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RING Ratings Update: Terry Flanagan enters the fold

Fighters Network
12
Oct
Photo by Ben Hoskins / Getty Images

Photo by Ben Hoskins / Getty Images

U.K. fans had reason to be pleased this past weekend.

Unbeaten WBO lightweight titleholder Terry Flanagan made a big statement by stopping rugged Diego Magdaleno in two rounds to retain his belt Saturday in Manchester, putting the American down three times in the process.

And, on the same card, Liam Smith overcame a slow start to knock out John Thompson in Round 7 to win the vacant WBO junior middleweight title.

That’s reason to celebrate. But there’s more: Flanagan also moves into the RING Ratings for the first time and Smith moves up.



First, the lightweight division, in which we’re taking advantage of developments to reshuffle the order.

Mickey Bey (No. 4 last week) is out because he hasn’t fought in more than a year and has no fight scheduled. Another rated 135-pounder, Miguel Vazquez (No. 2 last week), lost a disputed decision to unrated Argenis Mendez on Tuesday in San Antonio.

In light that and Flanagan’s impressive victory, here’s the new lightweight Top 10:

  1. Jorge Linares
  2. Dejan Zlaticanin
  3. Denis Shafikov
  4. Dierry Jean
  5. Sharif Bogere
  6. Richard Commey
  7. Terry Flanagan
  8. Kevin Mitchell
  9. Argenis Mendez
  10. Miguel Vazquez

Bogere (No. 3 last week) dropped a few spots because of marginal recent opposition and Mitchell, coming off a knockout loss to Linares, dropped one position.

Vazquez is 1-2 in his last three fights, which prompted some members to suggest he be dropped from the ratings. However, we cut him slack because both losses were disputed.

In the junior middleweight division, Smith (No. 10 last week) moved up to No. 8 as a result of his victory.

And, in the only other division at which there were changes, Giovani Segura (No. 8 last week) was dropped from the ratings because he hasn’t fought in more than a year and doesn’t have a fight scheduled.

That allowed veteran Johnriel Casimero to re-enter the ratings at No. 10.

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