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The Ring 2024 Ratings: Airy

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3 months ago

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Gervonta Davis (left) lands a hook on Hector Garcia – Photo by Showtime/Amanda Wescott

The Ring first introduced divisional classifications in 1925. Nearly a century later, it would be no exaggeration to say that these independent classifications are the most respected and most talked about in world boxing.

The Ring Ratings Panel is comprised of a dozen or so experts from around the world. Opinions are exchanged, debates are held, and the final decision on who should be ranked is made democratically every week. It sounds basic, but it can be a tedious and time-consuming process.

I will go through each division in reverse order and move from strawweight to heavyweight. Then I will look at the accomplishments of each of the fighters I am evaluating and look into my crystal ball to see what lies ahead.

Next up is the lightweight division (135 pounds), which is one of the strongest divisions in boxing, loaded with stars and a great lineup. As always, enjoy the debate and respect the opinions of others.

No. 1 – GERVONTA DAVIS

RECORD: 30-0 (28 KOs)

PAST: Davis dominated his opponents on his way to the top before impressively ripping the IBF 130-pound title from Jose Pedraza (TKO 7). Since then, his star has risen to become one of the most popular attractions in America, regularly selling out arenas across the country. The 29-year-old left-handed powerhouse is coming off a spectacular knockout win over Leo Santa Cruz (KO 6) and showed that his vaunted power comes with a weight class, standing powerful to stop the much larger future WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (TKO 11) at 140 pounds. “Tank” also won when he wasn’t at his best, against Isaac Cruz (UD 12), handled Rolando Romero (TKO 6), WBA 130-pound champion Hector Luis Garcia (TKO 9), shined in his fight against Ryan Garcia (KO 7) and most recently stopped Frank Martin (KO 8).

FUTURE: He will likely return in November, although it is not yet known who will sit in the opposite corner.

NO. 2 – Vasily Lomachenko

RECORD: 18-3 (12 KOs)

PAST: The incredibly talented Ukrainian left-hander was one of the most decorated amateurs in history, winning Olympic gold medals in London 2012 and Rio 2016. An early setback to Orlando Salido (SD 12) in his second pro outing turned into a rapid rise, with Loma taking the vacant WBO featherweight title from Gary Russell Jr. (MD 12) and earning back-to-back titles at 130 and 135. He had solid wins over Roman Martinez (KO 5), Nicholas Walters (RTD 7), Guillermo Rigondeaux (RTD 6) and Jorge Linares (TKO 10). He lost to Teofimo Lopez (UD 12) but bounced back with comprehensive wins over Masayoshi Nakatani (TKO 9) and Richard Commey (UD 12). In the eyes of most, he did enough to beat Devin Haney (UD 12), but the three people whose opinions mattered the most saw the American as the winner. The 36-year-old returned to claim the vacant IBF title with a dominant win over George Kambosos Jr. (TKO 11) in Australia.

FUTURE: He held talks about a match with Davis but ultimately dropped the idea and will not play until the end of the year.

No. 3 – WILLIAM ZEPEDA

RECORD: 31-0 (27 knockouts)

PAST: The hard-hitting Mexican left-hander won his first 20 fights in Mexico before signing with Golden Boy Promotions. Since then, the 28-year-old has continued to impress, most notably defeating previously unbeaten Hector Tanajara (RTD 6). He then scored quality rounds against seasoned veteran Rene Alvarado (UD 10), and further legitimized himself with dominant wins over former 130-pound champion Joseph Diaz (UD 12), as well as Mercito Gesta (KO 6), Maxim Hughes (RTD 4) and most recently Giovanni Cabrera (KO 3).

FUTURE: He is expected to face Stevenson if the talented American defeats Joe Cordina.

Shakur Stevenson (left) and Shuichiro Yoshino (right) exchange punches during their lightweight fight at the Prudential Center on April 8, 2023 in Newark, Up-to-date Jersey – Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images

No. 4 – SHAKUR STEVENSON

RECORD: 22-0 (10 KOs)

PAST: The 2016 Olympic silver medalist adapted to the pro game and his star quickly rose. Stevenson stopped previously undefeated Joet Gonzalez (UD 12) to win the vacant WBO featherweight title. He immediately moved up to 130 pounds and was awarded The Ring Performance of the Year for dominating and stopping WBO champion Jamel Herring (TKO 10). He added The Ring and WBC titles by defeating previously undefeated Oscar Valdez (UD 12). He missed weight in a fight with Robson Conceicao (UD 12) and lost his titles on the scale. The 27-year-old left-hander decided to move up to 135 pounds, where he was ideal in a fight with Shuichiro Yoshino (TKO 6). However, he did not make an impression when he won the WBC title from Edwin De Los Santos (UD 12) and defended it in a fight with Artem Harutyunyan (UD 12).

FUTURE: He will begin the next chapter of his Matchroom career by defending his WBC belt against former IBF junior lightweight champion Joe Cordina in Riyadh on October 12.

No. 5 – DENYS BERINCHYK

RECORD: 19-0 (9 knockouts)

PAST: Berinchyk was part of the 2012 Ukrainian boxing dream team that also included Oleksandr Usyk, Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Berinchyk won silver and then turned pro. However, while his illustrious compatriots quickly gained recognition, he was forced to take a slower path. He won the European title on the Usyk-Joshua undercard, defeating Yvan Mendy (UD 12) and successfully defended it against Anthony Yigit (UD 12). The 36-year-old, who has been actively fighting for Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia, finally got his gigantic break and headed to San Diego, where he defeated Emanuel Navarrete (UD 12) for the vacant WBO title in May.

FUTURE: Currently on the front lines helping his country. Whether he will fight again this year is uncertain.

No. 6 – RAYMOND MURATALLA

RECORD: 21-0 (16 knockouts)

PAST: Muratalla turned pro in September 2016. After winning his first three fights in Mexico, the California native rose through the ranks. He scored wins over Jeremy Hill (KO 3), Jair Valtierra (UD 8) and Humberto Galindo (KO 9). He faced Jeremiah Nakathila and showed he was ready for the occasion, stopping the Namibian in two rounds. He defeated Diego Torres with an unbeaten record by knockout in the eighth round and has since scored wins over Xolisani Ndongeni (UD 10) and the tricky former junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer (UD 10).

FUTURE: He said he would like to face Berinchyk, which could be his next fight.

Keyshawn Davis (right) lands a punch on Jose Pedraza – Mike Williams Photo – Top Rank

NO. 7 – KEYSHAWN DAVIS

RECORD: 11-0 (7 knockouts)

PAST: Davis was a decorated amateur who won silver at the 2019 Pan American Games, World Championships and 2020 Olympics, losing to Andy Cruz in the final on each occasion. He turned pro in February 2021. Since then, he has developed rapidly and has attracted attention with victories over Anthony Yigit (TKO 9), former two-division champion Jose Pedraza (TKO 6) and most recently Miguel Madueño (UD 10).

FUTURE: On November 8 he will play at home against the defeated Gustavo Lemos.

No. 8 – FRANK MARTIN

RECORD: 18-1 (12 KOs)

PAST: He won his first 11 fights and began working with then-unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and his trainer Derrick James. That advantage benefited Martin, who continued to grow stronger, beating undefeated record holder Jerry Perez (KO 7), stopping former contender Romero Duno (TKO 4) and Jackson Marinez (TKO 10). He was extremely impressive, dominating Michel Rivera (UD 12) in a matchup of undefeated prospects. The 29-year-old lefty had a tougher task than expected, coming in delayed to defeat Artem Harutyunyan (UD 12). He was the WBC mandatory but ultimately dropped out of the Stevenson fight and eventually faced WBA heavyweight Davis (KO 8) in an intra-PBC fight in June.

FUTURE: He is still licking his wounds from the loss to Davis, but could return delayed this year or early next year.

No. 9 – MARK CHAMBERLAIN

RECORD: 16-0 (12 KOs)

PAST: Chamberlain turned pro in 2018 from Frank Warren’s Queensberry and rose through the ranks. He particularly impressed Turki Alalshikh, who said Chamberlain was his favourite fighter. The power puncher has made the most of the opportunities he’s been given this year, picking up early knockout victories over Gavin Gwynne (TKO 4) and Joshua Wahab (TKO 1).

FUTURE: The Briton will appear at Riyadh’s gigantic spectacle, at Wembley Stadium, in a match against Josh Padley on September 21.

No. 10 – ANDY CRUZ

RECORD: 4-0 (2 knockouts)

PAST: The Cuban has been one of the most successful amateurs in recent history, winning gold at the 2020 Olympics, gold at the 2017, 2019 and 2021 World Championships, and a slew of other gold medals at various tournaments. He holds a 4-0 advantage over Davis dating back to when both were in the unpaid ranks. The 29-year-old decided to make a change and turned pro in July 2023. He has developed rapidly since then and has recently caught the eye, stopping the experienced Antonio Moran (TKO 7) in his last outing.

FUTURE: Possibility of returning in December.

At the bend: Zaur Abdullaev, Edwin De Los Santos, George Kambosos Jr., Gustavo Lemos and Sam Noakes.

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Boxing

George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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15 hours ago

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November 23, 2024

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.

Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.

The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.

Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.

The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.

“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.

“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.

“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”

Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.

“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].

Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.

“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.

Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.

“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.

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Boxing

Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

Published

2 days ago

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November 21, 2024

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.

WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.

“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.

“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”

Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.

Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.

Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.

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Boxing

Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory

Published

3 days ago

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November 21, 2024

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Lauren Price

Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.

Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.

Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.

Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.

Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.

Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.

There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.

Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.

McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.

English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.

Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.

Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.

After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.

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