<P> Pound for pound is a ranking used in combat sports , such as boxing or mixed martial arts , of who the better fighters are relative to their weight ( i.e. , adjusted to compensate for weight class ) . As these fighters do not compete directly , judging the best fighter pound for pound is subjective , and ratings vary . They may be based on a range of criteria including `` quality of opposition '' , factors such as how exciting the fighter is or how famous they are , or be an attempt to determine who would win if all those ranked were the same size . 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 compensated ) heavyweight champions . Since 1990 , The Ring magazine has maintained a pound for pound rank of fighters . ESPN.com has a list for mixed martial artists . In December 2013 , Ronda Rousey became the first woman to appear on the top 10 of a mixed - gender major publication . </P>
what does it mean to be pound for pound
a ranking used in combat sports , such as boxing or mixed martial arts , of who the better fighters are relative to their weight