SINCE the last WBO update, there has been a number of fights and decisions that have had an impact on the world rankings. Here, we look at how and why the WBO have adjusted their world ratings.
United Kingdom & Ireland – Josh Kelly may have a new route to the 154lb crown
At super-bantamweight, Dennis McCann, 16-0-1 (8 KOs), has remained well ranked with the WBO despite the lack of clarity that surrounds his positive drugs test last year, and the subsequent inactivity that has followed.
However, after 13 months without stepping into the ring, the WBO have finally demoted McCann from their top three at 122lbs, moving ‘The Menace’ from #3 to #11.
In less than three weeks’ time, Lewis Crocker, 21-0 (11 KOs), could become Great Britain’s second active world champion, but his challenge for the IBF welterweight title means he drops out of the WBO’s rankings, having previously been at #6. Meanwhile, British champion Conah Walker, 16-3-1 (7 KOs), enters at #14.
Another British title hopeful is Sunderland’s Josh Kelly, 17-1-1 (9 KOs), who has been ordered by the IBF to face Bakhram Murtazaliev for his super-welterweight world title, despite reportedly snubbing a fight with the Russian a few weeks ago.
Nevertheless, Kelly and his team now seem keen on the fight, but the WBO could potentially turn the head of ‘Pretty Boy’, after the 31-year-old was installed as their #1 contender, up from #3.
In the middleweight division, British champion Kieron Conway, 23-3-1 (7 KOs), has replaced Italy’s Etinosa Oliha as the new #14 in the division.
However, at light-heavyweight and heavyweight, it is two Britons who have dropped out of the ratings entirely, as Willy Hutchinson, 18-2 (13 KOs), and David Adeleye, 15-2 (13 KOs), fall from #10 and #9 respectively.
Rest of the World – Takuma Inoue set for title challenge elsewhere
Elsewhere around the globe, Jayson Vayson, 14-1-1 (8 KOs), is set for a WBO minimumweight title challenge despite not fighting at 105lbs since 2018. The Filipino has been installed as the #7 contender at the weight, having been the #6 light-flyweight prior to the move down.
Also, at light-fly, Vince Paras, 24-3-1 (18 KOs), has moved up in weight and thus lost his position as the #1 contender. He has been replaced by Mexico’s Erik Badillo, 18-0 (8 KOs), who moves up from #4 and has been named as the mandatory challenger for Rene Santiago’s world title, after defeating Gerardo Zepata last month.
Paras’ move up to super-flyweight sees him enter 115lbs at #12, whilst long-reigning champion Kazuto Ioka, 31-4-1 (16 KOs), re-enters above him at #10. Recent #1 contender Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, 52-4 (42 KOs), has been removed.
At 118lbs, it doesn’t take a mastermind to read the tea leaves, with rumours swirling that Takuma Inoue, 20-2 (5 KOs), is poised to challenge for the WBC bantamweight world title when Junto Nakatani vacates the belt.
This is reflected in the WBO rankings, as previous #6 Inoue is removed ahead of that imminent announcement, whilst #14 ranked Daigo Higa, 21-3-3 (19 KOs), also loses his place due to his retirement last month.
A possible administrative error sees Alan David Picasso, 32-0-1 (17 KOs), ranked as the WBO’s #3 rated super-bantamweight and at #8 as a new entrant in the featherweight division.
The Mexican is joined at 126lbs by new #9 Yan Santana, 15-0 (12 KOs), whilst Mirco Cuello’s, 16-0 (13 KOs), WBA interim title win sees him removed from #8, and Toshiki Shimomachi’s, 21-1-3 (12 KOs), decision to return to super-bantamweight costs him his #2 featherweight position.
In the super-lightweight division, Oscar Duarte, 30-2-1 (23 KOs), and Ernesto Mercado, 17-0 (16 KOs), enter at #8 and #12 respectively, but former world champion Liam Paro, 26-1 (16 KOs), forgoes his #4 spot in favour of a move up in weight.
Paro has entered the welterweight rankings at #5, joined with fellow new entrant, Souleymane Cissokho, 18-0 (9 KOs), who sneaks in at #15.
The 154lb division also has a new player in now #9 contender, Giovani Santillan, 34-1 (18 KOs), having moved up from welterweight. Meanwhile, former #1 Xander Zayas, 22-0 (13 KOs), is no longer ranked after winning the WBO super-welterweight world title last month.
Similarly, Albert Ramirez, 22-0 (19 KOs), is now absent from the WBO light-heavyweight rankings after the former #3 won the WBA interim title in Libya.
That has opened the door for Oleksandr Usyk’s stablemate, Daniel Lapin, 12-0 (4 KOs), to enter the fray, with the Ukrainian southpaw earning the #10 slot after defeating Lewis Edmondson in July.
The retirement of Sergey Kovalev, 36-5-1 (30 KOs), has been cemented, as the 42-year-old is removed from the cruiserweight picture (prev. #8), with New Zealand’s David Nyika, 11-1 (10 KOs), coming in at #10.
Finally, Michael Hunter, 24-1-2 (17 KOs), is back in contention at heavyweight, ranked as the WBO #13 in boxing’s glamour division.
