Tag: callum smith

Pound-for-pound: Did Isaac Cruz do enough against Rolando Romero to crack list?

Pound-for-pound: Did Isaac Cruz do enough against Rolando Romero to crack Boxing Junkie’s list?

Isaac Cruz made a strong impression with his eighth-round knockout of Rolando Romero on Saturday in Las Vegas.

But did the new 140-pound titleholder from Mexico do enough in that fight — and does he have the resume — to climb onto Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Not quite.

Everyone agrees that Cruz is evolving into a formidable fighting machine, a pressure fighter with the fitness, durability and punching power to dominate opponents.

However, we shouldn’t overreact to a one-sided victory over Romero, a good, but limited fighter. And Cruz still doesn’t have a victory over a top-tier opponent, although he gave Gervonta Davis hell in defeat in 2021.

Bottom line: Cruz has to beat a pound-for-pounder or someone of that caliber to leave no doubt that he belongs with the best in the business.

And those matchups will come soon enough if Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) continues to win. Perhaps showdowns with the likes of fellow beltholders Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez — or maybe even a rematch with Davis — are in his near future.

A victory over any of the above would be enough to lift Cruz to the next level. Stay tuned.

What about Sebastian Fundora?

The new 154-pound champ defeated rising star Tim Tszyu by a split decision in the main event on Saturday, an accomplishment for which Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) deserves credit.

However, we can’t draw firm conclusions because Tszyu was effectively blinded by blood in his eyes, the result of a ghastly cut on his hairline. Plus, Fundora was knocked out by Brian Mendoza in his previous fight.

Fundora’s time might come, just not now.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – Scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against No. 11 Jesse Rodriguez on June 29 in Phoenix.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – Scheduled to face Jaime Munguia for the undisputed 168-pound championship on May 4 in Las Vegas.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – Scheduled to face No. 5 Juan Francisco Estrada for Estrada’s 115-pound title on June 29 in Phoenix.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– Reportedly near a deal to defend his 135-pound title against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6 in Newark, New Jersey.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no announcement has been made); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (reportedly near a deal to defend his 140-pound title against Steve Claggett on June 29 in Miami).

[lawrence-related id=41294,41278,41249,41227]

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.

None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.

The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.

They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).

That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?

Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

Pound-for-pound: Action will pick up in a big way beginning on April 20

That’s crickets you’re hearing when it comes to the pound-for-pound scene.

None of the 20 fighter’s on Boxing Junkie’s list — Nos. 1-15 and five Honorable Mentions — is scheduled to step into the ring until April 20, when No. 10 Devin Haney will defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas.

The action picks up in a big way at that point, however. Between April 20 and June 1 — a span of only five-plus weeks — seven pound-for-pounders are scheduled to fight.

They are No. 2 Naoya Inoue, No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 4 Dmitry Bivol, No. 9 Tyson Fury, Haney, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and No. 14 Vasiliy Lomachenko (see below for details).

That number could grow. No. 6 Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4, although no opponent has been announced. And Honorable Mention David Benavidez is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

And who knows what other matchups involving the best of the best might emerge?

Yes, the lack of activity at the moment is disappointing. However, patience will pay dividends. The biggest stars in the sport are in the gym as you read this preparing to perform.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (has agreed to fight 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his position after dud?

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?

Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.

To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.

So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?

He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.

We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

[lawrence-related id=40729,40720,40690,40684]

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his position after dud?

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?

Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.

To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.

So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?

He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.

We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

[lawrence-related id=40729,40720,40690,40684]

Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev has never looked better

Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev never looked better than he did in his knockout victory over Callum Smith.

Artur Beterbiev was still perfect as he approached his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound titleholder hadn’t fought in a year when he stepped through the ropes to face Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada, but neither his advanced age nor the layoff was evident in his performance.

Beterbiev pummeled his accomplished opponent, dropped him twice and finally stopped him the seventh round, making Smith his 20th knockout victim in as many fights.

The winner was modest afterward, saying, “It’s because of luck. It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”

Luck had nothing to do with it. He demonstrated in emphatic fashion that he remains one of the best fighters in the world — he’s No. 12 on Boxing Junkie’s pound for pound list — and arguably the top 175-pounder of his generation.

Thus, he earned Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month honors for January.

Beterbiev’s dominating victory wasn’t the result of sheer aggression. The three-belt champion used his boxing skills and experience to patiently, methodically break down his opponent until the challenger could no longer fight back.

The result was both brutal and thorough, which underscored Beterbiev’s reputation as a fearsome beast.

Indeed, he has never looked better as he approaches the biggest matchup of his decade-long career, a showdown with fellow titleholder Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship in late spring or summer.

We’ll see whether Beterbiev is up to the challenge of facing Bivol if they reach a deal. Bivol, the conqueror of superstar Canelo Alvarez, is more skillful than Smith.

However, Beterbiev, who turned 39 on Jan. 21, clearly is threat to anyone at or near his weight. That couldn’t have been more obvious on Jan. 13.

“They talk about his strength and punching power,” said Buddy McGirt, Smith’s trainer, “but he’s a very smart fighter. He’s gonna be tough to beat.”

Ya think?

[lawrence-related id=40481,40466,40446,40442,40384,39939,39539,39258,38748,38381,37946]

Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev has never looked better

Fighter of the Month: Aging Artur Beterbiev never looked better than he did in his knockout victory over Callum Smith.

Artur Beterbiev was still perfect as he approached his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound titleholder hadn’t fought in a year when he stepped through the ropes to face Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada, but neither his advanced age nor the layoff was evident in his performance.

Beterbiev pummeled his accomplished opponent, dropped him twice and finally stopped him the seventh round, making Smith his 20th knockout victim in as many fights.

The winner was modest afterward, saying, “It’s because of luck. It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”

Luck had nothing to do with it. He demonstrated in emphatic fashion that he remains one of the best fighters in the world — he’s No. 12 on Boxing Junkie’s pound for pound list — and arguably the top 175-pounder of his generation.

Thus, he earned Boxing Junkie Fighter of the Month honors for January.

Beterbiev’s dominating victory wasn’t the result of sheer aggression. The three-belt champion used his boxing skills and experience to patiently, methodically break down his opponent until the challenger could no longer fight back.

The result was both brutal and thorough, which underscored Beterbiev’s reputation as a fearsome beast.

Indeed, he has never looked better as he approaches the biggest matchup of his decade-long career, a showdown with fellow titleholder Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship in late spring or summer.

We’ll see whether Beterbiev is up to the challenge of facing Bivol if they reach a deal. Bivol, the conqueror of superstar Canelo Alvarez, is more skillful than Smith.

However, Beterbiev, who turned 39 on Jan. 21, clearly is threat to anyone at or near his weight. That couldn’t have been more obvious on Jan. 13.

“They talk about his strength and punching power,” said Buddy McGirt, Smith’s trainer, “but he’s a very smart fighter. He’s gonna be tough to beat.”

Ya think?

[lawrence-related id=40481,40466,40446,40442,40384,39939,39539,39258,38748,38381,37946]

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

[lawrence-related id=40466,40446,40442]

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

[lawrence-related id=40466,40446,40442]

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith. Dmitry Bivol next?

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith on Saturday in Canada. Is a showdown with Dmitry Bivol next?

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Artur Beterbiev

Bring on Dmity Bivol. Beterbiev demonstrated in his seventh-round knockout of Callum Smith on Saturday night that he’s still going strong as he approaches his 39th birthday on Jan. 21, this despite a one-year layoff going into the fight. It was a complete performance. The three-belt 175-pound champion outboxed a good, experienced opponent, outworked him, broke him down, dropped him twice and finally stopped him in his eighth title defense, giving him 20 knockouts in as many fights. His next fight might not be so easy. He and single beltholder Bivol reportedly have agreed to fight for the undisputed championship, although no formal announcement has been made. Bivol is no Smith, as he demonstrated by schooling Canelo Alvarez in 2022. Beterbiev’s boxing ability is underappreciated because of his knockout record – he sets up his heavy blows brilliantly – but he’s not as skillful as Bivol, a master technician who is more athletic than his fellow Russian. The question is whether Bivol is good enough to avoid Beterbiev’s freakishly heavy hands for 12 rounds. No one else has been able to do so. Can you think of a more interesting matchup?

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) seems to have settled into his place in the boxing hierarchy. The former 168-pound titleholder is a capable all-around fighter who has been unable to get to the pinnacle of the sport, as one-sided losses in his two biggest fights (Alvarez and Beterbiev) demonstrate. The setback on Saturday was particularly damaging. He fought bravely but was never a genuine threat to Beterbiev, who became the first to drop and stop the Englishman. Smith is good, not special. And it it takes a special fighter to beat the likes of Alvarez and Beterbiev. What’s next for Smith? Maybe a meeting with countryman Anthony Yarde, who was Beterbiev’s previous victim. Smith might be the best light heavyweight in the U.K. …

The jury is still out on 168-pound contender Christian Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) but one thing is certain: He’s fun to watch. The 28-year-old Frenchman throws punches in bunches from the opening bell and doesn’t stop until his opponent can no longer fight, as we saw in his wild sixth-round knockout of tough, but overwhelmed Rohan Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) on the Beterbiev-Smith card. Naturally, Mbilli wants a shot at undisputed champion Alvarez. How would that work out for him? Not well if he fights like he did on Saturday. He’d get knocked out. We’ll see whether Mbilli is a mere brawler or a truly good all-around fighter when he steps up in class, whether that’s against Alvarez or a top contender.

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