In his most up-to-date battle, No. 1-rated strawweight Oscar Collazo (left) overcame some early-round challenges to totally outpoint Gerardo Zapata in protection of his WBO title. (Photograph by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy Promotions)
The Ring first launched its divisional rankings in 1925. Virtually a century later, it’s no exaggeration to say that these impartial rankings are probably the most revered and talked-about in world boxing.
The Ring Rankings Panel is made up of a dozen consultants from around the globe. Opinions are shared, debate takes place, and the ultimate determination on who needs to be ranked the place is set democratically each week. It sounds straightforward, however this may be an arduous and time-consuming course of.
Right here I can be going via every division in reverse order and work my approach up from strawweight to heavyweight and take a look at every ranked fighter’s respective achievements, then gaze into my crystal ball and predict what could lie forward.
After a busy first half of 2024, we’re able to compile one other divisional breakdown.
Subsequent up is strawweight (105-pound restrict), which is present process some modifications with fighters on the high of the division and others jockeying for place slightly below them. As at all times, please benefit from the debate and respect different individuals’s opinions.
No. 1 – OSCAR COLLAZO
RECORD: 10-0 (7 KOs)
THE PAST: Collazo received 5 nationwide titles, gold on the 2019 Pan-Am video games, and had aspirations of representing his nation on the 2020 Olympics. Nonetheless, his weight class was not acknowledged and he determined to make the swap to skilled boxing in February 2020. The 27-year-old southpaw moved rapidly within the paid ranks and beat former WBO titlist Vic Saludar (UD 12) in his fifth professional bout. He claimed the WBO world title by stopping Melvin Jerusalem (RTD 7) and has since remained lively with three profitable defenses in opposition to Garen Diagan (RTD 6), Reyneris Gutierrez (TKO 3) and, most lately, Gerardo Zapata (UD 12).
THE FUTURE: The working plan is for Collazo to return in late September/ October. His brief time period objective is to make 5 profitable defenses after which intention for a unification in 2025.
No. 2 – PEDRO TADURAN
RECORD: 17-4-1 (13 KOs)
THE PAST: Taduran turned skilled at 18 and received 12 of his first 13 fights, capturing the Filipino nationwide title. He made an bold try in opposition to the vastly extra skilled Wanheng Menayothin (L UD 12) for the WBC title in Thailand in 2018. After returning to profitable methods, he acquired off the canvas to beat beforehand unbeaten compatriot Samuel Salva (RTD 4) to win the vacant IBF title. The heavy-handed 27-year-old had a technical draw in opposition to Daniel Valladares (D 4) and twice misplaced to Rene Mark Cuarto (UD 12/ TD 7). Since then he has received three fights in a row, together with one over compatriot Jake Amparo (UD 12) and an upset over Ginjiro Shigeoka (TKO 9) to regain his outdated IBF title.
THE FUTURE: The proud Filipino is having fun with a victory lap earlier than trying to return, probably within the fall.
No. 3 – MELVIN JERUSALEM
RECORD: 22-3 (12 KOs)
THE PAST: Jerusalem received his first 11 fights at house within the Philippines earlier than shedding a razor skinny determination to then-WBC titlist Wanheng Menayothin (UD 12). He suffered a hangover and misplaced to compatriot Joey Canoy (UD 10) in his subsequent bout earlier than profitable eight consecutive fights and touchdown a WBO title shot in opposition to Masataka Taniguchi. The 30-year-old made probably the most of his alternative scoring a formidable second-round stoppage. He yielded the title in his first defenses in opposition to Collazo (RTD 7) however impressively bounced again to annex the WBC title from Yudai Shigeoka (SD 12).
THE FUTURE: He might look to make his first protection in opposition to necessary challenger Luis Castillo someday in September.
No. 4 – KNOCKOUT CP FRESHMART
RECORD: 24-0 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Thammanoon Niyomtrong (aka Knockout CP Freshmart) is the longest lively reigning world titleholder, having received the WBA title from Byron Rojas (UD 12) in June 2016. The 33-year-old has made 11 defenses, turning again the challenges of Rey Loreto (UD 12), Chaozhong Xiong (UD 12), Rojas (UD 12), Robert Paradero (TKO 5) and, in his most up-to-date battle, former long-reigning WBC titleholder Wanheng Menayothin (UD 12). He had been because of defend his title in opposition to Erick Rosa on March 1, 2023, however the battle was nixed throughout battle week because of immigration points in Thailand (which barred Rosa from coming into the nation). With either side unable to dealer a deal, Rosa went up in weight.
THE FUTURE: Freshmart is tabbed to snap a two-year spell of inactivity when he faces Alex Winwood on September 7 in Australia.
No. 5 – YUDAI SHIGEOKA
RECORD: 8-1 (5 KOs)
THE PAST: Yudai received 5 nationwide titles and had goals of representing Japan on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Nonetheless, when his weight class was expunged, equally to Collazo, he elected to show skilled in October 2019. Though not fairly as extremely considered his youthful brother (Ginjiro), he’s nonetheless a wonderful fighter with a vivid future. He notably edged the extra skilled Tsubasa Koura (MD 12) in 2021 and stopped former world champion Wilfredo Mendez (KO 7). The 27-year-old bested Petchmanee CP Freshmart (UD 12) to grow to be WBC titlist however surprisingly misplaced to Melvin Jerusalem (SD 12).
THE FUTURE: He’ll return in opposition to Samuel Salva on August 24 at Yamato Enviornment in Osaka, Japan.
No. 6 – GINJIRO SHIGEOKA
RECORD: 11-1 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Shigeoka was a standout novice earlier than turning professional in September 2018. He notably stopped former world title challenger Rey Loreto (KO 5) in his fifth bout. Had it not been for the pandemic – he didn’t battle for 18 months – the diminutive 24-year-old southpaw could have already received a world title. He was doing a quantity on Daniel Valladares earlier than the battle was curtailed because of a head-clash that dominated the battle a no-contest. He impressively defeated Rene Mark Cuarto (TKO 9) after which took aside Valladares (TKO 5) to say the IBF title. He has since defended it as soon as in opposition to late-sub Jake Amparo (KO 2) earlier than being surprisingly upset by Taduran (TKO 9).
THE FUTURE: He suffered an orbital fracture in opposition to Taduran that wanted surgical procedure and can probably be off for some time.
No. 7 – PETCHMANEE CP FRESHMART
RECORD: 43-2 (27 KOs)
THE PAST: Identified additionally by his beginning title, Panya Pradabsri, Freshmart received a number of regional belts earlier than claiming the WBC title by unseating long-reigning countryman Wanheng Menayothin in November 2020. The 33-year-old Thai efficiently defended his title 4 instances, notably besting Menayothin (UD 12) in a rematch and Norihito Tanaka twice (UD 12/ TKO 8), however misplaced his crown to Yudai Shigeoka (UD 12) final October. He has bounced again with two low-level wins.
THE FUTURE: He’s apparently in line to battle for the vacant WBC junior flyweight title in opposition to Carlos Canizales.
No. 8 – WILFREDO MENDEZ
RECORD: 19-3-1 (6 KOs)
THE PAST: Mendez shocked Vic Saludar (UD 12) to win the WBO title in 2019. The 27-year-old southpaw made two defenses in opposition to Axel Aragon Vega (TD 7) and Gabriel Mendoza (TKO 9) earlier than shedding to Masataka Taniguchi (TKO 11). “Bimbito” scored two wins earlier than coming unstuck in opposition to Yudai Shigeoka (KO 7). Since then, he has drawn with ArAr Andales (TDraw 4) and crushed Jesus Haro (UD 12).
THE FUTURE: He won a WBA regional belt final trip, so could have his eye on the Freshmart-Winwood winner.
No. 9 – HASANBOY DUSMATOV
RECORD: 6-0 (5 KOs)
THE PAST: The fantastically gifted Uzbekistani boxer is an novice standout. He received gold on the 2016 Rio Olympics in addition to a slew of different medals at World Championships and Asian Video games. The 31-year-old southpaw turned skilled in 2019 however has fought between each skilled and novice codes. He holds wins over beforehand unbeaten Moises Caro (TKO 3) and, in his most up-to-date skilled bout, Siphamandla Baleni (UD 10). On Aug. 8, he beat Billal Bennama within the ultimate at 51 kg on the Paris Video games to grow to be a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
THE FUTURE: Hopefully, when the mud settles after basking in his Olympic success, he switches his consideration to the skilled ranks.
No. 10 – LUIS CASTILLO
RECORD: 21-0-1 (13 KOs)
THE PAST: Castillo has been an expert since 2014. All his fights so far have taken place in his native Mexico, the place he stays unbeaten. The 27-year-old southpaw from Los Mochis notably holds latest wins over Abraham Rodriguez (TKO 6) and Miguel Angel Herrera (UD 10).
THE FUTURE: He’s the WBC’s No. 1-rated fighter, so he’ll be ready for a title-shot alternative to come up.
On the Cusp: Goki Kobayashi, Siyakhowla Kuse, Beavon Sibanda, Alex Winwood and DianXing Zhu.
Questions and/or feedback could be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
