Nick Ball carried the ever game Ronny Rios during their WBA featherweight title fight in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Nick Ball had a banner year with exceptional performances in three consecutive featherweight world title bouts: a majority draw vs. King Vargas in March, a difficult split decision on Raymond Ford in June, and a 10th round stoppage of tough veteran Ronny Rios on October 5th.
The rough-and-tumble Englishman is part of a new wave of 126-pound standouts replacing longtime contenders from the division, such as Josh Warringtonwho lost a unanimous decision to junior lightweight belt holder Anthony Cacace on the Joshua-Dubois undercard on September 21.
Anson Wainwright suggested that Ball (21-01, 12 KOs) of no. 4 to no. 3 in the rankings, and the Ring rating panel unanimously agreed without hesitation.
However, the panel was not so quick to decide who would replace Warrington.
The 33-year-old veteran’s move to the 130-pound division, the subsequent loss and strong hints of retirement necessitated his exit from The Ring’s featherweight rankings.
The week after Warrington’s loss, the popular choice for his replacement was in the 126-pound top-10 Bruce Carringtonthe undefeated American who was The Ring’s 2023 Prospect of the Year. Wainwright suggested that the 27-year-old Brooklynite at no. 10 (Warrington’s old place) come in.
But Abraham Gonzalez asked the panel to dwell on this suggestion, knowing that Carrington had a fight that week.
“… regarding Carrington, should we wait until Friday’s fight before we bring him in or has he done enough?” asked Gonzalez. “I personally think we’re waiting.”
Jake Donovan and Adam Abramowitz agreed, as well Daisuke Sugiura who added this comment:
“As Abe suggested, let’s see how Carrington will deal with Sulaiman Segawa. Shu Shu wasn’t that impressive last time (Die Monster, which was the first time, wasn’t impressed), and it’s a good test.”
Added Diego Morilla: “I’m high on Carrington and I believe it’s only a matter of time before he reaches at least the Top 5. I can understand that waiting for a result is always a good idea, but in this case I think we can ignore that requirement. I’m fine anyway.”
The Panel waited, and Carrington did indeed have a tough time with the hard-swinging Ugandan southpaw en route to a close 10-round decision.
Still, Wainwright suggested that Carrington (13-0, 8 KOs) enter the rankings.
“Bruce Carrington went past Sulaiman Segawa by a 10-round majority decision,” he noted Wainwright. “We discussed Shu Shu as a replacement for current no. 10 Josh Warrington after Warrington lost at 130 pounds last week. Shu Shu won, but had a harder time than expected. Did he do enough to get the no. 10 to take place? I will say yes and stick with Shu Shu which is at no. 10 income.”
Bruce Carrington (right) and Sulaiman Segawa go toe to toe. Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Morel agreed.
“Segawa was a solid test for Carrington, a tough cookie with a deceptive record, and it’s hard to look good against a guy with his style. Yes to Shu Shu at no. 10.”
But Abramowitz didn’t think it was a good idea.
“I wouldn’t bring Carrington in after that performance,” he said. “I’m not even sure he served to win the fight.”
Donovan agreed Abramowitz.
“Looked for something on Friday that would define Shu Shu as a contender and didn’t see it,” Donovan said. “He will probably get in one time Leigh Wood dropout (inactivity) and Luis Alberto Lopez is confirmed out of the ring indefinitely.
“Poor choices for no. 10 place. Regardless, I’d rather go along Stephen Fulton (whose performance I thought our board was too critical of, against a better opponent) or even Arnold Khegaialthough I wish he had better wins at 126.”
Your favorite Chief Editor gave her two cents and added some other potential replacements.
“I agree with Adam that Shu Shu’s latest performance is not the one that gets him on our featherweight rankings. But who replaces Warrington then?
“We can together with the experienced world class like Fulton or Tomoki Kameda. However, Fulton has just arrived at 126, and he was lucky to win his debut (against the very good Carlos Castro), while Kameda can barely separate himself from (the very solid but unrated) Lerato Dlamini. We can go with an emerging like Omar Trinidadwho only recently stepped up to the 10-round level but has looked formidable against solid opposition in his two bouts (Jose Perez and Victor Slavinskyi) at that distance this year. I would nominate Victor Moralesbut he has been inactive for over a year.
“Khegai is 6-0 at featherweight. Who else is out there? I am not familiar with Mirco Cuello (from Argentina) and Dayan Gonzalez (a Cuban based in Dubai).
Answered Abramowitz: “I’ll go with Mirco Cuello at No. 10. Clean wins over Segawa and Rudy Garcia.”
Donovan agree with the Cuello choice.
Mirco Cuello (R) and fellow undefeated up-and-comer Rudy Garcia battle it out in a September 15, 2023 ShoBox matchup. Photo by Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME
Added Sugiura: “I personally think Kameda is underrated, and I was actually impressed by his win over Dlamini. But if Cuello beat Segawa convincingly then it should be him.”
Added Wainwright: “If we don’t go with Shu Shu, I’ll go with Cuello.
“Fulton needs to do more with the weight, Morales has been inactive for almost a year, Kameda is on the edge, but didn’t look good again.”
Added Morel: “Cuello is the real thing, yes. Super talented and motivated, Olympic background, etc. I still think Carrington has more upside right now, but I see both of them in our Top 10 in the near future and staying there for a long time. I can go either way, but I still think Shu Shu is the right choice.”
Let the record state it Diego Morilla is a firm believer in Carrington, who will no doubt crack The Ring rankings over time, probably sooner rather than later. But for now, it’s the 24-year-old Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs), who has the scalp of five undefeated opponents on his record, who takes the count.
As Donovan noted, the boxing future of Luis Lopez (currently No. 5) remains cloudy due to the brain hemorrhage he suffered following his KO loss to Angelo Leo (No. 2) in August. Wood (currently No. 1) hit the one-year inactive mark on Oct. 7, so unless he announces a fight this week, he will drop out of the rankings. And Ray Ford (currently No. 8) is expected to campaign at junior lightweight going forward.
Carrington’s fellow up-and-comers Morales and Trinidad, and the experienced Fulton and Kameda, are all likely replacements.
RING RATING UPDATE (as of October 5):
MIDDLE WEIGHT – Janibek Alimkhanuly remains at No. 1 after a one-sided ninth-round TKO of undefeated but totally outclassed Andrei Mikhailovich.
“Janibek Alimkhanuly dropped Andrei Mikhailovich early and beat the tough Russian-born New Zealander,” Wainwright noted. “Credit to (Mikhailovich’s promoter) No Limit (who won the purse to promote the title match). They did everything they could to level the playing field by giving Janibek just 29 days notice and then not fighting for the WBO title, meaning Janibek would have to go to the IBF’s second day (weigh-in) decision complied, but it all proved a moot point as Janibek’s class told and he scored a ninth-round stoppage.”
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT – Erickson Lubin exits due to inactivity. Bakhram Murtazuliev (22-0, 16 KOs), who is no. 5-rated facing Tim Tszyu on October 19, returns at No. 10.
FEATHER WEIGHT – Ball advances to no. 3. Warrington goes out. Cuello enters at No.10.
JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT – Alan Picasso stay at no. 6 after a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision over tough veteran Azat Hovhannisyan.
FLIGHT WEIGHT – Galal Yafai remains at number 10 after a third round stoppage of journeyman Sergio Orozco Oliva.
Email Fischer at (email protected). Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and join him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and friends via Tom’s or Doug’s IG Live most Sundays.
