Ring Ratings Update: Froch climbs to No. 1
Carl Froch left little doubt as to where he belongs in THE RING super middleweight ratings.
The British fighter, No. 2 last week, scored a spectacular fifth-round knockout of then-No. 1 and unbeaten Lucian Bute on Saturday in Nottingham, England, to win the IBF 168-pound belt and claim the No. 1 rating.
Andre Ward is THE RING super middleweight champion.
The question was what to do about Bute, who was outclassed.
I was inclined to drop the Romanian-born Canadian well down the list because of his weak performance. Members of THE RING Ratings Panel favored leniency given the modest accomplishments of those rated below him.
The Editorial Board decided to drop Bute only two places, to No. 3. Robert Stieglitz, who has won 11 consecutive fights and the WBO title since his last loss, ascended from No. 3 to No. 2.
RING RATINGS UPDATE
Junior middleweight: The Editorial Board decided against removing Paul Williams (No. 8 last week) immediately after he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Sunday.
The winner of the Austin Trout-Delvin Rodriguez fight Saturday in Carson, Calif., will likely replace Williams in the ratings next week.
Strawweight: Juan Palacios (No. 5 last week) drops to No. 7 after his draw with unrated Nerys Espinoza on Saturday in Palacios’ native Managua, Nicaragua.
UP NEXT
Rated fighters in action this coming weekend (with current ratings)
Cruiserweight: Antonio Tarver (No. 6) vs. Lateef Kayode (No. 8)
Light heavyweight: Beibut Shumenov (No. 7) vs. Enrique Ornelas
Super middleweight: Sakio Bika (No. 5) vs. Dyah Davis
Junior middleweight: Austin Trout vs. Delvin Rodriguez
Lightweight: Sharif Bogere (No. 10) vs. Manuel Leyva
Bantamweight: Leo Santa Cruz (No. 9) vs. Vusi Malinga
Flyweight: Milan Melindo (No. 4) vs. Jesus Geles
Junior flyweight: Donnie Nietes (No. 3) vs. Felipe Salguero
Strawweight: Moises Fuentes (No. 3) vs. Julio Cesar Felix
Note: All of the above fights are Saturday