The Corner Stool Competition Index: 2024 Final

A new number one emerges from one of the year's biggest fights

Happy New Year to all the readers here at the Corner Stool.

It’s been an odd 2024. We got some of the sports most desirable fights (Usyk-Fury, Beterbiev-Bivol, and Rodriguez-Estrada all jump out) but we’ve also seen tremendous lulls of action as the sport goes through a transformation.

The boxing universe is in transition but many of the problems of recent years remain. Activity remains down. While Oleksandr Usyk and Artur Beterbiev both fought twice in the same calendar year for the first time in ages, other stars like Terence Crawford, Gervonta Davis, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Shakur Stevenson managed single appearances. The same was true for Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney whose major fight ended up as a sport embarrassing debacle and the end of the active year for both.

It was a lot to ask for 2024 to match the banner year that was 2023 and it’s rare for the sport to have two blow away years in a row. The good was still very good and the best continued to add to their resumes.

In the final quarter of 2024, we got some crucial performances that helped define careers. Those results impact the final standings for the year in the index.

Here’s a few notes on the update:

• Naoya Inoue gets a boost from his last unranked win, over Aran Diapen, aging off his record. That leaves him with a sport best six consecutive wins over ranked opponents.

• Among the handful of non-titlists in consideration for the index: Tyson Fury’s second consecutive loss removed him from consideration; Leigh Wood was removed for inactivity; and Devin Haney, Dmitry Bivol, and David Benavidez remained for the time being.

• Four of the top ten (Oleksandr Usyk, Artur Beterbiev, Jesse Rodriguez, and Kenshiro Teraji) had fights in the third quarter. Junto Nakatani, number nine on the October index, slipped out of the top ten with a win over an unrated opponent.

• A total pool of 56 fighters were considered for this update.

Heading into 2025, the results from the final quarter significantly shook up the top ten and the results are as follows:

10) Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KO)
Overall Points Rank: 8 (28.83 pts)
Unique Rated Wins Rank: 13 (3 unique wins)
Last Two Starts Rank: 20 (8.58 pts)
Average Opponent Ranking Rank: 1 (1.98)
Age: 34
Lineal Titles: World Jr. Middleweight (2020-Present, 2 Defenses)
Current Alphabet Titles: None
Additional Titles: WBC Super Welterweight (2016-18, 3 Defenses); IBF Jr. Middleweight (2020-23, 2 Defenses); WBO Jr. Middleweight (2022-23); WBC Super Welterweight (2019-24, 3 Defenses); WBA “super” Super Welterweight (2020-24, 2 Defenses)Ring Magazine Jr. Middleweight (2020-24, 2 Defenses); TBRB Jr. Middleweight (2022-Present, 0 Defenses)
Record in Title Fights: 7-2-1, 6 KO
Last Five Opponents: Saul Alvarez L12 (Champion - 168), Brian Castano KO10 (#1/#2 - 154), Brian Castano D12 (#3/#2 - 154), Jeison Rosario KO8 (#2/#1 - 154), Tony Harrison KO11 (#6/#3 - 154)
Three Year Activity Kicker: No

Next Opponent: TBA

The Take: Despite a 2023 loss to Alvarez where Charlo did little to make the super middleweight king uncomfortable…despite over a year of inactivity….despite not fighting in the division in years…Jermell Charlo has not relinquished his claim to history’s throne at Jr. middleweight. Charlo returns to this top ten after slipping out in the last update based on his previous body of work and standing as the lineal junior middleweight champion. While all his alphabet belts are dispersed, until he says he’s done with the division he’s still the rightful champion. Alvarez was his fifth straight opponent ranked near the top of their division by one or both bodies utilized here, and he’s got the best average opponent ranking in the sport right now. Will he return in 2025 and, if he does, what division does he return in?

9) Kenshiro Teraji (24-1, 15 KO)
Overall Points Rank: 5 (36 pts)
Unique Rated Wins Rank: 6 (5 unique wins)
Last Two Starts Rank: 22 (8 pts)
Average Opponent Ranking: 8 (4.93)
Age: 32
Current Lineal Titles: None
Current Alphabet Titles: WBC Flyweight (2024-Present, 0 Defenses)
Additional Lineal Titles: World Jr. Flyweight (2022-24, 3 Defenses)
Additional Titles: WBC Light Flyweight (2017-21, 8 Defenses; 2022-24, 4 Defenses); WBA Light Flyweight (2022-24, 3 Defenses); TBRB/Ring Jr. Flyweight (2022-24, 3 Defenses)
Record in Title Fights: 15-1, 10 KO, 1 KOBY
Last Five: Cristofer Rosales TKO 11 (Ring #9/TBRB Unrated - 112); Carlos Canizales MD12 (#7/#4 - 108), Hekkie Budler TKO9 (#2#/3 - 108), Anthony Olascuaga TKO9 (Unrated - 108), Hiroto Kyoguchi (Champion/#2 - 108)
Three Year Activity Kicker: Yes - Masamichi Yabuki KO3 (#2/#1 - 108)

Next Opponent: TBD

The Take: Teraji ended his reign as lineal Jr. flyweight champion and made a late career move to flyweight, successfully adding a belt in his second weight class. Rosales, a former titlist, remained a fringe contender in the class. Teraji will find a wide open field and adds tremendously in the wake of the departure of Jesse Rodriguez with a potential rival in Galal Yafai out there in 2025. The Rosales fight acted as an anchor, dropping him from number two to number ten but that also reflects how tight things are at the top.