By Jack Tanner

Copyright independent

Victory for Terence Crawford over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez last weekend elevated ‘Bud’ into a select group of men – six fighters that have won world titles in five separate weight classes.

Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Crawford have all stretched their greatness across numerous divisions.

There are a few modern-day greats who could yet match those feats – but who is most likely to be boxing’s next five-division world champion?

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It is almost cheating to include Naoya Inoue on this list. Like Crawford, Inoue has reigned as undisputed in two different divisions, with ‘The Monster’ having won world titles at four different weights.

The Japanese maestro likes to plan his fights well in advance, and it appears he has two more targets left at super bantamweight before moving up to featherweight.

He is likely to face Mexican David Picasso at the end of December, whilst an all-Japanese bout with countryman Junto Nakatani is eyed for next spring.

If he is victorious in both fights, Inoue will likely be able to command a world title shot in his first fight at featherweight. Britain’s current sole world champion, Nick Ball, is the WBA title holder at 126lbs, with a fight between the two floated in recent months.

One of boxing’s pound-for-pound stars, it truly feels like a matter of when – not if – Inoue becomes a five-division champion.

Canelo’s stock has dropped slightly after losing to Crawford last weekend, but the Mexican remains at the top of the sport.

The big question now for four-division champion is what happens next.

Becoming a five-division champion has previously been an ambition for Canelo. In 2022 he attempted to move up to cruiserweight to face Ilunga Makabu for the WBC version of the world title.

Instead Canelo returned to light heavyweight to face Dmitry Bivol, losing to the established 175-pounder. A few years older, Canelo has now been freed of his belts at super middleweight. A prize draw no matter who he faces, a weak cruiserweight division could be ripe for the taking.

Fellow countryman Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez holds two belts at 200lbs, whilst Australian Jai Opetaia has made noises about vacating his IBF crown to move to heavyweight.

Although Canelo would be at a significant size disadvantage if he was to compete at 200lbs, he could capitalise on an opportunity that comes his way in order to make further history.

The first three-division champion on our list, Junto Nakatani has already announced he plans to step up to super bantamweight.

As previously mentioned, Nakatani appears to be on a collision course with compatriot Inoue. Of course, whilst Inoue will be the overwhelming favourite, it does give Nakatani an immediate shot at becoming a world champion in a fourth division.

Even if Nakatani fails to defeat Inoue, it is expected that ‘The Monster’ will instantly move up to featherweight next year – vacating all four belts at 122lbs.

As such, Nakatani will be thrown back into the mix for a world title. At just 27, and with a 5ft 8in frame, Nakatani has years ahead of him – and room to grow. How he approaches the next steps of his career could lead to success at bigger weights.

Shakur Stevenson is another three-division champion seemingly on the verge of a shot for a world title at a higher weight.

The outspoken Stevenson has increasingly been linked to a fight with Teofimo Lopez, who holds the WBO strap at super lightweight. If that fight is made, Stevenson could become a four-division world champion in just 25 fights.

Similar to Nakatani, Stevenson is arguably yet to reach his prime at 28, and with a 5ft 8in frame, could fill out more over the coming years. Fellow Americans Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, who have previously operated at lightweight, have since gone on to compete as welterweights.

Garcia, Haney, Lopez, and Stevenson have frequently been lumped together, thanks to their similar ages, weights, and heights.

Although currently two divisions above his current weight, Stevenson has entertained fighting at 147lbs in the past. He said he would be willing to move to welterweight to fight Conor Benn, but admitted he would have to be selective with his opponents at the higher weight class.

Back in July Stevenson claimed: “Me and Conor Benn, I can fight at 47. And that’s another thing too I’m gonna put out there, I’m not a 47 pounder. I’m not fighting at 47 for just anybody.

“The only reason why I was saying with Conor Benn is because he’s smaller. Like I’ve seen him in person. He’s literally like, I wanna say he’s shorter than me. So that’s kind of cool, but like far as like 47, I’m so f***ing small for even 135. I will go up, but it’d be specific people at 47.”

Another three-division champion, Emanuel Navarrete has attempted to achieve glory in a fourth weight class. However, the Mexican came up short in 2024, losing to Denys Berinchyk with the vacant WBO lightweight title on the line.

Having since returned to super featherweight to defend his WBO strap, Navarrete could be tempted to return to 135lbs after the shake-up of the division in the summer.

The WBO title became vacant once more after Keyshawn Davis failed to make weight against Edwin De Los Santos in June, before the retirement of Vasyl Lomachenko saw the IBF upgrade Raymond Muratalla to full champion.

If Stevenson moves up to super lightweight, the WBC strap will also be up for grabs, while WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis risks being stripped of his belt after refusing a mandatory rematch with Lamont Roach Jr, instead choosing a lucrative exhibition bout with Jake Paul.

Navarrete could be poised to re-enter the picture at 135lbs with the titles in disarray, opening the door to becoming a four-division champion. Out of our list, the Mexican feels the furthest away, but boxing politics tend to favour world champions.

At 30 years old, time is slightly against Navarrete, but if he plays his cards right, he could manoeuvre himself into the history books.

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