Leigh Wood (left) was in command during his rematch with Mauricio Lara – Photo courtesy of DAZNBoxing
The Presbytery first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. Almost a century later, it is no exaggeration to claim that this independent ranking is the most respected and discussed in world boxing.
The Ring rating panel consists of a dozen experts from around the world. Opinions are shared, debate takes place and the final decision on who should be assigned where is democratically decided each week. It sounds easy, but it can be a laborious and time-consuming process.
I will go through each division in reverse order, working my way up from strawweight to heavyweight. I will then look at each rated fighter’s respective achievements and look into my crystal ball at what may lie ahead.
Next is featherweight (126 pounds), which is a division with a lot of depth, but no real clear no. 1 not, aside from a few fighters who will soon make the jump to junior lightweight.
As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.
No. 1 – LEIGH WOOD
RECORD: 28-3 (17 KOs)
THE PAST: Wood was a 10-year pro when he claimed the vacant British title at the expense of Reece Mold (TKO 9). That triumph put him in a fight with Chinese punching machine Xu Can, who shockingly upset Wood in a last-round stoppage. The 36-year-old proved he was no fluke by coming off the canvas early to roar back and stop Michael Conlan (TKO 12) while trailing on all three scorecards in The Ring’s 2022 Fight of the Year . He then rolled the dice and met the dangerous Mexican puncher Mauricio Lara, and despite the lead on the scorecards he was stopped in seven rounds. Wood invoked the rematch clause and boxed out a faint Lara (UD 12) to regain his title. He was back on the scorecards again and looked like he was on the verge of losing to Josh Warrington before coming up big with a surprise seventh-round stoppage.
THE FUTURE: Was in talks for a rematch against Warrington earlier this year which ended up not happening. He said he will return in the fall as a junior lightweight.
No. 2 – ANGELO LEO
RECORD: 25-1 (12 KOs)
THE PAST: Leo turned professional in 2012 as a teenager in his native Albuquerque. He recorded notable wins over experienced fighters such as Mark John Yap (UD 10) and former world title challenger Cesar Juarez (TKO 11). When Emanuel Navarrete vacated the WBO 122-pound title, Leo was matched with previously undefeated Tramaine Williams. Leo scored an impressive 12-round unanimous decision, but lost his belt in his first defense against Stephen Fulton (UD 12). After one comeback win, Leo spent two and a half years on the sidelines before returning earlier this year and scoring two wins to earn a shot at IBF featherweight titleholder Luis Alberto Lopez. The two battled evenly until Leo thrilled his hometown fans with a picture-perfect one-punch knockout in the 10th round.
THE FUTURE: He’s still basking in his recent world title win, but when he does return, he’ll have to face mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda.
LOOK AT THIS BRUTAL COW BY ANGELO LEO ONE MORE TIME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aPy9PW697g
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 11, 2024
No. 3 – KING VARGAS
RECORD: 36-1-1 (22 KOs)
THE PAST: Vargas won the WBC 122-pound title when he boxed out Gavin McDonnell (MD 12). The tall Mexican boxer made five defenses of the belt, notably Ronnie Rios (UD 12), Azat Hovhannisyan (UD 12) and Tomoki Kameda (UD 12). However, injuries and Covid slowed his activity. He only fought once in three years, but returned to face Mark Magsayo (SD 12) for the WBC title. The 33-year-old moved up to 130 pounds to try to become a three-weight world titleholder when he contested the vacant WBC belt, but he was outboxed by O’Shaquie Foster (UD 12). He returned to 126 pounds and was tied by Nick Ball (D 12) earlier this year.
THE FUTURE: A long-awaited fight with Brandon Figueroa is expected to take place on a PBC program in the fall.
Rey Vargas (right) punches Nick Ball during the Knockout Chaos boxing card at the Kingdom Arena on March 8, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
No. 4 – NICK BALL
RECORD: 20-0-1 (11 KOs)
THE PAST: Ball turned professional in 2017 and won a WBC regional title by beating Isaac Lowe (TKO 6) on the Tyson Fury-Dillian Whyte undercard. It was the leg the 27-year-old needed. He then added wins over Ludumo Lamati (TKO 12) and former junior featherweight titlist Isaac Dogboe (UD 12) to solidify his title credentials. In March, Ball overcame a major disadvantage to drop WBC titlist Vargas twice to earn a draw that many felt he deserved to win. He then met WBA reigning Raymond Ford and defeated him in a close 12 round split decision.
THE FUTURE: He will have a homecoming match against Ronny Rios on October 5th.
The Homecoming is ready! 😤@nick_ball97 defends his WBA featherweight title against Ronny Rios in his hometown.
Full Story: https://t.co/Uqs8BBzRbc pic.twitter.com/GCvHjXZkcA
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) August 15, 2024
no 5 – LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ
RECORD: 30-3 (17 KOs)
THE PAST: The Mexicali native turned pro in 2015 and moved through the ranks, but dropped decisions to Abraham Montoya (SD 10) and Ruben Villa (UD 10) while learning on the job. He won nine straight fights, notably the previously undefeated trio of Cristian Baez (TKO 5), Gabriel Flores Jr. (UD 10) and beat Isaac Lowe (KO 7) to become the IBF mandatory challenger for Josh Warrington. When that chance came, he knocked off Warrington (MD 12) in the defending champion’s hometown. He took his title to Michael Conlan’s backyard in Belfast and stunned the locals by stopping the Irishman in five rounds. Victories over Joet Gonzalez (UD 12) and Reiya Abe (TKO 8) followed before he came loose against Angelo Leo (KO 10).
THE FUTURE: The 31-year-old’s career hangs in the balance after suffering a minor brain bleed in the loss to Leo.
No. 6 – RAFAEL ESPINOZA
RECORD: 25-0 (21 KOs)
THE PAST: The Mexican beanpole (6-foot-1) fought almost exclusively in his homeland for the first decade of his career before seemingly coming out of nowhere to come off the canvas and upset Robeisy Ramirez (MD 12). The 30-year-old looked to grow into the title win by easily stopping Sergio Chirino (TKO 4) in his first defense.
THE FUTURE: He could face Ramirez in a rematch later this year, although there is also the possibility of him taking his enormous frame to 130 pounds.
Brandon Figueroa (right) lands a hook on Mark Magsayo – Photo by Esther Lin/Showtime
No. 7 – BRANDON FIGUEROA
RECORD: 25-1-1 (19 KOs)
THE PAST: Figueroa followed his older brother, Omar (a former lightweight titleholder), into boxing, initially earning his stripes on the local scene in Texas. When his chance came, he lived up to his “Heartbreaker” moniker by stopping Oscar Escandon (KO 10) and Moises Flores (KO 3) in fights that put him in the 122-pound rankings. The 27-year-old impressed by knocking out previously unbeaten Luis Nery (KO 7) with a brutal body shot, earning him the WBC 122-pound belt. He was just taken out trying to unify with WBO titlist Stephen Fulton (MD 12), then moved up to featherweight (a more natural division given his tall and sturdy frame) and won three times, including against Mark Magsayo (UD) 12) in a fan-friendly shootout and, most recently, Jesse Magdaleno (KO 9).
THE FUTURE: Now that PBC is picking up more business, he could find himself facing WBC titlist Vargas next.
No. 8 – RAYMOND FORD
RECORD: 15-1-1 (8 KOs)
THE PAST: Ford was a solid amateur and ended his time in the unpaid ranks by winning the Golden Gloves in 2018. He turned professional with Matchroom the following year, beating the likes of future world title challenger Edward Vazquez (SD 10), fringe contender Sakaria Lukas (KO 8) and former world title challenger Jessie Magdaleno (UD 12). When the opportunity came to fight for the vacant WBA title, he scored a thrilling final round stoppage over Otabek Kholmatov (TKO 12). The New Jersey native was knocked out of the title by Ball (SD 12) in his first defense.
THE FUTURE: The 25-year-old southpaw has already stated his intention to move up to 130 pounds, which could happen in one of his promoter Matchroom’s US cards in November or December.
No. 9 – ROBEISY RAMIREZ
RECORD: 14-2 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Ramirez, who won gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, became widely acclaimed after defecting from Cuba. Things didn’t go according to plan when Ramirez was stunned by Adan Gonzales (SD 4) in his pro debut, but the worm turned quickly. After regrouping, he eliminated Gonzalez (UD 6) in a rematch, and went from strength to strength. The 30-year-old southpaw looked the right thing to dismantle Eric Donovan (TKO 3) and previously undefeated Abraham Nova (KO 5). Those victories earned him a shot at the vacant WBO title, which he won by dominating Isaac Dogboe (UD 12). He stopped Satoshi Shimizu (TKO 5) in his first defense in Japan before losing to the then-unbeaten Espinoza (MD 12) in The Ring Magazine Upset of The Year. He bounced back well and stopped Brandon Leon Benitez (TKO 7).
THE FUTURE: At this point, it’s not clear, although he’ll likely get a top-ranked card in the coming months, possibly in a rematch with Espinoza.
No. 10 – JOSH WARRINGTON
RECORD: 31-3-1 (8 KOs)
THE PAST: Warrington followed the traditional route of winning British, Commonwealth and European championships before defeating IBF title holder Lee Selby (SD 12). The hugely popular Leeds-born fighter made three defences, notably turning away the challenges of Carl Frampton (UD 12) and Kid Galahad (SD 12). He vacated his title rather than face Galahad a second time and came loose against Mauricio Lara (TKO 9). The rematch was cut short at the end of the second round due to a clash of heads. But the 33-year-old regained his IBF title by stopping Kiko Martinez (TKO 7) in a fight that left the Brit with a broken jaw. However, he has since lost to Lopez (MD 12) and came up short against Wood (TKO 7).
THE FUTURE: He will step up to 130 pounds and face IBF titleholder Anthony Cacace on September 21 as part of the Riyadh Season bill in London.
On the Cusp: Bruce Carrington, Mirko Cuello, Victor Morales, Sulaiman Segawa and Otabek Kholmatov.
YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:
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The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Strawweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Checked 2024: Junior Flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Checked 2024: Flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Checked 2024: Junior Bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Checked 2024: Junior Featherweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at (email protected).
