the 97 th annual ring awards
2025 Fighter of the Year: Terence Crawford
MARCH 2026
The Ring Magazine - The Bible of Boxing, March 2026 • Volume 103, No. 3
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66 SOCIAL SKILLS BEN WHITTAKER HAS ALREADY GATECRASHED THE GLOBAL BOXING SCENE COURTESY OF A DAZZLING SKILL SET AND A COLOSSAL ONLINE FOLLOWING By Dom Farrell 76 TO A STANDSTILL FORTY YEARS AGO, MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER COLLIDED WITH JOHN “THE BEAST” MUGABI IN ALL-OUT WAR FOR THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CROWN By Ron Borges
DEPARTMENTS 8 OPENING SHOTS 11 COME OUT WRITING 13 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 18 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 21 STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim 24 BY THE NUMBERS By Don Stradley 27 RING RATINGS 36 PROSPECT WATCH: OMARI JONES By Manouk Akopyan 72 PROMOTER SNAPSHOT 84 FUNDAMENTALS By Ruth Raper 86 COLLECTOR’S SHOWCASE By Dan Rafael 88 FIGHT OF FANTASY By Anson Wainwright 90 A SLICE OF BOXING By Thomas Hauser 92 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 94 FINISHING SHOTS 96 FIGHTLINE By Adam Abramowitz 82 INMEMORIAM
40 FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: TERENCE CRAWFORD 2025 WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR A HANDFUL OF FIGHTERS, BUT BOXING WILL REMEMBER WHAT “BUD” ACCOMPLISHED FOR GENERATIONS By David Greisman 46 FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: MIZUKI HIRUTA WITH FOUR TITLE DEFENSES AND A NEW RING CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2025, “MIMI” TOOK HER PLACE AMONG BOXING’S BRIGHTEST STARS By Doug Fischer
54 THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR OLEKSANDR USYK HAS NOTHING LEFT TO PROVE AS HE ENTERS THE ENDGAME OF HIS BOXING CAREER, AND YET HE STILL SEARCHES FOR ANY CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN By Michael Rosenthal 60 DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK TYSON FURY HOPES TO CONTINUE THE LONG TRADITION OF VETERAN CHAMPS RESUMING THEIR CAREERS AFTER BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES TO THE SAME NEMESIS By Don Stradley
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Cover Painting by Richard T. Slone
How stc group Built the System Beneath the City of Play Saudi Arabia is no longer emerging on the global sports map. It is there, recognized by fans, marked by presence, and impossible to overlook. In boxing alone, the Kingdom has staged some of the sport’s most significant modern bouts, including the undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh, a contest that unified every major title and brought global attention to Saudi Arabia as a destination for elite live sport. Beyond the ring, the Kingdom has built an entertainment calendar that signals a new era for the world stage. What is unfolding now goes deeper than high-profile events. Saudi Arabia is not just hosting. It is engineering the infrastructure that makes global entertainment native to its cities, built to last, scale, and resonate long after the crowds have gone. Nowhere is this new vision more vivid than in Qiddiya City, which officially opened in December 2025. Rising from the desert forty-five kilometers outside Riyadh, the 360-square-kilometer site is conceived not as a conventional city, but as a destination built entirely around Play Life. It is the first city in the Kingdom dedicated to play, positioned as a national asset and a reflection of Saudi Arabia’s evolving identity. At the heart of its first phase is Six Flags Qiddiya City, a theme park boasting twenty-eight attractions, including five world- record rides. Among these is Falcons Flight, presented by stc, the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster, plunging from 195 meters and reaching speeds of 250 kilometers per hour. Qiddiya City’s significance goes beyond world record- breaking attractions. Engineering a world-class coaster is a visible achievement, but what truly sets the city apart and ultimately determines its success is the ability to welcome and host millions of visitors.
Qididya City and its assets required worldclass infrastructure capable of supporting the operations while remaining invisible to the guest. This is where stc steps in. As the Official Premier Speed Partner of Six Flags Qiddiya City, the group engineered the digital backbone that supports every layer of the digital guest experience. stc’s digital infrastructure powers contactless ride access, seamless payments across all platforms, and full integration with Qitaf, stc’s loyalty program, allowing guests to redeem points for tickets, purchases, and experiences. The entire ICT environment functions as one seamless environment, built to manage high demand, minimise friction, and keep the experience moving from start to finish. The work stc delivered at Six Flags Qiddiya City was built as a launch point for something larger. Every component of the system was developed with future expansion in mind, allowing it to serve as a foundational model for Qiddiya City ’s long-term infrastructure. The five-year partnership between stc group and Qiddiya Investment Company for the first assets to open, such as Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City, formalizes this vision, establishing an initial framework where physical construction, operations and digital architecture evolve tandem. The focus is not on scaling a single experience but on defining how large-scale entertainment environments are designed, deployed, and sustained over time. This vision reflects a broader shift in how entertainment is embedded into Saudi Arabia’s long-term trajectory. The Kingdom’s arenas are evolving. From Riyadh Season’s headline boxing nights to flagship events like the Italian and Spanish Supercups and the Esports World Cup, the country is moving beyond individual spectacles to create full-scale destinations that reshape how live, immersive experiences are imagined and delivered. This includes boxing’s evolution within the Kingdom, which has moved beyond one-off headline bouts to structured international competitions, such as the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix - a multi-phase competition bringing together fighters from more than forty countries. Qiddiya City is not the first move in that direction, but it stands as a major step forward. As more destinations prepare to follow, the systems established through stc’s solutions offer more than a technical advantage. They create the conditions for consistency, for growth without disruption, and for experiences that move in step with the Kingdom’s vision, setting new global standards for digital enablement, and helping turn a national transformation into everyday reality.
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OPENING SHOT SHEFFIELD STEEL: The oddsmakers, plus many fans and experts, made Dalton Smith the underdog against WBC junior welterweight titleholder and feared power-puncher Subriel Matias at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on January 10. What everyone knows now is that Smith is for real and that oddsmakers can sometimes get it wrong – very wrong. The Englishman turned in an inspired performance, battering the Puerto Rican star from pillar to post over the first four rounds before closing out with a right-hand bomb in Round 5. The victory also saw Smith installed as The Ring’s No. 1-rated contender at 140 pounds.
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COME OUT WRITING
DOUG’S TOP 10 I cannot complain about your
6. Big George Foreman – Had the non-broadcasting school approach. 7. Larry Merchant – I liked his before and after the bout comments the best.
picks for the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters of the 21st century (“Ringside,” February 2026 issue) and I cannot see anyone I would replace. I am glad you included Gennadiy Golovkin, as I feel he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. The guy completely dominated one of the most competitive divisions in boxing. I would just like to add honorable mentions for Miguel Cotto and Juan Manual Marquez – both truly fought anyone. Matt Bradbury JUNTO’S P4P STATUS I had the pleasure of watching the Naoya Inoue-Alan Picasso and Junto Nakatani-Sebastian Hernandez boxing matches. Both were great. Inoue was dominant, Nakatani not so much. He did win, however, barely. To me it looked like a late Christmas gift, so as not to spoil the big match with Inoue. At the end of the match, Nakatani was a beaten man. In my opinion, he is no longer a Top 10 pound-for-pound boxer. Walter Zabicki WORDS OF WISDOM My favorite ringside announcers list: 1. Al Bernstein – Met him after the Hagler-Hearns fight and asked who would win a rematch between them. He smiled: “Always Hagler.” 2. Max Kellerman – I remember reading that as an aspiring boxing hound he would chase Steve Farhood (KO magazine editor at the time) and ask any and all boxing questions he could and inquired about when he could start working! 3. Marv Albert – Olympics and pro boxing on NBC. 4. Emanuel Steward – Met him at Caesars in Atlantic City and talked with him and another casino host for 20 minutes. He said, “Go for the knockout when you can. That’s what the fans want.” 5. Gil Clancy and Tim Ryan – A great team.
Jack Dowling
CLOSER THAN WE THOUGHT In “Fightline” (January 2026 issue) there was a link from the greatest boxer that ever lived (regardless of what The Money Team says), Sugar Ray Robinson, to Floyd Mayweather in eight steps. Very impressive. However, I managed to find an even shorter link. As is, the link goes from Robinson » Joey Archer » Emile Griffith » Vito Antuofermo » Marvelous Marvin Hagler » Roberto Duran » Hector “Macho” Camacho » Oscar De La Hoya » Mayweather. Allow me to introduce into the mix former junior middleweight titleholder Denny Moyer. Moyer defeated a past-his-prime version of Robinson by 10-round decision on Feb. 17, 1962 (a rematch of a 1961 loss to Robinson). That same Moyer lost a 10-round decision to Vito Antuofermo on September 9, 1974, in Madison Square Garden. This would make the shortest chain: Robinson » MOYER » Vito Antuofermo » Hagler » Duran » Camacho » Oscar » Floyd. Darren Calamese ONCE MORE FOR JOE I was heartened to read Lee Groves’ appreciation of Joe Bugner in The Ring (November 2025 issue). Big Joe was my boxing hero, a genuine contender on the world stage during the heavyweight division’s golden era of the 1970s and arguably one the most underrated boxers of all time. His excellent fight record during that period reads like a who’s who of the good and great, but of course his controversial win over Henry Cooper in 1971 made him far more unpopular with both the British press and fight
Joe Bugner’s talent was sometimes obscured by public sentiment.
fans than he deserved to be. He did have his supporters, though; make no mistake. He was followed in large numbers to Las Vegas for the first Muhammad Ali fight in February 1973 and when he fought Joe Frazier at Earls Court in July the same year, he was roared on by a full house as he produced arguably his greatest performance in losing a close decision over 12 bruising rounds. It is interesting to note that when Frank Warren began to get his shows on British TV in the early 1980s, Joe was the main attraction. Barry Hearn also persuaded him to return to the U.K. in 1987 for the first big Matchroom boxing promotion when Aussie Joe fought Frank Bruno. To me, he was a total one- off. Entertaining, funny, brave, controversial – and boy, he could fight. Rest easy, Joe, and thanks for the great memories. I hope you get the respect and legacy you deserve. Dean Christopher WRITE TO THE RING! Email comeoutwriting@gmail.com or use this address: P.O. Box 90254, Brooklyn, NY 11209
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RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer THE RIGHT CHOICE
March 2026 Volume 103, No. 3
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
U ntil recently, there had been a longstanding consensus among fans and media that Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue were the top three boxers in the world. That dynamic changed with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s inevitable ascension up the mythical rankings and Crawford’s retirement announcement this past December. However, from 2022 to 2025, boxing’s pound-for-pound trinity was “Bud,” Usyk and “The Monster.” So it’s no surprise that the trio have not only vied for the No. 1 spot in the P4P list, but also for Fighter of the Year honors during the past three years. The Ring’s 2023 award went to Inoue. Usyk won it in 2024. Now it’s Crawford’s turn. Does he deserve the honor? You’re damn right he does. Nearly 38 at the time, the ringmaster dared to be great, defied the odds and made history when he relieved Canelo Alvarez of the undisputed super middleweight championship
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Crawford activated all-time great mode against Canelo Alvarez.
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on September 13. The clear-cut decision victory – hands down the best performance of 2025 and the event of the year – pushed Crawford’s name into all-time great company. He joined Bob Fitzsimmons, Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross and Henry Armstrong as boxing’s only three-
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division undisputed champions. Crawford also equaled Thomas
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) March 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 16027, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027, Phone: 818- 286-3101; rngcs@magserv.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 self- addressed 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 and the UK.
Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather Jr. by winning world titles in five weight classes. Most years, an achievement of that historic magnitude would guarantee the award for most outstanding boxer. However, more than a few fans, websites and podcast hosts declared Inoue as their 2025 Fighter of the Year. I don’t agree with that opinion, but I respect it. Inoue is every bit the generational talent and competitor that Crawford is, and the Japanese superstar
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Both Inoue and Crawford made history. Both proved to be elite-level boxers. But The Monster did a little bit more, to the chagrin of Bud’s boosters. Inoue did a lot more than Crawford in 2025 in terms of sheer activity, but the overall quality of his opposition was not as high as it was in 2023. Had all four of his challengers been legitimate contenders, I likely would have considered him the cream of the 2025 crop. However, his first two opponents of the year – Ye Joon Kim and Ramon Cardenas – were not Ring- rated at the time. In Inoue’s defense, Kim was a late substitute (for Sam Goodman) and was needed to keep the January fight date as well as his four-bout schedule for the year, while Cardenas – who is now in The Ring’s 122-pound rankings – turned out to be a card- carrying badass. Regardless, Inoue was a ridiculous favorite (as much as -1000) going into both bouts. Near shutout decisions vs. former unified titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev and unbeaten contender
was impressive in 2025 – defending his undisputed junior featherweight championship four times. The main argument for Inoue as the 2025 Fighter of the Year is, of course, his activity. And, as my longtime colleague Steve Kim is fond of saying, “activity matters.” It’s the reason Inoue beat out Crawford in 2023, according to The Ring, ESPN and the Boxing Writers Association of America. However, it wasn’t a slam-dunk choice. Crawford was a very close runner-up. As he did in 2025, the Omaha native put forth a sublime performance in the biggest U.S. boxing event – his emphatic ninth- round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr., who entered the showdown as an undefeated unified titleholder, The Ring’s No. 1-rated welterweight and No. 4 in the pound-for-pound rankings. However, four days prior to Crawford’s greatest triumph to date, Inoue scored one of the best wins of his future Hall of Fame career, an eighth-round stoppage of previously
Alan Picasso in his other two bouts of 2025, while not as exciting as his KO of Kim or his shootout with Cardenas, were elite-level performances vs. world- class opposition. I should note that Inoue’s original plan for 2025 was to defend against then-unbeaten Goodman (No. 3 in The Ring’s 122-pound rankings at the time) in January, then Picasso (No. 5 at the start of 2025) in May, and then Akhmadaliev (No. 2) in September, with an option for a fourth bout. Had he gone that route and faced a fourth Ring-rated junior featherweight, such as Shabaz Masoud (No. 6 at the beginning of 2025) or Sebastian Hernandez (No. 10 at the start of the year), I think he might have legitimately edged out Crawford for Fighter of the Year. As it was, Inoue was the first champion to make four defenses of the Ring Magazine title in a calendar year since Larry Holmes did it in 1983. It’s an impressive stat. But in 2025, it was Crawford who did more with less. And with his retirement
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unbeaten unified 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton.
The Fulton victory silenced The Monster’s critics who claimed he hadn’t fought anyone of note and predicted that he would be “exposed” by the skilled American. Adding to the significance of the one-sided victory was that it was the junior featherweight debut for Inoue, who had ended 2022 as the undisputed bantamweight champion. In his first bout of his fourth weight class, Inoue took on The Ring’s No. 1-rated 122-pounder. In his second bout of 2023, he beat down No. 2-rated Marlon Tapales, holder of the other 122-pound belts, to a 10th-round stoppage and undisputed champion status in his second division.
ﺣﻤﻞ اﻟﺘﻄﺒﻴﻖ
The great Inoue made his fourth defense of 2025 against Alan Picasso.
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won the vacant Ring championship by outpointing highly regarded Carla Merino in her second bout of 2025 and then defended it twice before the end of the year. Unlike the men’s category, this time activity mattered.
announcement, it looks like the Canelo victory will be the final act of a Hall of Fame career. I’m pleased that Crawford exits the combat side of boxing as The Ring’s Fighter of the Year.
but while he’s expected to make a full physical recovery, the emotional and psychological toll of the tragedy has put his 2026 plans – which included an early ring return and then the long- awaited showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year – on hold for the time being. Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele was an assistant trainer, but they were also two of his closest friends. On January 8, Joshua posted the following tribute on his Instagram account: “Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers. I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. 100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.” Some have speculated that this tragic event could encourage the 36-year-old Brit to retire. If Joshua does indeed hang up his gloves, I expect to see his name on the International Boxing Hall of Fame ballot in three years. He’s an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time unified heavyweight titleholder and bona fide superstar. Even the shocking KOs he suffered to Andy Ruiz and Daniel Dubois – the only times I saw him fight live – rank as two of the most electric atmospheres I’ve ever experienced as a fan and journalist. At one time, he was the most accomplished heavyweight in the sport. His losses shouldn’t overshadow victories over Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker, Dillian Whyte and Ruiz (in the rematch). Personally, I don’t hold the back- to-back decision losses to Usyk against him. He was competitive in both bouts. No shame in losing to a great fighter. Whatever Joshua decides, The Ring wishes him well.
H H H H
While we’re on the subject of Fighter of the Year, congrats to Mizuki Hiruta, who won the female version of the 2025 award. The 29-year-old native of Okayama, Japan, beat out a distinguished field that included future hall of famers Katie Taylor and Mikaela Mayer for the honor. All five female nominees – Hiruta, Taylor, Mayer, Ellie Scotney and Evelin Bermudez – were strong candidates who defeated top opposition in 2025. However, Taylor only fought once (a unanimous decision over archrival Amanda Serrano), while the other nominees each made only two ring appearances last year. Our winner, Hiruta (10-0, 2 KOs) – the first Japanese boxer, male or female, to win the Ring junior bantamweight title – took a page from her superstar countryman’s playbook and fought four times. The athletic southpaw, who has held the WBO 115-pound title since 2022,
H H H H
Our hearts go out to Anthony Joshua and to the families of the former heavyweight champ’s teammates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who were killed in a car accident in Nigeria on December 29. Joshua, who was vacationing in his parents’ homeland just 10 days after stopping Jake Paul in Miami, was a passenger in the Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck along the Lagos- Ibadan expressway in Makun. The professional driver of the vehicle, who escaped with minor injuries, has been charged with dangerous and reckless driving. Joshua also sustained minor injuries and was hospitalized for two days,
Hiruta’s Ring belt was presented by venerable Editor-in-Chief Doug Fischer.
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING
six knockdowns – ALL by body shots. When he gets a fighter in trouble with body shots, he shows the discipline and ring intellect to double down for the stoppage. 2. He has a great chin. Knyba landed some big power punches and did not shake him. Kabayel had suffered a knockdown against the big punching Zhang but got right up and stopped Zhang in the next round. He has very good punch resistance. 3. The great chin saves him from his defensive liabilities. In the Knyba fight, as in some others, Kabayel showed vulnerability: When he walks down his opponents, he sometimes keeps his hands low and can square himself up, inviting a straight shot down the middle. 4. When he uses his jab, his offense is very impressive. He can be effective without it, but the difference between the Kabayel who comes in behind an authoritative jab and the Kabayel who does not is huge. With it, he is an offensive machine. Using the jab masks the defensive problems almost entirely. What all that adds up to is an exciting, all-action heavyweight who has come from relative international obscurity to being a worldwide fan favorite. Support from the big pockets of Riyadh Season and a German fan base that appears willing to pack arenas for him provides a fascinating recipe for commercial boxing success. This brings us to the conundrum of Kabayel’s future and how it impacts the very intriguing heavyweight division. Other layoffs have slowed his career (he had only one fight per year for five straight years, from 2018 to 2022). He can ill afford that now. One issue is that a title shot against IBF, WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine champ Oleksandr Usyk is off the table for now because Usyk has Wilder penciled in as his next dance partner. A fight with Usyk (if he defends successfully against Wilder) is not likely until the end of the year. Kabayel must fight before that. The conventional business-oriented choice for him would be someone
After weathering punishment, Kabayel finished off Damian Knyba in the third round.
like Lawrence Okolie, the former cruiserweight titleholder who is now the No. 1-rated heavyweight contender in the WBC rankings. It can be sold to fans and media as a meaningful fight despite a lower threat level to Kabayel than some other fights might present. That all makes it palatable to the Kabayel team. Then there is the option that epitomizes what boxing does not do often enough. This is an option where boxing fans get exactly the fight they would really like to see – the one where two action fighters come together in a can’t-miss match. This is the one where newly crowned WBO titleholder Fabio Wardley puts his belt on the line against Kabayel. Am I being naive for even mentioning this possibility? Worse, am I possibly delusional, suggesting something that exists outside of boxing reality as we know it? The answer could be yes to those two questions. Or maybe not. Dream with me for a second. Kabayel said he is very open to a Wardley fight. Both fighters are promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, and Riyadh
Season has been involved with both. That last fact is likely the key. Could there be enough financial incentive to make both fighters risk seeing a possible big-money showdown with Usyk slip away? Will Riyadh Season pony up the kind of money it will take to make this happen? For the sake of boxing fans, I hope the answer is yes. There are few boxing matches on the horizon as delicious as this one. The other thing that makes this a slightly less risky venture for Wardley and Kabayel is the undeniable fact that heavyweights can bounce back from a loss much easier than in other weight divisions. We have seen fighters like Parker, Wilder, Joe Joyce, Derek Chisora, Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua and others written off after a loss or even two, only to return for big fights. A loss for either man here does not end their time as an upper-echelon, money- making, title-contending heavyweight. Many in sports media these days seek to create actions in the discipline they cover, not just report on them. They want to be the ones moving the needle, either to produce something they want to see or think is good for their sport, or just to claim credit for making it happen. We have such people in boxing as well. I have not been a charter member of that group in my 41 years of service. But here and now, I am going to be an advocate. Count me in as a foot soldier in the battle to get a Wardley-Kabayel fight to happen. I ask other pundits and fans to join the fray to push for it to come to fruition. I also ask them to join me in taking a pledge not to denigrate the loser should he take this bold plunge when he didn’t have to do it. Both Kabayel and Wardley have had a slow, steady burn in their careers, which has put them both in rarified heavyweight championship air. I am now suggesting that they light a bonfire in the ring right there on the mountaintop.
the ring rust of the layoff and position himself for a major 2026 match, hopefully for a world title. Knyba provided the right opposition because he was unbeaten and a competent fighter. He demonstrated the latter in Round 1, stunning the crowd by raking Kabayel over the coals with jabs, uppercuts and straight right hands, resulting in a nasty cut over Kabayel’s right eye. Whether this was all due to the layoff or Kabayel’s penchant for defensive lapses can be debated. Whatever the reason, it created urgency in Kabayel; he needed to make
ABOUT TIME By Al Bernstein
sure this homecoming didn’t turn sour. He did just that by upping the ante in the second and third rounds, hurting Knyba with body shots and big right hands. The last big right completed a series of big blows that convinced referee Mark Lyson to stop the fight, even though Knyba had never hit the canvas. Many (including me) thought the stoppage was premature, though it certainly appeared that Kabayel had gotten control of the fight and might very likely have stopped Knyba after this point. Lyson’s quick trigger (whether out of incompetence or bias for the favorite) actually took away Kabayel’s chance for a more definitive and beneficial ending to this fight. Even in just under three rounds, this win reminded us of the four things that define Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) as a fighter: 1. He is one of the best body-punchers in boxing. He hurt Knyba several times to the body, and that is what set up the head shots that ended this fight. In his three signature wins over Makhmudov, Sanchez and Zhang, he scored
T here is an old bromide that heavyweight boxers come into their own later and stay better longer than boxers in lighter weight divisions. The first part has proven true for 33-year- old heavyweight Agit Kabayel, and he’s hoping the second part will as well. When Kabayel beat previously undefeated Polish giant Damian Knyba by stoppage in three rounds on January 10, he cemented his position as the people’s choice for top contender in the division. That win ended an 11-month layoff that was preceded by a trio of career-changing fights. After his career had slowly percolated for 12 years, the unbeaten Kabayel erupted with three major wins from December 2023 to February 2025, stopping Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang, in
Fabio Wardley vs. Kabayel would be satisfaction all but guaranteed for fans.
that order. Makhmudov and Sanchez were undefeated at the time, and Zhang, with only two losses in 30 fights, was coming off a KO win over Deontay Wilder and a close majority decision loss to Joseph Parker. All three of these Kabayel opponents were ranked in or just outside the top 10 when he fought them. The Knyba fight had two very important purposes. First, it was a homecoming for Germany’s Kabayel after the three aforementioned fights had dramatically jump-started his career in Saudi Arabia. It was designed to announce in a big way that major- league boxing was back in Germany and it succeeded on that front, with 13,000 boisterous fans filling the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen. Second, this fight was important to give Kabayel a chance to shake off
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STEVE’S SOAPBOX A CORNER OF HISTORY By Steve Kim
Fly Saudia to the world
S ince 1971, Jimmy’s Corner has stood at 140 W. 44th Street in New York City, half a block east of Times Square. Founded by the late Jimmy Glenn, it has weathered the test of time. As the Big Apple has gone through several versions of itself and retail gentrification has taken over, this bar has remained the same, becoming an institution to locals and a destination for visitors. Boxing fans flock to it like tourists flock to the Statue of Liberty. The modern amenities are non- existent (don’t ask for their WiFi) and there are very few frills. That’s part of its charm and authenticity. If you want a cozy space where you can still have $3 beers and some laughs, this is your spot. Yeah, other places are more comfortable, but there isn’t a place with a better atmosphere. You can’t get this at Buffalo Wild Wings or Dave & Buster’s. When the beloved Glenn passed away in 2020 at the age of 89, ownership was taken over by his son Adam, a graduate of Harvard Law School who returned to run the family business.
For boxing fans, Jimmy’s Corner in New York City is more than just a bar.
But in December, it was reported that The Durst Organization, which owns the property, attempted to evict them over a clause that was in the last lease that Jimmy signed. Adam decided to counterpunch and has now gone on the offensive. “The latest right now is that according to the landlord, they have canceled our lease,” Glenn told Ring Magazine in mid-January. “According to us, the provision that they’re relying on to cancel our lease should be invalid. We each have parallel legal cases that we have brought and we’re just starting out the fight.” Throughout the decades, the relationship between the landlord and tenant was a good one. When asked if all of this has shocked him, Glenn stated, “It surprised me in the sense that there’s a mechanism in our existing lease for them to be able to get me out of this space. [...] I didn’t know this provision was out there ’til about two years ago. “It’s surprising that they tried to do this in such an ugly way. It’s not shocking to me that at some point [they
thought] that they could make more money by selling the building. But the way they’ve gone about doing it has been very surprising.” This conflict has gone mainstream in New York, covered extensively by local news outlets. Again, this isn’t your normal watering hole. It reached icon status decades ago. The Durst Organization released this statement to New York City TV station WPIX: “For decades, we did everything we could to help keep the bar’s doors open including providing extremely favorable rent. After Jimmy’s tragic death, we decided to sell the building and we went above and beyond our lease obligations. We told Adam Glenn over a year ago he would have to vacate the building, we offered him $250,000 even though we were not required to do so, and allowed the bar to remain open longer. These efforts have not been met
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RINGMAGAZINE.COM 21
STEVE’S SOAPBOX
with good faith.” You often hear Jimmy’s Corner described as a “dive bar,” which for the most part is a compliment. Glenn calls it “a neighborhood bar without a neighborhood.” Much of what made this place special was Jimmy, a boxing lifer who fought, then trained and managed fighters throughout his life, and even ran his own gym. As you walk down the narrow pathway all the way to the back, various fight posters and a pictorial history of Jimmy’s life in the sport (including one of him with Muhammad Ali) are displayed on the walls. “My dad looked at the bar very much as his legacy and the thing he was leaving. And later in life, like his career in boxing, it was something he was proud of,” said his son. “He was proud that he was able to build something and that he was able to touch so many people’s lives.” For Adam, who manages boxers and operates his own streaming service (BXNG TV), returning to Jimmy’s Corner was no burden, but a calling. His return was hastened about a decade ago when his mother, Swietlana (better known to the regulars as “Swanie”) fell ill. “I feel like the bar has always been a part of who I was. My mom and dad built it together. It became a part of their routine and their life, their DNA, and something they were proud of.” Glenn didn’t leave a career in law; he came back home to where he belonged. This is very much a family-run business. His brother, James Jr., and nephew Karriem Mitchell work at Jimmy’s Corner. The staff, in Glenn’s view, is part of the extended family. Even with his busy schedule and outside obligations, at some point he will be at the bar doing such things as taking inventory or taking care of payroll. “Every day involves the bar in some fashion.” Jimmy’s isn’t just a museum of boxing memorabilia, but a place where boxing business was consummated. Carl Moretti, the VP of boxing operations for Top Rank, worked for MSG Boxing (the now-defunct promotional arm of Madison Square Garden) from 1986
Jimmy’s son Adam is determined to keep the bar’s legacy alive.
to 1995. Moretti recalls, “There were no cell phones, there was no internet or anything like that. But I can tell you that I sat with Mike Trainer (adviser to Ray Leonard), and Bobby Goodman (matchmaker) and Johnny Boz (matchmaker and agent) after a show we had at the Felt Forum, from about 12:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. – that’s where the whole Sugar Ray Leonard-Terry Norris fight was made, as well as Leonard-Donny Lalonde. That’s where it got done.” This was the Zoom meeting of that era. Moretti said that after every show at The Garden, about 10 blocks south, everyone would eventually congregate at Jimmy’s Corner, which is basically true to this day. If you go to a fight card at MSG, you will see many of the same people at Jimmy’s afterward – sometimes waiting to get in (they’re pretty strict about adhering to the fire code.) The thought of moving Jimmy’s Corner is depressing, but it’s not entirely without precedent. Madison Square Garden itself isn’t the same arena or at the same location that it was when it was founded way back in the late 1800s. Could this beloved bar be the same with a different address? The reality is that the existing lease ends in 2029, and Jimmy’s Corner may have to relocate. It’s something that Glenn has pondered. He isn’t naive to the reality at hand. But then, does anything ever truly stay the same forever? “When my mom died, it was, ‘How
is Jimmy’s ever going to be Jimmy’s without ‘Swanie’ in it?’ And then when my dad died, it was never the same – but it was still great,” he stated. “People were used to seeing him there, sitting right there by the big boxing glove [sculpture], or at the bar talking. How can you have Jimmy’s Corner without Jimmy?” Glenn admits that reopening post- Covid changed things, but adds “it’s still great; it’s still a wonderful place.” The bottom line is that there is still a fight to be had (“We’re not going to let anyone just bully us and push us out,” Glenn says), but 2029 will be here before you know it. “No court is going to just award me that building,” said Glenn. “So whether it’s six months from now, a year from now or four or five years from now, at some point, unfortunately, Jimmy’s most likely will not be in that location. Now maybe, depending on the developer or someone else, [they] might think that it makes sense to make a space for Jimmy’s Corner – which I think it does – but I’m not going to rely on that. “I also want to take the next step. [What] my dad would really be happy with and proud of is if one day [we went] from being renters to becoming owners so no one can ever take advantage of us.”
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BY THE NUMBERS: KOICHI WAJIMA by Don Stradley • Illustration by KronkAAArt
rounds with Carmelo Bossi » Wajima’s 25th fight was against junior middleweight champion Carmelo Bossi,
turns as champion » A mere six months after regaining the laurels from Albarado, Wajima found himself rudely knocked out by South Korea’s Jae-doo Yuh. A former sugar factory worker, Yuh stopped Wajima in seven at the Kitakyushu Municipal Gymnasium in southern Japan. Though he was now in his 30s and seemed spent after twice losing his title by KO, Wajima steeled himself for one last stand. Once again in the challenger’s role, Wajima met Yuh in a rematch at Nihon University in February 1976. It was a glorious return to form, as Wajima dropped the South Korean in the eighth, bloodied his nose during the final few rounds and scored a KO at 1:47 of the 15th. The decisive punch, according to newswires, was “a crunching right straight to the face.” Unfortunately, Wajima’s third reign would be brief. Three months after regaining the title, Wajima was knocked out in 14 by Jose Duran. The next year, at the famous Budokan Hall in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Wajima looked pitiful as he suffered another KO loss, this time to Ring/WBA champion Eddie Gazo. After he endured two brutal knockdowns, Wajima’s handlers tossed in the towel at 0:45 of the 11th. Wajima never fought again, leaving the business with a record of 31-6-1 with 25 KOs. copies of a manga » Wajima enjoyed a well-deserved post-career celebrity, turning up on game shows and taking roles in television dramas. Since 1989, Wajima’s legacy has lived on (sort of) in a top-selling Japanese manga series, Hajime no Ippo, where one of the core characters, a fictional boxer named Masaru Aoki, is a master of the “frog punch.” The series creator and illustrator, George Morikawa, has referenced Wajima as an inspiration. From his tough childhood to being a three-time champion to having his signature move immortalized in a best-selling manga series and cult classic anime, Wajima’s life has been a sort of dream, from rags to riches to manga. He’s still alive at 82. Here’s to Japan’s Man of Flame, still burning bright.
a veteran who had won a silver medal as part of Italy’s acclaimed Olympic team of 1960. On October 31, 1971, Wajima defeated Bossi by split decision and claimed the undisputed 154-pound championship consisting of the WBA and WBC titles. Rather than hail his accomplishment, the Japanese dailies criticized Wajima for his peculiar style. Granted, Wajima’s roughhousing gave Bossi fits, as did his froggy-style uppercut, but boxing purists saw little in him to praise. Japan’s largest newspaper, the Asahi Shimbun, described the contest as “like a scuffle, or fight between gangsters.” title defenses during his first reign » Between May of 1972 and February 1974, Wajima made six successful title defenses, including a lightning-quick KO of Domenico Tiberia in Fukuoka. It remains among the quickest junior middleweight title fights in history, lasting only 109 seconds. There were also two hairpin-close bouts with Brazil’s Miguel de Oliveira, the first ending in a draw, the second in a majority verdict for Wajima. Many felt Oliveira had deserved the first bout and picked him to win the second. Wajima proved his critics wrong by being, as the United Press reported, “the aggressor all the way.”
He’s not in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and you’ve probably not heard of him, but Koichi Wajima was one of the great Japanese sluggers of the 1970s. A three-time junior middleweight champion, Wajima’s style was all-action. Forget jabs. Wajima blasted away with hooks and uppercuts and a right hand thrown like he was whipping a fastball over home plate. He was also known for bobbing and weaving in a peculiar swaying motion, waiting for the moment when he’d squat down and leap up at an opponent with his “frog jump uppercut,” an explosive move that made fans roar. Overall, Wajima was an entertaining and eccentric figure, earning the nickname “Hono no Otoko” (Translation: Man of Flame). Granted, defense wasn’t on the menu when Wajima fought. Every fight was a shootout, and sometimes Wajima came out on the wrong end of things. This made for a thrilling career. Here’s his story by the numbers.
straight KOs to kick things off » According to legend, Wajima’s struggling parents put him up for adoption when he was a child. After working in his stepfamily’s fishing business and then supporting himself by driving a dump truck, Wajima did what so many have done to escape poverty: He took up boxing. Turning professional in June of 1968, Wajima scored seven consecutive KOs, none of his opponents lasting past the fourth round.
seconds with Pedro Adigue » Wajima seemed off to a
great start, winning the Japanese junior middleweight title in only his 12th pro fight. Disaster struck for his unlucky 13th bout, a matchup with Pedro Adigue in Tokyo. Adigue was an acclaimed Filipino veteran who had recently won the WBC junior welterweight title. In a bout where neither fighter’s belt was on the line, Adigue scored a shocking KO at 2:21 of the first round. It wasn’t unusual for a young, up-and-coming
fights with Oscar “Shotgun” Albarado » One of Wajima’s great rivalries was with “Shotgun” Albarado, a scrappy contender from Pecos, Texas. Albarado, who’d had more than 50 bouts and was tougher than a burnt steak, challenged Wajima for the title in June of 1974 in Tokyo. The defending
fighter such as Wajima to be matched in a non-title bout against an older but smaller fighter who had a name. In fact, from the 1930s to the 1950s, such matches were practically de rigueur in America. The younger, heavier fighter usually won, putting a recognized name on his record, while the smaller fighter, with no belt at stake, returned to his weight class with his title. This time, the plan backfired. Despite his power and size, Wajima was still raw, while Adigue had competed in more than 40 pro bouts. The result didn’t matter much. Adigue lost his next three fights, while Wajima soon got back to his winning ways, including an eight-bout KO streak.
champion seemed on his way to a decision win, ahead on two scorecards as the 15th round began. Yet Albarado stormed out and smashed Wajima to the canvas three times, scoring a KO at 1:57 of the final round. The rematch seven months later was another long- distance brawl, but this time Wajima was relentless, throwing heavy punches with incredible accuracy. Before a crowd of 9,000 at Nihon University Auditorium, Wajima won by unanimous 15-round decision to reclaim the championship. His bruised face a reflection of the combat he’d just endured, Wajima won by scores of 69-67, 70-69 and 75-68. The AP had it for Wajima, 73-67. It may have been his finest hour.
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RINGMAGAZINE.COM 25
Looking ahead, Konoz plans to continue expanding its portfolio with new projects that further explore Saudi Arabia’s natural and cultural heritage. Upcoming docuseries include NEW WONDERS, spotlighting Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects; +966, exploring the roots of Saudi identity and its enduring cultural and human legacy; and Beyond Industry, tracing the evolution of the Kingdom’s industrial sector over time. Konoz represents a cultural renaissance that captures the essence of Saudi Arabia’s past, present, and future. Through its engaging and insightful productions, Konoz not only documents the Kingdom’s hidden treasures but also shares an inspired and woken sense of national pride embodying the spirit and vision of Saudi Arabia’s future.
Among Konoz’s productions is the documentary Horizon , currently available on Netflix, which offers a visually captivating exploration of Saudi Arabia’s natural wonders through high-quality storytelling and environmental advocacy. Beyond Horizon , Konoz has created other notable productions including Saudi Atlas and the animated series Al-Rahebeen , along with documentary films such as Ala Hadden Sawa , Safraa’s Night , and The Destination —broadening global perspectives on Saudi Arabia’s urban and social development.
In the rapidly evolving Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Konoz initiative was launched in 2023 to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s cultural and intellectual creativity. Konoz—meaning “treasures”—an initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Media, embodies the country’s commitment to documenting its rich cultural heritage, innovative spirit, and civilizational contributions. Financed by the Human Capacity Development Program under Vision 2030, a plan to reduce oil dependence and diversify the economy by growing sectors like culture and tourism, Konoz’s mission is to showcase the many treasures of Saudi Arabia, from its vibrant culture to its breathtaking natural beauty.
Ring Ratings Through fights of January 17, 2026
Recent Fight Results MEN P4P: Terence Crawford (No. 1) retired H:
Konoz: Documenting Saudi Creativity in an Era of Transformation
115: Kazuto Ioka (No. 2) out, moved up in weight 112: Anthony Olascuaga (No. 6, 1) KO 3 Vencent Lacar 112: Kenshiro Teraji (No. 2) out, moved up in weight 112: Masamichi Yabuki (No. 5, 112: Seigo Yuri Akui (No. 4,
3) TKO 4 Taku Kuwahara
Tyson Fury (No. 1) removed for inactivity
H: H:
Joseph Parker (No. 4) removed for positive PED test
3) KO 12 Felix Alvarado (No. 8) 2) SD 12 Kyosuke Takami (No. 2,
108: Rene Santiago (No. 3,
Agit Kabayel (No. 2) TKO 3 Damian Knyba 200: Leonardo Mosquea (No. 7) KO 8 Jeison Troncoso 168: Terence Crawford (C) retired 147: Raul Curiel (No. 8) UD 10 Jordan Panthen 140: Dalton Smith (No. 7, 122: Sam Goodman (in at No. 3) UD 10 Tyler Blizzard 122: Ramon Cardenas (No. 7,
2)
WOMEN 160: Kaye Scott (in at No. 4) MD 10 Olivia Curry (in at No. 5) 135: Caroline Dubois (No. 1) UD 10 Camilla Panatta 135: Stephanie Han (in at No. 5) TD 7 Holly Holm (No. 5, out) 126: Amanda Serrano (C) UD 10 Reina Tellez 118: Cherneka Johnson (No. 1) UD 10 Amanda Galle 105: Yokasta Valle (No. 1) MD 10 Yadira Bustillos 102: Esneidy Rodriguez Olmos (No. 4,
6) TKO 5 Subriel Matias (No. 2,
5)
2) KO 5 Erik Robles Ayala
122: Naoya Inoue (C) UD 12 Alan Picasso (No. 3, 4) 122: Junto Nakatani (in at No. 4) UD 12 Sebastian Hernandez (No. 7, 2)
118: Seiya Tsutsumi (No. 1) SD 12 Nonito Donaire 118: Kazuto Ioka (in at No. 9) KO 4 Maikel Ordosgoitti
1) UD 10 Betty Franco
RINGMAGAZINE.COM 27
ADVERTORIAL
MEN’S RING RATINGS Through Jan. 17, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIPBELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS
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) +1 FABIO WARDLEY U.K. • 20-0-1 (19 KOs) +1 AGIT KABAYEL Germany • 27-0-0 (19 KOs) +2 DANIEL DUBOIS U.K. • 22-3-0 (21 KOs) +2 FILIP HRGOVIC Croatia • 19-1-0 (14 KOs) +2 ZHILEI ZHANG China • 27-3-1 (22 KOs) +2 MARTIN BAKOLE Congo • 21-2-1 (16 KOs) +2 MOSES ITAUMA U.K. • 13-0-0 (11 KOs)
Australia • 29-0-0 (23 KOs)
Russia • 24-1-0 (12 KOs)
1
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)
Russia • 21-1-0 (20 KOs)
2 OSLEYS IGLESIAS
2
2 DAVID BENAVIDEZ
Cuba • 14-0-0 (13 KOs)
U.S. • 31-0-0 (25 KOs)
3 CHRISTIAN MBILLI
3
3 CALLUM SMITH
France • 29-0-1 (24 KOs)
U.K. • 31-2-0 (22 KOs)
4 LESTER MARTINEZ
4
4 ALBERT RAMIREZ
Guatemala • 19-0-1 (16 KOs)
Venezuela • 22-0-0 (19 KOs)
5 DIEGO PACHECO
5
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 BRUNO SURACE France • 26-1-2 (5 KOs) 10 WILLIAM SCULL Cuba • 23-1-0 (9 KOs)
U.K. • 27-4-0 (24 KOs)
6
6 DAVID MORRELL
Cuba • 12-1-0 (9 KOs)
7
7 IMAM KHATAEV
Australia • 11-1-0 (10 KOs)
8
8 JOSHUA BUATSI
+2 EFE AJAGBA Nigeria • 20-1-1 (14 KOs) 9 H RICHARD TORREZ JR. U.S. • 14-0-0 (12 KOs) 10 H MURAT GASSIEV Russia • 33-2-0 (26 KOs)
U.K. • 20-1-0 (13 KOs) 9 OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK Ukraine • 21-2-0 (17 KOs) 10 WILLY HUTCHINSON U.K. • 19-2-0 (14 KOs)
JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 154 POUNDS
WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 147 POUNDS
JR. WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 140 POUNDS
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. • 19-1-0 (13 KOs) 9 CHRIS EUBANK JR. U.K. • 35-4-0 (25 KOs) 10 JESUS RAMOS JR. U.S. • 24-1-0 (19 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 VERGIL ORTIZ
C (VACANT) 1 DEVIN HANEY
C TEOFIMO LOPEZ
U.S. • 22-1-0 (13 KOs) +6 DALTON SMITH U.K. • 19-0-0 (14 KOs)
1
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 ISRAIL MADRIMOV Uzbekistan • 10-2-1 (7 KOs) 4 BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV Russia • 23-0-0 (17 KOs) 5 XANDER ZAYAS Puerto Rico • 22-0-0 (13 KOs) 6 JARON ENNIS U.S. • 35-0-0 (31 KOs) 7 BRANDON ADAMS U.S. • 26-4-0 (16 KOs) 8 ABASS BARAOU Germany • 17-1-0 (9 KOs) 9 SERHII BOHACHUK Ukraine • 26-3-0 (24 KOs) 10 BAKARY SAMAKE France • 19-0-0 (11 KOs)
U.S. • 33-0-0 (15 KOs) 2 BRIAN NORMAN JR. U.S. • 28-1-0 (22 KOs) 3 EIMANTAS STANIONIS 4 GIOVANI SANTILLAN U.S. • 34-1-0 (18 KOs) 5 ROHAN POLANCO
2
-1 RICHARDSON HITCHINS
U.S. • 20-0-0 (8 KOs)
3
-1 ALBERTO PUELLO Dom. Rep. • 24-1-0 (10 KOs)
Lithuania • 16-1-0 (9 KOs)
4 ARNOLD BARBOZA U.S. • 32-1-0 (11 KOs) 5 GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL U.S. • 18-1-0 (17 KOs) 6 SANDOR MARTIN Spain • 43-4-0 (15 KOs) 7 -5 SUBRIEL MATIAS
Dom. Rep. • 17-0-0 (10 KOs)
6 SHAKHRAM GIYASOV
Uzbekistan • 18-0-0 (11 KOs)
7 ALEXIS ROCHA
U.S. • 25-2-1 (16 KOs)
Puerto Rico • 23-3-0 (22 KOs)
8 RAUL CURIEL
8 ADAM AZIM
Mexico • 17-0-1 (14 KOs)
U.K. • 14-0-0 (11 KOs) 9 LINDOLFO DELGADO
9 JACK CATTERALL
U.K. • 32-2-0 (14 KOs)
Mexico • 24-0-0 (16 KOs)
10 MARIO BARRIOS
10 ANDY HIRAOKA
U.S. • 29-2-2 (18 KOs)
Japan • 24-0-0 (19 KOs)
28 RINGMAGAZINE.COM
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