It’s good news for a couple of Brits and a quartet of Uzbek fighters in the latest round of the World Boxing Association boxing rankings which were recently published.
In this rundown of the movers and leavers in and around the WBA top ten we take a look at who is closing in on a world title opportunity and a couple of strange decisions that will likely leave many scratching their heads.
Heavyweight – Super champion: Anthony Joshua. World: Trevor Bryan.
Charles Martin moves three places up to number four taking the spot of Luis Ortiz who drops down to number seven. Michael Hunter is a new entry at number six. Daniel Dubois drops out of the top 10 and moves to number 11.
Cruiserweight – Super champion: Arsen Goulamirian. World: Ryad Merhy.
Nigerian Efetobor Apochi moves five spots up to the number one position. While there are also five place leaps for Yury Kashinsky, (European champion) Tommy McCarthy and Chris Billam-Smith who are now fourth, fifth and sixth ranked contenders respectively. Richard Riakporhe loses his number three ranking and is now at seven.
Light heavyweight – Super champion: Dmitry Bivol. World: Jean Pascal.
No changes made.
Super middleweight – Super champion: Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. World: David Morrell.
Bektemir Melikuziev earns his first top ten slot with all the governing bodies as he becomes the WBA’s number seven contender. The Uzbek ‘Bully’ was at 15.
Middleweight – Super champion: Ryota Murata.
Forty-six-year-old Sergio Martinez, who came back to the sport after a six-year absence last year, is now the number four ranked middleweight contender. Three places behind Interim belt holder Chris Eubank Jr.
Super welterweight – Super champion: Jermell Charlo. World: Erislandy Lara.
Britain’s Kieron Conway moves into the top 15 at number 14 while European champion Sergio Garcia is a new entry at number nine.
Welterweight – Super champion: Yordenis Ugas. World: Jamal James.
After his hard-earned win against Thomas Dulorme last month Eimantas Stanionis becomes the number one contender. A seismic leap for Stanionis who was at number 10.
Super lightweight – Super champion: Josh Taylor. World: Mario Barrios.
Rances Barthelemy loses his number three slot to Shakhram Giyasov who was at six while his compatriot Batyr Akhmedov is just behind him at number four having been at five.
Lightweight – Super champion: Teofimo Lopez. World: Gervonta Davis.
Frank Martin is a new entrant at number four while James Tennyson is into the top five from seven despite a first-round loss at the weekend for the IBO title. Richard Commey loses his top ten ranking and drops out of the top 15 altogether along with Jorge Linares, Robert Easter Jr and George Kambosos Jr.
Super featherweight – Super champion: Gervonta Davis. World: Roger Gutierrez.
Australia’s Billel Dib is the new face and enters at the 10 slot. No other changes made.
Featherweight – Super champion: Leo Santa Cruz. World: Can Xu.
Britain’s Jordan Gill moves up one to become the number four contender just behind Josh Warrington slayer Mauricio Lara who was at four himself.
Super bantamweight – Super champion: Murodjon Akhmadaliev. World: Brandon Figueroa.
Ramon Cardenas gets a three-place jump to number seven while Michael Conlan drops down one to nine.
Bantamweight – Super champion: Naoya Inoue. World: Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Former IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez is now in the top ten having landed a new entry at number six while Daigo Higa drops out of the 15 completely.
Super flyweight – Super champion: Juan Francisco Estrada. World: Joshua Franco.
No significant changes other than the arrival of former four-weight world champion Donnie Nietes at number 10.
Flyweight – World: Artem Dalakian.
Dave Apolinario jumps into number nine from 12 while Cristofer Rosales, Jose Soto and Angel Francisco Ramos Serrano move up one to six, seven and eight.
Light flyweight – Super champion: Hiroto Kyoguchi. World: Carlos Canizales.
Hasanboy Dusmatov continues the good news for Uzbek boxing by becoming the new face of the top five taking the four position. Esteban Salas is also a newbie at number ten.
Minimumweight – Super champion: Thammanoon Niyomtrong. World: Victorio Saludar.
No changes made.
Main image: Mark Robinson