CONTENTS JANUARY 2025
26 THE BEST OF 2024 WE PULLED FROM 12 MONTHS OF UNDISPUTED THRILLS TO GATHER NOMINEES FOR THE RING MAGAZINE’S 96TH ANNUAL YEAR-END AWARDS 28 FIGHTER OF THE YEAR 32 FIGHT OF THE YEAR 36 KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR 40 COMEBACK OF THE YEAR 42 UPSET OF THE YEAR 44 ROUND OF THE YEAR 46 PROSPECT OF THE YEAR 48 TRAINER OF THE YEAR 50 EVENT OF THE YEAR 52 WOMEN’S BOXING AWARDS 54 ALL BUSINESS, ALL PERSONABLE GABRIELA FUNDORA IS THE NICEST STONE-COLD ASSASSIN YOU’LL EVER MEET By Thomas Gerbasi 56 ARTUR BETERBIEV VS. THE GREATS “KING ARTUR” IS TODAY’S TOP 175-POUNDER, BUT CHAMPS FROM THE PAST MIGHT’VE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT By Anson Wainwright 62 THE BEST FIGHT CARD EVER? IN FEBRUARY 2025, BOXING FANS WILL GET AN OLD-SCHOOL BATTLE ROYALE BETWEEN PROMOTIONAL RIVALS IN TITLE FIGHTS GALORE By Michael Montero
68 TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY
THE SAD DEMISE OF ISRAEL “MAGNIFICO” VAZQUEZ By Nigel Collins 72 MY FIRST TIME REVISITING THREE KEY MOMENTS IN A BOXER’S LIFE By Paulie Malignaggi DEPARTMENTS 2 OPENING SHOTS 6 COME OUT WRITING 8 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 12 STEVE’S SOAP BOX By Steve Kim 14 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 16 BY THE NUMBERS 18 RING RATINGS PACKAGE 76 THE FACE OF BOXING By Thomas Hauser and Wojtek Urbanek 78 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 80 BEHIND ENEMY LINES
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By Anson Wainwright 82 WORLD BEAT 92 RELAUNCH IN RIYADH 96 FIGHTLINE
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY KRONKAAART .COM
OPENING SHOTS
In a moment that tells a larger story, William Zepeda (left) and Tevin Farmer give and take simultaneously during their lightweight battle on the Riyadh Season “Latino Night” card on November 16. Farmer would score a knockdown in the fourth round, but Zepeda surged back to win a split decision that easily could’ve gone the other way.
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OPENING SHOTS
Tyson Fury (right) was more serious and focused than he’d been in his first fight against unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, but even the best version of “The Gypsy King” couldn’t overcome the Ukrainian’s combination of iron will and impeccable skill in the rematch, which Usyk won by unanimous decision.
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COME OUT WRITING
WELCOME BACK I was surprised and thrilled to receive my December 2024 print edition of The Ring in the mail recently. I have been a subscriber of The Ring for over 45 years. While settling for reading the e-edition of The Ring was better than no Ring Magazine, it was not nearly the same as the print magazine. Thank you to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh for bringing back the print edition. It is also noticeable that the quality of the magazine was better than ever, with the thicker pages and ink quality. I am looking forward to enjoying many more years of The Ring in print. Rick Flanagan Ballwin, Missouri JACK REISS My name is Thomas Taylor. I am a professional boxing referee from the state of California. I am writing to you in hopes of drawing your attention to the recent retirement of an outstanding professional boxing referee, Jack Reiss. Jack’s career spans over 26 years and 1,152 professional boxing bouts, which is more than any referee in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The notable fights Jack has officiated and his accomplishments are countless, but to name a few....
his career and has earned the respect of not only his fellow boxing officials, but that of fighters, their trainers, sanctioning bodies (IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO) as well as commissions around the world. If you ask Jack what his biggest accomplishment has been in the sport, he will tell you he shared the ring with 2,304 fighters and every one of them went home safe to their families. An incredible feat in a very dangerous sport. Speaks volumes to his good
get better and elevate their proficiency by learning from one of the best to have ever been in the ring. The most recent course was held in Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend (2024) and saw the biggest turnout in Sole Arbiter’s existence. Besides his referee training course, Jack is also a certified Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) trainer. This consists of him traveling all over the world, meeting with the boxing commissions and conducting referee training seminars. Jack was born in Brooklyn, New York, and in his teens came to California to visit a friend and never looked back. He spent his professional life as a firefighter in the city of Los Angeles, rising to the rank of captain for 19 years, and retired after 31 years of service. In his retirement from the ring, he is transitioning into an Instant Replay Official, a professional boxing judge, and will be ringside for years to come. It’s not often we get to honor a living legend in a sport where most people, fighters and officials stay well past their prime. Jack’s respect for the sport led him to leave a bit early, rather than too late and put any fighter in harm’s way. Speaks to his integrity and love of the sport. I ask you to please consider a full-page article to honor one of the best to have ever been in the ring and one who certainly has left the sport better than when he came in. Respectfully, Thomas Taylor Editor’s reply: Jack Reiss is absolutely worthy of at least a full-page article in this publication. Heck, I’d love to have him contribute as a regular columnist addressing referee- and boxing official- related subjects. But for the time being, your letter is a fine tribute. WRITE TO THE RING! Email comeoutwriting@gmail.com or use this address: P.O. Box 90254, Brooklyn, NY 11209
CHAPTER 2:
The print edition of The Ring returned with the issue previewing Usyk-Fury II.
1. Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov
2. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury I 3. Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter 4. Multiple Vasiliy Lomachenko fights 5. Multiple Gennadiy Golovkin fights 6. Refereed over 100 title fights 7. Has been inducted into three boxing halls of fame 8. Refereed throughout the United States as well as Germany, Australia, Japan, Russia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, China, United Kingdom, Chile and Thailand.
judgment, empathy and knowledge of the rules and regulations of one of the most difficult sports to officiate. But that is not all Jack is about. His love of boxing and wanting to leave the sport better than it was when he first got in drew him to start his own professional boxing referee training course, Sole Arbiter. The course consists of three days of deep study into film, referee mechanics, rules, regulations and best practices for referees. It is for current professional boxing referees looking to
Jack has shared the ring with numerous world titleholders throughout
RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer
LET’S CELEBRATE A NEW ERA
SPECIAL ISSUE JANUARY 2025
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
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Advertising@sepublications.com 347-497-4297 SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES BACK ISSUES INQUIRIES DIGITAL ORDERS INQUIRIES The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept. PO Box 16027 North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027
W elcome to the first print issue of 2025. We normally begin the new year with the Fighter of the Year on the cover of an issue that showcases all of the winners of our annual awards for the previous year, including Fight, KO, Round, Upset, Comeback, Trainer, Prospect and Event of the Year. Featuring the Fighter of the Year on the cover is a tradition that goes back several decades, but we’re kicking off 2025 with a cover illustration that includes multiple candidates for the prestigious honor that dates back to 1928. While most of us knew who the frontrunner for Fighter of the Year was the moment his masterful craft and uncommon grit enabled him to once again outpoint the most talented heavyweight giant of this era, the official winner – as well as the recipients of the other 2024 Ring Magazine awards – would not be officially announced until January 11, the night of a lavish, star-studded gala held at an iconic venue in London. Think of it as The Ring’s answer to the Academy Awards. And while this elegant
Icons and influencers attended The Ring’s relaunch part in Riyadh .
black-tie celebration honoring the best of 2024 has yet to happen as of press time, we know it will be a very special event and we will provide full coverage in our February issue, which will continue the long tradition of featuring the Fighter of the Year on the cover. The January 11 event wasn’t the only classy gala put on by the new owner of The Ring. On December 19, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, just two days prior to the big heavyweight championship rematch held at Kingdom Arena, the magazine received a relaunch dinner party that surpassed any event honoring the publication since its 75th anniversary celebration held on March 8, 1997, in Atlantic City. The Ring’s diamond anniversary was attended by Muhammad Ali and archrivals Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, a dozen former champions of the 1950s and ’60s, as well as many of the stars of the ’80s and ’90s, including Sugar Ray
Phone: 818-286-3101 rngcs@magserv.com
SEND EDITORIAL COMMENTS TO: comeoutwriting@gmail.com or P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410), Special Issue (January 2025), is published 12 times per year by Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC, P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11209 and additional post offices. 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 $8.95 in U.S.A. and Canada (£5.99 in the U.K.). Subscription price U.S. and possession $39.99 for 12 issues including Canada. Mexico add $5. All remaining countries add $10 for 12 issues per year. 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 ©2025 Sports and Entertainment Publications, 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@sepublications.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.
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RINGSIDE
than 500 boxing luminaries, including Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya, Wladimir Klitschko, Naseem Hamed and Carl Froch. Those hall of famers were joined by Amir Khan, Carl Frampton, Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Jai Opetaia, Daniel Dubois, Chris Eubank Jr., celebrities such as Cuba Gooding Jr. and Mario Lopez, and several very trendy looking Gen-Z influencers I did not recognize. All sang the praises of The Ring during red carpet interviews with major media outlets such as DAZN, TNT Sports and BoxNation, which took place before the dinner portion of the gala began. I was asked to give a speech on stage during the dinner, oh, maybe two days before the event. I was told I had five minutes of a tight two-hour program produced and live-streamed by DAZN. No problem, I can do five minutes in my sleep. But the event organizers asked me
Leonard and Thomas Hearns. The event announced the greatest fighter of the last 75 years (Sugar Ray Robinson) and presented Ring championship belts to many of the legends in attendance. I remember reading about it and wishing I could have been there. “When’s the next time they’ll have a celebration like this one?” I wondered. “The 100th anniversary?” I had no clue that I would be affiliated with The Ring by its centennial, let alone Editor-In-Chief of the publication, but there would be no 100-year celebration. The pandemic had a part in that, as did some haters who worked under the publication’s previous owner. However, two years after the print magazine ceased publishing, The Ring received a party worthy of its long history and significance to the sport at VIA Riyadh, a luxury retail and event development (basically a giant fancy- schmancy mall). Giant red Ring logos, neon signs of “The Ring” and “The Bible of Boxing,” and hundreds of vintage cover images from several decades adorned an enormous event hall that hosted more
to present my speech in writing the night before. That was a mistake. I’m incapable of writing succinctly. This is not exactly what I said (because I freestyled a bit behind the podium, piggy-backing off of a wonderful Ring reminiscence from event host Michael Buffer, which drove the producers crazy), but this is what I wrote: T onight we celebrate a new era of the Ring Magazine, which is a celebration of boxing – past, present and future. Looking out into the audience, I see representatives of every facet of the sport and the industry – the boxers, trainers, managers, matchmakers, members of the media, as well as representatives from the sanctioning bodies, promotional companies and networks. Along with the fans, you ARE boxing. When you open an issue of The Ring, we want you to see yourselves and every aspect of boxing. But most importantly, we want you to see the SPORT in its purest form – no politics, no bullshit – as well as its rich and fascinating history. For more than a century, The Ring
has chronicled every era that has not only defined the sport but shaped society – The Roaring Twenties, The Great Depression, World War II, The Baby Boom, the TV Age, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Era, on into my lifetime, which began in the 1970s. Muhammad Ali introduced me to boxing, but Sugar Ray Leonard and his rivalry with Roberto Duran transformed me into a lifelong fan. Duran is here tonight. And so I bow to him and his peers of the ’70s and ’80s. They are the reason I love boxing. I see other fighters in the audience, some of whom I covered as a member of the media during the 1990s and 2000s. They’re modern legends now. Wladimir Klitschko. Oscar De La Hoya. Special thanks to The Golden Boy for keeping this magazine alive through its 100th birthday. It wasn’t just an honor to cover De La Hoya and his peers – Ike Quartey, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas – it was a pleasure. Like the Four
that we’re in for another special night on Saturday. Also, keep this in mind: As good as this December issue is, it’s only 50% of where we will be. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has an ambitious vision and plan for this historic publication, and we are proud and honor-bound to accept this challenge for the betterment of a true boxing institution and to better serve the sport we love. I was politely scolded by one of the stage coordinators for using up 10 minutes once I got back to my table, but everyone I spoke to that night (including Len Blavatnik, who owns DAZN) congratulated me for speaking from the heart. If you want to watch DAZN’s two-hour production, just go to YouTube and type in RIYADH SEASON: RING MAGAZINE RELAUNCH GALA; it will pop up on the channels belonging to DAZN Boxing, Top Rank Boxing, Matchroom Boxing and TNT Sports Boxing.
Kings of the ’80s, they didn’t just make for big events, they made for great fights. My longtime colleague Steve Kim and I talk about this all the time; we were lucky to come up when we did. It was a hell of a ride. And the journey continues for The Ring, amazingly back in print in 2025. If you want to know what to expect of this new era of Ring Magazine, I proudly invite you to pick up a copy of our December 2024 special, which previews Saturday’s heavyweight championship rematch. Feel the weight and the quality of the paper, appreciate the variety of the art, note the new departments, but most importantly READ the articles. The Q&As that were done with Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are not your average interviews, because these aren’t average individuals. After reading these articles, you’ll understand how special and outstanding they are – not just as champions and elite-level competitors, but as human beings – and you’ll realize
December issue in hand, the Editor-In- Chief promised continued excellence from The Ring in 2025.
NOTES FROM RIYADH
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as ever, recalling every detail of events that took place more than 50 years ago and before I was born. Chatted with Amir Khan, who I hadn’t seen in many years, while at the relaunch gala. First thing he told me: “Man, you’ve put on weight!” Yes, Amir, 20+ pounds. You’ve given me my motivation for my New Year’s resolution. Steve Kim and I hosted a live “watchalong” during the later part of the Usyk-Fury II pay-per-view broadcast on DAZN. Watching a clean feed (no commentary or graphics), Kim and I scored the fight wide for Usyk.
I also met the Neffati Brothers (Jamel and Jamil), influencers who began the infamous World Freak Fight League. Their first (and only) promotion was headlined by the two of them (who look like lightweights) taking on a British weightlifting behemoth named Eddie Hall in an MMA cage match. (Google it, YouTube it, it’s insane.) They introduced themselves and told me they really liked my speech at the gala. I told them that they were the “future” that I mentioned at the start of it. Not the “freak fight” stuff. I was talking about the interest in learning more about boxing sparked by the classic Ring covers they saw at the gala and by rubbing shoulders with the legends of the sport.
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This was my first time in Riyadh (first time in Saudi Arabia, first time visiting the Middle East). It’s a modern, fairly westernized city where English is prevalent in most areas. I experienced no more “culture shock” there than I have when covering boxing in Tokyo, Mexico City or London. I didn’t have much time to explore Riyadh while there (six days). On top of racing to finish this issue, I was kept busy with company meetings and interviews for an in-the- works Ring Magazine Podcast series. Bob Arum and Roberto Duran were among my interviews. They’re as sharp
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I finally met content creator Showbizz The Adult.
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STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim
because of the presence of Pacquiao), throngs would gather on a daily basis just to catch a glimpse of their idol as he drove to and from the parking lot of the strip mall that was attached to Freddie Roach’s gym on Vine Street. Pacquiao’s popularity extended well beyond his own people. He was the rare boxer in modern pop culture who broke through to the mainstream, truly an international star who became a household name in America. Nike had its own line of Pacquiao apparel, same as it had for Kobe Bryant. While he was already a world champion by 1998 (after he stopped Chatchai Sasakul for the WBC flyweight title), Pacquiao burst into the consciousness of stateside fans when he was placed on the pay- per-view undercard of Oscar De La Hoya’s bout against Javier Castillejo in June of 2001. He was placed opposite the highly regarded IBF junior featherweight titlist, Lehlo Ledwaba. In what was an eye-opening performance, Pacquiao blitzed Ledwaba in six rounds. It was more than just winning a title; Pacquiao stole the show on this night at the MGM Grand when fans had really come to see “The Golden Boy.” It was clear that Pacquiao was a player. But he wasn’t quite yet a star. What’s oftentimes forgotten is that his next several bouts came on undercards (supporting the likes of Fernando Vargas or future nemesis Floyd Mayweather Jr., or in a slot on the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson bill in Memphis) and stay-busy bouts back home in the Philippines. Pacquiao was biding his time for the next big opportunity. Where he clearly stamped himself as an elite fighter was his dominance of Marco Antonio Barrera in November of 2003. Coming into this contest, Barrera was considered to be among the top three or four boxers in the world, pound-for-pound. But on this night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, he was no match for the Filipino whirlwind. Barrera was stopped in 11 one-sided rounds, conceding his Ring
Magazine featherweight championship to Pacquiao. This would be the first encounter in Pacquiao’s rivalries with the Mexican trio of Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez, all three of whom are Hall of Famers. Just think about this: We are now in an era of boxing where there are very few real rivalries and even fewer multi-fight duels between elite fighters. Pacquiao engaged in three of them during his prime. Among that quartet, he was the only one who faced all the others. During a series of contests that spanned from 2003 to 2012, Pacquiao earned the moniker of “Mexicutioner” as he compiled a 6-2-1 overall mark against his three nemeses. It has to be noted that the last bout of this memorable period saw Pacquiao get knocked out cold, face-first, in his fourth and final clash with Marquez. While those chapters are a central part of the Pacquiao story, “Pacmania” truly exploded after his clash with the man whose undercard he’d so memorably lit up years before. In 2008, coming off a victory over David Diaz for the WBC lightweight belt, Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum rolled the dice in moving up two weight classes to face the much bigger De La Hoya. When this bout – which really was the brainchild of venerable HBO broadcaster Larry Merchant – was announced, many lampooned the idea, calling it a physical mismatch. Which is exactly what it turned out to be. A weight-drained De La Hoya was simply overwhelmed by the speed and angles of Pacquiao, who struck him at will. The defeated Olympian retired on his stool (and subsequently from his career) after eight rounds. After this, covering Pacquiao was like covering a rock star. You were no longer just covering a boxer or athlete. I recall vividly during my days at MaxBoxing that Brian Harty (then our videographer) and I would get access to one day of Pacquiao’s private training at Wild Card. He would customarily arrive about an hour or so late, and then he’d put on two hours of the most
frenetic workout you will ever see. We understood that we were watching a generational talent ply his trade. The interviews with Manny afterward were pretty vanilla, but any Pacquiao content was gold for us. He basically created an economy for a whole generation of boxing media – and eventually any content creator. Boxing scribes of the past had Muhammad Ali and Deer Lake. Well, I had Pacquiao and Wild Card. Make no mistake about it: Pacquiao’s run from 2008 to 2012 (which also included the likes of Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto on his ledger) was legendary, and a special time for boxing. Ask any fans about this period, and they will have specific memories that they will never forget. Chances are we’ll never see a run like that ever again from any fighter. After his knockout loss at the hands of Marquez, Pacquiao was able to rebound and string together some victories against recognizable names. But what still lingered was the unfinished business against Mayweather. They had been circling one another for about five years, and the inability to consummate this bout was to many observers symbolic of the ills of the boxing business. They finally met in 2015 for what was a rather anticlimactic affair; Mayweather won a 12-round decision. Truth be told, this wasn’t one of Manny’s shining moments. His popularity was never quite the same after the loss. To his credit, Pacquiao moved forward and notched a series of solid wins, and he showed he had one last great effort in him as he upset Keith Thurman, who is a full decade younger than Pacquiao, in 2019 for the WBA welterweight title. Two years later, Pacquiao lost to Ugas, and a couple of months after that, he announced his retirement from the ring. There is speculation that the 45-year-old Pacquiao may return to the ring. Personally, I hope not. He’s already given us more than enough memories.
For a Boxing Writer, Living in Los Angeles During the Early 2000s Provided a Front-Row Seat to the Rise of a Living Legend I t was no surprise when it was announced that Manny Pacquiao was part of the 2025 International Boxing Hall of Fame class. If there
Pacquiao’s unparalleled boxing accomplishments earned the Filipino phenom worldwide fame.
sport of boxing and the Philippines. Imagine being the Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan of your country. It may seem like hyperbole, but Pacquiao truly meant that much to his country. His fights were not just sporting events, but in many ways a national holiday where Filipinos across the world gathered to watch their hero. Pacquiao fought not just for himself, but for millions of his countrymen. It was reported that when he fought, the crime rate would be zero on those days. I saw firsthand the fervor and maniacal loyalty that he engendered in his people. During his training camps at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles (which became a tourist spot largely
Ignacio in the Philippines as a junior flyweight. It ended on August 21, 2021, as he lost a WBA welterweight title bout to Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas. His record is 62-8-2 (39 KOs) in a career that saw him hold a world title in four separate decades. It’s an incomprehensible feat, which speaks not just to his talent but his sustained greatness as a prizefighter. But this alone doesn’t speak to the magnitude of Pacquiao and what he meant to the
were ever anyone who was a no-brainer this year, it was “Pac-Man.” Chances are he was a unanimous selection, and anyone who didn’t put a check mark next to his name should have their voting privileges revoked. It was a career that began on January 22, 1995, as Pacquiao stopped Edmund
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein The Year To Come I t is fairly well-known that I will never predict a winner for a boxing match I’m announcing. I just don’t believe in it. I am perfectly happy, however, to make other predictions, and I have a spate of them for the year 2025. Consider this your guidepost to the coming year in boxing.
Andy Cruz will go from 4-0 to title contention in the lightweight division by the end of the year. He is a unique talent and he’s fighting experienced foes. We will see virtually every important match we yearn for in women’s boxing this year. I know that because women’s boxing does that every year. It is remarkable. The Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz title match will be a catalyst to more excitement in the middleweight division this year. It is a fascinating fight.
Al says women’s boxing will deliver again in 2025, including Taylor- Serrano III.
The first three months of this year will be the most exciting first quarter of any year for boxing fans in decades. The February 22 card headlined by Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol will set a new standard for promoters. That show goes seven deep in exciting and meaningful fights. There are four title fights plus three more important bouts in different weight divisions. At some point this year, Nick Ball will be in a fight that it looks like he absolutely can’t win … and he will win. Naoya Inoue will fight Junto Nakatani by year’s end. It will be an epic battle in the ring and the biggest fight Japan has ever had. I think it will also resonate well in the rest of the world. The over/under is three on how many major fighters in the prime of their careers will post on social media that they are retiring … and unretire within two weeks to announce a new fight. Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will fight a rematch and it will be just as good as the first one. The 140-pound division will continue to produce great fights, with champions changing at an alarming rate. The division has more depth than any other in boxing.
promotional group were the primary force for getting Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren together, they will continue to work together even without the Saudi involvement. It has been beneficial to both of them and they have worked together well. Finally, the easiest prediction for the year. No matter what happens in the sport in 2025, some sports media pundits (especially likely in America) will say loudly and decisively that boxing is dead. They will, of course, be wrong. The sport is often damaged, sometimes by self-inflicted wounds, but it doesn’t die. I assure you there will be prediction columns like this one being written about the year 2026. So, enjoy boxing in 2025. As always, it will be interesting. Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein has been the voice of boxing on ESPN, then Showtime. He now announces the Big Time Boxing USA series on DAZN and hosts his own YouTube show.
The over/under is 2 1/2 on how many A-side fighters are saved by referees in major fights this year.
Sandy Ryan will be a champion again before the year ends.
Adrien Broner will not attend any of my music shows in Las Vegas.
By the end of 2025, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez will already have the resume necessary for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He will just need to take care of that pesky detail of finishing the last 10 years or so of his career. The new Grand Prix tournament for young prospects around the world – recently announced by the WBC (with the backing of Turki Alalshikh) and focusing on the featherweight, junior welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions – is going to be a fascinating and successful innovation. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will complete their trilogy with yet another exciting match, and it will be remembered as one of the best trilogies in boxing history.
The next wave of heavyweights – Agit Kabayel, Martin Bakole and Lenier Pero – will all have a productive year in 2025. Promotional companies like MVP, Overtime, Salita Promotions, Red Owl Boxing and others will continue to make important contributions to boxing with shows that provide opportunities to fighters on all levels. The Brandon Figueroa-Stephen Fulton rematch will be as exciting as the first fight. For that to happen, though, Fulton must rebound from recent struggles. Otherwise, the pressure from Figueroa will eat him up.
The Beterbiev-Bivol rematch headlines the first “mega” pay-per- view card of 2025.
Though the resources of Turki Alalshikh and his Riyadh Season
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BY THE NUMBERS: EZZARD
1 Victory over Joe Louis » In the wake of Louis’ retirement from boxing, Charles emerged as the recognized heavyweight champion in 1949. Not surprisingly, Louis returned to fight for his old title in a widely hyped Yankee Stadium bout in September of 1950. Louis needed money, and the sagging boxing business needed Louis. But at 36, with several years of partying and hard living behind him, Louis couldn’t handle his young and clever opponent. Charles won by a 15-round decision. History remembers this contest as a lopsided victory for Charles, but some of the rounds were competitive. The problem was that for every punch Louis landed, Charles landed two in return. The other problem was that the public was rooting for Louis and never quite forgave Charles for beating their idol. Though the win cemented his claim to the heavyweight championship, Charles spent the remainder of his career as something less than a fan favorite.
2 Bouts with Rocky Marciano » Charles lost twice to Marciano in 1954, but his brave effort in the first bout returned him to the good graces of fans. It was a hard-fought 15-round decision win for Marciano in Yankee Stadium, the only time “The Rock” went the full 15-round distance. Marciano won their second bout by knockout, but not before Charles opened a horrible cut on Rocky’s nose.
CHARLES by Don Stradley Ezzard Charles (1921-1975) was nearly unmatched in terms of sheer boxing skill. Unfortunately, he found himself overshadowed by more colorful fighters, including some he defeated. Here is his story by the numbers. How can a man beat the legendary Moore three times and go virtually uncredited? The answer is probably due to their fights taking place in the years before Moore was a media sensation. Charles, too, was not as well-known as he’d later be. Moreover, the three Charles-Moore fights took place in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Had they taken place in New York, the country’s loudest media horn at the time, they would’ve generated much more interest. 3 Victories Over Archie Moore » Charles took the first bout, held at Forbes Field in May of 1946, by decision. As the Associated Press reported, Charles “belted Moore … around for 10 rounds like he owned him.” Their second bout in May of 1947 was another 10-round decision win for Charles. As if to put the rivalry behind him, Charles stormed out for their third bout in January of 1948 and scored an impressive eighth-round knockout. Charles’ deciding punch, a roundhouse right to Moore’s head, landed with such impact that the sound was heard above the din of 8,334 fans. “I was certain,” said one reporter, “that something broke either in Archie’s head or Ezzard’s right hand, maybe in both places.”
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Bouts with Jersey Joe Walcott The Charles-Walcott series has often been discredited as a snoozefest, but it
5 Wins over Joey Maxim » Promoters never got the Maxim kept his sense of humor. “That’s the fifth time Charles has taken the decision from me,” Maxim said. “Next time, I guess I’ll have to take a club to him.” In June of 1952, Walcott and Charles met for the fourth and final time. After 15 closely fought rounds at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium, Walcott was the winner by a shade. The bout had been a dull but grueling contest, and many were uncertain of the winner. Of 38 boxing writers polled at ringside, 21 thought Charles had won, while 17 thought Walcott had done enough to keep his title. The series was tied at two wins apiece, but neither the press nor the public clamored for a tiebreaker. 2 Personalities » It was common throughout message that Charles had Maxim figured out. After their fifth meeting, featured a couple of milestones. Their first bout was for the vacant NBA heavyweight title, which Charles won by 15-round decision in Chicago’s Comiskey Park in June of 1949. Charles became the new champion after Joe Louis’ nearly 12-year reign, which was big news at the time. Charles won their second bout in Detroit, but in 1951 the series took an unexpected turn. With a sneaky left hook, Walcott scored a stunning knockout of Charles at 0:55 of Round 7. Charles was suddenly an ex-champion. The win made Walcott, at 37, the oldest man to win the heavyweight title, which was also a big deal and a distinction he’d hold for many years. Charles’ career to say he had a dual personality. He could be a vicious puncher who wasn’t afraid to foul a
2 Wins over Charley Burley »
The old-timers said Burley was the greatest fighter to never win a title. Yet Charles, as a mere 20-year-old, surprised the experts in May of 1942 when he scored a 10-round decision over Burley in Pittsburgh. The pair met again a month later. Charles won
man, but he could also be overly cautious. As a publicity stunt prior to Charles’ second bout with Marciano, a psychologist was hired to attend both camps and report his findings. Dr. J.J. Moreno said that Charles “is the dreamer type … in his dreams he is a mighty, invincible fighter who sweeps all before him in a reckless, savage, destructive fashion. In the ring, however, he loses the spontaneity he has in his dreams.” Moreno deemed Charles as simply too sensitive to be a truly effective fighter. Many believed Charles’ conscience was bothered by the Baroudi fight, or that he was distracted by the jeers he heard in the aftermath of beating Louis. His trainer, Ray Arcel, once said Charles was “like a good racehorse who won’t run for you.”
121 Fights » His final record was before his losses to Marciano, his record was 85-10-1, compiled against the best of his day, and you cannot deny that Ezzard Charles was a special fighter. He may have had a dual personality, but it seems that both sides of him were damned good in the ring. 95-25-1 with 52 knockouts. But consider that
again. It was even easier the second time. Granted, Charles was a middleweight at that point and Burley was a welterweight, but Burley had still been a 6-1 betting favorite going into their first bout. Burley’s manager tried to explain the losses by saying his fighter had been sparring with too many heavyweights, particularly Curtis “Hatchetman” Sheppard. These rugged gym sessions had left Burley in a tenderized state for Charles. Regardless, the wins over Burley showed the public that Charles was a young virtuoso on the way up.
1 Tragedy in the Ring »
Sam Baroudi died from injuries sustained in a 1948 bout with Charles. Baroudi was 21. Ironically, a fighter named Newton Smith had died after being KO’d by Baroudi six months earlier.
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Ring Ratings Analysis Through fights of December 21, 2024 • By Brian Harty
representing the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2020 games, floored the previously unbeaten Cuban in the first round and forced the stoppage in the third. SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT: No. 1-rated Jaime Munguia looked like he was back to his old ways in the second fight of his post- Canelo comeback, walking through punches from unheralded Frenchman Bruno Surace to deliver a methodical stoppage. But then Surace stepped back, took a look, loaded up his right hand and knocked Munguia out with a single punch. The shocking upset tumbled Munguia down to No. 8 on the list, just below his new French neighbor. Lester Martinez (No. 10) was pushed out. MIDDLEWEIGHT: Meiirim Nursultanov (No. 6) was removed due to a year of inactivity, creating a vacancy for European champion Denzel Bentley to enter at No. 10. JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT: Charles Conwell was promoted from No. 9 to No. 8 after his characteristically languid style of power boxing finally caught up to Gerardo Vergara (unrated) in Round 8. JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT: No. 3-rated Jose Ramirez lost a unanimous decision to undefeated contender Arnold Barboza (unrated at the time), and Ramirez looked bad enough that the panel decided to drop him from the list entirely. Barboza didn’t blow anyone away either, but the win was good enough for him to re-enter at No. 9. In his first defense of the IBF belt he took from Subriel Matias in June, Liam Paro passed it to Richardson Hitchins after losing a split decision (although the one card in the Australian’s favor was bizarre). Hitchins rose from No. 8 to No. 4 while Paro slipped from No. 3 to No. 5. LIGHTWEIGHT: Continuing to gain ground with every fight, Keyshawn Davis advanced from No. 7 to No. 5 after a second-round knockout of Gustavo Lemos (unrated), who
where he looked good in a decision win over Orlando Gonzalez. With Ford’s departure, undefeated Californian Omar Trinidad, who is scheduled to face Mike Plania next, entered at No. 10 (Stephen Fulton was a close runner-up). Rafael Espinoza, who took the WBO title from Robeisy Ramirez in December 2023 by majority decision, won the rematch after Ramirez surrendered in the sixth round, saying that damage to his right eye was causing double vision. Ramirez rose from No. 5 to No. 2 and Ramirez fell to No. 9 from No. 7. JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT: Unrated Shabaz Masoud scored an upset split decision over Liam Davies (No. 5), but it was the kind of performance to make you wonder why he was ever the underdog. Masoud’s quickness and sharpness, both in stab-and-slip attacks and choppy inside fighting, was a level above the more linear approach of his opponent. As a result, Davies fell out of the ratings and Masoud broke in at No. 6. Dennis McCann had a spot reserved on the Usyk-Fury 2 card but failed a drug test, so he was kicked off the list and undefeated Mexican Sebastian Hernandez took his place at No. 10. BANTAMWEIGHT: Alexandro Santiago’s attempt to rebound from a very rough night against Junto Nakatani in February 2024 ended with a majority decision loss to inexperienced 21-year-old Jose Calderon Cervantes. Santiago (No. 8 going in) was ejected from the list and Jeyvier Cintron entered at No. 10. JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT: There was a suggestion on the panel to completely remove Pedro Guevara, who was rated No. 7 as he walked to the slaughterhouse to face division champ Bam Rodriguez, but the former 108-pound titleholder kept his foot in the door with a drop to No. 10. As a bonus stat, Rodriguez is currently the leader on CompuBox’s “Power Connect Percentage” list at a blistering rate of 48.9, just above Gervonta Davis. He also leads the overall connect rate at 39.5%. FLYWEIGHT: No. 1-rated Sunny Edwards seemed ready to give up in the corner after getting ragdolled in the opening round by Galal Yafai (No. 9), and it was weird because
was completely out-everythinged and went down three times due to the 2020 Olympian’s surgical punching skills. Davis says he has his eyes on Denys Berinchyk’s WBO title next. William Zepeda (No. 3 last month) threw almost 800 punches in his 10-round fight against Tevin Farmer in mid-November, and that’s pretty far below his average, believe it or not. Perhaps that explains how Farmer was able to find a brief opening for a left cross that floored Zepeda in the fourth round (though nothing can explain why Farmer’s trunks were covered with pockets). Zepeda quickly got up and would go on to win by the closest of split decisions, and the panel made adjustments to reflect the competitiveness of the fight: Farmer entered at No. 10, replacing Sam Noakes, and Zepeda was lowered a notch to No. 4. JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT: O’Shaquie Foster was at No. 2 and Robson Conceicao was No. 8 going into their first fight back in July, and that’s where they remained after Conceicao was gifted a split decision win and the Ratings Panel branded it a robbery. In the hastily ordered rematch four months later, Foster regained his WBC title by SD in a fight that was legitimately close. He rose to No. 1 and the Brazilian got a promotion to No. 7 for his efforts. Oscar Valdez went down three times at the hands of WBO titleholder Emanuel Navarrete and was knocked out by a left hook to the liver in Round 6. The fight was a rematch mostly made for the fans after the first encounter in 2023 saw Navarrete win a wide decision even while fighting with an injured hand. The healthy version had no problem bossing Valdez around the ring with
The 24-year-old “Bam” continues to climb the P4P rankings.
POUND FOR POUND: Calm and deliberate, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez just oozes the confidence of a fighter who knows exactly who he is. The punch selection is always appropriate, nothing is wasted and he’s always on a solid foundation, planted for power. If you try to take the side door to escape the pressure, he’s already there to meet you. This was the narrative as the Ring/WBC junior bantamweight champion forcefully dissected Pedro Guevara over the course of three rounds, flooring him once with a straight one-two and then again with a right uppercut for the stoppage. The finishing punch was a triumph in itself, as Rodriguez, a southpaw, stood squarely in front of Guevara and waited for him to signal a left hook, then in one fluid move slipped past the Mexican’s front foot, closed the distance and turned so that the punch had all the rotation of an orthodox power uppercut. It wasn’t a shocking end result, given that Bam was a huge favorite
to win, but it is another page in the now- voluminous case for Rodriguez’s unfolding greatness. The Ratings Panel voted to promote him to No. 6 on the list, putting him above Canelo Alvarez. Oleksandr Usyk remained on the throne at No. 1 after his repeat victory over Tyson Fury. CRUISERWEIGHT: Even though it sometimes looked like the fight was in slow motion and they should be standing in a Tokyo cityscape, knocking over buildings, the energy expended by Gilberto Ramirez and Chris Billam-Smith in their unification bout was incredible. Both men were limp with exhaustion at the end of the mutual pummeling, which WBA titleholder “Zurdo” won by unanimous decision to collect Billam- Smith’s WBO belt. As a result, Ramirez (No. 3 going into the fight) took the No. 1 spot from the tough-as-hell Billam-Smith, who dropped to No. 2.
The aforementioned fight moved Noel Gevor Mikaelyan into the No. 3 position, but he was removed a week later for inactivity. Brandon “Bulletproof” Glanton came in at No. 10 when everyone moved up. Cheavon Clarke (No. 9) dropped out after taking the first loss of his career against undefeated Dominican Leonard Mosquea, who seized the European title by split decision and entered the list at No. 10 after Glanton gained a rank. LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: The threat of Imam Khataev being the next big thing at 175 is now a bit more visible, as he replaced Ali Izmailov at No. 10 after a TKO of Yunior Menendez. The 9-0 (9 KOs) Khataev, who won bronze
rangy jabs and heavy, long- armed hooks and uppercuts, and with the win he took back the No. 1 spot from Foster. Valdez dropped out of the list from No. 3 and Mexico’s Eduardo Hernandez came in at No. 10. Hector Luis Garcia was last seen
in a split-decision loss to Lamont Roach in November 2023, so he was removed from his No. 7 slot and Albert Bell returned to the list for probably the seventh time. FEATHERWEIGHT: Hoping to leave his loss to Nick Ball last June behind, No. 7-rated Raymond Ford moved up to 130 pounds,
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RING RATINGS ANALYSIS THROUGH FIGHTS OF DECEMBER 21, 2024
JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 154 POUNDS
WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 147 POUNDS
JR. WELTERWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 140 POUNDS
MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 160 POUNDS
the insecurity almost seemed like a lingering wound from the undeserved boos Edwards received after his last fight ended with a cut- induced technical decision over Adrian Curiel in Arizona. Yafai continued to push the pace and overwhelmed his former sparring mate for a stoppage in the sixth round, getting a promotion to No. 4 as a reward. Edwards, perhaps his heart not in it anymore after recent events and a punishing loss to Bam Rodriguez in December 2023, announced his retirement soon afterward. He leaves the game with a record of 21-2 (4 KOs), having won the IBF title by outboxing Moruti Mthalane in 2021 and successfully defending the belt four times. With his departure, Tobias Reyes entered the ratings at No. 10. JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT: No. 5-rated Elwin Soto dropped to No. 10 after fighting to a split draw against fellow Mexican Moises Caro (unrated). Darkhorse-in-the-making Thanongsak Simsri crept up another notch, from No. 7 to No. 6, with a split decision win over former WBO titleholder Masataka Taniguchi in Japan. STRAWWEIGHT: South African Siyakholwa Kuse debuted in the ratings at No. 10, replacing Joey Canoy, after a majority decision win over Zimbabwe’s Beaven Sibanda, who took the first
loss of his fledgling career. And finally, there was the championship fight between two men who together weigh less than Oleksandr Usyk but provided a massively entertaining example of why smaller fighters deserve more attention (and money). Oscar Collazo, rated No. 1 going into the fight, held the WBO title and a perfect record. His opponent, whether you call him Thammanoon Niyomtrong or Knockout CP Freshmart, also undefeated, was the WBA incumbent with 12 consecutive defenses in a reign that started in 2016. With him being rated No. 2 in the division ratings, the vacant Ring Magazine championship was also on the line for the first time in the Riyadh Season “Latino Night” co-feature to Ramirez vs. Billam-Smith. Collazo was brilliant, controlling the action with a comprehensive arsenal, dismantling his opponent piece by piece. Niyomtrong was knocked down for the first time – seemingly in disbelief during his entire trip to the canvas – by a counter right hook in Round 6. Starting to fold from all the body shots he was absorbing, he went down again from another right hook in the seventh, and it was a left uppercut that closed the show about 30 seconds later. The Thai fighter slipped to No. 3, and Collazo cemented his place in Puerto Rico’s long tradition of producing giants.
POUND FOR POUND LIST 1 OLEKSANDR USYK Ukraine • 23-0-0 (14 KOs) 2 NAOYA INOUE Japan • 28-0-0 (25 KOs) 3 TERENCE CRAWFORD U.S. • 41-0-0 (31 KOs) 4 ARTUR BETERBIEV Russia • 21-0-0 (20 KOs) 5 DMITRY BIVOL Russia • 23-1-0 (12 KOs) 6 JESSE RODRIGUEZ U.S. • 21-0-0 (14 KOs) 7 CANELO ALVAREZ Mexico • 62-2-2 (39 KOs) 8 GERVONTA DAVIS U.S. • 30-0-0 (28 KOs) 9 JUNTO NAKATANI Japan • 29-0-0 (22 KOs) 10 DEVIN HANEY U.S. • 31-0-0 (15 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 ZHANIBEK ALIMKHANULY IBF, WBO Kazakhstan • 16-0-0 (11 KOs) 2 HAMZAH SHEERAZ U.K. • 21-0-0 (17 KOs) 3 CARLOS ADAMES WBC Dom. Rep. • 24-1-0 (18 KOs) 4 ERISLANDY LARA WBA Cuba • 31-3-3 (19 KOs) 5 CHRIS EUBANK JR. U.K. • 34-3-0 (25 KOs) 6 ETINOSA OLIHA Italy • 21-0-0 (9 KOs) 7 KYRONE DAVIS U.S. • 19-3-1 (6 KOs) 8 TROY ISLEY U.S. • 14-0-0 (5 KOs) 9 SHANE MOSLEY JR . U.S. • 22-4-0 (12 KOs) 10 DENZEL BENTLEY U.K. • 21-3-1 (17 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 TERENCE CRAWFORD WBA U.S. • 41-0-0 (31 KOs) 2 ISRAIL MADRIMOV Uzbekistan • 10-1-1 (7 KOs) 3 BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV IBF Russia • 23-0-0 (17 KOs) 4 SEBASTIAN FUNDORA WBC, WBO U.S. • 21-1-1 (13 KOs) 5 VERGIL ORTIZ U.S. • 22-0-0 (21 KOs) 6 SERHII BOHACHUK Ukraine • 25-2-0 (24 KOs) 7 TIM TSZYU Australia • 24-2-0 (17 KOs) 8 CHARLES CONWELL U.S. • 21-0-0 (16 KOs) 9 JESUS RAMOS U.S. • 21-1-0 (17 KOs) 10 BRIAN MENDOZA U.S. • 22-4-0 (16 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 JARON ENNIS IBF
C TEOFIMO LOPEZ RING, WBO U.S. • 21-1-0 (13 KOs) 1 DEVIN HANEY U.S. • 31-0-0 (15 KOs) 2 JACK CATTERALL U.K. • 30-1-0 (13 KOs) 3 ALBERTO PUELLO WBC Dom. Rep. • 23-0-0 (10 KOs) 4 RICHARDSON HITCHINS IBF U.S. • 19-0-0 (7 KOs) 5 LIAM PARO Australia • 25-1-0 (15 KOs) 6 SUBRIEL MATIAS Puerto Rico • 21-2-0 (21 KOs) 7 JOSH TAYLOR U.K. • 19-2-0 (13 KOs) 8 ANDY HIRAOKA Japan • 24-0-0 (19 KOs) 9 ARNOLD BARBOZA U.S. • 31-0-0 (11 KOs) 9 JOSE VALENZUELA WBA U.S. • 14-2-0 (9 KOs)
U.S. • 33-0-0 (29 KOs) 2 EIMANTAS STANIONIS WBA Lithuania • 15-0-0 (9 KOs) 3 MARIO BARRIOS WBC U.S. • 29-2-1 (18 KOs) 4 DAVID AVANESYAN Russia • 30-5-1 (18 KOs) 5 BRIAN NORMAN JR. WBO U.S. • 26-0-0 (20 KOs) 6 GIOVANI SANTILLAN U.S. • 33-1-0 (18 KOs) 7 SHAKHRAM GIYASOV Uzbekistan • 16-0-0 (9 KOs) 8 ALEXIS ROCHA U.S. • 25-2-1 (16 KOs) 9 JIN SASAKI Japan • 18-1-1 (17 KOs) 10 RAUL CURIEL Mexico • 15-0-1 (13 KOs)
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
C CANELO ALVAREZ RING, WBA, WBC,WBO Mexico • 62-2-2 (39 KOs) 1 CHRISTIAN MBILLI France • 28-0-0 (23 KOs) 2 OSLEYS IGLESIAS Cuba • 13-0-0 (12 KOs) 3 DIEGO PACHECO U.S. • 22-0-0 (18 KOs) 4 CALEB PLANT U.S. • 23-2-0 (14 KOs) 5 WILLIAM SCULL IBF Cuba • 23-0-0 (9 KOs) 6 VLADIMIR SHISHKIN Russia • 16-1-0 (10 KOs) 7 BRUNO SURACE France • 26-0-2 (5 KOs) 8 JAIME MUNGUIA Mexico • 44-2-0 (35 KOs) 9 EDGAR BERLANGA U.S. • 22-1-0 (17 KOs) 10 ERIK BAZINYAN Canada • 32-1-1 (23 KOs) SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS WEIGHT LIMIT: 168 POUNDS
C OLEKSANDR USYK RING, WBA, WBC, WBO Ukraine • 23-0-0 (14 KOs) 1 TYSON FURY U.K. • 34-2-1 (24 KOs) 2 DANIEL DUBOIS IBF U.K. • 22-2-0 (21 KOs) 3 JOSEPH PARKER New Zealand • 35-3-0 (23 KOs) 4 ZHILEI ZHANG China • 27-2-1 (22 KOs) 5 AGIT KABAYEL Germany • 25-0-0 (17 KOs) 6 MARTIN BAKOLE Congo • 21-1-0 (16 KOs) 7 ANTHONY JOSHUA U.K. • 28-4-0 (25 KOs) 8 FILIP HRGOVIC Croatia • 17-1-0 (14 KOs) 9 FABIO WARDLEY U.K. • 18-0-1 (17 KOs) 10 EFE AJAGBA Nigeria • 20-1-0 (14 KOs)
C JAI OPETAIA RING, IBF
C ARTUR BETERBIEV RING, IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO Russia • 21-0-0 (20 KOs) 1 DMITRY BIVOL Russia • 23-1-0 (12 KOs) 2 DAVID BENAVIDEZ U.S. • 29-0-0 (24 KOs) 3 JOSHUA BUATSI U.K. • 19-0-0 (13 KOs) 4 ANTHONY YARDE U.K. • 26-3-0 (24 KOs) 5 ALBERT RAMIREZ Venezuela • 19-0-0 (16 KOs) 6 CALLUM SMITH U.K. • 30-2-0 (22 KOs) 7 OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK Ukraine • 20-2-0 (16 KOs) 8 DAVID MORRELL Cuba • 11-0-0 (9 KOs) 9 WILLY HUTCHINSON U.K. • 18-2-0 (13 KOs) 10 IMAM KHATAEV Russia • 9-0-0 (9 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 GERVONTA DAVIS WBA U.S. • 30-0-0 (28 KOs) 2 VASILIY LOMACHENKO IBF Ukraine • 18-3-0 (12 KOs) 3 SHAKUR STEVENSON WBC U.S. • 22-0-0 (10 KOs) 4 WILLIAM ZEPEDA Mexico • 32-0-0 (27 KOs) 5 KEYSHAWN DAVIS U.S. • 12-0-0 (8 KOs) 6 DENYS BERINCHYK WBO Ukraine • 19-0-0 (9 KOs) 7 RAYMOND MURATALLA U.S. • 22-0-0 (17 KOs) 8 FRANK MARTIN U.S. • 18-1-0 (12 KOs) 9 ANDY CRUZ Cuba • 4-0-0 (2 KOs) 10 TEVIN FARMER U.K. • 33-7-1 (8 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 EMANUEL NAVARRETE WBO Mexico • 39-2-1 (32 KOs) 2 O’SHAQUIE FOSTER WBC U.S. • 23-3-0 (12 KOs) 3 ANTHONY CACACE IBF Ireland • 23-1-0 (8 KOs) 4 LAMONT ROACH WBA U.S. • 25-1-1 (10 KOs) 5 JOE CORDINA U.K. • 17-1-0 (9 KOs) 6 ROBSON CONCEICAO Brazil • 19-3-1 (9 KOs) 7 EDUARDO NUNEZ Mexico • 27-1-0 (27 KOs) 8 ALBERT BATYRGAZIEV Russia • 12-0-0 (9 KOs) 9 EDUARDO HERNANDEZ Mexico • 36-2-0 (32 KOs) 10 ALBERT BELL U.S. • 26-0-0 (9 KOs)
C (VACANT) 1 ANGELO LEO IBF
C NAOYA INOUE RING, IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO Japan • 28-0-0 (25 KOs) 1 MARLON TAPALES Philippines • 39-4-0 (20 KOs) 2 MURODJON AKHMADALIEV Uzbekistan • 13-1-0 (10 KOs) 3 SAM GOODMAN Australia • 19-0-0 (8 KOs) 4 LUIS NERY Mexico • 35-2-0 (27 KOs) 5 ALAN PICASSO Mexico • 31-0-1 (17 KOs) 6 SHABAZ MASOUD U.K. • 14-0-0 (4 KOs) 7 TJ DOHENY Ireland • 26-5-0 (20 KOs) 8 ELIJAH PIERCE U.S. • 20-2-0 (16 KOs) 9 RAMON CARDENAS U.S. • 25-1-0 (14 KOs) 10 SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ Mexico • 18-0-0 (17 KOs)
Australia • 26-0-0 (20 KOs) 1 GILBERTO RAMIREZ WBA, WBO Mexico • 47-1-0 (30 KOs) 2 CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH U.K. • 20-2-0 (13 KOs) 3 ALEKSEI PAPIN Russia • 19-1-0 (18 KOs) 4 RICHARD RIAKPORHE U.K. • 17-1-0 (13 KOs) 5 ARSEN GOULAMIRIAN France • 27-1-0 (19 KOs) 6 MICHAL CIESLAK Poland • 27-2-0 (21 KOs) 7 RYAN ROZICKI Canada • 20-1-1 (19 KOs) 8 YAMIL PERALTA Argentina • 17-1-1 (9 KOs) 9 BRANDON GLANTON U.S. • 20-2-0 (17 KOs) 10 LEONARDO MOSQUEA France • 16-0-0 (9 KOs)
U.S. • 25-1-0 (12 KOs) 2 RAFAEL ESPINOZA WBO Mexico • 26-0-0 (22 KOs) 3 NICK BALL WBA U.K. • 21-0-1 (12 KOs) 4 REY VARGAS Mexico • 36-1-1 (22 KOs) 5 LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ Mexico • 30-3-0 (17 KOs) 6 BRANDON FIGUEROA WBC U.S. • 25-1-1 (19 KOs) 7 MIRCO CUELLO Argentina • 14-0-0 (11 KOs) 8 BRUCE CARRINGTON U.S. • 14-0-0 (8 KOs) 9 ROBEISY RAMIREZ Cuba • 14-3-0 (9 KOs) 10 OMAR TRINIDAD U.S. • 17-0-1 (13 KOs)
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