Ring Ratings Update: Stevenson wins RING light heavyweight title
Marcos Maidana dropped Josesito Lopez in the sixth round before stopping the gutsy slugger on Saturday in Carson, Calif. Maidana, who knocked out Jesus Soto Karass last September, cracked THE RING’s welterweight rankings.
A busy weekend of boxing resulted in some movement in THE RING’s divisional ratings, including the crowning of a new light heavyweight champion, Adonis Stevenson.
At cruiserweight, Marco Huck beat Ola Afolabi by majority decision to retain his WBO title. Huck cannot move up any higher in THE RING’s ratings since he is already ranked our No. 1-rated 200 pounder.
However, Afolabi, who has gone 0-2-1 against Huck, will flip with WBA beltholder Guillermo Jones. Afolabi is now ranked No. 4 and Jones moves up one spot to No. 3.
Also, Lateef Kayode is removed from the rankings due to lack of activity in the past 12 months. The unbeaten Nigerian hasn’t fought since his draw with Anontio Tarver on June 2, 2012. Rakhim Chakhiev will enter the rankings at No. 10. The new top 10:
Champion: Hernandez
1. Huck
2. Wlodarczyk
3. Jones
4. Afolabi
6. Lebedev
7. Masternak
8. Ross
9. Arslan
10. Chakhiev
At light heavyweight Stevenson is our new champion by defeating Chad Dawson with a first-round, one-punch knockout. Dawson, who has now suffered back-to-back KO losses drops to No. 5 in the rankings.
German Olympian Enrico Koelling looked impressive in his first step up in competition on the Huck undercard, but it wasn’t enough to enter the rankings. Beibut Shumenov will drop from the ratings due to inactivity. The once-beaten WBA beltholder has not fought since registering a shutout decision over Enrique Ornelas on June 2, 2012. The new top 10:
Champion: Stevenson
1. Hopkins
2. Cleverly
3. Kovalev
4. Cloud
5. Dawson
6. Murat
7. Bellew
8. Chilemba
9. Braehmer
10. Grachev
At super middleweight, once-beaten James DeGale had a good win over Stjepan Bozic, stopping him in the fourth. Farah Ennis also had a good win over once-hot prospect Anthony Hanshaw. DeGale re-enters the rankings at the No. 10 spot, pushing Edwin Rodriguez to No 9.
At middleweight, Nick Brinson scored an upset decision over Jorge Melendez but not enough to enter the ratings.
At junior middleweight, Erislandy Lara scored an impressive 10th-round TKO over always tough Alfredo Angulo. Although Angulo dropped Lara twice in the fight before he couldn’t continue due to an eye injury. Undefeated propsect Jermell Charlo easily scored a competent decision over Demetrius Hopkins. Lara will flip with Miguel Cotto in the ratings. Lara is now No. 3; Cotto is now No. 4.
At welterweight, Marcos Maidana scored a sixth-round stoppage of Lopez who last year stopped our No. 8-rated contender, Victor Ortiz. As of June 23, Ortiz will have been inactive for one year and will be removed from the rankings. Luis Abregu is removed from the rankings and is replaced by Maidana now at No. 10.
At junior welterweight, Humberto Soto registered solid win over Hiroshi Nakamori and Andrey Klimov outsmarted John Molina for a win, but it not enough for either to enter the ratings.
At lightweight, Yuriorkis Gamboa scored a good win over a good but not top-10 rated Darley Perez.
With Gamboa out of the ratings of the 130-pound division everyone moved up one spot and Sergio Thompson enters at No. 10.
At junior bantamweight, Juan Carlos Sanchez lost his IBF title on the scales missing the weight limit by two ounces, but he scored an impressive points win over Roberto Domingo Sosa.
Chuck Giampa is the Chairman of THE RING’s Ratings Committee. He can be emailed at [email protected]