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Only 25 fighters have reached boxing’s highest unofficial position over the past 56 years. Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Naoya Inoue all reached the summit. Thousands of other professionals never did. The WBN Pound-for-Pound Number One History (1970–Present) documents all 38 reigns by the 25 fighters who have occupied boxing’s most prestigious unofficial ranking since Jose Napoles became the first leader in 1970. Every era has produced its own dominant champion. Ali carried the sport through the 1970s before Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Tyson took over. Roy Jones Jr., Mayweather and Pacquiao ruled the next generation before Canelo Alvarez, Oleksandr Usyk and Inoue continued the tradition. Only the Greatest Reach Number One The WBN historical timeline reveals how difficult it is to reach boxing’s summit, let alone stay there. Ali, Duran, Pernell Whitaker, Mayweather, Pacquiao, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Canelo, Usyk, Terence Crawford and Inoue all reclaimed the top spot during their careers, highlighting how even the sport’s greatest names were forced to fight their way back after losing the crown. Every change at number one is documented alongside the performances that triggered each new reign, creating a complete historical record spanning more than half a century. Naoya Inoue Becomes Number 25 The latest update includes Naoya Inoue’s return to number one following his victory over fellow pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani. Inoue became the 25th fighter to occupy boxing’s highest unofficial position after Oleksandr Usyk’s defeat to Rico Verhoeven, extending the historical record to 38 separate reigns since 1970. Readers can explore the complete WBN Pound-for-Pound Number One History (1970–Present), featuring every change at the summit, all 38 reigns and the current WBN Pound-for-Pound Top 50 rankings. About the Author Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.