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RING Ratings Update: Keith Thurman on the rise

Fighters Network
27
Jun

Keith Thurman took another step forward on Saturday in Brooklyn, albeit a relatively small step.

Thurman (rated No. 3 last week) defeated Shawn Porter (No. 4 last week) by a close decision – 115-113 on all cards – in an entertaining welterweight showdown at Barclays Center on free national TV.

It was an important victory for Thurman even though the fight was so tight it could’ve gone either way.

As a result the RING Editorial Board bumped Thurman up to No. 2 in the ratings, leapfrogging Amir Khan (No. 2 last week). Khan is coming off a knockout loss to RING middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez last month.



Also, because Porter acquitted himself so well, he retained his position in the Top 10. No. 5 Tim Bradley is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in April.

Kell Brook is No. 1 in the weight class.

In other divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Anthony Joshua (No. 5 last week) retained his position after stopping the durable but overmatched Dominic Breazeale (unrated last week) in the seventh round on Saturday in London.

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT

George Groves (No. 5 last week) defeated former middleweight contender Martin Murray (unrated at 168 pounds last week) on the Joshua-Breazeale card. As a result, Groves moves up to No. 4.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Chris Eubank Jr. (No. 7 last week) made easy work of Tom Doran (unrated last week), stopping him in four rounds. Thus, Eubank changes positions with Peter Quillin (No. 6 last week). Quillin is coming of a first-round knockout loss to Daniel Jacobs in December.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT

Jason Sosa (unrated last week) upset Javier Fortuna (No. 7 last week), knocking out the then-unbeaten Dominican in the 11th round. As a result, Fortuna drops out of the Top 10 and Sosa, who was coming off a draw with Nicholas Walters, enters at No. 10.

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT

Khalid Yafai (No. 8 last week) held his position after stopping Jozsef Ajtai (unrated last week) in the first round Saturday on the Joshua-Breazeale card.

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