JULY hosted an undisputed heavyweight title fight, a career-best display from Hamzah Sheeraz and a bundle of fight announcements. Here, we look at how the IBF rankings have been impacted.
United Kingdom & Ireland – Brit’s Berlanga blast earns a boost
Cardiff’s Joe Cordina, 18-1 (9 KOs), ended a 14-month hiatus with a points victory over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz at the beginning of the month and has subsequently entered the IBF 135lb ratings at #14. Doncaster’s Josh Padley, 16-1 (5 KOs), also enters at #15, although his confirmed move to super-featherweight means he will likely drop out next month.
Meanwhile, up at super-lightweight, Ireland’s European champion Pierce O’Leary, 17-0 (9 KOs) and British champion Jack Rafferty, 26-0 (17 KOs), have entered at #14 and #15 respectively, whilst hot prospect Adam Azim, 13-0 (10 KOs), has moved up five places to #10.
At super-middleweight, Hamzah Sheeraz, 22-0-1 (18 KOs), has been rewarded with a jump from #10 to #5, after his stellar beatdown of Edgar Berlanga in New York.
However, both Lewis Edmondson, 11-1 (3 KOs), and Anthony Yarde, 27-3 (24 KOs), have dropped out of the light-heavyweight rankings, due to Edmondson’s defeat to Daniel Lapin and the announcement of Yarde’s challenge for the WBC world title.
Finally, Daniel Dubois, 22-3 (21 KOs), lost his IBF heavyweight title to Oleksandr Usyk when challenging for the undisputed throne. He now re-enters the heavyweight rankings as the IBF’s #9 contender.
Rest of the World – Two-time Olympic medallist enters the fray
As far as the rest of the world is concerned, Zimbabwe’s Beaven Sibanda, 9-1 (3 KOs), claimed the IBF International minimumweight title with a knockout victory in South Africa. As a result, the 23-year-old has entered the 105lb rankings at #9, as he continues his bid to become the first boxing world champion from his country.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Hasanboy Dusmatov, 7-0 (5 KOs), has entered the flyweight rankings at #8, whilst Brandon Figueroa, 26-2-1 (19 KOs), enters the featherweight ratings at #6, after his decision triumph over Joet Gonzalez.
At super-lightweight, victories for both Oscar Duarte, 30-2-1 (23 KOs), and Regis Prograis, 30-3 (24 KOs), have merited an admission, with the Mexican becoming the new #5 and Prograis rated at #12.
Former IBF super-lightweight world champion Liam Paro, 26-1 (16 KOs), revealed his move up to the welterweight division and the Australian southpaw now sits at #7 in the rankings at 147lbs.
Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev, 12-1 (9 KOs), has broken into the IBF super-middleweight rankings at #15, with Puerto Rico’s Najee Lopez, 14-0 (11 KOs), doing the same at light-heavyweight.
Also, at light-heavyweight, Cuban fan-favourite David Morrell, 12-1 (9 KOs), is a new entrant, with his controversial split-decision victory against Imam Khataev last month deemed enough to warrant the position as the IBF’s #5 contender.
Last but not least, Texas’ Tristan Kalkreuth, 16-1 (11 KOs), needed just two rounds to halt Devonte Williams last weekend on the Duarte-Sims undercard. Subsequently, ‘Sweet T’ has entered the IBF’s cruiserweight rankings as their new #15.
The up-to-date rankings are available to view in full on the Boxing News website by pressing here.
