As you read this final Ring Ratings Update of the year the Ratings Panel and Editorial Board are still discussing the very tight race for 2023 Fighter of the Year between Naoya Inoue and Terence Crawford. 

However, there wasn’t much debate for which of the two generational talents deserves to be No. 1 in The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings despite Inoue’s earning the undisputed junior featherweight championship earlier this week. 

Going into Inoue’s showdown with Marlon Tapales, who was stopped in 10 rounds, the Japanese superstar was No. 2 in the pound-for-pound rankings behind No. 1-rated Crawford. And that’s where Inoue will remain for now.

This discussion was kicked off by your favorite Editor-In-Chief.

Inoue is the undisputed king of junior featherweight, just 12 months after he was crowned undisputed king of the bantamweights. Photo by Naoki Fukuda

“I think Naoya Inoue, The Ring’s new junior featherweight champ, is talented, accomplished and dominant enough to retake the No. 1 spot in our pound-for-pound rankings,” I stated with The Monster’s recent back-to-back performances vs. Nonito Donaire (rematch), Paul Butler (for the undisputed bantamweight championship) and Stephen Fulton (for the No. 1 junior featherweight spot in his 122-pound debut) in mind.

“All respect due to Mr. Crawford – and I’m totally fine if he remains P4P King – but Inoue is ‘THE Man’ in my opinion.”

Abraham Gonzalez proposed that the future hall of famers share the pound-for-pound honor.

“What about having both Inoue and Crawford at No. 1 and bring in [David] Benavidez at No. 10 with the extra spot?”

Tom Gray wasn’t into that idea.

“There was a time when P4P was tied (can’t remember when, but it was before my time),” said Gray. “Anyway, I hated it then and I hate it now. It’s a complete cop out.

If it does happen, I wouldn’t have Benavidez as the next guy in. Kenshiro [Teraji] and Shakur [Stevenson] are both more deserving.

I’m still with Bud at No. 1 P4P. 

Adam Abramowitz and Anson Wainwright agreed with Gray.

Daisuke Sugiura was conflicted but gave in to the majority – for now.

“I’m torn,” he said. “Inoue dominated two unified titleholders in the new weight class (his fourth) in the last six months. That’s a P4P king’s resume. He deserves to be P4P No.1, but I understand the importance of Bud’s last win, he really looked amazing, and I agree to keep him at No.1 for now.

“However, I don’t think Crawford will fight for a while. It’s very likely [he won’t fight] before Inoue’ next fight. If Inoue destroys Luis Nery too in the Tokyo Dome in May, I will strongly argue that he should be No.1.”

Replied Gray: “As almost everyone on here will know, I’ve been an Inoue super fan for years now. However, Crawford toppling Spence the way he did trumps Inoue over Fulton and Tapales IMO.

“Bud hit ATG welterweight status with the manner of that win, taking his place alongside Robinson, Leonard, Hearns the lot. He was punch perfect against a guy many thought was going to beat him.

“Of course, we get the Captain Hindsight stuff now. Spence was doomed because of the car crashes. Poor Errol this. Poor Errol that. I picked Bud in that matchup forever, but I’m giving the guy his flowers because his performance against a fellow pound-for-pounder was out of this world.”

Tris Dixon agreed with Gray’s comments. 

On December 23, on the much ballyhooed “Day of Reckoning” card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, six Ring-rated heavyweights were in action, most notably No. 2-rated Anthony Joshua (who stopped No. 10-rated Otto Wallin after five rounds in the main event) and No. 3-rated Deontay Wilder (who was upset by No. 5-rated Joseph Parker via lopsided decision).

What to do with Wilder, who was handcuffed by Parker’s smart pressure and aggression throughout the generally uneventful 12 rounder, was the main topic of discussion.

Wainwright suggested dropping Wilder from the rankings (along with Wallin).

“Wilder [should be] out, he looked awful – he was tepid and disinterested – and I have my doubts he’ll fight again,” he said.

Joseph Parker forces Deontay Wilder back during their co-main event to the Day of Reckoning event at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Wainwright suggested that Agit Kabayel, who upset Arslanbek Makhmudov, and Daniel Dubois, who overcame some shaky moments to stop Jarrell Miller in the final seconds of Round 10, enter the rankings at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. Both heavyweight bouts were on the Day of Reckoning undercard.

Abramowitz suggested keeping Wilder in the rankings and having Kabayel enter at No. 10. He also suggested a bump up for Frank Sanchez, who stopped Junior Fa, on the DOR undercard.

“Wilder lost to a solid, ranked heavyweight fighter,” said Abramowitz. “Dubois beat an unranked guy who had looked awful recently and Dubois also has been knocked out twice. Very nice win by Kabayel, but again, his resume is light and Makhmudov in particular’s best win was shaky against Carlos Takam. 

“I’d drop Wilder to 9th. And Kabayel comes in at 10. 

“I think Sanchez should go to 6. Wins over [Efe] Ajagba and Fa is better than what [Jared] Anderson has. 

“The back of the heavyweight top ten for me is. 

6. Sanchez, 7. Anderson, 8 Joyce, 9. Wilder, 10. Kabayel.”

Gonzalez agreed with the backend of Abramowitz’s heavyweight rankings. 

Brian Harty questioned Wilder’s merits and suggested that Martin Bakole enter at No. 10. 

“I think the idea of removing Wilder looks harsh because he has been such a high-profile mainstay for so long, but inactivity doesn’t work for me as an excuse for that performance any more than a heavy costume would,” said Harty. “Wilder has only faced two men currently in our top 10 and both have handled the power, and I don’t see what else he has beyond that. I get that the straight right still gives him the ability to take out anyone else on the list, but he’s in ‘prove it’ territory now, in my opinion. Bakole has been brought up many times as the next guy in (which I guess would be a return). I like his credentials over Wilder at this point.”

Added Diego Morilla: “I agree with Adam’s bottom-five and I wouldn’t mind seeing Brian’s idea factored in as well. Wilder at No. 10 seems like a good way to politely ask him to put up or ship out, at this point. He will need a very convincing win if he’s ever going to be back in the Top 10.”

Replied Harty: “I’m fine with him staying (and after all we didn’t lower Tyson Fury for looking like garbage), but that would be two bullets dodged. We were within an inch of dropping Wilder due to inactivity, and if we had I don’t think anyone would be clamoring to re-rank him.”

Added Tris Dixon: “What a shake up to the heavyweights the last few months. I’d agree with Adam but prefer Dubois to Kabayel at No. 10.

“Dubois has boxed in far better company and I think an unbeaten Miller is better than an unproven Makhmudov and an aged Chisora.”

“6. Sanchez, 7. Anderson, 8 Joyce, 9. Wilder, 10. Dubois.

“With the others boxing at a higher level, Anderson’s ranking now looks very flattering to him.”

Replied Abramowitz: “We had Makhmudov ranked in the top ten. He was an undefeated fighter. Miller was certainly unranked. That’s why I thought Kabayel deserves to be ranked higher. More dominant win, too.”

Added Gray: “We can’t take Wilder out yet. The performance was similar to Ortiz 2, except you didn’t get the (made for the casual fan) knockout blow. Wilder never boxes well, and I was shocked that they took on Parker for a bloody tune-up. ‘Oh, but even Joyce beat Parker!’ Yeah, after hitting him with about 400 power shots.

“Still, DW should hold a top-10 position based on his history.

“6. Sanchez 7. Joyce 8. Wilder 9. Anderson 10. Kabayel

“Dubois didn’t impress me. He should have been turning a lot more and could have ended that quicker than he did.”

RING RATINGS UPDATE (ss of December 26):

POUND FOR POUND – Naoya Inoue remains at No. 2.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Anthony Joshua remains at No. 2. Joseph Parker advances to No. 4. Filip Hrgovic advances to No. 5. Frank Sanchez advances to No. 6. Deontay Wilder drops to No. 9. Otto Wallin exits the rankings. Agit Kabayel enters at No. 10.

CRUISERWEIGHT – Jai Opetaia remains champion after blasing Ellis Zorro in the first round. 

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol remains No. 1 after dominating Lyndon Arthur over 12 rounds.

WELTERWEIGHT – David Avanesyan remains at No. 7 after scoring a four-round stoppage over journeyman Serge Ambomo.

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT – Inoue elevates to champion. Marlon Tapales remains at No. 2 (pushing Fulton to No. 1 and MJ to No. 3). European champ Liam Davies (15-0, 7 KOs) enters at No. 10.

“Tapales put up a better fight than Stephen Fulton did vs. Inoue, plus he’s got that win over MJ, so I can see the new junior featherweight top three: 1. Tapales, 2. Fulton, 3. Akhmadaliev,” stated ye ole Editor-In-Chief.

“Anyone who thinks Fulton’s resume beats Tapales’ can make a case for Scooter being No. 1. I won’t argue.”

Gonzalez and Sugiura agreed. 

“I like Doug’s 122-pound rankings,” said Sugiura. “As I said last week, although Fulton’ resume is pretty good, all those wins were more than 18 months ago. Tapales’ win over MJ (albeit very close) and his losing effort against Inoue looks better to me.”

Gray disagreed.

“I’d go for Fulton above Tapales,” he said. “Leo, Figueroa, Roman were all solid wins for ‘Cool Boy,’ and they trump Tapales over MJ. I don’t want to base their respective rankings on who got their asses chewed out the least by The Monster lol. Styles make fights.

“C. Inoue 1. Fulton 2. Tapales 3. Akhmadaliev.”

Abramowtiz co-signed.

STRAWWEIGHT – Petchmanee CP Freshmart remains at No. 5 following a second-round stoppage over Wichet Sengprakhon.

Email Fischer at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and join him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and friends via Tom’s or Doug’s IG Live most Sundays.

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