AFTER another month of fights and announcements, there has been some notable changes in the IBF world rankings. Boxing News takes a look at how and why the IBF ratings have been updated.
United Kingdom and Ireland – Anthony Joshua drops out
There has been minimal movement in the IBF rankings for UK and Irish fighters. At super-flyweight, Liverpool’s Jack Turner scored a stoppage win against Nicolas Agustin Muguruza, and ‘El Terrier’ has moved up three places, from #15 to #12, as a result.
However, the major talking point from this month’s IBF rankings is the omission of two-time heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, who has dropped out of the ratings, despite being ranked as the #6 contender last month.
The absence of ‘AJ’ could be down to a number of factors, but it seems as though inactivity may be the cause, with Great Britain’s heavyweight poster boy yet to fight since defeat to Daniel Dubois almost 12 months ago.
Rest of World – Kenshiro Teraji could challenge for IBF title on super-fly debut
At light-flyweight, Jayson Vayson has foregone his #3 position, after moving down in weight ahead of a challenge for the unified minimumweight world titles next weekend. Meanwhile, Yudai Shigeoka has retired from the sport, thus losing his spot as the IBF #13 at 108lbs.
In late July, Kenshiro Teraji lost his unified flyweight world titles to Ricardo Sandoval and ‘The Amazing Boy’ has since confirmed a move to super-flyweight. He has now entered the IBF 112lb rankings at #6, possibly opening the door to a rumoured challenge for the IBF crown held by Willibaldo Garcia Perez.
Also at super-fly, Mexico’s Argi Cortes has made a dramatic drop from #3 to #11, despite a victory over Bairon Gonzalez last month.
Following on from an unsuccessful title challenge at featherweight, Australia’s Sam Goodman has returned to the super-bantamweight ratings, re-entering at #10 and signalling that his future may lie at 122lbs, whilst Elijah Pierce has been removed from his position at #9.
Pierce is now campaigning at featherweight and enters the rankings at #11. However, Mirco Cuello has lost his place at #13, due to his WBA interim title win.
Up at welterweight, there is a new contender, as Dominican Republic’s Rohan Polanco emerges as the IBF #10, but previous #9 Giovani Santillan has been removed, after moving up to 154lbs.
At super-welterweight, amongst a host of changes, Santillan has been installed at the #10 spot, but both Erickson Lubin (prev. #1) and Keith Thurman (prev. #8) are nowhere to be seen due to upcoming title challenges.
The key movement in the division is the inclusion of Jaron Ennis as the IBF’s new #6 contender, after the former unified welterweight world champion announced his debut in the division against Angola’s Uisma Lima.
Last week, it was revealed that super-middleweight contender Jaime Munguia has avoided a ban despite a positive drugs test earlier in the calendar. Therefore, the Tijuana-based fighter has been inserted back into the rankings, returning at #4 with the IBF.
Finally, Filip Hrgovic’s win over David Adeleye has been rewarded with a move up from #12 to #8, whilst Italy’s Guido Vianello sneaks in at #15, ahead of his clash with Alexis Barriere next month.
