Pound for pound

Template:Otheruses Template:Use dmy dates Template:Short description Pound for pound is a ranking used in combat sports, such as boxing,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> wrestling,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or mixed martial arts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> adjusted to compensate for weight class. As fighters in different weight classes do not compete directly, determining the best fighter pound for pound requires subjective judgment, and ratings often vary as a result.

Boxing

In boxing, the term was historically associated with fighters such as Benny Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson who were widely considered to be the most skilled fighters of their day, to distinguish them from the generally more popular (and better paid) heavyweight champions.<ref name="Dettloff">Template:Cite web</ref> Since 1990, The Ring magazine has maintained a pound for pound ranking of fighters.<ref name="Dettloff"/>

Mixed martial arts

Template:Main Some mixed martial arts promotions have pound-for-pound rankings, including Ultimate Fighting Championship since 2013, ONE Championship since 2020,<ref name="One 2020-04">Template:Cite web</ref> and Bellator MMA since 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are also multiple unofficial MMA pound-for-pound rankings, including by ESPN.com,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sherdog,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fight Matrix,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> MMA Fighting<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Tapology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Kickboxing / Muay Thai

Template:Also ONE Championship publishes pound-for-pound rankings for kickboxing and Muay Thai since 2020.<ref name="One 2020-04" /> Combat Press and Beyond Kickboxing also publish pound-for-pound rankings for kickboxing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>