Eddie Hearn names major American fighter as the next pound-for-pound number one

Terence Crawford has walked away from boxing, but the discussion has already begun on who will succeed him at the top of boxing’s pound-for-pound list. 

After defeating Canelo Alvarez in September, Crawford’s efforts were praised throughout boxing as he scored the biggest win of his career in impressive fashion. 

The win meant Crawford became a three-weight undisputed champion and the Nebraska man has decided that now is the perfect time to retire as he nothing else left to accomplish. 

With Crawford now gone, the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue are considered the sport’s best fighters, with several other boxers looking to stake their claim. 

One of those fighters is Jaron Ennis with the Philadelphia star already a former unified champion at welterweight following a series of dominant wins. 

Ennis is likely to face Vergil Ortiz at some point in 2026 and a win there would see his profile soar. Eddie Hearn, the promoter of ‘Boots,’ fully believes his man can go all the way. 

“I’ve seen all the top fighters. I truly believe that Jaron Ennis is the pound-for-pound number one in waiting. I’m not talking about (in) three years, I’m talking about 12 months,” said Hearn when speaking to The Ring. 

“I think this guy’s going to go through this division, move up to 160, three-weight world champion. I think he’s the guy to replace Terence Crawford. I think he’s that good.”