Artur Beterbiev turned back the spirited challenge of Anthony Yarde, halting The Ring’s No. 7-rated light heavyweight contender in the eighth-round of a thrilling shootout in London on January 28. Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) retained his three 175-pound belts with the hard-earned TKO victory but his impressive performance was not enough to move him from his current No. 2 spot in the light heavyweight rankings back into the top ranking that he had occupied until Dmitry Bivol ascended to No. 1 with is Fighter-of-the-Year campaign in 2022.

“Artur Beterbiev retained his IBF, WBC and WBO titles against Anthony Yarde in a terrific scrap. High-end savagery,” said Anson Wainwright. “Really good back and forth until Beterbiev finally got to Yarde, who wilted under heavy fire in the eighth round. Beterbiev might be showing some signs of slippage but it’s going to take a helluva fighter to beat him still. No movement and I’d keep Yarde where he is for his performance.”

Anthony Yarde (left) avenged a loss to Lyndon Arthur in 2020 with a fourth-round knockout a year later. Photo courtesy of BT Sport/Queensberry

The Panel was in agreement with Beterbiev remaining at No. 2 – looks like Beterbiev and Bivol will have to settle who’s best in the ring – but they were split over Wainwright’s suggestion leaving Yarde at No. 7. Some agreed with Wainwright. But more than a few panelists believe the tremendous effort Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) put in and moderate success he had vs. Beterbiev, plus his body of work, merited a move up the rankings despite suffering his third loss.

“Yarde goes above (No. 6-rated Joshua) Buatsi for me,” said Tris Dixon. “I wouldn’t be mad if he went above (No. 5) Joe Smith, either, in all honesty. But definitely No. 6.”

Added Tom Gray: “I’m with Anson. I think Beterbiev and Yarde should retain their positions (No. 2 and No. 7, respectively).”

Added Abraham Gonzalez: “I think Yarde should be No. 5, Buatsi No. 6 and Joe Smith No. 7. Yarde gave Beterbiev more of a fight than anyone expected and did it in a way that would merit the move up in rankings.”

Added Adam Abramowitz: “(Joe) Smith has a much stronger body of work at 175 than the other two. I’d go Smith, Yarde than Buatsi.”

Yours Truly agreed with Mr. Abramowitz’s Nos. 5-7 order.

RING RATINGS UPDATE (as of January 28):

Heavyweight – Joseph Parker remains at No. 8 following a 10-round unanimous decision over unrated Jack Massey.

“Parker won a workmanlike 10-round decision,” said Wainwright. “No movement for him but I wonder if Parker is showing signs of wear and tear now. I have my doubts he’ll still be ranked in our top 10 by this time next year.”

Added Gonzalez: “No changes but Luis Ortiz and Dillian Whyte are on the bubble as Parker, Hrgovic and Sanchez may be sliding into their spots soon.”

Cruiserweight – Richard Riakporhe advanced to No. 6 after stopping unrated former titleholder Krzysztof Glowacki.

“Riakporhe looked really good albeit against an aged former champion,” said Wainwright. “The big-punching Londoner got a nice scalp for his record by stopping Glowacki in four rounds. Up one place,” suggested Wainwright.

Light heavyweight – Beterbiev remains at No. 2. Yarde advances to No. 6.

Middleweight – Jermall Charlo (formerly rated No. 2) was dropped for inactivity. Chris Eubank Jr. drops to No. 10 after suffering a four-round TKO to Liam Smith, who enters the 160-pound rankings at No. 5.

“Excellent win for Smith and devastating loss for Eubank Jr.,” said Wainwright, who suggested that Smith enter at No. 7. “Here’s my new top 10 reflecting Charlo coming out for inactivity:

“1. Gennadiy Golovkin 2. Jaime Munguia 3. Janibek 4. Carlos Adames 5. Ryota Murata 6. Sergey Derevyanchenko 7. Liam Smith 8. Erislandy Lara. 9. Felix Cash 10. Eubank Jr. (no issues with Eubank coming out completely; if so I’d go with Fiodor Czerbaskyn to enter at No. 10.)”

Gray suggested that Smith enter higher than No. 7.

“I can see Smith going to No. 5 or No. 6. He just whacked out our No. 5-rated middleweight in four rounds and that finish was world-class,” Gray said. “This is the type of triumph that should be rewarded. While Derevyanchenko has been matched like Oba Carr was in the 1990s, he’s still lost four of his last six fights. And Murata has had one fight in three years, and that was a loss. I think Smith should be higher than both of them.”

Added Abramowitz: “Looking at middleweight more closely, I’d have Smith at No. 7 and Eubank at No. 10. (Felix) Cash hasn’t looked particularly good his last few fights. I’d bump him out.”

Added Yours Truly: “I’d have Liam enter in front of Derevyanchenko and Murata, so Adames would be pushed to No. 4. It really bugs me to see Mungia and Alimkhanuly at No. 2 and No. 3 when neither has done jack s__t (but at least Jaime has a decision victory over Smith at junior middleweight). But it is what it is. Middleweight is not a deep division and like many ‘glamor’ weight classes, it’s become stagnant due to industry politics.”

Added Gonzalez: I would say flip Nos. 5 and 6 with Nos. 7 and 8 on Anson’s new list.”

On January 15, Martin Mulcahey brought up Charlo’s inactivity.

“The bouts this weekend do not merit ranking changes, but Jermall Charlo has been inactive for way over one year and has no fight scheduled that I am aware of,” Mulcahey said. “Removal due to inactivity?”

Replied Abramowitz: “Yes. I am in favor of this.”

Added Gonzalez: “This week makes 19 months since he last fought. He can be added back once he fights again which at this rate, may be closer to the two-year mark.

Added Wainwright: “Radio silence on his end makes things all the more bizarre. Yes, take (Charlo) out. Not many options for a replacement. I’d go with Fiodor Czerkaszyn.”

Added Gray: “Yeah, Jermall needs to go. The sport is honestly in total disarray right now. Other guys to consider for entry at 160 are Austin Williams and Meiirim Nursultanov.”

Added Mulcahey: “I’d go with Nursaltonov.”

Added Gonzalez: “I agree that Eubank should be removed. I’m cool with Fiodor being at 10 instead.”

Added Erdman: “I would vote for Nursultanov over Czerbaskyn at No. 10 at 160, but this is not a hill I feel like dying on either. Czerbaskyn’s wins are probably better, line by line, than Nursultanov’s at this point, but I am just personally more impressed by Nursultanov and would have more confidence in his ability to beat other Top 10ers than Czerbaskyn, if that counts for anything.”

Junior middleweight – Liam Smith remains No. 7 until he decides which division to campaign in.

Noted Wainwright: “Serhii Bohachuk stopped Nathaniel Gallimore in six rounds. He’s in the 11-15 range.”

Junior bantamweight – Francisco Rodriguez Jr. remains at No. 10 following a 10-round unanimous decision over unrated Joel Cordova.

Flyweight – Artem Dalakian remains at No. 3 following a unanimous decision over David Jimenez, who remains at No. 6.

Junior flyweight – Masamichi Yabuki remains at No. 6 following an 11th-round stoppage of unrated Ronald Chacon.

Strawweight – Oscar Collazo enters at No. 10 following a fifth-round stoppage of Yudel Reyes.

Wainwright thought the unbeaten Puerto Rican southpaw scored a solid victory over the tough late-replacement from Mexico but didn’t want to replace former No. 10-rated Yudai Shigeoka.

“Collazo is probably the next guy in,” said Wainwright, “but I’d be more in favor of dropping (No. 9-rated Masataka) Taniguchi, who it looks like will move to 108.”

Wainwright was countered by members of the Panel, starting with Corey Erdman:

“Gosh, I hate to disagree with Anson on anything (mildly!), but I would say this re: strawweight: I think Collazo’s win over (Vic) Saludar is better than any win Yudai has, as much as I love both Shigeokas,” said Erdman. “That’s without even factoring in the emphatic win over Reyes tonight. I do think however that this is an avoidable situation, because Taniguchi was in hell trying to make weight and seemingly is moving up anyway (along with his stablemate and best friend Kyoguchi, who also may be moving up one division).

Added Gray: “I like Collazo to displace Shigeoka. Identical records, but Collazo’s resume is better.”

Abramowitz and Yours Truly agreed with Erdman and Gray.

Retorted Wainwright: “I am not against Collazo, but as I said in my opening email, how about No. 9 Taniguchi drops out (likely moving up in weight)? That way we can have Yudai Shigeoka and Oscar Collazo, a better tip of the hat toward the future.”

Replied Erdman: “That would make it an easy decision! However, Taniguchi was on commentary for the Yabuki fight on Abema the other night and posted a YouTube video. He confirmed that he’s not retiring, and to my knowledge only said he’s ‘considering’ moving up, because he had to lose 10kg for the Jerusalem fight. So, I dunno if it would be jumping the gun to remove him or not.

Clarified Daisuke Sugiura: “Watanabe’s manager confirmed to me that Taniguchi will move up in his next fight. But we usually wait until the fighters actually move up (before dropping them from the lower-weight rankings) and Taniguchi has accomplished much more than Shigeoka – at least for now. I would keep Taniguchi and bring Collazo in. Although it’s only a matter of time before we bring Shigeoka in again.”

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