LAST month, we witnessed a generational super-middleweight world title win, as well as a number of title changes and vacations amongst the lower weight divisions. Here, Boxing News takes a look at how the IBF world rankings have been impacted.
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND – MOSES ITAUMA SUFFERS MAJOR FALL
Having moved up and debuted at featherweight back in May with a points win against Kurt Walker, Telford’s Liam Davies has now entered the IBF ratings at 126lbs in the #14 spot.
Meanwhile, despite maintaining his 18-fight unbeaten record in July, British, Commonwealth and European champion Ryan Garner has dropped from #11 to #14 in the updated super-featherweight rankings.
At super-lightweight, there has been a more positive move for one of the Lonsdale Belt holders, as 140lb titleholder Jack Rafferty has crept into the #15 position.
Sunderland’s Pat McCormack is another who has taken up the #15 position in his respective division, after the 30-year-old welterweight contender halted Miguel Parra in an impressive victory last month.
In the super-welterweight division, Conor Benn has now dropped out entirely, having previously held the #7 position, but not fighting at 154lbs since February 2024.
Finally, Moses Itauma turned down an IBF eliminator with Cuba’s Frank Sanchez, with Daniel Dubois instead expected to mount a charge to regain the IBF world title. As a result of this decision, Itauma has been demoted from #5 to #11 in the IBF’s heavyweight ratings.
REST OF THE WORLD – CANELO ALVAREZ AND JUNTO NAKATANI BEGIN NEW CHAPTERS
Over a year since he lost his IBF light-flyweight world title to Masamichi Yabuki, South Africa’s Sivenathi Nontshinga has dropped from #5 to #10 in the 108lb ratings due to inactivity.
Up at flyweight, Mark Vicelles (prev. #9) has been removed completely, following his knockout defeat to Kosuke Tomioka last month.
Although, it is at bantamweight where the most movement has occurred, with both Takuma Inoue (formerly #4) and Tenshin Nasukawa (formerly #11) removed because of their upcoming clash for the WBC bantamweight world title.
Also, at 118lbs, Daigo Higa has made a return to the rankings after u-turning on his most recent retirement, he now occupies the #10 position, whilst #11 is now taken up by four-division champion Kazuto Ioka – who has moved up from super-flyweight.
Former unified bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani has formally moved to super-bantamweight, where he sits at #3 ahead of his 122lb debut against Sebastian Hernandez Reyes in December.
John Riel Casimero (prev. #11) has been removed from those rankings, as he prepares for a featherweight showdown with Kyonosuke Kameda next weekend.
Both Geo Lopez and Luis Alberto Lopez have opted to move up from featherweight to super-featherweight, forgoing their respective #3 and #4 positions at 126lbs in favour of the #10 and #9 slots at 130lbs.
Two-time super-lightweight conqueror Regis Prograis has surprisingly dropped out of the 140lbs rankings, despite victory over JoJo Diaz back in August, having been ranked at #13 prior.
There is, however, better news for another former super-lightweight world champion up at welterweight, as Liam Paro has risen from #7 to #2 after his points victory over David Papot on his 147lb debut last month.
Brandon Adams pulled off the upset to defeat super-welterweight rival Serhii Bohachuk for a second time. He takes Bohachuk’s position at #5 as a new entrant and the Ukrainian has been removed from the rankings, alongside Mexico’s Jesus Alejandro Ramos (prev. #8) – who has moved up to middleweight.
Terence Crawford’s dethroning of Canelo Alvarez was the biggest talking point of the last month, and Canelo has now entered the IBF’s super-middleweight rankings at #3.
Yet, that contest wasn’t the only super-middleweight showdown to force a major move, with Osleys Iglesias’ knockout of Vladimir Shishkin seeing him assume the #1 spot and mandatory challenger position, whilst the latter has dropped from #2 to #14.
Finally, as was the case with Itauma, Efe Ajagba’s decision to withdraw from an eliminator with Frank Sanchez has seen him fall from #3 to #12 in the IBF’s latest heavyweight rankings.
