1 Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez
Though starting out as a welterweight, Álvarez has soared through the weight classes, competing and thriving as a junior-middleweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light-heavyweight. He was at his heaviest when stopping WBO light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in 2019.
2 Andy Ruiz Jnr
Famous for shocking Anthony Joshua and winning heavyweight gold in June 2019, Ruiz’s career has otherwise been one of the stop-start variety. He lost his titles in the rematch with Joshua, while his only other loss came against Joseph Parker in 2016.
3 Gilberto Ramírez
Heavy-handed Ramírez, born in Sinaloa, now fights at light-heavyweight having won and defended the WBO belt as a super-middleweight. A southpaw, he stands almost 6’3 and is undefeated in 44 pro fights.
4 Julio César González
After rising to prominence as one of Roy Jones Jnr’s opponents in 2001, González won the WBO light-heavyweight title when upsetting Dariusz Michalczewski in 2003. He then later boxed Clinton Woods twice for the IBF light-heavyweight belt, losing both times.
5 Jaime Munguia
Very much part of the new breed, Munguia is a six-foot middleweight who, at 26 years of age, probably has the potential to move further up the weights. For now, he is unbeaten in 40 pro fights and a former WBO belt-holder at super-welterweight.
6 David Benavidez
Unbeaten in 26 pro fights, super-middleweight Benavidez currently boasts six stoppage wins in a row and 23 inside-the-distance wins overall. Last time out he cut down David Lemieux in three rounds.
7 Julio César Chávez Jr.
While never likely to escape his father’s shadow, Julio César Chávez Jr. did nevertheless have a respectable enough pro career, winning 53 of 61 fights and lifting the WBC middleweight belt in 2011. More recently he was seen operating at light-heavyweight and even cruiserweight.
8 Chris Arreola
Born and raised in California to Mexican parents, Arreola has been a dependable heavyweight contender for over a decade, battling the likes of Vitali Klitschko, Deontay Wilder and, last time out, Andy Ruiz Jnr.
9 Manuel Ramos
In the 1960s, 6’4 heavyweight Manuel Ramos defeated men like Eddie Machen and Ernie Terrell to become a ranked contender. He then challenged heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in 1968, a fight in which Ramos, despite rocking Frazier, was stopped in two rounds.
10 Saúl Montana
Nicknamed “La Cobra”, big-boned Montana campaigned as a heavyweight trial horse between 1988 and 2016, winning 53 and losing 19 pro fights. His best wins came against Denis Bakhtov in 2005 and China Smith in 2002.
