Rankings go up on Mondays.
Ranked fights this week:
Cruiserweight: (4) Ilunga Junior Makabu vs Badou Jack, Feb. 26
Junior Welterweight: (5) Subriel Matias vs Jeremias Ponce, Feb. 25
Bantamweight: (10) Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Jesus Martinez, Feb. 24
Upcoming Fights: (4) Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin, Apr. 1 … (5) Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang, Apr. 15
Upcoming Fights: (4) Ilunga Junior Makabu vs Badou Jack, Feb. 26 … (2) Lawrence Okolie vs David Gentle, Mar. 25
Upcoming Fights: (4) Callum Smith vs Pawel Stepien, Mar. 11 … (10) Jean Pascal vs Michael Eifert, Mar. 16 … (5) Gilberto Ramirez vs Gabriel Rosado, Mar. 18 … (9) Craig Richards vs Ricards Bolotniks, Apr. 1
Notes: Lerrone Richards has a month from right here earlier than he goes inactive. That doesn’t imply he has to struggle inside that body, simply that he has to get one thing scheduled, or no less than have the credible rumor that one thing quickly might be. That is extra a “unhealthy breaks” state of affairs, I believe; he’s not precisely any promoter’s dream to try to promote, and he additionally had an damage that scuppered a return in December. However time is time.
Upcoming Fights: (9) Carlos Gongora vs (10) Christian Mbilli, Mar. 23 … (2) David Benavidez vs (3) Caleb Plant, Mar. 25 … (1) Canelo Alvarez vs (6) John Ryder, Might 6
Notes: Talking of falling out because of inactivity, it’s been previous time however I gave a beneficiant leash to try to see if Jermall Charlo — who hasn’t fought since June 2021 and, technically, might have been pulled after 15 months out final September — would get a struggle in. Or scheduled. Or something.
However that’s sufficient. A part of the explanation I used to be so hesitant is that with out him, this division seems to be even worse. This isn’t a superb division proper now. Additionally, in the event you’re new or don’t bear in mind or haven’t cared earlier than, Charlo doesn’t reenter the rankings if he simply indicators a struggle. He’ll must struggle that struggle, which at this level, who even is aware of if it’ll be at 160?
It’s not all bleak, as there are some proficient younger fighters who might make their mark, however it looks like they’re going to must attempt to make that mark towards each other, and I don’t know if that may occur. Divisions have lulls, and middleweight is simply in a single.
Upcoming Fights: TBA
Upcoming Fights: (4) Tim Tszyu vs (8) Tony Harrison, Mar. 12 … (3) Sebastian Fundora vs Brian Mendoez, Apr. 8
Upcoming Fights: (8) Cody Crowley vs Abel Ramos, Mar. 25 … (6) Vergil Ortiz Jr vs (7) Eimantas Stanionis, Apr. 29
Upcoming Fights: (5) Subriel Matias vs Jeremias Ponce, Feb. 25 … (3) Jack Catterall vs TBA, Mar. 25 … (4) Jose Ramirez vs Richard Commey, Mar. 25 … (7) Ryan Garcia vs Gervonta Davis, Apr. 15
Upcoming Fights: (3) Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia [junior welterweight, technically], Apr. 15 … (1) Devin Haney vs (2) Vasiliy Lomachenko, Might 20
Notes: O’Shaquie Foster makes the soar into the highest 5 after a superb win over Rey Vargas, claiming the previously-vacant WBC title. Now, it was a win over a man who had by no means fought at 130 earlier than. Vargas positively didn’t look incompetent or ineffective on the weight or something, however Foster was beating a man who had one credible struggle over 122 lbs. So prime 5, however there’s nonetheless a bit extra to show, and that dude appears desirous to show it, and I stay up for watching him struggle once more.
It’s a prime 5 in a little bit of flux, however issues are going to shake out. Cordina and Rakhimov can have their overdue struggle on Apr. 22, and we’ll see how Hector Luis Garcia seems to be when he comes again down in weight to 130 (if he does, which it’s important to assume he’ll for the reason that belt he has right here is his largest bargaining chip). We’ll additionally see Oscar Valdez come again, and he and Navarrete would possibly struggle within the fall. Ought to, say they’ll, however let’s name it “would possibly.”
Upcoming Fights: (2) Joe Cordina vs (3) Shavkat Rakhimov, Apr. 22
Notes: Talking of divisions in flux, 126 is lastly beginning to take one thing near an affordable, precise form.
Emanuel Navarrete is gone, he’s staying at 130. Rey Vargas remains to be right here, he’s received the WBC belt and can come again to 126 extra possible than not. Mauricio Lara now has the WBA belt after rallying to knock out Leigh Wooden on a one-shotter this previous Saturday.
Lara regarded loads susceptible in that struggle, and Wooden was preventing effectively. I’m calling Lara the highest canine at featherweight proper now, as a result of he’s on the streak and he gained a world title struggle in clear style, I don’t care if he misplaced 5 of six rounds beforehand, he knocked Leigh Wooden out. Wooden needed to proceed and technically might have, however he was a large number. Even when he’d gotten the break between rounds there’s each probability he will get obliterated early within the subsequent one with unhealthy legs and Lara charging at him. And the information are the information, TKO-7 for Lara, new WBA champ.
However I’m additionally not dropping Wooden any from the place he was; with Navarrete formally gone to 130, Wooden truly strikes up a spot in defeat. He was doing an excellent job in that struggle, however he received caught. He’s a high quality contender, a high quality fighter, and nonetheless within the combine at 126. Between them sits Vargas.
After that, it will get sloppier nonetheless, however with Magsayo preventing Brandon Figueroa quickly, we’ll principally resolve a prime 5 man there, after which now we have Dogboe and Ramirez preventing for the vacant WBO belt on Apr. 1. I’m on file: I believe the precise finest fighter on this division proper now’s Robeisy Ramirez. We’ll see how he does towards Dogboe, although. Dogboe isn’t a walkover for anybody; even when he received dominated by Navarrete down at 122, he made Navarrete simply maintain dominating him, he wouldn’t go away, and that’s a form of man Ramirez hasn’t encountered but.
However the winners of Figueroa-Magsayo and Ramirez-Dogboe ought to each hit the highest 5 no less than, or keep there, solidified, in Magsayo’s case.
Gary Russell Jr has till Apr. 22 to get one thing scheduled, in the event you’re questioning about his standing in the meanwhile, since him probably going inactive is principally an annual concern.
Upcoming Fights: (5) Mark Magsayo vs Brandon Figueroa, Mar. 4 … (9) Isaac Dogboe vs (10) Robeisy Ramirez, Apr. 1
Notes: Effectively, Luis Nery’s win over Azat Hovhannisyan goes to be robust to prime for Struggle of the Yr. We’ve had a rattling good run of some rattling good fights to this point in 2023, and Nery vs Hovhannisyan was one of the best of the lot. It is usually nonetheless February. So that is good.
Nery rises a spot to No. 3. That’s in all probability probably the most I’ve ever loved watching him struggle, not simply because the struggle was nice, however as a result of I believe it was such a whole efficiency. He confirmed his expertise, but additionally his ruggedness and coronary heart towards a triple-tough dude who refused to be dominated. Nery beat Hovhannisyan clear, and Hovhannisyan stays at No. 5, as a result of the remainder of the division nonetheless must do one thing, you understand, higher to leap him after that unimaginable effort.
There’s a little bit of house-cleaning right here, I like to sometimes reassess issues and never keep static without end, and this was a time I did that and adjusted my thoughts a bit of on a pair issues. Marlon Tapales and Zolani Tete transfer up, Ronny Rios strikes down. Liam Davies is up a spot as a result of Takuma Inoue is headed again all the way down to 118 to struggle for one of many belts his brother vacated, and Sam Goodman is in at No. 10, however his subsequent struggle is not any gimme towards veteran TJ Doheny on the Tszyu-Harrison undercard. Doheny could also be previous his finest days, however he’s a strong matchup for younger Goodman, who edged out — no less than for now — a number of different potential No. 10 guys.
Upcoming Fights: (10) Sam Goodman vs TJ Doheny, Mar. 12 … (2) Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs (6) Marlon Tapales, Apr. 8 … (9) Liam Davies vs Jason Cunningham, Apr. 29 … (1) Stephen Fulton Jr vs Naoya Inoue, TBA
Notes: Considered shifting Takuma Inoue again in at 118 since he’s coming down for a world title struggle, however he hasn’t fought on the weight in two years, so we’ll maintain off on that for the second. With Naoya Inoue out, this division is about to get 4 new titleholders and a few shakin’ up. Inside a number of months, anyway. Hopefully by the tip of spring we’ll have a clearer have a look at what post-“Monster” bantamweight seems to be like.
Rigondeaux’s again in Florida on Friday.
Upcoming Fights: (10) Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Jesus Martinez, Feb. 24
Upcoming Fights: TBA
Notes: A bit extra house-cleaning on this division as a result of McWilliams Arroyo went 15 months inactive with nothing slated, and we did have some outcomes, together with a win for Ricardo Sandoval on Saturday.
The highest three stays the identical, however after seeing Alvarado, Jimenez, and Sandoval all in motion fairly lately, I actually assume Alvarado has one of the best case for the No. 4 spot. However that’s simply private opinion and crap. Which is all any of that is.
Again finish strikes round a bit. Apolinario did struggle and win on Feb. 11, however towards a rubbish opponent, and Akui and Kuwahara simply have the higher competitors, I believe; not by a ton, however by sufficient.
Upcoming Fights: (9) Taku Kuwahara vs Jose Rivas, Mar. 14
Upcoming Fights: (1) Kenshiro Teraji vs (3) Jonathan Gonzalez, Apr. 8
Upcoming Fights: (2) Knockout CP Freshmart vs (10) Erick Rosa, Mar. 1
Upcoming Fights: (5) Seniesa Estrada vs Tina Rupprecht, Mar. 25 … (2) Katie Taylor vs (3) Amanda Serrano, Might 20 … (6) Mikaela Mayer vs Christina Linardatou, TBA
