November 2026

NOVEMBER 2026

The Ring Magazine - The Bible of Boxing, November 2026 • Volume 103, No. 11

64 THE LIVES OF LEGENDS HONORING THE LEGACIES OF TWO BOXING ICONS WHO RECENTLY PASSED: ISMAEL LAGUNA AND GEORGE CHUVALO By Mike Silver and Corey Erdman 72 SHAKING UP THE WORLD MANY HAVE TRIED TO PORTRAY MUHAMMAD ALI ON-SCREEN, BUT A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES MAY HAVE FINALLY NAILED IT By Tom Gray 78 WINNER TAKES ALL 25 YEARS AGO, KOSTYA TSZYU THREW OUT THE ODDS WHEN HE TOOK ON ZAB JUDAH FOR A SHOT AT UNDISPUTED GLORY By Anthony Cocks

REDEFINING FAN EXPERIENCES SELA’S GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Building upon its transformative impact in the Middle East and North Africa, Sela continues to orchestrate a powerful symphony of international expansion, solidifying its position as a global powerhouse in sports and entertainment. The recent launch of its London headquarters served as a crucial milestone and hub for cultivating opportunities across the globe. A testament to Sela's global impact is its innovative and globally recognized sponsorship of Newcastle United Football Club, which remarkably earned the status of "The Most Award-Winning Football Sponsorship in the World in 2024" with more than 97 awards in a single year. This success highlights Sela's effective international partnerships and represents one aspect of its diverse global engagement, where redefining fan experiences are central to its approach. Another testament to Sela's international approach lies in its deep involvement in the world of boxing. The groundbreaking multi-year partnership with The Ring and TKO signifies a substantial commitment to elevating fan experiences worldwide by providing a

premier platform for established and emerging boxing talents, access to world-class training facilities and delivering top-tier boxing events. Both of these projects align with Sela's overarching vision of creating spectacular and impactful entertainment experiences. The company's proven track record in delivering high-profile events, from the vibrant Riyadh and Jeddah Seasons, Esports World Cup, Formula E, Six Kings Slam to landmark boxing matches like Crawford vs. Madrimov and Joshua vs. Dubois, provides a strong foundation for its global boxing endeavors. Sela's international strategy extends beyond single partnerships. It embodies a commitment to understanding diverse global audiences and tailoring experiences that resonate authentically. By forging strategic alliances, Sela is positioned to continue its trajectory as a leading force in the international sports and entertainment landscape. The global stage is now set for Sela to further amplify its impact and redefine global entertainment experiences.

DEPARTMENTS 6 OPENING SHOTS 9 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 12 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 14 STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim 16 BY THE NUMBERS By Don Stradley 19 RING RATINGS 40 PROSPECT WATCH: JOHN JOE CARRIGAN By Ruth Raper 50 HOW TO WATCH BOXING By Adam Abramowitz 60 MY FIRST TIME: JUNTO NAKATANI By Daisuke Sugiura 84 FIGHT OF FANTASY: CASTILLO VS. ZEPEDA By Anson Wainwright 86 FUNDAMENTALS By Christina Newland 88 THE FIGHT DOCTOR By Dr. Margaret Goodman 90 SLICE OF BOXING By Thomas Hauser 92 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 94 FINISHING SHOTS 96 FIGHTLINE

24 A ROYAL BEATDOWN “KING RY” CONFIRMED IN HIS FIRST WELTERWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE THAT HE’S ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS 147-POUNDERS ON THE PLANET By Don Stradley 30 SOLE BELIEVER EVERYONE KNEW A STAR WOULD BE BORN THE NIGHT MOSES ITAUMA FACED FILIP HRGOVIC – NOBODY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HRGOVIC By Gareth A Davies 44 EVERLASTING LOVE JARON “BOOTS” ENNIS ISN’T AGAINST THE IDEA OF MAKING MONEY, BUT IT’S NOT WHAT LURES HIM INTO THE RING DAY AFTER DAY

By Joseph Santoliquito 54 T IN THE PARK

POUND-FOR-POUND QUEEN KATIE TAYLOR CLOSED OUT HER CAREER WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST MIC DROPS IN BOXING HISTORY By Tom Gray

THE RING (ISSN: 0035‐5410) Issue 11 November 2026, is published monthly by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC, 475 Heffernan Drive, West Haven, CT 06516. Application to mail at Periodicals postage is pending at Milford, CT 06460. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 103, Cambey West Congers NY 10920‐0103 Phone 845‐719‐3120 subscriptions@ringmagazine.com RINGMAGAZINE.COM 1

In Your Corner: How stc group is Powering Saudi Sport

from scouting talent to reaching the world: inside stc group’s technology

Every great arena tells a story before the first whistle blows. The lights, the crowd, the broadcast feed carrying the moment to millions of screens: none of it happens by accident. Behind every world-class sporting experience is a layer of infrastructure so deep and so precisely engineered that it becomes invisible. Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in sport are not modest. The fixtures, the franchises, the global audiences are arriving faster than most anticipated, and the infrastructure needed to host them at the highest level must be ready before they do. That means rethinking not just what a stadium can hold, but what it can do: how it finds the next generation of athletes, how it runs, how it feels to be inside it, and how it reaches the fan who never sets foot through the gate. stc group’s answer operates across four capabilities, each designed to raise the ceiling on what Saudi sport can deliver. The first is talent. stc’s AI-driven scouting platform transforms the identification of athletic potential from an art reserved for experienced scouts into a data science available to anyone. Citizens can submit performance assessments from anywhere in the Kingdom, with AI video processing, biometric measurement, and machine learning algorithms doing the work. The vision embedded in the system, that every citizen is a talent scout, is not a slogan. It is a technical architecture built to find the right person regardless of where they grew up or who happened to be watching.

The second is the arena. Through digital twin technology, stc enables venues to be managed not from instinct but from intelligence. Real- time data from sensors, cameras, and connected systems feeds a live operational picture that allows managers to anticipate rather than react. Energy, security, crowd flow, equipment status: the physical venue and its digital counterpart run in parallel, and the gap between them is where operational excellence lives. The third is the visitor. Through smart venue technology, stc creates personalized experiences that allow fans to navigate and engage with a venue on their own terms. The arena becomes responsive rather than static, and the experience of attending a match extends well beyond ninety minutes. The fourth is the broadcast. Through a nationwide network connecting 19 stadiums via fiber, cloud-native media workflows, and a content delivery network spanning seven data centers across five regions with six terabits of bandwidth capacity, stc group carries the live moment from the pitch to the planet. AI- generated multilingual subtitles, sub-second streaming, multi-platform simulcast: the Saudi sporting moment is not a local event. It is a global one. Together, these four capabilities reshape what a sporting environment can be: one where the athlete is found earlier, the venue performs smarter, the fan feels seen, and the broadcast reaches everywhere. Saudi Arabia is not building toward that future. It is already living it.

BEYOND THE BELL: TURN FIGHT WEEK INTO A SAUDI ADVENTURE Every great fight weekend has its own rhythm. There is the anticipation of the weigh in, the buzz around the arena as fans swap predictions, and the electric moment when the lights dim before the main event. But in Riyadh, fight week has become about more than what happens between the ropes. It has evolved into a city- wide experience where world class boxing shares the spotlight with culture, cuisine, entertainment, and unforgettable travel experiences. Riyadh has firmly established itself as a global destination for boxing, having hosted some of the sport’s biggest names and most anticipated bouts in recent years. From heavyweight showdowns to championship fights featuring global stars, the Saudi capital has become a major fixture on the international boxing calendar. For fans travelling to Saudi for a fight, the event is an invitation to experience more, from Riyadh’s heritage, culture and entertainment to the diverse destinations beyond the capital. The fight is the beginning of the journey, not the whole itinerary. EXPERIENCE RIYADH BEYOND FIGHT NIGHT Before or after the fight, take time to discover a city where centuries of history meet bold ambition. Explore Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state and home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At Turaif, before enjoying dinner overlooking the historic district at Bujairi Terrace. Discover Riyadh’s contemporary side at King Abdullah Financial District, browse the Saudi National Museum, or spend an evening at Boulevard City, where restaurants, cafés, live entertainment, and fans from around the world create an atmosphere that extends the excitement well beyond the arena.

EXPLORE MORE OF SAUDI With so much to discover, it’s hard to stop at Riyadh alone. Saudi’s extensive domestic flight network makes it easy to turn a fight weekend into a longer holiday, connecting visitors to the ancient landscapes of AlUla, the crystal-clear waters of The Red Sea, and the coastal charm of Jeddah with just a short flight. Journey northwest to AlUla, where ancient history meets breathtaking natural beauty. Explore Hegra, Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, marvel at iconic landmarks such as Elephant Rock, wander through lush oasis landscapes, and unwind at luxury desert resorts beneath some of the clearest night skies. For a complete change of pace, head to The Red Sea, where pristine islands, turquoise waters, and world class resorts offer the perfect escape after an action-packed fight weekend. Spend your days snorkeling or diving among vibrant coral reefs, enjoying wellness experiences, or simply relaxing on untouched beaches. Or continue your journey to Jeddah, Saudi’s vibrant coastal city on the Red Sea. Stroll through the UNESCO listed historic district of Al Balad, discover a thriving culinary scene, explore the city’s waterfront and marina, or enjoy a sunset by the Jeddah Corniche. Combining heritage, contemporary culture, and seaside charm, Jeddah offers a memorable finale to your Saudi adventure. A boxing ticket may be the reason to visit Saudi, but it rarely becomes the highlight of the trip. From the energy of Riyadh and the heritage of AlUla to the crystal-clear waters of The Red Sea and the vibrant coastline of Jeddah, Saudi offers experiences that extend far beyond the arena. With world-class sporting events opening the door to a country rich in culture, adventure, and hospitality, there’s never been a better time to stay a little longer and discover more.

Hegra, AlUla

VisitSaudi.com

OPENING SHOT

POLISHED DIAMOND: On September 2, formidable Japanese junior flyweight Daiya Kira scored a Knockout of the Year contender over former world titleholder Carlos Canizales to claim the WBA title in just his fifth professional fight. Kira, known as “The Shining Diamond,” closed the show with a devastating left hook in the seventh round, which put Canizales flat on his back. The super-brave Venezuelan beat the count but was in no position to continue. Kira is an electrifying talent and debuted in The Ring’s junior flyweight ratings at No. 4.

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Photo by Naoki Fukuda

RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

November 2026 Volume 103, No. 11

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

F or the past few years, I’ve been lucky to be part of a small group of well-traveled boxing heads that meet for lunch once a month in Santa Monica, California. The ringleader of our eclectic clique is Larry Merchant. We all have some connection to boxing, but none as much as the venerable retired commentator whose 34 years with HBO made him an icon of the sport. And it’s Merchant who usually kicks off our boxing discussions. The nonagenarian not only follows the sport with interest, he’s got more enthusiasm for boxing than most media members I know who are literally half his age. Merchant, who was a sports columnist and editor at the Philadelphia Daily News during the 1960s, is still partial to boxers from the City of Brotherly Love. He loves what he sees from Jaron Ennis and was thrilled by Boots’ performance against Xander Zayas in June. “WOW! Fight of the decade. Ennis is a true Philadelphia fighter,” Merchant texted to me immediately following the seventh-

THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) November 2026, is published 12 times per year by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC, 475 Heffernan Drive, West Haven, CT 06516. Application to mail at Periodicals postage is pending at Milford, CT 06460 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Ring, Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 103 Cambey 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

Joe Joyce poses with his team after beating Joseph Parker. Each received a cut of his career-high purse.

round stoppage. He acknowledges Shakur Stevenson’s talent but isn’t a huge fan of the skillful southpaw’s boxing style. He does, however, believe Stevenson has a bright future as a boxing analyst. He was thoroughly bored by the Rolando Romero-Teofimo Lopez bout and couldn’t wait to talk about the letdown at a late August gathering. “Let’s speak truth to weakness this Friday, 12:30,” read his text. Merchant is still hopeful that the right heavyweight upstart can energize the sport and capture the general public’s imagination as Mike Tyson once did. He was high on Jared Anderson a couple years ago and recently thought Moses Itauma could be “that guy.” He’s a big David Benavidez fan, so my guess is that he’ll back the Mexican Monster to be the

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RINGSIDE

Example Breakdown on a $1,000,000 Purse Gross Purse: $1,000,000 Manager (20%): -$200,000 Trainer (10%): -$100,000 Sanctioning fee (one title, 3%): -$30,000 Cutman (2%): -$20,000 Camp & Sparring Costs: -$50,000 Taxable Income: $600,000 Taxes (Est. ~35% effective rate): -$210,000 Net Take-Home Pay: $390,000 (39%)

as informed, detailed, organized and succinct as one would expect from a world-class attorney with five decades of boxing management under his belt. The document presented the traditional expenses and entities that take a cut of the fighter’s purse (plus explained their roles in the boxer’s career): manager, trainer, cutman and cornermen, promoter, sanctioning bodies, training camp and support, as well as the big one – taxes. It also detailed the percentage or dollar amount of the typical deduction/expense. The first line of the document read: “Professional boxers typically walk away with 35% to 50% of their gross reported purse.” Always keep that in mind when a fighter’s earnings are reported in an article or bandied about in social media. That sum is not what they keep. Below I’ve done my best to represent Gittlesohn’s document:

I’ve known that fighters pay their teams since I was a young fan, but seeing all of the cuts and costs listed out is like a hard slap across the face. To the boxers, it must feel like a Tyson uppercut to the crotch. I can see why some veteran champs go through a reduction phase prior to hanging up their gloves, such as Oleksandr Usyk, who parted ways with promoter Alexander Krassyuk and manager Egis Klimas before finally dumping his four sanctioning body belts. Many future Hall of Famers – from Marco Antonio Barrera to Miguel Cotto to Gennadiy Golovkin – made similar cutbacks to their teams as they came to the end of their careers. They were trying to keep as much of their final purses as they could.

next heavyweight star, provided the Arizonan can defeat Jai Opetaia at cruiserweight. This is the kind of stuff we chat about and debate. Taking a seat at the table most Fridays is longtime manager/ adviser Gary Gittlesohn and filmmaker Alan Swyer. My old colleague Steve Kim often sits in, and in the past, veteran writer-broadcaster Mark Kriegel has joined the coterie. We don’t always go over what happens inside the ring. This year, news of Floyd Mayweather’s hundred- million-dollar lawsuits and financial troubles have dominated discussions. Despite telling Mayweather “If I was 50 years younger, I’d kick your ass” during their post-fight interview following the 2011 Victor Ortiz fight, Merchant has a soft spot for Floyd and is bothered by his fellow Hall of Famer’s situation. It got us talking about the all-time greats who wound up broke as well as the many contemporary boxers currently in financial straits. The list was as long as it was depressing. Joe Joyce is the latest former standout to remind us that prizefighters

are seldom set for life by the end of their careers, even if they once made seven-figure paydays. The 41-year-old British heavyweight has lost five of his last six bouts, three by stoppage. However, despite the considerable damage he’s absorbed over a punishing nine-year pro career, Joyce intends to continue boxing. He has to – he needs the money. “I’m not in a position to retire right now, financially,” Joyce told IFL TV while attending the Itauma-Filip Hrgovic fight on August 29. “If I were managed right, I would be in a better position than I am now.” Under his former management company, S-JAM Boxing, Joyce made a reported $2.8 million for his 2022 slugfest with Joseph Parker. He was guaranteed $500,000 for his first bout with Zhilei Zhang in 2023, plus 65% of the pay-per-view revenue, which reportedly added another $1.7 million to his purse. He also made substantial paydays fighting Daniel Dubois, Derek Chisora, Hrgovic and Zhang (with their rematch). Fans who were upset by Joyce’s

admission criticized S-JAM Boxing, which responded with a September 1 post on X that stated that Joyce “made millions and millions of pounds” under their management and secured deals with “world-famous brands and the best deal of any boxer on Undisputed (video game). He spent his money.” On September 5, the S-JAM Boxing X account made a series of posts that reminded fans of a manager’s investment in a fighter: “We paid for Joe’s flights and accommodation for his camps out of our own pocket and were never reimbursed. We flew him business class at all times, out of our own pocket. “Joe owes us hundreds of thousands of pounds which we have not claimed as we know he’s in financial difficulty. We paid for a PA (personal assistant) for Joe and a mind coach for Joe out of our own pocket – the PA for many years, costing us hundreds of thousands. We never reclaimed that money. “All of Joe’s purses were paid to him directly. He paid us directly.” S-JAM’s message was clear: We did our job, we got him paid. Then they took their cut of those purses as they were entitled to. So did Joyce’s head trainer and secondary coaches. Not to mention the secondary and other lesser sanctioning body belts (the interim WBO title and WBO international and WBC silver straps) he fought for. And let’s not forget about taxes. So, how much of the $2.2 million that Joyce reportedly made for the first Zhang bout did he actually take home? Merchant suggested The Ring publish an article breaking down the standard deductions to a professional boxer’s purse, just as a reminder to fans. At our very next lunch, Gittlesohn handed out an itemized list printed on two sheets of stapled paper. It was

• • • • • • • •

•

Note: Elite stars who own their promotion companies (e.g., Floyd Mayweather or Canelo Alvarez) eliminate traditional promoter cuts and take home a much higher share of total event revenue, whereas lower-card fighters often spend a much higher percentage of their purse just covering fixed baseline camp expenses.

Standard Deductions & Expenses

Category

Typical Cut / Cost

Details

Manager

10%-30%

Handles career strategy, bout negotiations and endorsements. State athletic commissions usually cap legal managerial cuts around 33%.

Trainer

10%

The standard industry rate for primary trainers to prepare and corner the fighter.

Cutman & Corner

1%-3%

Cutmen generally earn 1.5% to 3%. Assistant trainers and secondary corner personnel are typically paid flat fees. If revenue splits aren’t handled entirely at the (if co-promoted) event level, promotional cuts can come directly out of fighter pay agreements. Standard fees paid to sanctioning organizations (IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO) to compete for or defend a title. Unified champions paying four belts can lose 12% here alone. Sparring partners ($1,000-$2,500 per week each), dedicated strength & conditioning coaches, nutritionists, gym rentals, and pre-fight medical exams/licensing. Income tax is calculated after deducting legitimate business expenses (camp costs, managerial/coaching cuts). Fight location matters: foreign fighters traveling to the U.S. face non-resident tax withholdings at the venue site.

Promoter

10%-25%

Sanctioning Bodies

3% per belt

Training Camp (& Support)

Flat expenses ($5K-$50K+)

Taxes

20%-40%

Joyce’s first loss (vs. Zhilei Zhang) is among his $1 million+ purses.

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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING

scenario is “order.” In several interviews, Bivol has said that he likes order in his life. From how his socks and underwear are folded into drawers to the way his life and career are acted out, he likes things orderly – not messy. None of that means that this 35-year-old Kyrgyzstani-Russian is a cold automaton. On the contrary, he has always exuded a courtly, respectful and genial manner outside of the ring. But when it comes to steering his life and career, he will do it minus an emotional roller coaster, either public or private. What all that has amounted to as a pro boxer is a linear journey to excellence. The unified beltholder has ridden that straight line to a 25-1 professional record that includes a seven-year title reign and a place as one of the best technical boxers of this or any other generation. And now that two successful surgeries (back and elbow) in the last two years have reset his career, Bivol is about to put the finishing touches on his boxing journey with his next few fights. Lest we see too much imminent finality in this, it could be pointed out that Archie Moore, perhaps the greatest light heavyweight, was just starting his nine-year run as champ at about this same age. While it is doubtful Bivol will repeat that longevity, it hints at the possibility of great moments to come. The fight with Smith was ordered by the WBO, and so Bivol complied in order to keep that title along with the IBF and WBA straps he also holds. Smith revived his career with a gutsy and thrilling win over Joshua Buatsi, but when Smith has stepped up to elite competition against Artur Beterbiev and Canelo Alvarez, he has not succeeded. So, even off the elbow injury recovery, Bivol is a substantial favorite in this fight. He is a different kind of challenge for Smith than those other two. The champion doesn’t quite have the same dangerous power, but he brings more movement and guile. Many see Smith as the perfect foe

for Bivol at this juncture – a gritty, respected campaigner who comes in off a thrilling win but has not shown he can rise to this level. The Bivol hand speed and movement could bedevil him. For Smith to deliver his patented left hooks to the body, he needs to be in the right place to do it – something Bivol will make difficult. If the consensus opinion is true and Bivol wins this match, it sets in motion the next round of machinations in the 175-pound division. Still looming is the always tantalizing possibility of a third fight between Bivol and Beterbiev, something that Beterbiev has been lobbying for and once thought he had secured. Both men understand that their legacies will be judged to

Benavidez made a successful move up to cruiserweight, where he lifted two belts from Gilberto Ramirez. He now looks certain to battle Ring champ Jai Opetaia in what would be that division’s biggest fight in some time. There is, however, a way for everyone to have their cake and eat it too. Bivol has hinted at a move up, saying, “I want to win a title at another weight before I retire, likely cruiserweight.” If Bivol did change his stance on the Beterbiev trilogy, after that he could still move up in weight to hunt the Benavidez-Opetaia winner – even if those two end up doing a rematch. Of course, a win over Beterbiev (hardly a given) would be mandatory for that scenario to fully work.

after his Floyd Mayweather defeat. He had become a more complete fighter as he moved up in weight and was still quite a force when he again tried his hand at light heavyweight against Bivol. It was shocking to me that so many pundits who should have known better gave Bivol such little chance at victory. In proving so many wrong, he won a big measure of fame on this side of the world, where he often came to train in Los Angeles and had gotten to know America. I have a kind of unfair habit of measuring great light heavyweights of recent decades against the very high standard set in the 1970s and ’80s, a time when many dangerous and skilled 175-pounders roamed

some extent on their rivalry. The first two fights were razor-thin, and ironically Bivol may have done better in the first match, which went to Beterbiev. But it was the second that Bivol actually won on the scorecards. The proficiency

all corners of this earth. Keeping a championship for more than a year or so was hard back then because any talented new challenger could, and often did, take it away. How would Bivol, for instance, fare in the era that boasted greats like Michael

Historical significance seems to often hinge on some level of fame in America, and that threshold was crossed when Bivol beat Canelo .

and skill level of both men were more than impressive, and they confirmed their positions as the two best in their division. With Beterbiev’s biological clock ticking at age 41, he would like the trilogy fight ASAP. Bivol, it seems, is cool to the idea and has rebuffed advances from the Beterbiev camp. The problem is that from the standpoint of both the fans (they want a meaningful and competitive match) and Bivol’s pocketbook (it is after all called “prize” fighting), there is no great alternative to the third Beterbiev match. That is the big fight that remains possible. Yes, the division has had an infusion of some names inching upward in the rankings, like Ben Whittaker and Imam Khataev, but right now they and others are hardly names that suggest a major fight or even a major challenge. The one man who could solve this dual problem is David Benavidez, but he appears to be quite occupied elsewhere right now. After his brief stint as a light heavyweight,

While we move close to Bivol’s pivotal match with Smith and mull the future, it seems like a good time to also think about Bivol’s career as a whole. No matter what happens in this final chapter, he has cemented his place as a light heavyweight to be mentioned with greats of the near and distant past. And you don’t always get to have a rival also thought of as a talent whose influence goes beyond the time he fought, and Beterbiev certainly fits that category. And added to that is the fact that during the long wait for those matches, Bivol fought everyone available to him, which included many solid light heavyweights with several former or current world titleholders on the list. Whether appropriate or not, historical significance seems to often hinge on some level of fame in America, and that threshold was crossed when Bivol beat Canelo. That win carries with it even more significance because the then-31-year-old Canelo had not lost in 16 fights (at least officially)

Spinks, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Victor Galindez, Yaqui Lopez, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Marvin Johnson and so many others? Well, I assure you that he (and Beterbiev) would not have been as dominant as they have been in this era. But they would have definitely competed right alongside these greats and won their share of important fights. Bivol has said that he always admired Sugar Ray Leonard, partially for his artistry in the ring. While Bivol’s “ordered” approach to the excellence of his craft makes some believe he lacks panache, I strongly disagree. The beauty is in the perfection of what he does. If his personality or ring flamboyance is not as big as a Leonard for instance, it doesn’t make what he is doing any less artful. Few pure boxers have painted more masterpieces on a boxing canvas than Bivol. Don’t blame him if he’s organized about it – after all, most men don’t have the perfect sock drawer like he does.

ORDERLY DEPARTURE By Al Bernstein

W hen Dmitry Bivol steps into the ring with Callum Smith in December, it will be the beginning of his last chapter in boxing. If this were a different fighter, we might be thinking of it as an uncharted and unpredictable step, as is so often the case with a boxer’s final act in the

sport. With the reigning Ring light heavyweight champion, though, it may be anything but that. How long this chapter lasts and how it will close out Bivol’s almost perfect run may simply be an extension of the steady, ordered excellence that we have seen through a 21-year amateur and pro career. The key word in that possible

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STEVE’S SOAPBOX JUDGING FOR TOMORROW By Steve Kim

a reason. A funny thing happened, though: Knyba didn’t read the script, and for the most part Ruiz couldn’t get out of first gear. Knyba controlled the action in the first half of the fight behind a steady jab and then stunned, pummeled and floored Ruiz in the seventh round. To his credit, Ruiz gamely fought back in the next couple of frames, but after 12 rounds it was clear that this was Knyba’s fight. Yet when the scores were announced, we were this close to a draw. While Tony Lundy had it 117-110 for Knyba (which seems to be the consensus), Glenn Feldman and Kevin Morgan both had it 114-113 for the Pole. So without the knockdown, this contest could have very easily been a majority draw. It has to be noted that referee David Franciosi gave Ruiz an inordinate amount of time after his trip to the canvas before resuming the action. (Watching it on television – which admittedly is a different perspective – I scored it nine rounds to three for Knyba, with the knockdown.) This close call brought about the expected outrage online and further examination of Feldman, who has been ringside for the past few decades. He began his run as a ringside judge in 1992 and has presided over some of the biggest matchups in boxing. By our sport’s standards, he is a well-known judge. As you examine his track record, some decisions are head-scratching. Back in 2019, he was the lone judge who awarded Keith Thurman the decision over Manny Pacquiao. His score was 114-113 for Thurman, while Tim Cheatham and Dave Moretti both had it 115-112 for “PacMan.” You won’t find a lot of observers who felt that Pacquiao didn’t deserve to have his hand raised in victory that evening. Then in 2020, he was part of a trio of judges who gave Rolly Romero (and more on him in a bit) a unanimous decision over Jackson Marinez. He had Romero up 116-112, while Frank Lombardi had it even wider at 118- 110 and Don Trella scored it 115-113. This was an unpopular verdict with the

viewing public. In the 2022 rematch between OIeksandr Uysk and Joshua, Feldman was the only judge to rule in favor of “AJ” (115-113), while Victor Fesechko (116-112) and Steve Gray (115-113) scored it for Usyk. Then this past summer, the aforementioned Romero was matched against his frenemy, Teofimo Lopez, in defense of his WBA welterweight title. This was a rather dull affair, but after 36 minutes, the large majority believed it was Lopez who’d won more rounds. And while Cheatham (116-112) and Max DeLuca (115-113) felt that way, Feldman had it 114-114. Hey, maybe he just really enjoys Romero’s style. Let’s make this clear: I’m not alleging anything. Feldman has worked at least 2,200 fights during his three and a half decades in professional boxing, and I’m confident that most of those bouts were adequately judged. I bring up the four aforementioned fights simply to highlight a pattern that is all too familiar with longtime boxing fans: judges favoring the more popular boxer or the “house” fighter in close or even mildly competitive bouts. What’s maddening to many fans is that nothing ever seems to be done about poor judging – either in terms of improving it, or getting new judges. I’ve often joked that getting a new set of boxing judges is more difficult than changing Supreme Court justices. Problem is, it’s not a joke. Go back to fights from decades ago and you’ll basically see the same group at ringside. I recall 26 years ago, Dalby Shirley scored the first Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera fight in favor of Morales by the score of 115-112. But what really drew the ire of many was that he scored seven consecutive rounds for “El Terrible” in that classic battle. This card was widely panned. Charles Muniz, a boxing manager and adviser who was quite the raconteur during his days as a boxing writer, penned a column looking back at Shirley’s checkered past in judging fights. It was me who printed out that article

and sent it to Larry Merchant. At the next HBO broadcast in Las Vegas, Merchant showed that article to then- Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Marc Ratner, who after reading this rather scathing review of Shirley basically benched him from main event assignments in Nevada. Accountability wasn’t just reserved for the judges in Nevada. During Keith Kizer’s tenure as the NSAC executive director, referee Russell Mora put forth two egregiously bad performances while officiating bantamweight title bouts. The first came in the second round of the Nonito Donaire-Fernando Montiel world title fight in February 2011. Donaire floored Montiel with a monster hook that had the Mexican standout convulsing on the canvas. Mora counted over a clearly unfit-to- continue Montiel, who flopped on his side as he groggily struggled to his feet – and Mora then allowed the bout to continue! He stopped it seconds later but only after Donaire got in another hook. Six months later, during the first bout between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko, Mora enraged the boxing community by allowing Mares to get away with countless low blows without penalty, instead warning Agbeko for pushing Mares’ head down. He also credited Mares, who won a majority decision, with two questionable knockdowns (one after an Agbeko slip in Round 1 and one following another low blow in Round 11). The public outrage could not be ignored and Kizer relegated Mora mostly to preliminary bouts for the next couple of years. Eventually, to his credit, Mora earned the right to be the third man once again for high-profile fights. But Shirley’s and Mora’s cases beg a serious question: Does this brand of commission discipline and accountability even exist nowadays? Just a week after Ruiz-Knyba, Feldman was one of the judges for the cruiserweight championship bout between Jai Opetaia and Noel Mikaelian at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Damian Knyba scored with alarming regularity on the heavily favored Andy Ruiz.

C overing boxing, you learn a lot of things that you’ll never read in a textbook or learn in a college course. I’ve been at this since the mid-’90s, and it was after a controversial decision a few years into my run on Bash Boulevard. that John Beyrooty, working as a publicist for Showtime fights at the time, taught me something about the reality of this business. “Fighters fight for today,” he said, “judges judge for tomorrow.” I can admit that at that moment, I

didn’t fully comprehend what he was saying. But over time, I began to have a full understanding of what Beyrooty – once a prolific boxing scribe for the long-gone L.A. Herald Examiner – was telling me. Boxers fight to win the bouts directly in front of them. More than a few judges, on the other hand, make rulings for their next assignments. If they play ball enough times and provide some insurance in somewhat close fights that take care of the “house” fighter or the marquee names in the sport, well, they

become exactly the kind of judges that promoters want in big fights. Shortly before I penned this column, Andy Ruiz took on Damian Knyba on September 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Ruiz, who was a unified heavyweight titleholder for several months in 2019 after shocking Anthony Joshua in their initial encounter, was making his debut with Matchroom Boxing. Knyba, who was coming off a stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel, was thought to be a respectable enough opponent. But he was chosen for

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BY THE NUMBERS: BUSTER DRAYTON By Don Stradley • Illustration by KronkAAArt During the early part of his career, Moses Buster Drayton had a habit of screeching during fights, giving off a noise that one journalist compared to “the shriek of a demented parrot and the sound of a garbage truck backing up.” Drayton couldn’t explain where it came from. “That’s why they call me ‘The Demon,’” he said. “If I could control it, it wouldn’t come out. Something inside me just gets fed up with all the hits I’m taking and I just start howling. I’m not possessed, as far as I know. Whoever fights me … it’s me and the devil against that person, two against one.” The Demon’s best punch? “Whatever I can catch him with.” They don’t make ’em like Buster Drayton anymore. Here’s his colorful story by the numbers. Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The prize was the vacant IBF junior middleweight title. Santos had previously held the fledgling group’s title but had been stripped when he took time off for a knee problem. Drayton, a Philadelphia veteran who had overcome an uneven early career to win 11 of his last 12 contests, was training to fight Davey Moore for the vacant crown. When Moore was injured in training, however, Drayton found himself without an opponent. Enter Santos as Moore’s replacement, fighting to regain the title of which he’d been stripped. The bout, the main event of a Showtime tripleheader, was a bruising 15-round contest that was difficult to score but delightful to watch. The southpaw Santos was effective, as one would imagine a representative of Puerto Rico at the 1976 Montreal Olympics would be, circling and jabbing, sometimes stopping to trade blows with Drayton, while the Philadelphian was the heavier puncher, scoring throughout the fight with clubbing right hooks. As the rounds wore on, the styles became amplified, with Santos making bigger circles around the ring and Drayton’s haymakers becoming more exaggerated. At times, Drayton looked like a stumbling amateur; twice in the seventh he missed so wildly that his own momentum rounds with Carlos Santos for the vacant IBF junior middleweight belt » On June 4, 1986, Drayton challenged Santos in the

Indeed, Drayton was considered a journeyman at the time, a 32-year-old former Marine sergeant with a record of 27-9-1. He was best known for a long stint as a sparring partner for Marvelous Marvin Hagler, from whom Drayton said he’d learned much. Hagler happened to be ringside working as a commentator alongside Gil Clancy and Tim Ryan. “He deserved to win,” Hagler said of his old spar mate. “This guy has all the heart in the world, and he finally got a break.” Drayton thanked Jesus and made no mention of any devils, then joined a post-fight celebration in his hotel room that consisted of a bottle of champagne and approximately one hundred White Tower hamburgers. “It was kind of a poor people’s party,” Drayton said, “but we had a lot of fun.”

fights in Atlantic City » Though Drayton was a Philly fighter, he did much of his fighting an hour away in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Among Drayton’s best Atlantic City moments was a seventh-round

TKO victory over future titlist Duane Thomas at The Sands in 1982. His worst was a third-round knockout loss to WBA junior middleweight titleholder Julian Jackson at Harrah’s in 1988.

fight at the Blue Horizon » Drayton would’ve been a favorite at Philadelphia’s most venerated fight venue had he been born into an earlier era, but his only appearance at the Blue Horizon was in 1989, long after his heyday in France. On short notice and well past his prime, Drayton

fights in France » Drayton’s title run was unusual in that he fought almost entirely in France. He made two title defenses in the “country of love,” scoring 10th-round stoppages of Davey Moore and Said Skouma, and

met Brinatty Maquilon, an unheralded and unexceptional Colombian. When the mediocre Maquilon scored an eighth-round TKO over Drayton, the Demon knew his career was near the end. “Mother Nature doesn’t stand still for nobody,” Drayton said. “Not even me. I’m no privileged character.”

was victorious in two non-title bouts, beating Benito Fernandez in six and Juan Alonso Villa in two. He lost the title in his third defense, dropping a unanimous decision to Matthew Hilton in Montreal. Drayton’s French connection was part of a globe- trotting career that also saw him fight in England (including a violent seventh-round stoppage of British hopeful Mark Kaylor in 1984), Italy and South Africa. In all, he fought a dozen times outside of America. Yet aside from one visit to the Eiffel Tower, Drayton did little sightseeing. “We don’t hang around in the other guy’s town after a fight,” Drayton told the Philadelphia Daily News in 1987. “We were on a plane for home the next day.”

when he retired » Drayton (1952-2022) fought sporadically for the next few years, plying his trade in such backwaters as Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and Lombardo’s in Randolph, Massachusetts.

He retired in 1995 with a record of 40-15-1 with 28 knockouts, leaving behind a legacy of thrills. After boxing, Drayton was a police officer in Philadelphia, having graduated from three police academies – two federal and one municipal. He was married twice, had seven children, and his accolades include inductions into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003 and the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009. Whether he was knocking guys out or taking his lumps, whether he was boxing smartly or swinging at the air, Drayton created a unique page for himself in the history of Philadelphia boxers. Those who saw Drayton won’t forget him, nor will the unfortunates whom he hit on the chin.

trip to the canvas against Hilton » The problem with being an older champion is that you’ll eventually lose your title to a fresher, younger challenger. This was the case when 33-year-old Drayton faced Canada’s

21-year-old wunderkind, Hilton, at the Montreal Forum on June 27, 1987. Dropped in the first round, Drayton dominated some of the middle rounds and hurt Hilton badly in the 14th, but Hilton, flying on sheer adrenaline, couldn’t be slowed, not even by Drayton’s best bombs. The judges of this grueling contest scored the bout for Hilton by scores of 146-139, 144-140 and 147-138. “I think he’s a great fighter,” Hilton said of the man he’d just beaten. “In some ways, he was the better fighter.”

took him to the canvas. But even if Drayton appeared to tire himself out with his roundhouse

swings, he found the energy to rock Santos more than once in the late rounds. By the end of the 15th, there wasn’t much to separate them. Drayton won by majority decision. “I know a lot of you look at me as an up-and-down fighter,” Drayton said. “I was on an upstroke tonight.”

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Ring Ratings Through fights of September 19, 2026

Australian Jai Opetaia stopped Noel Mikaelian to post one of his best victories yet.

RECENT FIGHT RESULTS

115: Theophilous Allotey (No. 9) UD 12 Facundo David Garcia 112: Felix Alvarado (No. 5) out, retired 112: Galal Yafai (No. 4) out, inactive 108: Daiya Kira (in at No. 4) TKO 7 Carlos Canizales (No. 8, 4) 108: Regie Suganob (No. 6, 1) KO 5 Sivenathi Nontshinga (No. 7, out) 105: Takeshi Ishii (No. 6, 1) KO1 Wilfredo Mendez WOMEN P4P: Katie Taylor (No. 1, out, retired) UD 10 Flora Pili 154: Chantelle Cameron (No. 2, 2) UD 10 Mikaela Mayer (No. 1) 1) TKO 6 Ellie Hellewell 126: Isela Rodriguez (No. 4) UD 10 Fernanda Gutierrez Cabrera 122: Melissa Mortensen (in at No. 10) SD 10 Mayelli Flores Rosquero (No. 4, out) 115: Ellie Bouttell (No. 5) TKO 2 Yi-Ru Li 115: Diana Laura Fernandez (in at No. 3) UD 10 Tenkai Tsunami 102: Camila Zamorano (No. 2) UD 10 Perla Perez 135: Caroline Dubois (C) UD 10 Amelia Moore 135: Terri Harper (No. 2) TKO 2 Miranda Reyes 126: Tiah Mai Ayton (No. 3,

MEN

Filip Hrgovic (No. 5,

1) TKO 9 Moses Itauma (No. 6,

200: Jai Opetaia (C) TKO 9 Noel Mikaelian (No. 5) 200: Abass Baraou (No. 9, 1) KO 9 Juan Carrillo 168: Lester Martinez (No. 4) KO 10 Luka Plantic 175: Najee Lopez (No. 7,

1) MD 10 Giovani Santillan

160: Yoenli Hernandez (No. 2) MD 10 Francisco Veron 160: George Liddard (in at No. 10) TKO 8 Dario Morello 154: Brandon Adams (No. 8) out, inactive 147: Teofimo Lopez (in at No. 5) MD 12 Rolando Romero (in at No. 10) 147: Ryan Garcia (No. 6, 4) TKO 2 Conor Benn 147: Alexis Rocha (No. 9) UD 10 Jose Ramirez 135: Sam Noakes (No. 7, 1) UD 10 Denys Berinchyk

135: Andres Cortes (in at No. 10) UD 10 Mark Magsayo 130: James Dickens (No. 8) UD 8 Ramadhani Kimwaga 122: Ramon Cardenas (No. 5) SD 10 Leonardo Carrillo 122: Alan Picasso (No. 7) out, moved up in weight 122: Shabaz Masoud (No. 7, out, fought at 126) UD 10 Ckara Cani Mansilla

the end of limits.

humain.com

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MEN’S RING RATINGS Through September 19, 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS: RING IBF WBA WBC WBO | H NEW TO RATINGS

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 175 POUNDS

LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 135 POUNDS

JR. LIGHTWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 130 POUNDS

FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 126 POUNDS

JR. FEATHERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 122 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

C (VACANT) 1 SHAKUR STEVENSON U.S. • 25-0-0 (11 KOs) 2 RAYMOND MURATALLA U.S. • 25-0-0 (17 KOs) 3 WILLIAM ZEPEDA Mexico • 34-1-0 (27 KOs) 4 ABDULLAH MASON U.S. • 21-0-0 (18 KOs) 5 ANDY CRUZ Cuba • 7-1-0 (4 KOs) 6 +1 SAM NOAKES U.K. • 19-1-0 (16 KOs) 7 -1 FLOYD SCHOFIELD U.S. • 19-0-0 (13 KOs) 8 LUCAS BAHDI Canada • 20-0-0 (15 KOs) 9 JADIER HERRERA Cuba • 18-0-0 (16 KOs) 10 H ANDRES CORTES U.S. • 26-0-0 (13 KOs)

C (VACANT) 1 EMANUEL NAVARRETE Mexico • 40-2-1 (33 KOs) 2 O’SHAQUIE FOSTER U.S. • 25-3-0 (12 KOs) 3 ANTHONY CACACE Ireland • 25-1-0 (9 KOs) 4 CHARLY SUAREZ

C (VACANT) 1 RAFAEL ESPINOZA 2 BRUCE CARRINGTON U.S. • 18-0-0 (10 KOs) 3 ANGELO LEO U.S. • 26-1-0 (12 KOs) 4 BRANDON FIGUEROA U.S. • 27-2-1 (20 KOs) 5 NICK BALL U.K. • 23-1-1 (13 KOs) 6 RA’EESE ALEEM U.S. • 23-1-0 (12 KOs) 7 CRISTOBAL LORENTE Spain • 21-0-3 (8 KOs) 8 OMAR TRINIDAD U.S. • 21-0-2 (14 KOs) 9 LORENZO PARRA

C NAOYA INOUE

Ukraine • 25-0-0 (16 KOs)

Australia • 31-0-0 (24 KOs)

Russia • 25-1-0 (12 KOs)

Japan • 33-0-0 (27 KOs) 1 MURODJON AKHMADALIEV Uzbekistan • 15-2-0 (12 KOs) 2 SAM GOODMAN Australia • 22-1-0 (8 KOs) 3 JUNTO NAKATANI Japan • 32-1-0 (24 KOs) 4 SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ Mexico • 21-1-0 (19 KOs) 5 RAMON CARDENAS U.S. • 28-2-0 (15 KOs) 6 RYOSUKE NISHIDA Japan • 11-1-0 (2 KOs) 7 Mexico • 33-2-0 (27 KOs)

1 DANIEL DUBOIS

1 DAVID BENAVIDEZ U.S. • 32-0-0 (26 KOs) 2 GILBERTO RAMIREZ Mexico • 48-2-0 (30 KOs) 3 CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH U.K. • 22-2-0 (14 KOs) 4 MICHAL CIESLAK Poland • 28-2-0 (22 KOs) 5 NOEL MIKAELIAN Armenia • 28-4-0 (12 KOs) 6 BADOU JACK Sweden • 29-4-3 (17 KOs) 7 VIDDAL RILEY U.K. • 14-0-0 (7 KOs) 8 RYAN ROZICKI Canada • 21-2-1 (20 KOs) 9 LEONARDO MOSQUEA France • 19-0-0 (12 KOs) 10 ROBIN SIRWAN SAFAR Sweden • 20-0-0 (13 KOs)

1 DAVID BENAVIDEZ

Mexico • 63-3-2 (39 KOs)

Mexico • 28-0-0 (24 KOs)

U.K. • 23-3-0 (22 KOs)

U.S. • 32-0-0 (26 KOs)

2 OSLEYS IGLESIAS

2 AGIT KABAYEL

2 CALLUM SMITH

Cuba • 15-0-0 (14 KOs)

Germany • 27-0-0 (19 KOs)

U.K. • 31-2-0 (22 KOs)

3 CHRISTIAN MBILLI

3 TYSON FURY

3 ANTHONY YARDE

France • 29-0-1 (24 KOs)

U.K. • 36-2-1 (25 KOs) +1 FILIP HRGOVIC Croatia • 21-1-0 (16 KOs) -1 FABIO WARDLEY U.K. • 20-1-1 (19 KOs) +1 FRANK SANCHEZ Cuba • 26-1-0 (19 KOs) +1 EFE AJAGBA Nigeria • 21-1-1 (15 KOs) -2 MOSES ITAUMA U.K. • 14-1-0 (12 KOs)

U.K. • 27-4-0 (24 KOs)

4 LESTER MARTINEZ

4 IMAM KHATAEV

Guatemala • 21-0-1 (17 KOs)

Philippines • 19-0-0 (11 KOs)

Australia • 12-1-0 (11 KOs)

5 JAIME MUNGUIA

5 RAYMOND FORD

5 JOSHUA BUATSI

Mexico • 46-2-0 (35 KOs)

U.S. • 18-2-1 (8 KOs)

U.K. • 20-1-0 (13 KOs) +1 NAJEE LOPEZ U.S. • 17-0-0 (14 KOs)

6 DIEGO PACHECO U.S. • 26-0-0 (19 KOs) 7 ARMANDO RESENDIZ

6 RYAN GARNER

U.K. • 20-0-0 (10 KOs)

7 EDUARDO NUNEZ

-1 WILLY HUTCHINSON

Mexico • 16-3-0 (11 KOs)

+2 BRYAN MERCADO VAZQUEZ

Mexico • 29-2-0 (27 KOs)

U.K. • 20-2-0 (14 KOs) 8 LERRONE RICHARDS U.K. • 19-2-0 (4 KOs) 9 ALBERT RAMIREZ

8 JACOB BANK

8 JAMES DICKENS

Denmark • 20-0-0 (11 KOs)

+2 ALEX SANTISIMA Philippines • 14-2-0 (8 KOs)

U.K. • 37-6-0 (15 KOs)

9 HAMZAH SHEERAZ U.K. • 24-0-1 (19 KOs) 10 BEKTEMIR MELIKUZIEV

9 HAYATO TSUTSUMI Japan • 9-0-0 (6 KOs) 10 TSENDBAATAR ERDENEBAT Mongolia • 15-0-0 (6 KOs)

9 MURAT GASSIEV

9 H TITO SANCHEZ

Venezuela • 24-1-1 (18 KOs)

Russia • 34-2-0 (27 KOs)

Venezuela • 23-0-0 (19 KOs)

U.S. • 16-0-0 (10 KOs)

10 ALBERT GONZALEZ U.S. • 18-0-0 (11 KOs)

10 JUSTIS HUNI

10 BEN WHITTAKER

Uzbekistan • 17-1-0 (11 KOs)

10 H JUN IKEGAWA

Australia • 13-1-0 (7 KOs)

U.K. • 12-0-1 (9 KOs)

Japan • 11-1-3 (4 KOs)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 160 POUNDS C (VACANT) 1 CARLOS ADAMES 2 YOENLI HERNANDEZ Cuba • 11-0-0 (9 KOs) 3 AARON MCKENNA

JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 154 POUNDS

WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 147 POUNDS

JR. WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 140 POUNDS C SHAKUR STEVENSON U.S. • 25-0-0 (11 KOs) 1 DALTON SMITH U.K. • 19-0-0 (14 KOs) 2 KEYSHAWN DAVIS U.S. • 15-0-0 (10 KOs) 3 +1 ALBERTO PUELLO

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 JARON ENNIS

C (VACANT) 1 DEVIN HANEY

C (VACANT) 1 SEIYA TSUTSUMI

C (VACANT) 1 FERNANDO MARTINEZ

C ( VACANT) 1 RICARDO SANDOVAL U.S. • 27-2-0 (18 KOs) 2 MASAMICHI YABUKI Japan • 20-4-0 (18 KOs) 3 ANTHONY OLASCUAGA U.S. • 12-1-0 (9 KOs) 4 +2 MIEL FAJARDO

C (VACANT) 1 RENE SANTIAGO

Dom. Rep. • 25-1-1 (18 KOs)

U.S. • 36-0-0 (32 KOs)

U.S. • 33-0-0 (15 KOs) +3 RYAN GARCIA U.S. • 26-2-0 (21 KOs) U.S. • 23-2-0 (13 KOs) -1 JACK CATTERALL U.K. • 33-2-0 (14 KOs)

Japan • 13-0-3 (8 KOs)

Argentina • 18-1-0 (9 KOs)

Puerto Rico • 16-4-0 (9 KOs)

2 VERGIL ORTIZ

2 TAKUMA INOUE

2 DAVID JIMENEZ

2 THANONGSAK SIMSRI

U.S. • 24-0-0 (22 KOs) 3 SEBASTIAN FUNDORA U.S. • 24-1-1 (16 KOs) 4 ISRAIL MADRIMOV

Japan • 22-2-0 (5 KOs)

Costa Rica • 18-1-0 (12 KOs)

Thailand • 40-1-0 (35 KOs)

3 H TEOFIMO LOPEZ

3 JESSE RODRIGUEZ

3 KENSHIRO TERAJI

3 SHOKICHI IWATA

Ireland • 21-0-0 (10 KOs)

U.S. • 24-0-0 (17 KOs)

Japan • 26-2-0 (16 KOs)

Japan • 17-2-0 (14 KOs)

Dom. Rep. • 25-1-0 (11 KOs)

4 ERISLANDY LARA

4 RIKU MASUDA

4 PHUMELELA CAFU

4 H DAIYA KIRA

+1 GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL

U.S. • 32-3-3 (19 KOs)

Uzbekistan • 11-2-1 (7 KOs)

Japan • 11-1-0 (9 KOs) 5 CHRISTIAN MEDINA Mexico • 27-4-0 (19 KOs) 6 DAIGO HIGA Japan • 21-4-3 (19 KOs) 7 JOSE SALAS Mexico • 17-0-0 (11 KOs) 8 ANTONIO VARGAS U.S. • 19-2-1 (11 KOs) 9 TENSHIN NASUKAWA Japan • 8-1-0 (3 KOs) 10 MICHAEL ANGELETTI U.S. • 15-0-0 (8 KOs)

S. Africa • 12-1-3 (8 KOs)

Philippines • 14-3-2 (12 KOs) +2 JOSELITO VELAZQUEZ Mexico • 23-1-1 (15 KOs)

Japan • 5-0-0 (4 KOs)

U.S. • 19-1-0 (17 KOs) +1 ADAM AZIM U.K. • 15-0-0 (12 KOs) +1 SANDOR MARTIN Spain • 43-4-0 (15 KOs)

5 TROY ISLEY

5 XANDER ZAYAS

-3 BRIAN NORMAN JR.

5 ANDREW MOLONEY

+1 REGIE SUGANOB Philippines • 19-1-0 (8 KOs) -1 KYOSUKE TAKAMI Japan • 10-1-0 (8 KOs) -3 CARLOS CANIZALES Venezuela • 28-4-1 (20 KOs)

U.S. • 17-0-0 (6 KOs)

Puerto Rico • 23-1-0 (13 KOs)

U.S. • 29-1-0 (23 KOs)

Australia • 29-4-0 (18 KOs)

6 AMARI JONES U.S. • 17-0-0 (15 KOs) 7 CHRIS EUBANK JR. U.K. • 35-4-0 (25 KOs) 8 JESUS RAMOS JR. U.S. • 24-1-0 (19 KOs) 9 JAHI TUCKER U.S. • 17-1-1 (7 KOs) 10 H GEORGE LIDDARD U.K. • 15-0-0 (9 KOs)

6 JOSH KELLY

-2 EIMANTAS STANIONIS Lithuania • 16-1-0 (9 KOs) -1 ROHAN POLANCO Dom. Rep. • 18-0-0 (10 KOs) -1 RAUL CURIEL Mexico • 18-0-1 (14 KOs)

6 TOMOYA TSUBOI Japan • 3-0-0 (2 KOs) 7 RICARDO MALAJIKA 8 WILLIBALDO GARCIA Mexico • 23-7-2 (13 KOs) 9 THEOPHILOUS ALLOTEY Ghana • 15-0-0 (11 KOs) 10 SIKHO NQOTHOLE S. Africa • 22-3-0 (13 KOs) S. Africa • 17-2-0 (12 KOs)

+2 YOALI MEJIA MOSQUEDA

U.K. • 19-1-1 (9 KOs) 7 BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV Russia • 23-1-0 (17 KOs) 8 +1 ABASS BARAOU Germany • 18-2-0 (9 KOs) 9 +1 ERMAL HADRIBEAJ U.S. • 23-0-1 (8 KOs) 10 H CHARLES CONWELL U.S. • 22-1-0 (17 KOs)

Mexico • 16-0-0 (12 KOs)

+2 ABRAHAM R. PEREZ

+1 SUBRIEL MATIAS Puerto Rico • 23-3-0 (22 KOs) +1 MARK CHAMBERLAIN

U.S. • 15-0-0 (7 KOs)

8 MASATAKA TANIGUCHI Japan • 21-6-0 (15 KOs) 9 AARON DE LA CRUZ Mexico • 14-0-0 (9 KOs) 10 ERIK BADILLO Mexico • 19-1-0 (8 KOs)

+2 ARVIN JHON PACIONES

Philippines • 13-0-0 (7 KOs)

U.K. • 18-1-1 (13 KOs)

-1 ALEXIS ROCHA U.S. • 27-2-1 (16 KOs) 10 H ROLANDO ROMERO U.S. • 17-3-0 (13 KOs)

9 H SHO NOGAMI Japan • 8-0-0 (4 KOs) 10 H CONNER KELSALL U.K. • 14-0-0 (1 KO)

+1 ERNESTO MERCADO

U.S. • 19-0-0 (18 KOs) 10 H ARTHUR BIYARSLANOV Canada • 21-0-0 (17 KOs)

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