RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer THE RIGHT CHOICE
March 2026 Volume 103, No. 3
Founder Nathaniel Fleischer (1888-1972) Owner His Excellency Turki Alalshikh
Editor-in-Chief Douglass Fischer Managing Editor Tom Gray Senior Editor Brian Harty Creative Director Lamar Clark Controller Deborah L. Harrison
U ntil recently, there had been a longstanding consensus among fans and media that Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue were the top three boxers in the world. That dynamic changed with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s inevitable ascension up the mythical rankings and Crawford’s retirement announcement this past December. However, from 2022 to 2025, boxing’s pound-for-pound trinity was “Bud,” Usyk and “The Monster.” So it’s no surprise that the trio have not only vied for the No. 1 spot in the P4P list, but also for Fighter of the Year honors during the past three years. The Ring’s 2023 award went to Inoue. Usyk won it in 2024. Now it’s Crawford’s turn. Does he deserve the honor? You’re damn right he does. Nearly 38 at the time, the ringmaster dared to be great, defied the odds and made history when he relieved Canelo Alvarez of the undisputed super middleweight championship
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Crawford activated all-time great mode against Canelo Alvarez.
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on September 13. The clear-cut decision victory – hands down the best performance of 2025 and the event of the year – pushed Crawford’s name into all-time great company. He joined Bob Fitzsimmons, Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross and Henry Armstrong as boxing’s only three-
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division undisputed champions. Crawford also equaled Thomas
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) March 2026, is published 12 times per year by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Postmasters: Send change of address Notices to: The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 16027, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027, Phone: 818- 286-3101; rngcs@magserv.com. Single copy price $9.99 in U.S.A. ,10.99 Canada (£10.99 in the U.K.). Global Subscription price $60.00 for 12 issues plus S&H. Not responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited articles or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a self- addressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2026 The Ring Magazine FZ-LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or services offered. No endorsement of any such advertisement is intended or implied. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their advertisements. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES AND RATES: advertising@ringmagazine.com. U.S. / Canadian and International distribution by Comag Marketing Group LLC, 155 Village Blvd #200, Princeton, NJ 08540. UK distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd., 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, England, EC1A 9PT. Printed In USA and the UK.
Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather Jr. by winning world titles in five weight classes. Most years, an achievement of that historic magnitude would guarantee the award for most outstanding boxer. However, more than a few fans, websites and podcast hosts declared Inoue as their 2025 Fighter of the Year. I don’t agree with that opinion, but I respect it. Inoue is every bit the generational talent and competitor that Crawford is, and the Japanese superstar
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