The reaction to Ring Magazine’s updated junior featherweight rankings was immediate and loud. It’s been simmering since last weekend. The list simply turned up the heat.
Junto Nakatani was ranked #4 after his unanimous decision win over Sebastian Hernandez on December 27th. Hernandez fell one spot to #5. On paper, it looked like a routine adjustment. In context, it came across as a provocation.
The fight itself remains the problem. Two judges scored it 115 to 113. The third sent in a staggering 118 to 110 card that few observers could reconcile with the action in the ring. The battle was competitive throughout. Momentum has shifted. Rounds were traded. A lot of fans felt Hernandez took it easy. Others saw a draw. Very few saw a wide margin.
That disconnect caused the backlash. Not just about who won. About how decisive the official result said it happened.
Ranking Nakatani so quickly above Hernandez has been interpreted by critics as confirmation bias. The feeling that the decision was not only accepted, but strengthened. Fan responses across platforms framed the update as salt in the wound. Hernandez, they argue, has done enough to earn either the win or at least parity in the rankings.
The timing matters. Nakatani is already set for a May 2026 title challenge against Naoya Inoue, who remains the division’s champion and center of gravity. That path now feels accelerated by controversy rather than cleared by achievement.
None of this proves that Nakatani can’t compete at an elite level. But it does explain why the ranking change landed so poorly. The fight did not resolve the questions. It created them. Elevating one side while downgrading the other has only heightened scrutiny about judging, ranking logic and whether the gap between contender and champion is being measured fairly.
For now the fire has already burned. The rankings simply added more fuel to it.
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Last updated on 31/12/2025
