1 DEREK CHISORA, 33-12
‘Del Boy’ is proof that entertainment value is far more important than shiny stats. A pay-per-view mainstay, it scarcely matters if the well-loved heavyweight wins or loses, and he gets the biggest fight of them all – a shot at Tyson Fury – next month.
2 KIKO MARTINEZ, 44-11-2
The indefatigable Spaniard can never, ever be written off. The two-time IBF belt-holder reinvigorated his career yet again last week with a ferocious featherweight beat-down of Jordan Gill.
3 GIOVANNI DE CAROLIS, 31-10-1
Beaten only by Lerrone Richards in almost five years, the former WBA 12st belt-holder upset his undefeated countryman Daniele Scardina in May.
4 LAYLA MCCARTER, 45-13-5
McCarter has straddled eras in women’s boxing, turning pro in 1998 and remaining, at 43, a highly ranked welterweight. She hasn’t lost since 2007.
5 GABRIEL ROSADO, 26-16-1
Super-middle Rosado usually loses in world class, but he always, always comes to win – and sometimes he does. Just ask Bektemir Melikuziev, who suffered a highlight-reel knockout loss to ‘King Gabriel’ last year.
6 MARIANA JUAREZ, 55-12-4
Forty-three-year-old ‘Barbie’ lost to WBC super-bantam queen Yamileth Mercado last week, but she has been one of the most accomplished and consistent world-level women’s boxers of the past 15 years.
7 NORBELTO JIMENEZ, 31-10-6
The Dominican super-flyweight has had 47 fights but is still only 31. Jimenez overcame a dismal start to his career, losing seven of his first eight bouts, to become a decent fringe contender. He held Donnie Nietes to a draw last year.
8 JHONNY GONZALEZ, 69-11-1
At 41, super-feather Gonzalez has been treading water at home in Mexico in recent years, but is 11-1-1 since 2015. As an exciting ex-WBC titlist with a big name, expect him to keep getting bookings for some time yet.
9 MIGUEL VAZQUEZ, 44-11
The Mexican veteran may have gone down to a very rare stoppage defeat last time out, to Gary Culley, but remains a high-level gatekeeper. The former IBF lightweight holder was on the wrong end of a very contentious decision against Lewis Ritson in 2020.
10 SAM SOLIMAN, 49-16-1
Soliman remains a regular TV fixture in Australia even as he nears his 50th birthday. Exciting in an unorthodox sort of way, the one-time IBF middleweight belt-holder is on a winning run of three.
