OVER the last month, there have been a host of fights, announcements and whispers that have impacted the WBA rankings. Here, Boxing News looks at how and why the WBA have adjusted their world ratings.
United Kingdom & Ireland – Adam Azim removed from super-lightweight rankings
To begin, Telford’s Liam Davies has broke into the featherweight top 15, now positioned at #14, after moving up from super-bantamweight and winning on his 126lb debut back in May.
As anticipated, Doncaster’s Josh Padley has dropped out of the lightweight world rankings due to his upcoming super-featherweight clash against Reece Bellotti next month.
Padley had previously been rated as the world #6 at 135lbs, he enters the 130lb ranks at the same position.
However, the surprising news this month is that top prospect Adam Azim (prev. #9) has been removed from the WBA’s super-lightweight rankings entirely. This could be due to a move up in weight, an upcoming title challenge or simply inactivity, but at this point it remains unclear.
In the super-middleweight division, Ireland-born Connor Coyle (prev. #3) is out, after the revelation of his failed drugs test, whilst Manchester’s Jimmy ‘Kilrain’ Kelly has also been removed, losing his spot as the world #13.
There has also been movement at light-heavyweight, with Zach Parker entering as a new entrant at #13 ahead of his November meeting with Joshua Buatsi. Meanwhile, the polarising Ben Whittaker has moved up three places, from #14 to #11.
Lastly, Moses Itauma has been installed as the new #1 contender at heavyweight, swapping places with America’s Michael Hunter, who assumes the #2 spot, but is poised to challenge Kubrat Pulev for the WBA (Regular) title.
World – Junto Nakatani’s move to super-bantamweight is confirmed as he assumes top spot at 122lbs
On the world stage, the retirement of Yudai Shigeoka has meant he has been removed from the WBA minimumweight rankings. His previous position as the world #10 has been taken up by a new entrant in Jayson Vayson, who challenges Oscar Collazo for the unified world titles in three weeks’ time.
At light-flyweight, Mexico’s Aaron de la Cruz Escobedo scored a sensational first round knockout of Rodrigo Ramirez on away soil last month. As a result, Escobedo enters as the new world #4, whilst Ramirez drops down from #4 to #11.
Yet, the most notable movements are at super-bantamweight, where Junto Nakatani’s imminent move up from the bantamweight division has been all but confirmed, entering the 122lb division as the new #1 contender ahead of a salivating showdown with Naoya Inoue.
Also at super-bantam, Sam Goodman has re-entered the ratings at #9, seemingly moving back down in weight after failing in a bid for the WBA featherweight title against Nick Ball in Riyadh.
Goodman had been the featherweight #5 but must forego that position, whilst previous number one contender Mirco Cuello must do the same, after claiming the interim title in Libya.
Connecticut-based William Foster III (prev. #7) lost out to Muhamad Yaqubov by majority decision last month and has subsequently been removed from the super-featherweight rankings.
Although, the United States do boast a new player at lightweight, with undefeated Albert Bell entering the WBA 135lb rankings at #10, after securing a unanimous-decision victory against Keith Hunter at the weekend.
It was the super-welterweight division that provided fans with one of the biggest upsets in recent months, as Abass Baraou (prev. #1) scored a decision win against Yoenis Tellez to claim the WBA interim super-welterweight title.
Consequently, the German has been removed from the WBA rankings, whilst Tellez has re-entered at #4 and Russia’s Magomed Kurbanov (prev. #5) completely dropped out.
Finally, at light-heavyweight, Albert Ramirez is another who claimed a WBA interim strap, thus losing his #3 spot. However, it is defeats that have cost former #9 Jerome Pampellone and former #12 Imam Khataev their respective positions in the top 15.
