The Titans of Today: Boxing's Most Influential Figures

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest names shaping boxing right now—whether they’re knocking people out or making billion-dollar deals.

• The Kings of the Canvas
• Oleksandr Usyk
• Terence "Bud" Crawford
• Naoya “The Monster” Inoue
• The Bosses Outside the Ring
• Eddie Hearn
• Bob Arum
• Final Bell

The Kings of the Canvas

Oleksandr Usyk

Usyk grew up in Simferopol, Ukraine, and originally trained as a footballer before switching to boxing in his teens. His amateur résumé is stacked—he won gold at the 2012 London Olympics and was widely regarded as one of the most technically sound fighters in the amateur system.

After turning pro in 2013, he tore through the cruiserweight division, becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018 after unifying all four major belts—a rare feat in modern boxing.
Then he moved up to heavyweight and shocked the world by outclassing Anthony Joshua in 2021 and again in their 2022 rematch. He became the unified heavyweight champion, holding the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles. His win over Tyson Fury (assuming you're including a future or rumored win) would only further elevate his legacy.

Awards & Highlights:

• Olympic Gold Medalist (2012)
• First four-belt undisputed cruiserweight champ
• The Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year nominee
• Undefeated record (as of 2025)

Terence "Bud" Crawford

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford had a tough upbringing in one of the city’s roughest neighborhoods. Boxing became a safe haven—and a way to fight his way to a better future. He was a top amateur with a record of 70–12 but didn’t make the Olympics, which only fueled his hunger to prove himself as a pro.

Crawford turned professional in 2008 and quickly gained attention for his slick style, ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw, and high fight IQ. He became the undisputed light welterweight champion in 2017 and later captured the undisputed welterweight titles in 2023 after a dominant performance against Errol Spence Jr.

That win made him the first male boxer in the four-belt era to become undisputed in two weight divisions—a history-making achievement.

Awards & Highlights:

• 2x Undisputed World Champion (light welterweight & welterweight)
• The Ring Fighter of the Year (2014)
• BWAA Fighter of the Year (2014, 2017)
• ESPN #1 Pound-for-Pound (2023, 2024)
• Undefeated record (as of 2025)

Naoya “The Monster” Inoue

Hailing from Kanagawa, Japan, Inoue started boxing at a young age under the guidance of his father and quickly became a prodigy. As an amateur, he racked up a 75–6 record before turning pro at just 19 years old. He didn’t waste time—Inoue became a world champion in only his sixth professional fight, winning the WBC light flyweight title.

He’s since gone on a tear, becoming a four-division world champion and undisputed champion in both the bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. Known for his jaw-dropping power, fast hands, and clean technique, Inoue has an unusually high KO ratio for someone in the lower weight classes.

Notable wins include victories over Nonito Donaire, Paul Butler, and Stephen Fulton—all of whom were champions or former champions at the time.

Awards & Highlights:

• 4-division world champion
• 2x Undisputed World Champion (bantamweight & super bantamweight)
• The Ring Fighter of the Year (2023)
• BWAA Fighter of the Year (2023)
• ESPN Knockout of the Year (multiple years)
• Undefeated record (as of 2025)

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The Bosses Outside the Ring

Eddie Hearn

Born into boxing royalty, Eddie is the son of Barry Hearn, who founded Matchroom Sport. Eddie stepped into the limelight by promoting Carl Froch vs. George Groves II at Wembley Stadium—a historic night for British boxing.

He’s since expanded Matchroom into a global brand and played a key role in turning Anthony Joshua into an international star. He was also a trailblazer in bringing boxing to streaming platforms like DAZN, making fights more accessible than ever.

Hearn is known for being a modern promoter—media-friendly, highly active on social platforms, and never short of soundbites.

Contributions & Highlights:

• Chairman of Matchroom Sport
• Instrumental in building DAZN’s boxing platform
• Promoter of Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor, Canelo Álvarez (briefly), and many others
• Key in bringing major events to Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

Bob Arum

A true OG of the sport, Bob Arum is a Harvard-educated lawyer who started in boxing by promoting Muhammad Ali in the 1960s. He founded Top Rank in 1973 and has been involved in some of the sport’s biggest moments ever since.

Over the decades, he’s promoted legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Despite his age (he’s in his 90s!), Arum is still going strong, helping guide the careers of fighters like Tyson Fury, Shakur Stevenson, and Teofimo Lopez.

Contributions & Highlights:

• Founder and CEO of Top Rank Boxing
• Promoted 27 world champions
• Hall of Fame Inductee (1999, International Boxing Hall of Fame)
• Played a major role in the 2020s resurgence of U.S. boxing, especially on ESPN

Final Bell

Boxing’s current scene is stacked—not just with generational fighters, but also with behind-the-scenes masterminds keeping the sport alive and kicking. Whether it’s Usyk outclassing giants, Crawford making history, or Inoue dropping jaws in Japan, these athletes—and the business brains backing them—are all shaping the future of the sweet science.

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