With the end of the decade, a list of the top-10 boxers in alphabetical order

When breaking down memorable decades in boxing history, the 2010s will fall short on significance. For the many talented fighters that graced rings throughout the decade, the impact they left beyond the sport’s hard-core followers is marginal at best.

In boxing annals, elite fighters symbolized decades. The 1920s were considered the Jack Dempsey years. Joe Louis personified the 1930s and ‘40s. Sugar Ray Robinson also was linked to 1940s excellence and joined Rocky Marciano as faces of the 1950s.

Muhammad Ali embodied the 1960s and 1970s, and Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran stood out in the 1980s. The Mike Tyson era began in the mid-1980s and, despite the heavyweight champion’s trials and tribulations, continued through the end of the 20th century.

The 2010s feature an ample list of Hall of Fame worthy fighters. Yet the emergence of one or two faces for historical clout proves daunting.

Nonetheless, ring excellence deserves recognition even if the decade might not feature a noteworthy torchbearer. Below, in alphabetical order, is a breakdown of the 2010s best 10:

▪ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez: The native of Mexico closed the decade by winning a fourth division world title, when he knocked out defending champion Sergey Kovalev for a light-heavyweight belt. True, Alvarez, currently the sport’s most popular fighter, benefited from disputed judges’ scorecards in his two title fights against Gennadiy Golovkin. But Alvarez merits acknowledgment for also winning super-welterweight, middleweight and super-middleweight titles. Alvarez finished 22-1-1 in the decade.

▪ Terence Crawford: On the short list of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters, Crawford began amassing belts in 2014, when he won a lightweight title. Crawford moved to super-lightweight and became one of the sport’s rare undisputed division champions. After his ascension to welterweight in June 2018, Crawford won a third division title, knocking out the four opponents he has faced at the higher class.

▪ Mikey Garcia: Sidelined for two-years because of a promotional conflict in the middle of the decade, Garcia still left an impact. Garcia won titles in the featherweight, super-featherweight, lightweight and super-lightweight divisions. His 20-fight winning streak during the decade ended with an unsuccessful welterweight title challenge against Errol Spence Jr.

▪ Golovkin: A seven-year run as middleweight champion cemented his spot on the list. The native of Kazakhstan made 20 successful defenses, including a disputed draw in the first of his two bouts with Alvarez. Golovkin lost his title in another controversial verdict against Alvarez in their rematch. In addition to his lengthy title reign, Golovkin had an 18-fight knockout win streak during the decade.

▪ Wladimir Klitschko: The recent heavyweight title fight snapshots of Klitschko feature his losses against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. But Klitschko made 11 successful defenses of his sanctioning body belts during the decade. In fact, Klitschko’s second title reign of nine years trails only Joe Louis.

▪ Vasiliy Lomachenko: The Ukraine native’s impressive amateur background, highlighted by two Olympic gold medals, landed him a world title opportunity by his second professional bout. Although Lomachenko lost a split decision to an over-the-weight Orlando Salido in 2014, he has since become an unstoppable force. In 15 professional bouts, Lomachenko has won featherweight, junior-lightweight and lightweight titles.

▪ Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Fight fans can consider Mayweather’s decade as a legacy enhancer. Mayweather needed the bout against Manny Pacquiao to solidify his status as one of the best fighters of the past 40 years. In addition to his victory over Pacquiao, Mayweather won nine bouts during the decade and finished his career 50-0.

▪ Pacquiao: Who would have imagined that one of the best fighters of the 2000s end on the short list again the next decade? But Pacquiao, 41, proved his lasting power with impressive victories over Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman to close the decade and begin a fourth stint as welterweight champion. Although Pacquiao lost his highly anticipated fight against Mayweather and was stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth bout, he remained active throughout the decade and finished 12-4.

▪ Andre Ward: Injuries and a promotional dispute limited Ward’s activity during the decade. But in 11 bouts, Ward showed his superior ring skills. After a dominant run as super-middleweight champion, Ward moved to light-heavyweight and dethroned Kovalev. Ward retired with a 32-0 record following his rematch victory over Kovalev in 2017.

▪ Deontay Wilder: Until Wilder’s title-winning performance in 2015, the heavyweight division lacked a lasting American presence for nearly 20 years. Now the unbeaten Wilder is firmly entrenched as titleholder and his 40 knockouts in 42 bouts place him among the top power punchers in heavyweight history.

Coming up

Friday (9 p.m., Showtime): Claressa Shields vs. Ivanna Habazin, 12, for the vacant WBC and WBO women’s super-welterweight titles.

Saturday (9 p.m., DAZN): Jaime Munguia vs. Gary O’Sullivan, 12, middleweights.

Saturday (10 p.m., ESPN): Jesse Hart vs. Joe Smith Jr., 10, light-heavyweights.

This story was originally published January 5, 2020 at 4:38 PM.