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The Ring 2024 Ratings: Airy

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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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The Ring 2024 Ratings: Pound for Pound – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Strawweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Junior Flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Junior Bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Junior Featherweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Featherweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

The Ring 2024 Ratings: Junior Lightweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)

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Andrew Moloney is confident that if given the chance, he would have beaten Phumelele Cafu and Kosei Tanaka

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October 16, 2024

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Andrew Moloney (left) attacks Pedro Guevara – photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Few people were more disappointed than Andrew Moloney when Kosei Tanaka lost his WBO super flyweight belt to Phumelele Cafu at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night.

The 33-year-old Australian veteran was hoping to get a shot at beating Tanaka in the lucrative Japanese market.

Those dreams were dashed when South Africa’s Cafu delivered the performance of his life, knocking out Tanaka in the fifth round and finishing the fight strongly, beating the four-weight world champion by split decision.

“The plan was to target the WBO and really chase the Tanaka fight, but it all fell apart on Monday night,” Moloney (26-4-1NC, 16 KO) told The Ring. “I think the WBO is probably still the direction we go, but I’m not sure if they have a rematch clause or if Tanaka will take it. But after watching the fight yesterday, I would be really confident that I could fight one of these guys and win. We would like to follow this path.

“I would love to fight Tanaka in Japan as a four-division world champion. He’s definitely someone I’ve looked up to and wanted to fight for a long time.

“Last night was a little hard to watch. The way he performed, I’m more confident than ever that I have what it takes to beat Tanaka.

I assume there will be a rematch and I hope that Tanaka will regain the belt and I will be able to return to the ring and climb the rankings, and maybe this fight will still happen.

Tanaka entered Moloney’s orbit four years ago when he debuted at 115 pounds. Earlier this year, it looked like they were also on a collision course, with Moloney being number one in the WBO rankings. However, when an offer was made for the vacant IBF lightweight title fight between Vasily Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. in May in Perth, Western Australia, Moloney felt he couldn’t turn her down.

This decision ended in disaster. Moloney faced Carlos Cuadras, who withdrew from the fight with a ruptured Achilles tendon and was replaced by Pedro Guevara. Moloney entered the fight with a torn bicep and was largely reduced to boxing with one hand, which circumscribed his punching power.

Still, Moloney felt he did more than enough to win, and was shocked when Guevara was declared the winner by split decision. He was so disappointed that he announced immediately after the fight that he was leaving the ring, but a few days later he withdrew these comments.

It was a breakthrough moment in his career.

“Looking back, it’s a wonderful thing, but watching the Tanaka-Cafu fight made me think that maybe I would do a lot of things if I could turn back time a little bit,” Moloney explained.

“Before my last fight, I was number one in the WBO rankings and I rejected the option of waiting to fight Tanaka. But the opportunity arose to fight Guevara in Australia for the interim WBC title on a major card, and to be candid, I kind of regretted that the Tanaka fight was hanging in the balance, but ultimately we decided to stay busy and take the opportunity to fight in Australia.

“Also, the injury before the fight was another thing I thought about: will I undergo surgery, keep the top spot and wait for Tanaka, but I made the decision to go ahead with the fight with Guevara. Looking back now, maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. And looking at the way Tanaka fought last night, I thought maybe I should have waited. I’m sure I could beat Tanaka and take the belt away from him.

“So I take some consolation, but unfortunately you can’t turn back time.”

It’s been a frustrating year for Moloney, but he’s still hitting the gym and his team is working to get him another fight. The window of opportunity to box again this year is closing quickly, but he still hopes to return to the ring in December, most likely in his native Australia.

“I really hope so,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on. I have been training strenuous at the gym for some time, quite a few months. I hope to return before the end of the year.

“At this stage it will probably be December. I’m trying to block something, but so far no luck. I’m still training away as if the fight was to take place in December, the team is currently working on it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to finish it.

“I just hope we can get out before the end of the year, get back into the winner’s circle and start climbing the rankings again.”

Moloney, who fought at bantamweight for the first three years of his professional career before dropping down to super flyweight, surprisingly, said he would even consider moving up to another weight class given the right opportunity.

“It’s a tough time in the super flyweight division,” said Moloney, the eighth challenger to The Ring’s 115-pound title. “There’s a lot going on and it’s always strenuous to plan which route to take because everything changes so quickly. I’d pick Bam Rodriguez to beat Guevara, then there’s talk of a rematch between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez on Up-to-date Year’s Eve. And then there’s talk of Bama, if they win, fighting the winner of that game in unification. The WBO seems to me the fastest way to win the title, so that’s the path we will follow.

“We have also rejected for some time the idea of ​​moving up to flyweight and getting crack there. There’s also some engaging scene going on there right now, but it’s still uncertain. I’d probably feel a little better at super flyweight, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Cafu and Tanaka, but like I said, I’d feel comfortable and confident against either of them, so hopefully he can make it it will happen sooner rather than later.”

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Doubts that fuel 19-year-old Benjamin Johnson

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2 days ago

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October 16, 2024

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Despite an impressive amateur resume, welterweight Benjamin Johnson of Springdale, Maryland, enters the professional ring with a shoulder injury.

Johnson will face Kevin Pantoja in a four-round fight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland, promoted by his trainer Lamont Roach Snr’s NoXcuses Promotions. The fight will be broadcast on Saturday on ProBox TV.

Johnson, 1-0 (1 KO), spent just 2:23 in the ring in his professional debut, displaying the quick, aggressive hands that won him multiple national titles. However, 19-year-old Johnson feels an advantage, believing he is being overlooked by his NoXcuses Boxing Gym teammates.

Pantoja, 1-1, 27, has never stopped being a professional – Johnson aims to change that.

“People underestimate me,” Johnson said. “It’s been like that since I was an amateur.”

He added that this underestimation increases his motivation in the gym. Johnson is determined to prove his worth not only to himself, but also to those who doubt him or, worse, don’t recognize him. “I never felt like I was recognized as that guy, so I feel like I’m underappreciated,” Johnson said of his amateur and now professional career.

Johnson sees the fight as a key step in his career, compared to feared forward David Benavidez by some teammates and touted by others as one of the most ready-to-fight prospects in the country.

“I train as much as I can,” Johnson said. “It’s about making a statement. The way you win shows people what you’re capable of, and I’m ready to show my best.

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Benavidez Sr. wants Artur Beterbiev after David Morrell

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2 days ago

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October 16, 2024

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Image: Benavidez Sr. Wants Artur Beterbiev After David Morrell

David Benavidez’s father, Jose Benavidez Sr., says he wants undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev if he can defeat “regular” WBA champion David Morrell in a Jan. 25 fight.

Jose Senior believes Beterbiew would be a good fight for Benavidez (29-0, 24 KO). He would also like his son to have Dmitry Bivol because it would give him a chance to beat someone who beat Canelo Alvarez in 2022.

Jose Sr. is still bitter that Canelo chose not to fight Benavidez all these years, and recently mentioned a $200 million asking price to fight him. If Bivol loses the rematch with Beterbiev, it is not worth fighting him.

Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO) will be the guy Benavidez fights if he defeats Bivol in a rematch in 2025. The second fight is still not confirmed, but it is likely.

Benavidez’s worst nightmare would be if Beterbiev lost his rematch with Bivol and then the two fighters met in a trilogy fight. Benavidez will have to wait until the third fight between these fighters takes place before he can claim the belts.

“David’s next fight will be David Morrell. Everyone is very excited about it. We tried to make this fight for three years, but I think David Morrell needed a little more experience to show the world that he deserves this fight,” said Jose Benavidez Sr. Probox TV David Benavidez’s next fight with Cuban David Morrell will take place on January 25.

Of course, Team Benavidez hasn’t tried challenging to fight Morrell over the last three years because they’ve been the ones ignoring him. If they wanted a fight with Morrell, it would have happened a long time ago.

They waited until now, after Morrell’s unimpressive performance against Radivoje Kalajdzic on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, before deciding they wanted to fight him.

“David called him and said, ‘Hey, I want to do this fight. Let’s make it happen. It was done right away. I’m very excited to fight a newborn talent, a sturdy fighter, and I think it’s going to be a tough fight,” said Jose Senior on how the fight with Morrell ultimately came about.

I hope we get a chance to fight Beterbiev. He won only on Saturday. Hopefully we can achieve that, but right now our focus is on David Morrell. We have to look impressive to get to the next level,” Benavidez Sr. said.

If Benavidez loses to Morrell, Jose Sr. will have to decide which direction to take his son. Will he move it back to 168 pounds or stay at 175, hoping to win one of the belts after Beterbiev’s vacation?

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