The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Featherweight
The Ring first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. Almost a century later, it’s no exaggeration to claim that these independent rankings are the most respected and talked-about in world boxing.
The Ring Ratings Panel is made up of a dozen experts from around the world. Opinions are shared, debate takes place, and the final decision on who should be ranked where is decided democratically every week. It sounds easy, but this can be an arduous and time-consuming process.
I will be going through each division in reverse order and work my way up from strawweight to heavyweight. I will then look at each rated fighter’s respective achievements and gaze into my crystal ball as to what may lay ahead.
Next up is featherweight (126 pounds), which is a division with plenty of depth but no real clear No. 1, aside from a few fighters who will soon be making the jump to junior lightweight.
As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.
No. 1 – LEIGH WOOD
RECORD: 28-3 (17 KOs)
THE PAST: Wood had been a 10-year pro when he claimed the vacant British title at the expense of Reece Mould (TKO 9). That triumph vaulted him into a fight with Chinese punching machine Xu Can, who Wood shockingly upset in a last-round stoppage. The 36-year-old proved he was no fluke by getting off the canvas early to roar back and stop Michael Conlan (TKO 12) while trailing on all three scorecards in The Ring’s 2022 Fight of the Year. He then rolled the dice and met dangerous Mexican puncher Mauricio Lara, and despite being ahead on the scorecards was stopped in seven rounds. Wood invoked the rematch clause and outboxed a lackluster Lara (UD 12) to regain his title. He was again behind on the scorecards and looking like he was about to lose to Josh Warrington before coming up big with a startling seventh-round stoppage.
THE FUTURE: Had been in talks earlier this year for a rematch against Warrington that ultimately didn’t come to pass. He has said he’ll return in the fall at junior lightweight.
No. 2 – ANGELO LEO
RECORD: 25-1 (12 KOs)
THE PAST: Leo turned professional as a teenager back in 2012 in his native Albuquerque. He recorded notable wins over experienced fighters such as Mark John Yap (UD 10) and former world title challenger Cesar Juarez (TKO 11). When Emanuel Navarrete vacated the WBO 122-pound title, Leo was matched with previously unbeaten Tramaine Williams. Leo scored an impressive 12-round unanimous decision but lost his belt in his first defense against Stephen Fulton (UD 12). After one comeback win, Leo spent two and a half years on the sidelines before returning earlier this year and scoring two wins to earn a shot at IBF featherweight titlist Luis Alberto Lopez. The two battled on even terms until Leo thrilled his hometown fans with a picture-perfect one-punch knockout in the 10th round.
THE FUTURE: Still basking in his recent world title triumph, but when he does return he’ll have to face mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda.
LOOK AT THIS BRUTAL KO BY ANGELO LEO ONE MORE TIME pic.twitter.com/aPy9PW697g
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 11, 2024
No. 3 – REY VARGAS
RECORD: 36-1-1 (22 KOs)
THE PAST: Vargas won the WBC 122-pound title when he outboxed Gavin McDonnell (MD 12). The tall Mexican boxer made five defenses of the belt, notably beating Ronnie Rios (UD 12), Azat Hovhannisyan (UD 12) and Tomoki Kameda (UD 12). However, injuries and Covid slowed his activity. He fought just once in three years but bounced back to outbox Mark Magsayo (SD 12) for the WBC title. The 33-year-old headed to 130 pounds to try to become a three-weight world titleholder when he contested the vacant WBC belt, but he was outboxed by O’Shaquie Foster (UD 12). He returned to 126-pounds and was held to a draw by Nick Ball (D 12) earlier this year.
THE FUTURE: A long-awaited fight with Brandon Figueroa is expected to happen on a PBC show in the fall.
Rey Vargas (right) punches Nick Ball during the Knockout Chaos boxing card at the Kingdom Arena on March 08, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
No. 4 – NICK BALL
RECORD: 20-0-1 (11 KOs)
THE PAST: Ball turned professional in 2017 and claimed a WBC regional title by beating Isaac Lowe (TKO 6) on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Dillian Whyte. That proved to be the leg up the 27-year-old needed. He then added wins over Ludumo Lamati (TKO 12) and former junior featherweight titlist Isaac Dogboe (UD 12) to firm up his title credentials. In March, Ball overcame a large size disadvantage to drop WBC titlist Vargas twice to earn a draw that many felt he deserved to win. He then met WBA ruler Raymond Ford and edged him in a close contest by 12-round split decision.
THE FUTURE: He’ll have a homecoming bout against Ronny Rios on October 5.
The Homecoming is Set! @nick_ball97 defends his WBA Featherweight title against Ronny Rios in his hometown.
Fully story: https://t.co/Uqs8BBzRbc pic.twitter.com/GCvHjXZkcA
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) August 15, 2024
No. 5 – LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ
RECORD: 30-3 (17 KOs)
THE PAST: The Mexicali native turned professional in 2015 and moved through the ranks but dropped decisions to Abraham Montoya (SD 10) and Ruben Villa (UD 10) while learning on the job. He won nine consecutive fights, notably beating previously unbeaten trio of Cristian Baez (TKO 5), Gabriel Flores Jr. (UD 10) and Isaac Lowe (KO 7) to become the IBF mandatory challenger for Josh Warrington. When that chance came, he edged out Warrington (MD 12) in the defending champion’s hometown. He took his title to Michael Conlan’s backyard in Belfast and stunned the locals by stopping the Irishman in five rounds. Wins over Joet Gonzalez (UD 12) and Reiya Abe (TKO 8) followed before he came unstuck against Angelo Leo (KO 10).
THE FUTURE: The 31-year-old’s career hangs in the balance after a minor brain bleed in the loss to Leo.
No. 6 – RAFAEL ESPINOZA
RECORD: 25-0 (21 KOs)
THE PAST: The Mexican beanpole (6-feet-1) fought almost exclusively in his homeland for the first decade of his career before seemingly coming from nowhere to get off the canvas and upset Robeisy Ramirez (MD 12). The 30-year-old looked like he had grown into the title win by easily stopping Sergio Chirino (TKO 4) in his first defense.
THE FUTURE: He could face Ramirez in a rematch later this year although there is also the possibility of him taking his enormous frame to 130-pounds.
Brandon Figueroa (right) lands a hook on Mark Magsayo – Photo by Esther Lin/Showtime
No. 7 – BRANDON FIGUEROA
RECORD: 25-1-1 (19 KOs)
THE PAST: Figueroa followed his older brother, Omar (a former lightweight titleholder), into boxing, initially earning his stripes on the local scene in Texas. When his chance came, he lived up to his “Heartbreaker” moniker by stopping Oscar Escandon (KO 10) and Moises Flores (KO 3) in bouts that put him in the 122 pound rankings. The 27-year-old impressed by knocking out previously unbeaten Luis Nery (KO 7) with a savage body shot, earning him the WBC 122-pound belt. He was edged out narrowly when he tried to unify with WBO titlist Stephen Fulton (MD 12), and then moved up to featherweight (a more natural division given his tall and rangy frame) and has won three times, including against Mark Magsayo (UD 12) in a fan-friendly shootout and, most recently, Jesse Magdaleno (KO 9).
THE FUTURE: Now that PBC is picking up more business he could find himself facing WBC titlist Vargas next.
No. 8 – RAYMOND FORD
RECORD: 15-1-1 (8 KOs)
THE PAST: Ford was a good amateur, capping off his time in the unpaid ranks by winning the Golden Gloves in 2018. He turned professional the following year with Matchroom and beat the likes of future world title challenger Edward Vazquez (SD 10), fringe contender Sakaria Lukas (KO 8) and former world title challenger Jessie Magdaleno (UD 12). When the opportunity came to fight for the vacant WBA title he scored a thrilling come-from-behind final round stoppage over Otabek Kholmatov (TKO 12). The New Jersey native was edged out of the title in his first defense by Ball (SD 12).
THE FUTURE: The 25-year-old southpaw has already declared his intentions to step up to 130-pounds, which could happen in one of his promoter Matchroom’s U.S. cards in November or December.
No. 9 – ROBEISY RAMIREZ
RECORD: 14-2 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Ramirez, who won gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, turned professional to great acclaim after defecting from Cuba. Things didn’t go to plan when Ramirez was stunned by Adan Gonzales (SD 4) in his pro debut, but the worm turned quickly. After regrouping, he shutout Gonzalez (UD 6) in a rematch, and has gone from strength to strength. The 30-year-old southpaw looked the real deal in taking apart Eric Donovan (TKO 3) and previously unbeaten Abraham Nova (KO 5). Those wins landed him a shot at the vacant WBO title which he won by dominating Isaac Dogboe (UD 12). He stopped Satoshi Shimizu (TKO 5) in his maiden defense in Japan before losing in The Ring Magazine Upset of The Year to then-unheralded Espinoza (MD 12). He bounced back well, stopping Brandon Leon Benitez (TKO 7).
THE FUTURE: Not clear at this point, though he will likely figure on a Top Rank card at some point in the coming months, possibly in a rematch with Espinoza.
No. 10 – JOSH WARRINGTON
RECORD: 31-3-1 (8 KOs)
THE PAST: Warrington went the traditional route of winning British, Commonwealth and European championships before defeating IBF titleholder Lee Selby (SD 12). The hugely popular Leeds-born fighter made three defenses, notably turning back the challenges of Carl Frampton (UD 12) and Kid Galahad (SD 12). He vacated his title rather than face Galahad a second time and came unstuck against Mauricio Lara (TKO 9). The rematch was curtailed at the end of the second round, due to a clash of heads. But the 33-year-old regained his IBF title by stopping Kiko Martinez (TKO 7) in a fight that left the Brit with a broken jaw. However, he has since lost it to Lopez (MD 12) and came up short against Wood (TKO 7).
THE FUTURE: He’ll step up to 130-pounds and face IBF titlist Anthony Cacace as part of Riyadh Season bill in London on September 21.
On the Cusp: Bruce Carrington, Mirko Cuello, Victor Morales, Sulaiman Segawa and Otabek Kholmatov.
YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Pound for Pound – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Strawweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Junior flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Flyweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Junior bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Bantamweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Junior featherweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk.
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