record: 22-0, 17 KOs Last fight: Nov. 2 – W, TKO2 vs. Jesus Antonio Perez Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Muratalla’s best career win came in 2024 with a decision victory over former champion Tevin Farmer in July. The contender should step up again in 2025.
87. Josh Taylor, 33, junior welterweight
Record: 19-2, 13 KOs Last fight: May 25 – L, UD12 vs. Jack Catterall Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 34
The former undisputed junior welterweight champion hasn’t won a fight since his controversial decision victory over Catterall in February 2022. Taylor lost the rematch in May but was competitive.
88. Callum Smith, 34, light heavyweight
Record: 30-2, 22 KOs Last fight: Nov. 30 – W, TKO5 vs. Carlos Galvan Next fight: Feb. 22 vs. Joshua Buatsi Previous ranking: No. 49
Smith attempted to become a two-division champion in January but was bludgeoned by Artur Beterbiev inside the distance. The Englishman has a chance to revive his career with a win over Buatsi on Feb. 22.
89. Lamont Roach, 29, junior lightweight
Record: 25-1-1, 10 KOs Last fight: June 28 – W, TKO8 vs. Feargal McCrory Next fight: March 1 vs. Gervonta Davis Previous ranking: No. 83
The 130-pound titleholder stayed busy this year with a win over a long-odds underdog. He was set to fight Davis in the biggest fight of his career in December, but it was postponed without explanation to March.
90. Anthony Yarde, 33, light heavyweight
Record: 26-3, 24 KOs Last fight: Oct. 19 – W, UD10 vs. Ralf Vilcans Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Yarde gave Artur Beterbiev all he could handle in a stoppage loss last year. The Brit collected two stay-busy wins in 2024.
91. Brian Norman Jr., 24, WBO interim welterweight champion
Record: 26-0, 20 KOs Last fight: May 18 – W, KO10 vs. Giovani Santillan Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Norman pulled off the upset with a brutal TKO victory over Santillan in May to win a welterweight title. Norman was in talks to fight Jaron Ennis this fall in a title unification before talks fell apart.
92. Jin Sasaki, 23, welterweight
Record: 18-1-1, 17 KOs Last fight: Nov. 3 – W, TKO7 vs. Qamil Balla Next fight: Jan. 24 vs. Shoki Shakai Previous ranking: N/R
Sasaki is Japan’s largest contender at 147 pounds. He’s racked up six consecutive TKO wins since a draw in 2022.
93. Andy Cruz Jr., 29, lightweight
Record: 4-0, 2 KOs Last fight: Aug. 3 – W, KO7 vs. Antonio Moran Next fight: Jan. 25 vs. Omar Salcido Previous ranking: N/R
The Olympic gold medalist from Cuba is on the fast track for a title shot that could materialize in 2025.
94. Charles Conwell, 27, junior middleweight
Record: 21-0, 16 KOs Last fight: Dec. 14 – W, KO7 vs. Gerardo Vergara Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
The hard-nosed junior middleweight contender is steadily progressing but is badly in need of a genuine step-up fight where he can showcase his improved game.
95. Rey Vargas, 34, featherweight
Record: 36-1-1, 22 KOs Last fight: March 8 – D, SD12 vs. Nick Ball Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 71
The lanky featherweight was floored twice by Ball in a March firefight where pulled out a draw to retain his title. He was later named champion in recess by the WBC without explanation.
96. Luis Alberto Lopez, 31, featherweight
Record: 30-3, 17 KOs Last fight: Aug, 10 – L, KO10 vs. Angelo Leo Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 46
Lopez’s solid title reign came to a crashing halt in August in one of the most spectacular KOs of the year.
97. Jaime Munguia, 28, super middleweight
Record: 44-2, 35 KOs Last fight: Dec. 14 – L, KO6 vs. Bruno Surace Next fight: TBA vs. Surace Previous ranking: No. 52
Munguia fought four times this year in an era where fighters often compete only once, but he’s lost two of his last three bouts. He dropped a decision to Canelo Alvarez in May before was on the wrong end of the year’s biggest upset earlier this month with a sixth-round KO loss to Frenchman Bruno Surace.
98. Mario Barrios, 29, WBC welterweight champion
Record: 29-2-1, 18 KOs Last fight: Nov. 15 – D, SD12 vs. Abel Ramos Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 60
Barrios held onto his WBC welterweight title with a surprising draw with Ramos where he was floored.
99. Abel Ramos, 33, welterweight
Record: 28-6-3, 22 KOs Last fight: Nov. 15 – D, SD12 vs. Mario Barrios Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: N/R
Ramos had three loses in his last five fights entering the Barrios title shot, and despite long odds, exchanged knockdowns to settle for a draw.
100. George Kambosos Jr., 31, lightweight
Record: 21-3, 10 KOs Last fight: May 12 – L, TKO11 vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko Next fight: TBA Previous ranking: No. 50
The former lightweight champion was stopped by Lomachenko in May. The Aussie star later signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and will make his 140-pound debut next year.
SEC are 42-2 ca conferință în ultimele 13 zile, cu victorii în Kansas, Gonzaga, Purdue, Illinois, Carolina de Nord, Clemson, Ohio State, Louisville, Creighton, Arizona State și Michigan (de două ori). Știu că unii dintre voi s-ar putea să fi obosit să o audă, dar urmărim cu adevărat cea mai impresionantă performanță din afara ligii a unei conferințe din istoria baschetului universitar.
Record SEC actual: 157-20.
Fiecare altă conferință de putere are cel puțin de două ori mai multe pierderi. Nicio altă conferință de putere nu se află în 11 victorii. Evaluarea KenPom.com de la SEC este de până la +20,01, ceea ce este cu 3,20 puncte mai mare decât a doua cea mai bună ligă (Big 12). După cum a observat cercetătorul de lungă durată Jared Berson, SEC are acum un scor incredibil de 19-8 în jocurile fără conferințe împotriva echipelor clasate în topul 25 al Associated Press.
„Cred că această performanță non-conferință este atât de anormală”, a scris Berson pe Twitter, „încât nu va fi niciodată egalată”.
Există 10 școli SEC în clasamentul actualizat de vineri dimineață CBS Sports Top 25 și 1 clasament zilnic de baschet colegial – inclusiv fiecare dintre primele două (nr. 1 Tennessee, nr. 2 Auburn), trei dintre primele patru (nr. 4 Kentucky), patru dintre primele șase (nr. 6 Alabama), cinci dintre primele opt (nr. 8 Florida), șase dintre primele 11 (nr. 11 Ole Miss), șapte dintre primele 14 (nr. 14 Texas A&M) și opt dintre primele 17 (nr. 17 statul Mississippi).
Apoi sunt Oklahoma nr. 25 și Georgia nr. 26, dintre care ultima sa îmbunătățit la 10-1 cu o victorie de 100-49 asupra lui Buffalo, joi seară, care a oferit SEC a zecea victorie din două cifre a săptămânii. Este un sezon interesant pe care îl au Bulldogs, aproape în totalitate în afara radarului național, mai ales pentru că nouă dintre cele 11 meciuri ale lor au fost jucate împotriva echipelor clasate pe locul 98 sau mai rău în NET. Dar, din nou, Georgia are 10-1 cu victorii asupra St. John's și Notre Dame; singura pierdere este în fața unei echipe Marquette care este pe locul 9 în Top 25 și 1. Acesta este un corp de muncă solid la aproape șapte săptămâni de sezon.
Sunt gata să garantez complet pentru Georgia?
Nu chiar. Trebuie să văd mai multe.
Dar meciurile de la 10-1 la 11 au depășit cu siguranță așteptările și, atâta timp cât Bulldogs pot evita supărările în ultimele două meciuri din afara ligii împotriva Charleston Southern și South Carolina State, s-ar putea să nu fie nevoiți nici măcar să meargă .500 în restul meciurilor. modalitate de a asigura o ofertă generală la Turneul NCAA din 2025.
Mâncărimi pentru mai multe analize de cercuri de colegiu? Ascultă mai jos și abonează-te la podcastul Eye on College Basketball, unde te ducem dincolo de lemnul tare cu informații privilegiate și reacții instantanee.
