April 2026

BENAVIDEZ JOINS THE CRUISERWEIGHT CLUB HEAD TO HEAD: INOUE VS. NAKATANI

APRIL 2026

The Ring Magazine - The Bible of Boxing, April 2026 • Volume 103, No. 4

DEPARTMENTS 6 OPENING SHOTS

34 BOXING’S BIG NIGHT THE RING MAGAZINE 2025 YEAR-END AWARDS GALA BROUGHT THE BEST OF THE BEST TOGETHER By The Ring Staff 40 ALL IN TYSON FURY IS PUTTING HIS LEGACY ON THE LINE TO LAUNCH ONE MORE COMEBACK – HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST By Cormac O’Donnell 46 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN NO BOXING LOVER’S LIFE IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A PILGRIMAGE TO THE SPORT’S MOST FAMOUS VENUE By Tom Gray 52 BULK IS BEAUTIFUL DAVID BENAVIDEZ WILL BE A FIRST- TIME CRUISERWEIGHT AGAINST GILBERTO RAMIREZ, BUT THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING By Michael Rosenthal

62 HEAD TO HEAD: INOUE VS. NAKATANI THIS MATCHUP OF ELITE BOXER-PUNCHERS HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR A FIGHT TO REMEMBER By Adam Abramowitz 68 PATH OF AN ICON HIDEYUKI OHASHI DISCUSSES HIS JOURNEY FROM NATIONAL HERO IN THE RING TO MONSTER PROMOTER OUTSIDE OF IT By Daisuke Sugiura 74 A BAD GOOD FIGHT EMILE GRIFFITH VS. DICK TIGER SHOULD’VE BEEN A CLASSIC, BUT IT PROVIDED A FLASHPOINT FOR CRITICISM INSTEAD By Don Stradley

11 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 16 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 19 STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim 22 BY THE NUMBERS By Don Stradley 25 RING RATINGS 58 PROSPECT WATCH: CURMEL MOTON By Manouk Akopyan 80 BOOK EXCERPT By Mike Silver 84 COLLECTOR’S SHOWCASE By Dan Rafael 86 FIGHT OF FANTASY By Anson Wainwright 88 A SLICE OF BOXING By Thomas Hauser 90 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 92 THE FIGHT DOCTOR

The Ring Awards Gala was a gold mine for photo ops, including a fashion- forward encounter between Canelo Alvarez and Oleksandr Usyk.

By Dr. Margaret Goodman 94 FINISHING SHOTS 96 FIGHTLINE

RINGMAGAZINE.COM 1

Cover illustration by César Moreno

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OPENING SHOT A HAIRPIECE COMBO: If you’ve watched enough boxing, you become accustomed to crazy. Who remembers Paulie Malignaggi having his hair cut in the corner because his braids hampered his vision, leaving him wide open for punches from Lovemore N’dou in their 2008 rematch? That was an unforgettable moment. Still, when heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller had his toupee dislodged in the opening round of his bout against Kingsley Ibeh, we broke new ground. At the end of the opening three minutes, Miller grabbed the unstable hairpiece from his head and tossed it into the MSG crowd amid thunderous laughter. The follicly challenged but undeterred American still managed to secure victory by posting a 10-round split decision.

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RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer I NYC (FANS)

April 2026 Volume 103, No. 4

Founder Nathaniel Fleischer (1888-1972) Owner His Excellency Turki Alalshikh

Editor-in-Chief Douglass Fischer Managing Editor Tom Gray Senior Editor Brian Harty Creative Director Lamar Clark Controller Deborah L. Harrison

T he second annual Ring Magazine Awards was a crowning success. For three hours on January 30, the boxing world focused its attention on the nominees and industry leaders who gathered at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City to celebrate the best of 2025. The gala was broadcast live on DAZN and was also streamed on the YouTube channels of the digital sports platform and The Ring. You can see a pictorial recap of the event along with comments from the 2025 award winners starting on page 34. While it was a thrill to be there and an honor to address the historymakers and luminaries in attendance, the group that I want to salute in this column are the diehard boxing fans who braved frigid conditions outside of the elegant venue for hours just to get autographs and selfies with their favorite boxers and industry folk. (If you’re wondering how ridiculously cold it was in NYC during the final week of January, Tom Gray does a good job describing it in his feature story starting on page 46.) Cipriani 25 Broadway is a beautiful Neo-Renaissance-themed space that has to be experienced in person to fully appreciate, but during much of the lavish ceremony, my mind was on those crazy

Riddick Bowe demolished Michael Dokes inside a round at MSG.

THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) April 2026, is published 12 times per year by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Postmasters: Send change of address Notices to: The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 103 Camby West Congers NY 10920-0103 Phone: 845- 719-3120 subscriptions@ringmagazine.com Single copy price $9.99 in U.S.A. ,10.99 Canada (£10.99 in the U.K.). Global Subscription price $60.00 for 12 issues plus S&H. Not responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited articles or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2026 The Ring Magazine FZ-LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or services offered. No endorsement of any such advertisement is intended or implied. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their advertisements. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES AND RATES: advertising@ ringmagazine.com. U.S. / Canadian and International distribution by Comag Marketing Group LLC, 155 Village Blvd #200, Princeton, NJ 08540. UK distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd., 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, England, EC1A 9PT. Printed In USA Subscription Inquiries Back Issues Inquiries Digital Orders Inquiries The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept. PO Box 103 Camby West Congers NY 10920-0103 Phone: 845-719-3120 subscriptions@ringmagazine.com Send Editorial Comments To: comeoutwriting@gmail.com or P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209

fans huddled together in front of the venue’s entrance. I wanted them to join us inside. I also thought about the dozens of fans who contacted me weeks prior to the gala to inquire about tickets. I regretfully had to inform them that it was an invite- only event. But I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if fans were present. Maybe it wouldn’t have been as posh or upscale, but it probably would have been a lot louder, and definitely more fun. I don’t think Cipriani 25 Broadway could host a gala that includes fans. As majestic as that place is, it only seats about 500 guests. It says here that if the third annual awards gala is held at a venue that can seat 2,000, it would be filled to capacity as long as the fans are allowed to attend – especially if the event is held in New York City again. My main takeaway from the gala and the Ring 6 event topped by Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden the following evening is that New York boxing fans are the hardest of the hardcores. I’ve known this since 1993. While attending Columbia University’s graduate

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RINGSIDE

arena was packed with a record turnout (21,324). NYC fans gathered to support Brooklyn’s Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and to appreciate the skills on display by the modern equivalent to “Sweet Pea” in the main event. Their loyalty to their own and to the sport was rewarded with the privilege of witnessing Carrington win his first world title in sensational fashion and Stevenson’s coronation as America’s premier boxer. The boxers’ performances made the night special, but the fans made the event one for the history books.

school of journalism, I went to my first two boxing events at Madison Square Garden. The first was on February 6, 1993. I was part of a large group of guys from my dorm who purchased the cheapest tickets available to witness Riddick Bowe make the first defense of the heavyweight championship he had seized from Evander Holyfield less than three months earlier. The Brooklynite was served the proverbial “gimme,” a shopworn version of Michael Dokes. Nobody expected the stumbling former titleholder to put up a fight, and nobody cared when Bowe easily overwhelmed the hapless challenger in the opening round. The crowd of more than 16,000 didn’t come to see a competitive fight; they were there to celebrate Bowe’s homecoming. It seemed like the entire NYC boxing community – and I’m talking about everyone from every gym across the five boroughs – was there to support the newly crowned champ and to have a good time. I had so much fun that night that I made sure to spend a lot more on the ticket for my second MSG experience, which was exactly one month after Bowe-Dokes. I wanted a good view of the ring when Buddy McGirt put his WBC welterweight title on the line against Pernell Whitaker. The Garden was a little more than half full (just under 11,000), but the atmosphere didn’t suffer. It wasn’t the festive mood I experienced at Bowe-Dokes, but more of a palpable anticipation. Everyone crowded into the lower bowl of the arena and locked their focus on the master boxers. They weren’t just there to cheer on McGirt, who hailed from Long Island. They wanted to witness two future Hall of Famers match wits, and when Whitaker earned a close-but-deserved decision, they applauded. I got the sense – from talking to excited fans on the subway to MSG and after I got to my seat – that everyone there equaled or surpassed my own knowledge and passion for the sport. It was like a convention for boxing purists. The vibe inside The Garden on January 31 was a combination of the Bowe-Dokes and McGirt-Whitaker atmospheres, only this time the storied

leapfrogged like that. It’s absolutely no slight to Shakur, who I think someone can justifiably say is the hardest fighter in the sport to beat potentially. I just think so much of Bam and how audacious and destructive he’s been in his rise. I would say No. 4 [for Stevenson].” It was truly a photo finish for Stevenson. Rodriguez easily could have remained ahead of his fellow southpaw technician. I think the two young Americans (both are in their 20s) will compete for their pound- for-pound placement for years to come. It won’t be long before the dynamic duo are vying for the No. 1 spot.

H H H H

Stevenson’s near-shutout decision over Lopez vaulted him to No. 3 in The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings, behind Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue and in front of Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. The decision to advance Stevenson from No. 7 to surpass his equally talented countryman was not quick or easy. The Ring Ratings Panel was split between placing Stevenson at No. 3 and at No. 4 (behind Rodriguez) and remained deadlocked for an entire week. Every time someone voted for Stevenson to ascend to No. 3, another panelist backed Bam to remain in that spot. It got to the point when it was time to pull the trigger. (I couldn’t be the tie- breaker because I’d already cast my vote to keep Rodriguez at No. 3). So, I reached out to the few panelists who had not yet chimed in on the pound-for-pound debate. The first one back would decide the matter and we’d move on. Lamar Clark came through for Stevenson. “That’s a tough one. Skill for skill, Shakur stands out, and when you factor in a dominant showing over Teofimo, who’s a proven champ, it’s hard to overlook that,” said our creative director, who was among the New York fans in attendance on January 31. “Bam is a beast. The [Fernando] Martinez win was incredible, but for now I’d move Shakur above him for beating up a prime Teo.” Less than a minute later, Corey Erdman replied with this note: “It’s so tough. I think Bam is too good to be

The Ring archives are now 100% digitized and available upon free registration on our website (ringmagazine. com) and the Ring Magazine App. This includes every magazine (dating back to 1922), more than 100 years of photos, and the Boxing Encyclopedia & Record Books that were published annually between 1941-1987. And it’s all searchable! I’ve already gone down numerous rabbit holes, from Henry Armstrong fight reports to Sammy Angott photos to searches for my first freelance articles in the ’90s (yes, I’m a vain motherfucker). Check it out for yourself. Here’s an assignment that comes to mind after reminiscing about my first experiences at the Mecca of Boxing: search “Madison Square Garden.” I have the sweetest memories of so many historic main events there since becoming a full-time boxing writer in 2000, starting with Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant. Felix Trinidad vs. William Joppy and Bernard Hopkins followed in 2001. Miguel Cotto came into his own vs. Zab Judah and Shane Mosley in 2007. Gennadiy Golovkin proved to be a bona fide attraction vs. David Lemieux and Daniel Jacobs in 2015 and 2016. Jorge Linares vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko made for a special night in 2018. I could go on and on, but what are your favorite Madison Square Garden memories? How far back do they go? I guarantee The Ring archives have you covered.

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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING

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Castano’s tough luck in decisions dogged him in another draw he could easily have won when he battled Lara over 12 grueling rounds. Williams won two titles in a war with Hurd in the latter’s first defense in his home area, only to lose them to Rosario in a major upset in Williams’ homecoming title fight in Philadelphia. Perhaps the signature fight of that period was the astonishing thriller between Hurd and Lara, which Hurd won by a nose. It remains one of the best fights I’ve ever announced.

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A matchup between Boots Ennis and Vergil Ortiz could ignite a new golden era.

coming saga of the division. The other titleholder, Sebastian Fundora, has provided several wildly exciting fights in the last few years. Barring an upset loss to Keith Thurman (a fight that happened after this magazine went to press), he will be a candidate for future title unification matches or, just as good, an exciting fight with one of the many excellent contenders. Beyond the former titleholders already mentioned, the depth of the division is apparent by all the contenders lurking and waiting for a moment in the sun, like Yoenis Tellez, Brandon Adams and Andreas Katzourakis, to name a few. There is a large amount of mouthwatering matches available, and based on recent history, the odds of many being made are pretty good. Just as that previous 154-pound period gained more traction due to Charlo’s high profile, the hub of this wheel revolves around the Ennis-Ortiz matchup. The arduous and contentious process of making the fight with all the attendant soap operas has made this match more mainstream than many others. Inside the ring, there is a strong likelihood it will deliver the goods, and that would further fuel interest in the division. Just as we saw all those earlier

If all of this sends you running to YouTube to either revisit these fights or discover them, then I have done my job. Yes, I loved the division during that period. Everyone fought everyone else and the talent pool was deep. What a concept. We all lauded it as one of the best classes in the sport. Well, to quote my favorite Peter Allen song, “Everything old is new again.” Today, the 154-pound division is looking just like it did in that period. We are watching a division become truly special. With the impending Jaron Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz fight as the poster child, this division has become a destination for dramatic and compelling matches again. Consider that Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou fought a unification match in each man’s first title defense. The risk paid off for Zayas with a hard-fought win that included an epic, crowd-pleasing 12th round. Hopefully Baraou will be rewarded with other big fights. Ortiz has more than done his part for this divisional surge with entertaining brawls against Serhii Bohachuk and Israil Madrimov. Josh Kelly jolted the division with an upset victory over titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev, and both men remain central figures for the

junior middleweights in matchups that occurred while fighters were still at peak powers, so too is this Ennis- Ortiz clash. It should not go down the road of Mayweather-Pacquiao – made far too late. This fight will feature two men who can still fight their styles to the hilt. At his best, Ennis is that rare combination of master boxer and lethal puncher who can throw dazzling combinations but sometimes gets hit with big shots because he is offense- minded. None of those shots have hurt him – so far. Enter Ortiz, a powerful attacker who will wear you down with body punches and pressure and walk through what you give him in return. It is a wonderful style matchup with more than enough drama outside the ring to satisfy today’s social media-hungry boxing fan. The nice thing is that any love affair with this division is hardly a one-night stand. The many potentially great matchups suggest a longer relationship – even if, as in my case, it includes frequent dalliances with those great 140-pounders as well.

REKINDLED ROMANCE By Al Bernstein

Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano mixed it up in two high-quality fights at 154.

talented blue-collar contender Erickson Lubin, who never won a title but also never turned down a fight and gave fans some exciting matches. Consider some of the amazing fights of that period as titles switched hands almost as often as they currently do in the 140-pound division.

I am about to be a fickle lover. For several years, I have been hopelessly infatuated with the 140-pound division in boxing. You have seen that bromance flower in my writings, podcasts and broadcasts. I have always spoken of that division with fondness and described it as the deepest and most fascinating weight class in all of boxing. I am still fully enamored with it, but now a former paramour has also taken hold of my heart. I am being drawn into the alluring orbit of the 154-pounders. If this were a movie, we would be dissolving into a flashback of a five-

year period between 2017 and 2022, when I spoke of junior middleweights with the same fondness I now show for the 140-pounders. The leading man in this film would certainly be Jermell Charlo, who held various world titles in the division during that time frame and was briefly the undisputed champ. The remainder of the cast of characters would hardly be bit players. Fighters like Jarrett Hurd, Brian Castano, Julian Williams, Jeison Rosario, Erislandy Lara and Tony Harrison won titles, fought in pitched battles and carved out their own niches in boxing lore. Then there was

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Charlo had two great rivalries. Twice he fought Castano in bouts to decide the undisputed champion, battling to a draw the first time in a classic fight and then stopping him in another exciting bout the second time around. He also traded wins with Harrison, who upset Charlo the first time by decision and was stopped in the rematch.

16 RINGMAGAZINE.COM

RINGMAGAZINE.COM 17

STEVE’S SOAPBOX

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SHAKUR KICKS IN THE CLUBHOUSE DOOR By Steve Kim

Shakur Stevenson dazzled in a punch- perfect display against Teofimo Lopez.

Stevenson is now a four-division titleholder (in addition to being a two-division Ring Magazine champion). The well-schooled southpaw was so impressive that some pundits have anointed him number one on their pound-for-pound lists. More on that later. But here’s my question: Is there anyone between 135 and 140 that beats him? (Keep in mind that coming into this contest, Stevenson held a lightweight title that the WBC later stripped him of for not allowing himself to be extorted for $120,000 in sanctioning fees.) I’d go even further: I’m not sure that there is anybody at welterweight I’d favor over Stevenson. Yeah, I said it. At lightweight, his biggest threat would be Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who has never shown any real interest

I n the aftermath of Shakur Stevenson’s victory over Teofimo Lopez on January 31 at Madison Square Garden, adulation has been flowing in for the 28-year-old from Newark, New Jersey. And for good reason. Stevenson didn’t just beat Lopez; he dominated him throughout 36 minutes to win the Ring junior welterweight championship and WBO title. Lopez tried coming forward to pressure Stevenson in some instances and attempted to time and counterpunch him in others. Neither tactic worked particularly well, and it was evident by the middle rounds that Lopez had no

answers for the complex equation that is Stevenson inside a ring. It wasn’t that Lopez was that bad, but that Stevenson really was that good. Lopez, who was the lineal champion at lightweight and then junior welterweight on account of his victories over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, respectively, is still a talented fighter. But on this night, he was never truly competitive. In his other loss, to George Kambosos, he at least scored a knockdown in what was a relatively close contest. Against the stealthy Stevenson, he was basically shut out.

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RINGMAGAZINE.COM 19

STEVE’S SOAPBOX

Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list has seen Stevenson jump all the way from No. 7 to No. 3. It’s clear that he made an impression on the ratings panel.

The new rankings look like this: 1) Oleksandr Usyk, 2) Naoya Inoue, 3) Stevenson, 4) Jesse Rodriguez, 5) Dmitry Bivol, 6) Artur Beterbiev, 7) Junto Nakatani, 8) David Benavidez, 9) Devin Haney, 10) Oscar Collazo. Before Terence Crawford’s retirement, there was the belief that he, Usyk and Inoue had clearly separated themselves into an exclusive club, with “Bam” Rodriguez making a strong case for inclusion with his cadre of championship belts and recent unification conquests. But now Stevenson finds himself in rarefied air. There will be some disagreement on Stevenson getting such a bump, but in light of Nakatani’s struggle back in December versus Sebastian Hernandez and the recent inactivity of Bivol and Beterbiev (who have not fought since they faced one another in their rematch last February), you can see the logic there. Now, some will have an issue with him being placed above Rodriguez – a case could be made that Edwin De Los Santos should’ve had his hands raised in victory when he faced Stevenson a couple of years ago. But ask yourself this: As was noted above, just how many guys do you think would actually beat Stevenson? Again, this is not about entertainment value (that’s a whole ’nother subject) but effectiveness inside the ring. He is not everyone’s cup of tea, admittedly. You don’t have to like his style, and I know some of you reading this probably don’t. I get it. But it says here that he’s as difficult an out as there is in boxing. You want to make some easy money in the future, just keep putting money down on “Stevenson by decision” and cash in your ticket. Forget about him losing fights – we may not see Stevenson lose very many rounds in the next several years.

For Stevenson’s true believers, the Lopez victory was validation.

in facing Stevenson and whose professional future is in doubt, given the former WBA titleholder’s latest domestic violence-related charge and probation violation. Stevenson already defeated hard-charging contender William Zepeda, and the talented Abdullah Mason, who just captured the WBO belt, seems way too green to truly trouble him at the moment. The consensus is that IBF titleholder Raymond Muratalla is solid but simply too methodical to give Stevenson problems. Up-and-comer Floyd Schofield was a few days from his shot last year in Saudi Arabia but ended up in the emergency room with a mystery illness (perhaps caused by the mere thought of having to face Stevenson). Stevenson just took apart the reigning Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion in Lopez, and he would be favored over 140-pound beltholders Richardson Hitchins (IBF), Dalton Smith (WBC) and Gary Antuanne Russell (WBA). Keyshawn Davis, who impressively stopped Jamaine Ortiz on the Lopez-Stevenson undercard, would present some real issues with his speed, power and technical skills. But the problem is that Stevenson and Davis have often stated that given their close friendship, a clash between them is a nonstarter.

Simon Brown and Maurice Blocker they aren’t. As for welterweight, well, it’s not like Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Donald Curry or Felix Trinidad are walking through those doors. At the moment, your four beltholders are Devin Haney (WBO), Mario Barrios (WBC) – who was scheduled to defend against Ryan Garcia on February 21 at the time of writing – Rolly Romero (WBA) and Lewis Crocker (IBF). OK, from that quartet, you’d have to say that Haney presents the most difficult challenge. But against the other three, I’d take Stevenson in a heartbeat if they fought next. This isn’t just my opinion. In the days after Stevenson’s victory, I asked this same question to some well-known trainers, matchmakers and analysts – individuals you all know of and have seen numerous times on television – and they happen to agree with me. They aren’t even sure if anyone would be particularly competitive against him. But it’s not just boxing insiders who are impressed by Stevenson. Those who cover the sport also hold him in very high regard. The most recent update to the

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BY THE NUMBERS: SAL BARTOLO by Don Stradley • Illustration by KronkAAArt

from the mob,” reported The Boston Globe. With a paid attendance of 12,130 people, it seemed Bartolo had brought big-time fights back home. Bartolo’s reign included three title defenses and several non-title bouts. Though he was primarily a Boston attraction, Bartolo also took his featherweight title on the road for fights in New Orleans and St. Louis.

fights at Madison Square Garden » Unlike most Boston fighters of his day, Bartolo fought often in New York. While he was successful in such venues as The St. Nicholas Arena and even Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, he was snakebit at Madison Square Garden. During his 1941-42 Garden campaign, he lost once to Chalky Wright and twice to Maxie Shapiro, making him

Long after his retirement in 1949, boxing fans in East Boston liked to say that if not for Willie Pep, Sal Bartolo would’ve been the greatest featherweight of his time. Such accolades say more about the loyalty of Boston fans than anything Bartolo did in the ring. Still, his status as a top featherweight of the 1940s is undeniable. Here’s his story by the numbers.

0-3 at New York’s premier fight location. By 1945, he had pulled even at the arena, notching wins over Pedro Hernandez, Aaron Seltzer and Freddie Russo, though the loss to Pep in 1946 left him 3-4 at the house that Tex Rickard built. Bartolo relocated to New York for a time, and it was there that he changed his style under the tutelage of such trainers as Freddie Brown and Ray Arcel. Al Lacy, who had trained Bartolo during his amateur days and the early part of his Boston career, never approved of the change. In 1983, Lacy told the The Daily Item that Bartolo had been “a picture fighter,” but the New York trainers “made him into Jake LaMotta.” Yet Bartolo’s stint in New York was a valid business strategy. “I’d been a top contender for five years,” Bartolo said, “but in those days, if you didn’t fight for [New York promoter] Mike Jacobs […] you didn’t get a shot.” After suffering a badly fractured jaw in his third loss to Pep, Bartolo stayed out of boxing for more than two years. A brief comeback in 1949 saw him win two fights, but he knew his time was up. His final record was 73-18-6 (16 KOs). “I’m quitting the ring to stick to my business, my home and leave boxing to the kids,” he said. Bartolo (1917-2002) spent 30 years operating a successful East Boston establishment called Bartolo’s Ringside Cafe (where Sal was once busted when police raided the place for illegal gambling). By the 1980s, he’d given up the cafe and worked in various courthouses as a court officer. In 1996, The Ring rated Bartolo number six on a list of great Massachusetts fighters, putting his name alongside Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Bartolo once summed up his career by saying, “I was a good boxer, no question about it.” No question here, either, though the International Boxing Hall of Fame has yet to honor Bartolo. Apparently, 73 wins and a featherweight title aren’t enough for some people. But for Boston’s fight fans of the 1940s, Bartolo’s name meant a great deal. He was part of a longstanding tradition in boxing: the local kid who made good. years old at the time of his retirement »

bouts with Willie Pep » Two of the losses during Bartolo’s glory years, as well as the one that brought them to an end, were to the same man: Willie Pep. Of course, Pep is one of the

all-time greats, so there’s no shame in being number two to the legendary “Will o’ the Wisp.” The first was a 10-round split decision for Pep at the Boston Garden in 1943, a close fight Pep recalled as “life and death.” The second took place two months later at Boston’s Braves Field. This time, Pep, with his Ring/NYSAC featherweight title at stake, controlled the action and won on points over 15 rounds. The Bartolo camp claimed their man had been weakened by a case of “the grippe,” which is what old-timers used to call the flu. When Bartolo won the NBA title, it seemed inevitable that he and Pep would meet a third time and put their respective belts on the line. Moreover, Bartolo knew his NBA title meant nothing if he couldn’t beat Pep. Unfortunately, in June 1946 at Madison Square Garden, Pep demolished Bartolo in the 12th, winning by KO and sending Bartolo back to East Boston with a broken nose and a broken jaw. It appeared Pep had tired of the rivalry and put a violent end to it, once and for all. As the United Press reported, “Pep ended the dispute decisively with a short right hook to the chin that dropped Bartolo flat on his back. The little dark-haired Italian managed to roll over onto his side as referee Ruby Goldstein counted him out at 2:41 of the 12th round.” Bartolo couldn’t blame this one on the grippe.

years old when he turned pro » After a brilliant amateur career, the young man born as Salvatore Interbartolo entered the professional ranks in 1937. After four quick wins, he was matched against Red Hutchins, a flinty veteran with more than 70 fights. Yes, young fighters were matched hard in those days. Hutchins handed Bartolo his first loss, and “The Pride of East Boston” would suffer more losses and draws in the next few years. There were signs, however, that Bartolo was coming into his own, such as a 10-round decision victory over the vastly more experienced Dave Barry in 1939. Unfortunately, he followed that with a loss to future featherweight champion Petey Scalzo. Bartolo later recalled this early period as frustrating. “There was a Depression,” he said, “and no money, so I took a shot at fighting and succeeded by coming up the hard way.”

years as National Boxing Association featherweight champion »

Bartolo’s best period was from June 1942 to May 1946. His tough apprenticeship imbued him with the skills to go 39-3 during this four- year stretch. Bartolo also changed his style a bit, forgoing his past as a careful counterpuncher to become a more aggressive and more entertaining fighter. As The Boston Globe described, “Sal now has sparkle.” His highly vocal manager, Murray Waxman, claimed Bartolo’s mentality had changed. Among Bartolo’s victims in this period were Spider Armstrong, Jock Leslie, Lefty LaChance and former two-time titlist Joey Archibald. Bartolo’s biggest night, however, was in March 1944, when he won a 15-round decision over Phil Terranova for the NBA featherweight title. Bartolo’s victory made him Boston’s first champion since Jack Sharkey’s brief reign at heavyweight over a decade earlier. “Sharpshooting a welt over Terranova’s right eye and coaxing a steady trickle of gore from the tiny champion’s nose, Bartolo won a unanimous decision and an ovation

22 RINGMAGAZINE.COM

RINGMAGAZINE.COM 23

Ring Ratings Through fights of February 15, 2026

Josh Kelly edged past Bakhram Murtazaliev by majority decision to claim his first world title.

Recent Fight Results MEN P4P: Shakur Stevenson (No. 7,

135: Denys Berinchyk (No. 8) out, inactivity 126: Bruce Carrington (No. 6,

4) UD 12 Teofimo Lopez

2) KO 9 Carlos Castro

H: Efe Ajagba (No. 8) TKO 4 Charles Martin 175: Radivoje Kalajdzic (in at No. 10) KO 7 Oleksandr Gvozdyk (No. 9, out) 168: Jacob Bank (in at No. 9) KO 12 William Scull (No. 10, out) 154: Israil Madrimov (No. 3) UD 10 Luis Salazar 154: Xander Zayas (No. 5, 2) SD 12 Abass Baraou (No. 8, 1) 154: Josh Kelly (in at No. 6) MD 12 Bakhram Murtazaliev (No. 4, 3)

126: Brandon Figueroa (No. 7, 3) 122: Gabriel Santisima UD 10 Subaru Murata (No. 9, out) 122: Ryosuke Nishida (in at No. 7) TD 7 Bryan Vazquez (No. 9, 1) 2) TKO 12 Nick Ball (No. 3,

118: Christian Medina (No. 2) UD 12 Adrian Curiel 118: Ryosuke Nishida (No. 4) out, moved up in weight WOMEN 135: Elif Nur Turhan (No. 2) SD 10 Taylah Gentzen 130: Caroline Veyre (in at No. 2) UD 10 Delfine Persoon (No. 2,

154: Serhii Bohachuk (No. 9) out, moved up in weight 147: Giovani Santillan (No. 4) out, moved up in weight 140: Keyshawn Davis (in at No. 3) TKO 12 Jamaine Ortiz 140: Shakur Stevenson (in at C) UD 12 Teofimo Lopez (C,

135: Raymond Muratalla (No. 3,

118: Dina Thorslund (C) UD 10 Almudena Alvarez

1) MD 12 Andy Cruz (No. 5)

RINGMAGAZINE.COM 25

MEN’S RING RATINGS Through Feb. 15, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIPBELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS

WHEN YOU CAN'T FIGHT BACK, WE DO.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 175 POUNDS

HEAVYWEIGHTS WEIGHT UNLIMITED

CRUISERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 200 POUNDS

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 168 POUNDS

C OLEKSANDR USYK

C JAI OPETAIA

C DMITRY BIVOL

C (VACANT) 1 CANELO ALVAREZ

Ukraine • 24-0-0 (15 KOs)

Australia • 29-0-0 (23 KOs)

Russia • 24-1-0 (12 KOs)

1 FABIO WARDLEY

1 GILBERTO RAMIREZ Mexico • 48-1-0 (30 KOs) 2 CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH U.K. • 21-2-0 (13 KOs) 3 MICHAL CIESLAK Poland • 28-2-0 (22 KOs) 4 NOEL MIKAELIAN Armenia • 28-3-0 (12 KOs) 5 RYAN ROZICKI Canada • 20-1-1 (19 KOs) 6 BADOU JACK Sweden • 29-4-3 (17 KOs) 7 LEONARDO MOSQUEA France • 18-0-0 (11 KOs) 8 ROBIN SIRWAN SAFAR Sweden • 19-0-0 (13 KOs) 9 VIDDAL RILEY U.K. • 13-0-0 (7 KOs) 10 BRANDON GLANTON U.S. • 21-3-0 (18 KOs)

1 ARTUR BETERBIEV

Mexico • 63-3-2 (39 KOs)

U.K. • 20-0-1 (19 KOs)

Russia • 21-1-0 (20 KOs)

2 OSLEYS IGLESIAS

2 AGIT KABAYEL

2 DAVID BENAVIDEZ

Cuba • 14-0-0 (13 KOs)

Germany • 27-0-0 (19 KOs)

U.S. • 31-0-0 (25 KOs)

3 CHRISTIAN MBILLI

3 DANIEL DUBOIS

3 CALLUM SMITH

France • 29-0-1 (24 KOs)

U.K. • 22-3-0 (21 KOs)

U.K. • 31-2-0 (22 KOs)

4 LESTER MARTINEZ

4 FILIP HRGOVIC

4 ALBERT RAMIREZ

Guatemala • 19-0-1 (16 KOs)

Croatia • 19-1-0 (14 KOs)

Venezuela • 22-0-0 (19 KOs)

5 DIEGO PACHECO

5 ZHILEI ZHANG

5 ANTHONY YARDE

U.S. • 25-0-0 (18 KOs) 6 JOSE ARMANDO RESENDIZ Mexico • 16-2-0 (11 KOs) 7 CALEB PLANT U.S. • 23-3-0 (14 KOs) 8 HAMZAH SHEERAZ U.K. • 22-0-1 (18 KOs) 9 H JACOB BANK Denmark • 18-0-0 (10 KOs) 10 -1 BRUNO SURACE France • 26-1-2 (5 KOs)

China • 27-3-1 (22 KOs)

U.K. • 27-4-0 (24 KOs)

6 MARTIN BAKOLE

6 DAVID MORRELL

Congo • 21-2-1 (16 KOs)

Cuba • 12-1-0 (9 KOs)

7 MOSES ITAUMA

7 IMAM KHATAEV

U.K. • 13-0-0 (11 KOs)

Australia • 11-1-0 (10 KOs)

8 EFE AJAGBA

8 JOSHUA BUATSI

Nigeria • 21-1-1 (15 KOs) 9 RICHARD TORREZ JR. U.S. • 14-0-0 (12 KOs) 10 MURAT GASSIEV Russia • 33-2-0 (26 KOs)

U.K. • 20-1-0 (13 KOs)

+1 WILLY HUTCHINSON

U.K. • 19-2-0 (14 KOs) 10 H RADIVOJE KALAJDZIC U.S. • 30-3-0 (22 KOs)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 160 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 CARLOS ADAMES 2 YOENLI HERNANDEZ Cuba • 9-0-0 (8 KOs) 3 ERISLANDY LARA U.S. • 32-3-3 (19 KOs) 4 CONOR BENN U.K. • 24-1-0 (14 KOs) 5 TROY ISLEY U.S. • 15-0-0 (5 KOs) 6 ETINOSA OLIHA Italy • 22-0-0 (10 KOs) 7 AARON MCKENNA Ireland • 20-0-0 (10 KOs) 8 AUSTIN WILLIAMS U.S. • 20-1-0 (13 KOs) 9 CHRIS EUBANK JR. U.K. • 35-4-0 (25 KOs) 10 JESUS RAMOS JR. U.S. • 24-1-0 (19 KOs)

JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 154 POUNDS

WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 147 POUNDS

JR. WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 140 POUNDS C H SHAKUR STEVENSON U.S. • 25-0-0 (11 KOs) 1 DALTON SMITH U.K. • 19-0-0 (14 KOs) 2 RICHARDSON HITCHINS U.S. • 20-0-0 (8 KOs) 3 H KEYSHAWN DAVIS U.S. • 14-0-0 (10 KOs) 4 -4 TEOFIMO LOPEZ U.S. • 22-2-0 (13 KOs) 5 -2 ALBERTO PUELLO

C (VACANT) 1 VERGIL ORTIZ

C (VACANT) 1 DEVIN HANEY

Dom. Rep. • 24-1-1 (18 KOs)

U.S. • 24-0-0 (22 KOs) 2 SEBASTIAN FUNDORA U.S. • 23-1-1 (15 KOs) 3 +2 XANDER ZAYAS

U.S. • 33-0-0 (15 KOs) 2 BRIAN NORMAN JR. U.S. • 28-1-0 (22 KOs) 3 EIMANTAS STANIONIS

Puerto Rico • 23-0-0 (13 KOs) -1 ISRAIL MADRIMOV Uzbekistan • 11-2-1 (7 KOs)

Lithuania • 16-1-0 (9 KOs) +1 ROHAN POLANCO Dom. Rep. • 17-0-0 (10 KOs) +1 SHAKHRAM GIYASOV Uzbekistan • 17-0-0 (10 KOs) +1 ALEXIS ROCHA U.S. • 25-2-1 (16 KOs) +1 RAUL CURIEL Mexico • 17-0-1 (14 KOs) +1 JACK CATTERALL U.K. • 32-2-0 (14 KOs) +1 MARIO BARRIOS U.S. • 29-2-2 (18 KOs)

+1 JARON ENNIS U.S. • 35-0-0 (31 KOs)

Dom. Rep. • 24-1-0 (10 KOs)

6 H JOSH KELLY

-2 ARNOLD BARBOZA

U.K. • 18-1-1 (9 KOs)

U.S. • 32-1-0 (11 KOs)

-3 BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV

-2 GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL

Russia • 23-1-0 (17 KOs) -1 BRANDON ADAMS U.S. • 26-4-0 (16 KOs) -1 ABASS BARAOU Germany • 17-2-0 (9 KOs)

U.S. • 18-1-0 (17 KOs) -2 SANDOR MARTIN Spain • 43-4-0 (15 KOs)

-2 SUBRIEL MATIAS Puerto Rico • 23-3-0 (22 KOs)

10 BAKARY SAMAKE

10 H TIGER JOHNSON U.S. • 17-0-0 (8 KOs)

-2 ADAM AZIM U.K. • 14-0-0 (11 KOs)

France • 19-0-0 (11 KOs)

Authorized by Insurance Authority.

26 RINGMAGAZINE.COM

MEN’S RING RATINGS Through Feb. 15, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIPBELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS

LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 135 POUNDS

JR. LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 130 POUNDS

FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 126 POUNDS

JR. FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 122 POUNDS

C (VACANT) 1 SHAKUR STEVENSON U.S. • 25-0-0 (11 KOs) 2 U.S. • 24-0-0 (17 KOs)

C (VACANT) 1 O’SHAQUIE FOSTER U.S. • 24-3-0 (12 KOs) 2 EMANUEL NAVARRETE Mexico • 39-2-1 (32 KOs) 3 ANTHONY CACACE Ireland • 24-1-0 (9 KOs) 4 EDUARDO NUNEZ Mexico • 29-1-0 (27 KOs) 5 ROBSON CONCEICAO Brazil • 20-3-1 (10 KOs) 6 EDUARDO HERNANDEZ Mexico • 37-2-0 (32 KOs) 7 CHARLY SUAREZ

C (VACANT) 1 RAFAEL ESPINOZA

C NAOYA INOUE

Japan • 32-0-0 (27 KOs)

1 MARLON TAPALES

Mexico • 28-0-0 (24 KOs)

Philippines • 41-4-0 (22 KOs) 2 MURODJON AKHMADALIEV Uzbekistan • 14-2-0 (11 KOs) 3 SAM GOODMAN Australia • 21-1-0 (8 KOs) 4 JUNTO NAKATANI Japan • 32-0-0 (24 KOs) 5 SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ Mexico • 20-1-0 (18 KOs) 6 RAMON CARDENAS U.S. • 27-2-0 (15 KOs) 7 H RYOSUKE NISHIDA Japan • 11-1-0 (2 KOs) 8 -1 ALAN PICASSO Mexico • 32-1-1 (17 KOs) 9 -1 SHABAZ MASOUD U.K. • 15-0-0 (4 KOs) 10 BRYAN MERCADO VAZQUEZ Mexico • 32-2-0 (26 KOs)

2 ANGELO LEO

+1 RAYMOND MURATALLA

U.S. • 26-1-0 (12 KOs)

-1 GERVONTA DAVIS U.S. • 30-0-1 (28 KOs)

+2 BRUCE CARRINGTON

U.S. • 17-0-0 (10 KOs)

4 WILLIAM ZEPEDA

4 STEPHEN FULTON

Mexico • 33-1-0 (27 KOs)

U.S. • 23-2-0 (8 KOs)

5 ANDY CRUZ

+2 BRANDON FIGUEROA

Cuba • 6-1-0 (3 KOs) 6 ABDULLAH MASON U.S. • 20-0-0 (17 KOs) 7 FLOYD SCHOFIELD U.S. • 19-0-0 (13 KOs) 8 +1 SAM NOAKES U.K. • 17-1-0 (15 KOs) 9 +1 LUCAS BAHDI

U.S. • 27-2-1 (20 KOs) -3 NICK BALL U.K. • 23-1-1 (13 KOs)

-2 LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ

Philippines • 18-0-0 (10 KOs)

Mexico • 32-3-0 (19 KOs)

8 RAYMOND FORD

8 MIRCO CUELLO

U.S. • 18-1-1 (8 KOs)

Argentina • 16-0-0 (13 KOs)

9 JAMES DICKENS

9 RA’EESE ALEEM

Canada • 20-0-0 (15 KOs)

U.K. • 36-5-0 (15 KOs)

U.S. • 23-1-0 (12 KOs)

10 H JADIER HERRERA Cuba • 18-0-0 (16 KOs)

10 RYAN GARNER

10 DAYAN GONZALEZ

U.K. • 18-0-0 (9 KOs)

Cuba • 18-0-0 (16 KOs)

BANTAMWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 118 POUNDS

JR. BANTAMWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 115 POUNDS

FLYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 112 POUNDS

JR. FLYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 108 POUNDS

C (VACANT) 1 SEIYA TSUTSUMI

C JESSE RODRIGUEZ U.S. • 23-0-0 (16 KOs) 1 FERNANDO MARTINEZ

C ( VACANT) 1 RICARDO SANDOVAL U.S. • 27-2-0 (18 KOs) 2 MASAMICHI YABUKI Japan • 19-4-0 (18 KOs) 3 ANTHONY OLASCUAGA U.S. • 11-1-0 (8 KOs) 4 SEIGO YURI AKUI Japan • 22-3-1 (12 KOs) 5 GALAL YAFAI U.K. • 9-1-0 (7 KOs) 6 ANGEL AYALA Mexico • 18-1-0 (8 KOs) 7 TOBIAS REYES

C (VACANT) 1 RENE SANTIAGO

Japan • 13-0-3 (8 KOs) 2 CHRISTIAN MEDINA Mexico • 27-4-0 (19 KOs) 3 TAKUMA INOUE Japan • 21-2-0 (5 KOs) 4 +1 DAIGO HIGA Japan • 21-3-3 (19 KOs) 5 +1 ANTONIO VARGAS U.S. • 19-1-1 (11 KOs) 6 +1 JOSE SALAS Mexico • 17-0-0 (11 KOs) 7 +1 YOSHIKI TAKEI Japan • 11-1-0 (9 KOs) 8 +1 KAZUTO IOKA Japan • 32-4-1 (17 KOs) 9 +1 RIKU MASUDA Japan • 9-1-0 (8 KOs) 10 H KENNETH LLOVER

Puerto Rico • 15-4-0 (9 KOs)

Argentina • 18-1-0 (9 KOs)

WIN THE FIGHT AGAINST SMOKING

2 CARLOS CANIZALES

2 DAVID JIMENEZ

Venezuela • 28-3-1 (20 KOs)

Costa Rica • 18-1-0 (12 KOs)

3 THANONGSAK SIMSRI

3 PHUMELELA CAFU

Thailand • 39-1-0 (34 KOs)

S. Africa • 11-1-3 (8 KOs)

4 KYOSUKE TAKAMI

4 TOMOYA TSUBOI Japan • 3-0-0 (2 KOs) 5 ANDREW MOLONEY

Japan • 10-1-0 (8 KOs)

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5 SHOKICHI IWATA

Japan • 15-2-0 (12 KOs)

Australia • 28-4-0 (18 KOs)

6 REGIE SUGANOB

6 RICARDO MALAJIKA

Philippines • 17-1-0 (6 KOs)

S. Africa • 17-2-0 (12 KOs)

7 CRISTIAN ARANETA

7 WILLIBALDO GARCIA Mexico • 23-6-2 (13 KOs) 8 RENE CALIXTO BIBIANO Mexico • 24-1-1 (10 KOs) 9 ISRAEL GONZALEZ Mexico • 31-5-2 (12 KOs) 10 THEOPHILOUS ALLOTEY Ghana • 13-0-0 (10 KOs)

Argentina • 18-1-1 (16 KOs)

Philippines • 25-3-0 (20 KOs)

8 FELIX ALVARADO

8 ERIK BADILLO

Nicaragua • 42-5-0 (35 KOs)

Mexico • 19-0-0 (8 KOs) 9 MASATAKA TANIGUCHI Japan • 21-5-0 (15 KOs) 10 SIVENATHI NONTSHINGA S. Africa • 14-2-0 (11 KOs)

9 JUKIYA IIMURA

Japan • 9-1-0 (2 KOs) 10 JOSELITO VELAZQUEZ Mexico • 22-1-1 (14 KOs)

Philippines • 17-0-0 (12 KOs)

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28 RINGMAGAZINE.COM

MEN’S RING RATINGS Through Feb. 15, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIPBELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS

C OSCAR COLLAZO U.S. • 13-0-0 (10 KOs) 1 MELVIN JERUSALEM STRAWWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 105 POUNDS

HOW OUR RATINGS ARE COMPILED RECORDS PROVIDED BY BOXREC.COM

Championship vacancies can be filled in the following two ways: 1. The Ring’s Nos. 1 and 2 contenders fight one another. 2. If the Nos. 1 and 2 contenders choose not to fight one another and No. 1 fights No. 3, that matchup could be for the Ring title if the Editorial Board deems No. 3 worthy. A champion can lose their belt in six sit- uations: 1. The Champion loses a fight in the weight class in which they are cham- pion; 2. The Champion moves to another weight class; 3. The Champion does not schedule a fight in any weight class for 18 months, although injuries and certain other

unforeseen circumstances could be taken into consideration; 4. The Champion does not schedule a fight at their championship weight for 18 months (even if they fight at another weight); 5. The Champion does not schedule a fight with a Top-5 contender from any weight class for two years; 6. The Champion retires. The Ring Editorial Board considers input from the Ratings Panel of boxing jour- nalists from around the world and then decides collectively what changes will be made. That applies to both the pound-for- pound and divisional ratings.

Philippines • 25-3-0 (12 KOs)

2 PEDRO TADURAN

Philippines • 19-4-1 (13 KOs)

3 RYUSEI MATSUMOTO Japan • 7-0-0 (4 KOs) 4 SIYAKHOLWA KUSE S. Africa • 9-3-1 (4 KOs) 5 JOEY CANOY

Philippines • 24-5-2 (15 KOs)

6 TAKESHI ISHII

Japan • 11-1-0 (8 KOs)

7 YUNI TAKADA

Japan • 16-9-3 (6 KOs)

8 VIC SALUDAR

Philippines • 27-6-0 (17 KOs)

9 BEAVEN SIBANDA

Zimbabwe • 9-1-0 (3 KOs)

10 JOSEPH SUMABONG

Philippines • 9-1-0 (4 KOs)

POUND FOR POUND LIST

WOMEN

MEN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

KATIE TAYLOR Ireland • 25-1-0 (6 KOs) CLARESSA SHIELDS U.S. • 17-0-0 (3 KOs) MIKAELA MAYER U.S. • 22-2-0 (5 KOs) CHANTELLE CAMERON U.K. • 21-1-0 (8 KOs) AMANDA SERRANO Puerto Rico • 48-4-1 (31 KOs)

OLEKSANDR USYK Ukraine • 24-0-0 (15 KOs) NAOYA INOUE Japan • 32-0-0 (27 KOs)

+4 SHAKUR STEVENSON

U.S. • 25-0-0 (11 KOs)

-1 JESSE RODRIGUEZ

UPCOMING 2026 SCHEDULE

U.S. • 23-0-0 (16 KOs)

-1 DMITRY BIVOL Russia • 24-1-0 (12 KOs) -1 ARTUR BETERBIEV Russia • 21-1-0 (20 KOs) -1 JUNTO NAKATANI Japan • 32-0-0 (24 KOs) DAVID BENAVIDEZ U.S. • 31-0-0 (25 KOs) DEVIN HANEY U.S. • 33-0-0 (15 KOs)

GABRIELA FUNDORA U.S. • 17-0-0 (9 KOs)

Itauma vs. Franklin March 28

DINA THORSLUND Denmark • 24-0-0 (9 KOs)

LAUREN PRICE U.K. • 9-0-0 (2 KOs)

YOKASTA VALLE Costa Rica • 34-3-0 (10 KOs)

10 OSCAR COLLAZO

10 ELLIE SCOTNEY

U.S. • 13-0-0 (10 KOs)

U.K. • 11-0-0 (0 KOs)

30 RINGMAGAZINE.COM

WOMEN’S RING RATINGS Through Feb. 15, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIPBELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS

MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 160 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 DESLEY ROBINSON

JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 154 POUNDS C. (VACANT) 1 MIKAELA MAYER 2 OSHAE JONES U.S. • 9-0-0 (3 KOs) 3 FEMKE HERMANS U.S. • 22-2-0 (5 KOs) Belgium • 18-5-0 (7 KOs)

WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 147 POUNDS C LAUREN PRICE U.K. • 9-0-0 (2 KOs) 1 MIKAELA MAYER U.S. • 22-2-0 (5 KOs) 2 SANDY RYAN U.K. • 8-3-1 (3 KOs) 3 STEPHANIE AQUINO

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 168 POUNDS

C SHADASIA GREEN

U.S. • 16-1-0 (11 KOs) 1 FRANCHON CREWS-DEZURN U.S. • 10-2-0 (2 KOs) 2 SAVANNAH MARSHALL U.K. • 13-2-0 (10 KOs) 3 LANI DANIELS New Zealand • 11-4-2 (1 KO) 4 MARY CASAMASSA U.S. • 6-1-0 (1 KO) 5 VANESSA LEPAGE-JOANISSE Canada • 8-2-0 (2 KOs)

Australia • 11-3-0 (4 KOs)

2 MELINDA WATPOOL

Canada • 7-1-0 (2 KOs)

3 TAMM THIBEAULT

Canada • 4-0-0 (3 KOs)

4 KAYE SCOTT

4 MARY SPENCER

Puerto Rico • 10-0-0 (3 KOs)

4 NATASHA JONAS

Australia • 5-1-1 (0 KOs)

Canada • 10-3-0 (6 KOs)

5 OLIVIA CURRY

5 PRISCILLA PETERLE

U.K. • 16-3-1 (9 KOs) 5 MICHAELA KOTASKOVA

U.S. • 7-3-2 (2 KOs)

France • 11-0-0 (3 KOs)

Czech Rep. • 11-0-2 (4 KOs)

JR. WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 140 POUNDS

LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 135 POUNDS C. (VACANT) 1 CAROLINE DUBOIS U.K. • 12-0-1 (5 KOs) 2 ELIF NUR TURHAN U.K. • 16-2-2 (6 KOs) 4 BEATRIZ FERREIRA Brazil • 8-1-0 (2 KOs) 5 STEPHANIE HAN U.S. • 12-0-0 (3 KOs) 3 TERRI HARPER

JR. LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 130 POUNDS C ALYCIA BAUMGARDNER U.S. • 17-1-0 (7 KOs) 1 LEILA BEAUDOIN Canada • 13-2-0 (2 KOs) 2 H CAROLINE VEYRE Canada • 11-1-0 (0 KOs) 3 -1 DELFINE PERSOON Belgium • 50-4-0 (20 KOs) 4 -1 JENNIFER MIRANDA Spain • 12-1-0 (1 KO) 5 -1 MEA MOTU

FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 126 POUNDS

C KATIE TAYLOR

C AMANDA SERRANO

Ireland • 25-1-0 (6 KOs) 1 CHANTELLE CAMERON U.K. • 21-1-0 (8 KOs) 2 AMANDA SERRANO Puerto Rico • 48-4-1 (31 KOs) 3 SAMANTHA WORTHINGTON U.S. • 12-0-0 (7 KOs) 4 FLORA PILI France • 12-0-0 (2 KOs) 5 ELIZABETH OSHOBA Nigeria • 9-0-0 (5 KOs)

Puerto Rico • 48-4-1 (31 KOs)

1 SKYE NICOLSON

Australia • 15-1-0 (3 KOs)

2 TIARA BROWN

Turkiye • 13-0-0 (8 KOs)

U.S. • 20-0-0 (11 KOs)

3 NINA MEINKE

German • 20-3-0 (4 KOs)

4 SARAH MAHFOUD

Denmark • 15-2-0 (3 KOs)

5 DANIELA BERMUDEZ

New Zealand • 24-1-0 (11 KOs)

Argentina • 32-6-3 (12 KOs)

JR. FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 122 POUNDS

BANTAMWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 118 POUNDS

JR. BANTAMWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 115 POUNDS

FLYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 112 POUNDS

C ELLIE SCOTNEY

C DINA THORSLUND

C MIZUKI HIRUTA

C GABRIELA FUNDORA U.S. • 17-0-0 (9 KOs) 1 KENIA ENRIQUEZ

U.K. • 11-0-0 (0 KOs) 1 YAMILETH MERCADO Mexico • 24-4-0 (5 KOs) 2 SEGOLENE LEFEBVRE France • 20-1-0 (1 KO) 3 MAYELLI FLORES ROSQUERO Mexico • 13-1-1 (4 KOs) 4 ERIKA CRUZ-HERNANDEZ Mexico • 18-2-1 (4 KOs) 5 NAZARENA ROMERO Argentina • 14-1-2 (8 KOs)

Denmark • 24-0-0 (9 KOs)

Japan • 10-0-0 (2 KOs)

1 CHERNEKA JOHNSON Australia • 19-2-0 (8 KOs) 2 SHURRETTA METCALF U.S. • 15-5-1 (2 KOs) 3 FLORENCIA JUAREZ Argentina • 13-1-0 (1 KO) 4 JOHANNA WONYOU France • 12-0-0 (2 KOs) 5 TIAH MAI AYTON U.K. • 4-0-0 (4 KOs)

1 GINNY FUCHS

U.S. • 4-0-0 (1 KO)

Mexico • 28-1-0 (11 KOs)

2 ADELAIDA RUIZ

2 ARELY MUCINO

U.S. • 18-1-1 (8 KOs)

Mexico • 32-5-2 (11 KOs) 3 JASMINA ZAPOTOCZNA U.K. • 10-1-0 (0 KOs) 4 MARILYN BADILLO AMAYA Mexico • 19-1-1 (3 KOs) 5 DIANA LAURA FERNANDEZ Mexico • 36-4-1 (5 KOs)

3 CARLA MERINO

Argentina • 16-3-0 (4 KOs)

4 EMMA DOLAN U.K. • 8-0-0 (1 KO) 5 JASMINE ARTIGA

U.S. • 15-0-1 (7 KOs)

JR. FLYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 108 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 EVELIN BERMUDEZ

STRAWWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 105 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 YOKASTA VALLE

ATOMWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 102 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 SUMIRE YAMANAKA Japan • 9-1-0 (3 KOs) 2 CAMILA ZAMORANO Mexico • 13-0-0 (1 KO) 3 ESNEIDY RODRIGUEZ OLMOS Mexico • 12-0-1 (1 KO) 4 ERI MATSUDA Japan • 8-2-1 (1 KO) 5 NAO UGAWA Japan • 6-0-0 (0 KOs)

Argentina • 22-1-1 (8 KOs)

Costa Rica • 34-3-0 (10 KOs)

2 LOURDES JUAREZ

2 SARAH BORMANN

Mexico • 39-4-0 (5 KOs)

Germany • 21-1-0 (7 KOs)

3 GABRIELA ALANIZ

3 YUKO KUROKI

Argentina • 18-2-0 (7 KOS)

Japan • 25-9-2 (10 KOs)

4 SARA BAILEY

4 KIM CLAVEL

Canada • 6-1-0 (0 KOs) 5 YESICA NERY PLATA Mexico • 30-3-0 (3 KOs)

Canada • 22-2-0 (3 KOs)

5 SOL BAUMSTARH

Argentina • 14-7-1 (8 KOs)

the end of limits.

humain.com

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