HEAVYWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Ukraine flag
Oleksandr Usyk photo

The Ring Heavyweight Champion

Oleksandr
Usyk

20-0-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
Not Defended Yet
Time inactive
213 days - (7 months & 1 day)
Won against
United Kingdom flag Joshua (24-2-0) SD 12 20-Aug-2022
Time held
213 days - (7 months & 1 day)
Total defences
0
Activity average
N/A
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
213 days - (7 months & 1 day)
1
United Kingdom flag
Tyson Fury photo
-
Fury
2
United States flag
Deontay Wilder photo
-
Wilder
3
United Kingdom flag
Anthony Joshua photo
-
Joshua
4
United Kingdom flag
Joe Joyce photo
-
Joyce
5
United States flag
Andy Ruiz Jr photo
-
Ruiz Jr
6
United Kingdom flag
Dillian Whyte photo
-
Whyte
7
Cuba flag
Luis Ortiz photo
-
Ortiz
8
New Zealand flag
Joseph Parker photo
-
Parker
9
Croatia flag
Filip Hrgovic photo
-
Hrgovic
10
Cuba flag
Frank Sanchez photo
-
Sanchez

CRUISERWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Australia flag
Jai Opetaia photo

The Ring Cruiserweight Champion

Jai
Opetaia

22-0-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
Not Defended Yet
Time inactive
262 days - (8 months & 19 days)
Won against
Latvia flag Briedis (28-1-0) UD 12 02-Jul-2022
Time held
262 days - (8 months & 19 days)
Total defences
0
Activity average
N/A
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
262 days - (8 months & 19 days)
1
United Kingdom flag
Lawrence Okolie photo
-
Okolie
2
Latvia flag
Mairis Briedis photo
-
Briedis
3
Cuba flag
Yuniel Dorticos photo
-
Dorticos
4
Congo, The Democratic Republic of The flag
Ilunga Makabu photo
-
Makabu
5
South Africa flag
Thabiso Mchunu photo
-
Mchunu
6
United Kingdom flag
Richard Riakporhe photo
-
Riakporhe
7
Russian Federation flag
Aleksei Papin photo
-
Papin
8
Armenia flag
Arsen Goulamirian photo
-
Goulamirian
9
Poland flag
Mateusz Masternak photo
-
Masternak
10
United Kingdom flag
Chris Billam-Smith photo
-
Billam Smith

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion

Vacant

1
Russian Federation flag
Dmitry Bivol photo
-
Bivol
2
Russian Federation flag
Artur Beterbiev photo
-
Beterbiev
3
United Kingdom flag
Callum Smith photo
-
Smith
4
Mexico flag
Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez photo
-
Ramirez
5
United States flag
Joe Smith Jr photo
-
Smith Jr
6
United Kingdom flag
Anthony Yarde photo
-
Yarde
7
United Kingdom flag
Joshua Buatsi photo
-
Buatsi
8
Canada flag
Jean Pascal photo
-
Pascal
9
United Kingdom flag
Craig Richards photo
-
Richards
10
United Kingdom flag
Dan Azeez photo
-
Azeez

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Mexico flag
Canelo Alvarez photo

The Ring Super Middleweight Champion

Canelo
Alvarez

58-2-2

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
United Kingdom flag Ryder (32-5-0) 06-May-2023
Last defence
Kazakhstan flag Golovkin (42-1-1) UD 12 17-Sep-2022
Time inactive
185 days - (6 months & 4 days)
Won against
United Kingdom flag Smith (27-0-0) UD 12 19-Dec-2020
Time held
822 days - (2 years & 3 months)
Total defences
3
Sep 17 2022
UD 12 Kazakhstan flag Golovkin (42-1-1)
May 08 2021
TKO 8 United Kingdom flag Saunders (30-0-0)
Feb 27 2021
TKO 3 Turkey flag Yildirim (21-2-0)
Activity average
Every 274 days - (9 months & 1 day)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
822 days - (2 years & 3 months)
1
United States flag
David Benavidez photo
-
Benavidez
2
United States flag
Caleb Plant photo
-
Plant
3
United Kingdom flag
John Ryder photo
-
Ryder
4
Cuba flag
David Morrell photo
-
Morrell
5
France flag
Christian Mbilli photo
-
Mbilli
6
Canada flag
Erik Bazinyan photo
1
Bazinyan
7
United States flag
Anthony Dirrell photo
1
Dirrell
8
Russian Federation flag
Vladimir Shishkin photo
-
Shishkin
9
United Kingdom flag
Zach Parker photo
-
Parker
10
Kazakhstan flag
Ali Akhmedov photo
-
Akhmedov

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Middleweight Champion

Vacant

1
Kazakhstan flag
Gennady Golovkin photo
-
Golovkin
2
Mexico flag
Jaime Munguia photo
-
Munguia
3
Kazakhstan flag
Zhanibek Alimkhanuly photo
-
Alimkhanuly
4
Dominican Republic flag
Carlos Adames photo
-
Adames
5
United Kingdom flag
Liam Smith photo
-
Smith
6
Japan flag
Ryota Murata photo
-
Murata
7
Ukraine flag
Sergiy Derevyanchenko photo
-
Derevyanchenko
8
Cuba flag
Erislandy Lara photo
-
Lara
9
United Kingdom flag
Felix Cash photo
-
Cash
10
United Kingdom flag
Chris Eubank Jr photo
-
Eubank Jr

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

United States flag
Jermell Charlo photo

The Ring Junior Middleweight Champion

Jermell
Charlo

35-1-1

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
Argentina flag Castano (17-0-2) KO 10 14-May-2022
Time inactive
311 days - (10 months & 7 days)
Won against
Dominican Republic flag Rosario (20-1-1) KO 8 26-Sep-2020
Time held
906 days - (2 years & 5 months)
Total defences
1
May 14 2022
KO 10 Argentina flag Castano (17-0-2)
Activity average
Every 906 days - (2 years & 5 months)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
906 days - (2 years & 5 months)
1
Argentina flag
Brian Carlos Castano photo
-
Castano
2
United States flag
Sebastian Fundora photo
-
Fundora
3
Australia flag
Tim Tszyu photo
-
Tszyu
4
United States flag
Tony Harrison photo
-
Harrison
5
United States flag
Erickson Lubin photo
-
Lubin
6
Russian Federation flag
Magomed Kurbanov photo
-
Kurbanov
7
United Kingdom flag
Liam Smith photo
-
Smith
8
Uzbekistan flag
Israil Madrimov photo
-
Madrimov
9
United States flag
Charles Conwell photo
-
Conwell
10
France flag
Michel Soro photo
-
Soro

WELTERWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Welterweight Champion

Vacant

1
United States flag
Errol Spence Jr photo
-
Spence Jr
2
United States flag
Terence Crawford photo
-
Crawford
3
United States flag
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis photo
-
Ennis
4
Cuba flag
Yordenis Ugas photo
-
Ugas
5
United States flag
Vergil Ortiz Jr photo
-
Ortiz Jr
6
Lithuania flag
Eimantas Stanionis photo
-
Stanionis
7
United States flag
Keith Thurman photo
-
Thurman
8
United Kingdom flag
Conor Benn photo
-
Benn
9
Russian Federation flag
Radzhab Butaev photo
-
Butaev
10
Russian Federation flag
David Avanesyan photo
-
Avanesyan

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

United Kingdom flag
Josh Taylor photo

The Ring Junior Welterweight Champion

Josh
Taylor

19-0-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
United Kingdom flag Catterall (26-0-0) SD 12 26-Feb-2022
Time inactive
388 days - (1 year & 23 days)
Won against
United States flag Prograis (24-0-0) MD 12 26-Oct-2019
Time held
1242 days - (3 years & 4 months)
Total defences
3
Feb 26 2022
SD 12 United Kingdom flag Catterall (26-0-0)
May 22 2021
UD 12 United States flag Ramirez (26-0-0)
Sep 26 2020
KO 1 Thailand flag Kongsong (16-0-0)
Activity average
Every 414 days - (1 year & 1 month)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
1242 days - (3 years & 4 months)
1
United States flag
Regis Prograis photo
-
Prograis
2
United States flag
Jose Carlos Ramirez photo
-
Ramirez
3
United Kingdom flag
Jack Catterall photo
-
Catterall
4
Puerto Rico flag
Subriel Matias photo
-
Matias
5
United States flag
Arnold Barboza Jr photo
1
Barboza Jr
6
United States flag
Jose Zepeda photo
1
Zepeda
7
United States flag
Gary Antuanne Russell photo
-
Russell
8
Uzbekistan flag
Shohjahon Ergashev photo
-
Ergashev
9
Dominican Republic flag
Alberto Puello photo
-
Puello
10
United States flag
Teofimo Lopez photo
-
Lopez

LIGHTWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

United States flag
Devin Haney photo

The Ring Lightweight Champion

Devin
Haney

29-0-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
Ukraine flag Lomachenko (17-2-0) 20-May-2023
Last defence
Australia flag Kambosos Jnr (20-1-0) UD 12 16-Oct-2022
Time inactive
157 days - (5 months & 6 days)
Won against
Australia flag Kambosos Jnr (20-0-0) UD 12 05-Jun-2022
Time held
290 days - (9 months & 17 days)
Total defences
1
Oct 16 2022
UD 12 Australia flag Kambosos Jnr (20-1-0)
Activity average
Every 290 days - (9 months & 17 days)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
290 days - (9 months & 17 days)
1
Ukraine flag
Vasyl Lomachenko photo
-
Lomachenko
2
United States flag
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis photo
-
Davis
3
United States flag
Ryan Garcia photo
-
Garcia
4
Mexico flag
Isaac Cruz photo
-
Cruz
5
United States flag
Frank Martin photo
-
Martin
6
Australia flag
George Kambosos photo
-
Kambosos Jnr
7
Mexico flag
William Zepeda photo
-
Zepeda
8
Argentina flag
Gustavo Daniel Lemos photo
-
Lemos

28-0-0

9
United States flag
Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Diaz photo
-
Diaz
10
United Kingdom flag
Maxi Hughes photo
-
Hughes

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Junior Lightweight Champion

Vacant

1
Mexico flag
Oscar Valdez photo
-
Valdez
2
Dominican Republic flag
Hector Luis Garcia photo
-
Garcia
3
United States flag
O’Shaquie Foster photo
3
Foster
4
United Kingdom flag
Joe Cordina photo
-
Cordina
5
Tajikistan flag
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov photo
2
Rakhimov
6
Brazil flag
Robson Conceicao photo
1
Conceicao
7
Venezuela flag
Roger Gutierrez photo
-
Gutierrez
8
Japan flag
Kenichi Ogawa photo
-
Ogawa
9
United States flag
Lamont Roach photo
-
Roach
10
United States flag
Albert Bell photo
-
Bell

22-0-0

FEATHERWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Featherweight Champion

Vacant

1
Mexico flag
Rey Vargas photo
1
Vargas
2
Philippines flag
Mark Magsayo photo
1
Magsayo
3
Mexico flag
Mauricio Lara photo
1
Lara
4
Mexico flag
Luis Alberto Lopez photo
1
Lopez
5
United Kingdom flag
Leigh Wood photo
1
Wood
6
United Kingdom flag
Josh Warrington photo
1
Warrington
7
Spain flag
Kiko Martinez photo
1
Martinez
8
Cuba flag
Robeisy Ramirez photo
1
Ramirez
9
Ireland flag
Michael Conlan photo
1
Conlan
10
Ghana flag
Isaac Dogboe photo
Dogboe

Dropped Out This Month

Mexico flag
Emanuel Navarrete photo
Navarrete

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Junior Featherweight Champion

Vacant

1
United States flag
Stephen Fulton photo
-
Fulton
2
Uzbekistan flag
Murodjon Akhmadaliev photo
-
Akhmadaliev
3
United States flag
Raeese Aleem photo
-
Aleem
4
Armenia flag
Azat Hovhannisyan photo
-
Hovhannisyan
5
Philippines flag
Marlon Tapales photo
-
Tapales
6
Mexico flag
Luis Nery photo
-
Nery
7
United States flag
Ronny Rios photo
-
Rios
8
South Africa flag
Zolani Tete photo
-
Tete
9
Philippines flag
Mike Plania photo
-
Plania
10
Japan flag
Takuma Inoue photo
-
Inoue

BANTAMWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Japan flag
Naoya Inoue photo

The Ring Bantamweight Champion

Naoya
Inoue

24-0-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
United Kingdom flag Butler (34-2-0) KO 11 13-Dec-2022
Time inactive
98 days - (3 months & 8 days)
Won against
Puerto Rico flag Rodriguez (19-0-0) KO 2 18-May-2019
Time held
1403 days - (3 years & 10 months)
Total defences
3
Dec 13 2022
KO 11 United Kingdom flag Butler (34-2-0)
Oct 31 2020
TKO 7 Australia flag Moloney (21-1-0)
Nov 07 2019
UD 12 Philippines flag Donaire (40-5-0)
Activity average
Every 468 days - (1 year & 3 months)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
1403 days - (3 years & 10 months)
1
Puerto Rico flag
Emmanuel Rodriguez photo
-
Rodriguez
2
Australia flag
Jason Moloney photo
-
Moloney
3
Philippines flag
Nonito Donaire photo
-
Donaire
4
Philippines flag
Vincent Astrolabio photo
-
Astrolabio
5
United Kingdom flag
Lee McGregor photo
-
McGregor
6
United States flag
Gary Antonio Russell photo
-
Russell
7
Mexico flag
Alejandro Santiago photo
-
Santiago
8
United Kingdom flag
Paul Butler photo
-
Butler
9
Japan flag
Ryosuke Nishida photo
-
Nishida

6-0-0

10
Japan flag
Kai Chiba photo
-
Chiba

15-4-0

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Mexico flag
Juan Francisco Estrada photo

The Ring Junior Bantamweight Champion

Juan Francisco Estrada

43-3-0

Stats icon
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Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
Nicaragua flag Gonzalez (51-3-0) MD 12 03-Dec-2022
Time inactive
108 days - (3 months & 18 days)
Won against
Thailand flag Rungvisai (47-4-1) UD 12 26-Apr-2019
Time held
1425 days - (3 years & 10 months)
Total defences
2
Dec 03 2022
MD 12 Nicaragua flag Gonzalez (51-3-0)
Aug 24 2019
TKO 9 United States flag Beamon (16-1-1)
Activity average
Every 713 days - (1 year & 11 months)
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
1425 days - (3 years & 10 months)
1
Nicaragua flag
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez photo
-
Gonzalez
2
Japan flag
Kazuto Ioka photo
-
Ioka
3
United States flag
Joshua Franco photo
-
Franco
4
United States flag
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez photo
-
Rodriguez
5
Argentina flag
Fernando Martinez photo
-
Martinez
6
Thailand flag
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai photo
-
Rungvisai
7
Japan flag
Junto Nakatani photo
-
Nakatani
8
Japan flag
Kosei Tanaka photo
-
Tanaka
9
Australia flag
Andrew Moloney photo
-
Moloney
10
Mexico flag
Francisco Rodriguez Jr photo
-
Rodriguez Jr

37-6-1

FLYWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Flyweight Champion

Vacant

1
United Kingdom flag
Sunny Edwards photo
-
Edwards
2
Mexico flag
Julio Cesar Martinez photo
-
Martinez
3
Azerbaijan flag
Artem Dalakian photo
-
Dalakian
4
Mexico flag
Angel Ayala Lardizabal photo
-
Lardizabal
5
Puerto Rico flag
McWilliams Arroyo photo
-
Arroyo
6
Costa Rica flag
David Jimenez photo
-
Jimenez

12-1-0

7
United States flag
Ricardo Rafael Sandoval photo
-
Sandoval
8
Nicaragua flag
Felix Alvarado photo
-
Alvarado
9
Nicaragua flag
Cristofer Rosales photo
-
Rosales
10
Japan flag
Seigo Yuri Akui photo
-
Akui

18-2-1

JR FLYWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Japan flag
Kenshiro Teraji photo

The Ring Junior Flyweight Champion

Kenshiro
Teraji

20-1-0

Stats icon
Expand Collapse
Next Scheduled Defence
TBA
Last defence
Not Defended Yet
Time inactive
140 days - (4 months & 20 days)
Won against
Japan flag Kyoguchi (16-0-0) TKO 7 01-Nov-2022
Time held
140 days - (4 months & 20 days)
Total defences
0
Activity average
N/A
Mandatory challenger
TBC
Last mandatory
None Called Yet
Since a mandatory
140 days - (4 months & 20 days)
1
Puerto Rico flag
Jonathan Gonzalez photo
-
Gonzalez
2
Japan flag
Hiroto Kyoguchi photo
-
Kyoguchi
3
South Africa flag
Hekkie Budler photo
-
Budler

34-4-0

4
Mexico flag
Elwin Soto photo
-
Soto
5
South Africa flag
Sivenathi Nontshinga photo
-
Nontshinga
6
Japan flag
Masamichi Yabuki photo
-
Yabuki
7
Cuba flag
Daniel Matellon photo
-
Matellon

13-0-2

8
Mexico flag
Esteban Bermudez photo
-
Bermudez
9
Venezuela flag
Carlos Canizales photo
-
Canizales
10
Japan flag
Shokichi Iwata photo
-
Iwata

9-1-0

STRAWWEIGHT

Updated: 18 Feb, 2023

Placeholder fighter photo

The Ring Strawweight Champion

Vacant

1
Thailand flag
Thammanoon Niyomtrong photo
-
Niyomtrong
2
Thailand flag
Panya Pradabsri photo
-
Pradabsri
3
Philippines flag
Melvin Jerusalem photo
-
Jerusalem
4
Thailand flag
Wanheng Menayothin photo
-
Menayothin
5
Puerto Rico flag
Wilfredo Mendez photo
-
Mendez
6
Mexico flag
Daniel Valladares photo
-
Valladares
7
Philippines flag
Rene Mark Cuarto photo
-
Cuarto
8
Japan flag
Ginjiro Shigeoka photo
-
Shigeoka

8-0-0

9
Japan flag
Masataka Taniguchi photo
-
Taniguchi
10
United States flag
Oscar Collazo photo
-
Collazo

The Ring Magazine Profile

History

The Ring Magazine is an American boxing magazine considered to be the longest-lasting boxing publication in the world. Founded in 1922 by American boxing writer and collector Nathaniel Fleischer and his partners, The Ring has almost uninterruptedly published its magazine and ratings up until today. It remains one of the more reputable entities in boxing.

The first issue was published on 15th February 1922, counting 24 pages and costing 20 cents at that time, close to $3 adjusted for inflation.
Fleischer served as a publisher and editor of the magazine until his death in 1972. The managing editor at that time, Nat Loubet, succeeded Fleischer. Loubet would then have a 7-year tenure as publisher, notable for his initiative to expand The Ring internationally, with versions of the magazine published in Spanish, French, and Japanese.

Following Loubet's departure, boxing writer and historian Bert Sugar took over as editor-in-chief for the next six years. By 1989, The Ring had neared bankruptcy and ceased publication for almost a year, until getting back to its feet in 1990 under new ownership and management.

It was a former employee, Stanley Weston, who would end up saving the same magazine, 52 years after having worked there as a stock boy when he was just 13 years old. Not only that, but he was also considered responsible for re-establishing the magazine as the leading boxing publication in the world.

Weston would also work at the magazine as an artist, having painted 57 covers for The Ring. His first cover was a painting of light-heavyweight champion Billy Dunn for the December 1939 issue. Over the years, The Ring cover has featured some of the best boxers ever to live, including: Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roy Jones Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez, Manny Pacquiao, and Oscar De La Hoya.

In 1977, female boxer Cathy Davis became the first female to appear on the cover of The Ring.

After Sugar's departure, the editor-in-chief would change every couple of yours, with the current being Douglass Fischer. The Ring's headquarters were located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, until 2011, when it relocated to Los Angeles.

The Ring has changed ownership five times during its existence. The magazine changed hands between founder Nat Fleischer, Dave DeBusschere and Nick Kladis, Stanley Weston and Nick Karabots. Since September 2007, it has been owned by Hall of Fame boxer Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy enterprises.

The Ring Championship

The Ring magazine has awarded its championship in multiple weight-classes since 1922. The first boxer to ever be awarded the honor was famed heavyweight Jack Dempsey and the second was flyweight sensation Pancho Villa.

After Steve Farhood took over duties as editor-in-chief in the 1990s, The Ring stopped awarding its championship. At the essence of The Ring belt is that fighters are not required to pay sanctioning fees for their participation in title fights, against the practice of all other sanctioning bodies.

The magazine would reintroduce their belt in April 2002 with a new strict championship policy. Their goal was to clarify who is the one true champion in a given weight division among all the existing belts from other organizations. Light heavyweight Roy Jones Jr would be the first boxer to be awarded the championship since its restoration.

Under this policy, a fighter could get a hold of the belt in just two ways:

  • by beating a current Ring champion
  • or if the title is vacant, it could only be won in a contest between The Ring's number one and two ranked fighters in that weight-division.

A fighter could lose his belt in three ways:

  • in the ring
  • by moving to a different weight-division
  • retiring

Consistently having numerous title vacancies throughout the years prompted a new, less strict championship policy introduced in May 2012. According to their official website, a championship vacancy can be filled in either of the following ways:

  • The Ring's number 1 and number 2 contenders fight each other
  • The Ring's number 1 or number 2 contender fights any of the contenders ranked 3, 4 or 5, if the editorial board deems the contenders in question worthy

There are now seven scenarios through which a fighter could also be stripped of his Ring belt:

  • losing a fight
  • moving to another weight-division (for at least two fights)
  • not scheduling a fight in any division for 18 months
  • not scheduling a fight in his division for 18 months
  • not planning a fight against a top-5 contender in any weight-division for two years
  • retiring
  • testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance and being suspended or penalized by a relevant athletic commission or sanctioning body

HOW THE RING RANKINGS WORK

The first boxing rankings ever were published by The Ring in its February issue in 1925. Nat Fleischer introduced the idea of ranking boxers after being inspired by Walter Camp’s annual All-America football team, given annually to the best college players at their respective positions.

The Ring’s official ratings policy pays attention to the following:

  • fighter’s results
  • fighter’s performance, in a victory or defeat
  • fighter’s recent fight record and quality of opposition

The ratings are compiled by a three-member editorial board, with the help of The Ring’s rating panel of international boxing journalists. According to Fischer, the committee meets every Sunday and reflects on the boxing action happening during the week. Then the editorial board reviews all suggestions and has the final verdict on the rankings, with Fischer stating that about 90% of the time, the decision is the same as the majority of the panel.

Some critics have raised questions on the independence of the ratings given that current owner Oscar De La Hoya is still very much involved in the sport, managing and promoting numerous fighters through his own Golden Boy Promotions. Editor-in-chief Doug Fischer has refuted those claims, stating that the panel is in good hands, with 15-20 boxing journalists from around the world working independently and carefully following all contenders and prospects close to cracking into their rankings.

The Ring tries to offer a more simplified and unambiguous view of which fighters in the sport can be considered the best. Their ratings are recognized as official by various US media outlets, most notably ESPN, and now Box.Live!

Current RING World Champions

The Ring Heavyweight Champion
Ukraine flag Oleksandr Usyk (20-0-0)
The Ring Cruiserweight Champion
Australia flag Jai Opetaia (22-0-0)
The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Super Middleweight Champion
Mexico flag Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2)
The Ring Middleweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Junior Middleweight Champion
United States flag Jermell Charlo (35-1-1)
The Ring Welterweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Junior Welterweight Champion
United Kingdom flag Josh Taylor (19-0-0)
The Ring Lightweight Champion
United States flag Devin Haney (29-0-0)
The Ring Junior Lightweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Featherweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Junior Featherweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Bantamweight Champion
Japan flag Naoya Inoue (24-0-0)
The Ring Junior Bantamweight Champion
Mexico flag Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3-0)
The Ring Flyweight Champion
Vacant
The Ring Junior Flyweight Champion
Japan flag Kenshiro Teraji (20-1-0)
The Ring Strawweight Champion
Vacant

Current RING Rankings

RING HEAVYWEIGHT
Belt icon

Ukraine flag Oleksandr Usyk (20-0-0)

The Ring Heavyweight Champion

  1. (33-0-1) -
  2. (43-2-1) -
  3. (24-3-0) -
  4. (15-0-0) -
  5. (35-2-0) -
  6. (29-3-0) -
  7. (33-3-0) -
  8. (31-3-0) -
  9. (15-0-0) -
  10. (21-0-0) -
RING CRUISERWEIGHT
Belt icon

Australia flag Jai Opetaia (22-0-0)

The Ring Cruiserweight Champion

RING LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion

RING SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
Belt icon

Mexico flag Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2)

The Ring Super Middleweight Champion

RING MIDDLEWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Middleweight Champion

RING JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT
Belt icon

United States flag Jermell Charlo (35-1-1)

The Ring Junior Middleweight Champion

RING WELTERWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Welterweight Champion

RING JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT
Belt icon

United Kingdom flag Josh Taylor (19-0-0)

The Ring Junior Welterweight Champion

RING LIGHTWEIGHT
Belt icon

United States flag Devin Haney (29-0-0)

The Ring Lightweight Champion

  1. (17-2-0) -
  2. (28-0-0) -
  3. (23-0-0) -
  4. (24-2-1) -
  5. (17-0-0) -
  6. (20-2-0) -
  7. (27-0-0) -
  8. Argentina flag Gustavo Daniel Lemos
    (28-0-0) -
  9. (32-4-1) -
  10. (26-5-2) -
RING JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Junior Lightweight Champion

  1. (30-1-0) -
  2. (16-1-0) -
  3. (20-2-0) 3
  4. (15-0-0) -
  5. (17-0-1) 2
  6. (17-2-0) 1
  7. (27-4-1) -
  8. (26-2-1) -
  9. (23-1-1) -
  10. United States flag Albert Bell
    (22-0-0) -
RING FEATHERWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Featherweight Champion

  1. (36-1-0) 1
  2. (24-2-0) 1
  3. (26-2-1) 1
  4. (27-2-0) 1
  5. (26-3-0) 1
  6. (31-2-1) 1
  7. (44-11-2) 1
  8. (11-1-0) 1
  9. (18-1-0) 1
  10. (24-2-0)
Dropped Out This Month
RING JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Junior Featherweight Champion

  1. (21-0-0) -
  2. (11-0-0) -
  3. (20-0-0) -
  4. (21-4-0) -
  5. (36-3-0) -
  6. (34-1-0) -
  7. (33-4-0) -
  8. (30-4-0) -
  9. (27-2-0) -
  10. (17-1-0) -
RING BANTAMWEIGHT
Belt icon

Japan flag Naoya Inoue (24-0-0)

The Ring Bantamweight Champion

  1. (21-2-0) -
  2. (25-2-0) -
  3. (42-7-0) -
  4. (18-3-0) -
  5. (12-0-1) -
  6. (19-1-0) -
  7. (27-3-5) -
  8. (34-3-0) -
  9. Japan flag Ryosuke Nishida
    (6-0-0) -
  10. Japan flag Kai Chiba
    (15-4-0) -
RING JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT
Belt icon

Mexico flag Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3-0)

The Ring Junior Bantamweight Champion

  1. (51-4-0) -
  2. (29-2-1) -
  3. (18-1-3) -
  4. (17-0-0) -
  5. (15-0-0) -
  6. (50-6-1) -
  7. (24-0-0) -
  8. (18-1-0) -
  9. (25-2-0) -
  10. Mexico flag Francisco Rodriguez Jr
    (37-6-1) -
RING FLYWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Flyweight Champion

  1. (19-0-0) -
  2. (19-2-0) -
  3. (22-0-0) -
  4. (15-0-0) -
  5. (21-4-0) -
  6. Costa Rica flag David Jimenez
    (12-1-0) -
  7. (21-2-0) -
  8. (38-3-0) -
  9. (35-6-0) -
  10. Japan flag Seigo Yuri Akui
    (18-2-1) -
RING JR FLYWEIGHT
Belt icon

Japan flag Kenshiro Teraji (20-1-0)

The Ring Junior Flyweight Champion

  1. (27-3-1) -
  2. (16-1-0) -
  3. South Africa flag Hekkie Budler
    (34-4-0) -
  4. (19-3-0) -
  5. (11-0-0) -
  6. (15-4-0) -
  7. Cuba flag Daniel Matellon
    (13-0-2) -
  8. (14-4-2) -
  9. (25-1-1) -
  10. Japan flag Shokichi Iwata
    (9-1-0) -
RING STRAWWEIGHT
Belt icon

Vacant

The Ring Strawweight Champion

  1. (24-0-0) -
  2. (39-1-0) -
  3. (20-2-0) -
  4. (55-3-0) -
  5. (18-2-0) -
  6. (26-3-1) -
  7. (21-3-2) -
  8. Japan flag Ginjiro Shigeoka
    (8-0-0) -
  9. (16-4-0) -
  10. (6-0-0) -

Discuss

Give us your thoughts on The Ring Magazine Rankings & Champions

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