Gilberto Ramirez on brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds

Gilberto Ramirez is on the brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds. He’ll face titleholder Arsen Goulamirian on Friday.

Gilberto Ramirez has fought as light as 158½ pounds. Now he’s talking about moving up to heavyweight soon.

Yes, “Zurdo” is trying to follow in the footsteps of such legends as Bob Fitzsimmons, Floyd Patterson and Roy Jones Jr., relatively small, but talented and determined men who accomplished great things in the highest weight classes.

His next challenge comes Friday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, where he’ll challenge 200-pound beltholder Arsen Goulamirian in a bid to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion (DAZN).

“It is an honor to be able to be the main event at YouTube Theater and make a statement and potentially become a legend. This is my motivation,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) had known nothing but success against solid opposition until a year and a half ago. The now-32-year-old southpaw shut out Arthur Abraham to become the first Mexican to win a 168-pound title in 2016 and also twice beat Jesse Hart at that weight.

He moved up to 175 in 2019 and took down a series of capable opponents, including Sullivan Barrera and Yunieski Gonzalez.

Then came disaster. He challenged 175-pound beltholder and pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and was outclassed in November 2022, losing a one-sided sided decision and much of the luster on his resume.

Following that he missed weight by a whopping 7.6 pounds for a 175-pound bout with Gabriel Rosado that was canceled in March of last year, further damaging his reputation.

His next move was obvious: Move up to cruiserweight. And his choice of opponent was clever: Joe Smith Jr., a well-known former 175-pound beltholder who also was moving up in weight. They agreed on a 193-pound catch weight.

The result got Ramirez moving in the right direction once again. An excellent technician, he outboxed the powerful, but limited Smith to win nine out of the 10 rounds on all three cards.

The victory earned him a shot at Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs), a Frenchman who has fought once in four-plus years but has ability and has fought at 200 pounds his entire career.

Ramirez told RingTV.com that he’s now a natural 200-pounder.

“I feel great at this new weight class,” he told the outlet. “It’s my natural weight and there is not too much cutting. I walk around at 210, 215 all year round, so making 200 is a breeze compared to 175 or 168.

“After moving up in the weight class, I’ve been working on my strength and boxing. I feel the work that I put will allow me to be strong in pocket and trade any shots with him. My overall strength and skill set will be the difference.”

Ramirez’s goal is to do what he couldn’t do at 175, win a major title, and then go on to even bigger and better things.

“The only thing I know is that he has what I want (the WBA cruiserweight title) and I’m going to take it,” he said. “I’m here to stay and conquer the division before moving up to the heavyweight division.

“I know there isn’t too many fighters my size from my country, so I have to represent well. Viva Mexico!”

[lawrence-related id=41179,39291,39287]

Gilberto Ramirez on brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds

Gilberto Ramirez is on the brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds. He’ll face titleholder Arsen Goulamirian on Friday.

Gilberto Ramirez has fought as light as 158½ pounds. Now he’s talking about moving up to heavyweight soon.

Yes, “Zurdo” is trying to follow in the footsteps of such legends as Bob Fitzsimmons, Floyd Patterson and Roy Jones Jr., relatively small, but talented and determined men who accomplished great things in the highest weight classes.

His next challenge comes Friday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, where he’ll challenge 200-pound beltholder Arsen Goulamirian in a bid to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion (DAZN).

“It is an honor to be able to be the main event at YouTube Theater and make a statement and potentially become a legend. This is my motivation,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) had known nothing but success against solid opposition until a year and a half ago. The now-32-year-old southpaw shut out Arthur Abraham to become the first Mexican to win a 168-pound title in 2016 and also twice beat Jesse Hart at that weight.

He moved up to 175 in 2019 and took down a series of capable opponents, including Sullivan Barrera and Yunieski Gonzalez.

Then came disaster. He challenged 175-pound beltholder and pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and was outclassed in November 2022, losing a one-sided sided decision and much of the luster on his resume.

Following that he missed weight by a whopping 7.6 pounds for a 175-pound bout with Gabriel Rosado that was canceled in March of last year, further damaging his reputation.

His next move was obvious: Move up to cruiserweight. And his choice of opponent was clever: Joe Smith Jr., a well-known former 175-pound beltholder who also was moving up in weight. They agreed on a 193-pound catch weight.

The result got Ramirez moving in the right direction once again. An excellent technician, he outboxed the powerful, but limited Smith to win nine out of the 10 rounds on all three cards.

The victory earned him a shot at Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs), a Frenchman who has fought once in four-plus years but has ability and has fought at 200 pounds his entire career.

Ramirez told RingTV.com that he’s now a natural 200-pounder.

“I feel great at this new weight class,” he told the outlet. “It’s my natural weight and there is not too much cutting. I walk around at 210, 215 all year round, so making 200 is a breeze compared to 175 or 168.

“After moving up in the weight class, I’ve been working on my strength and boxing. I feel the work that I put will allow me to be strong in pocket and trade any shots with him. My overall strength and skill set will be the difference.”

Ramirez’s goal is to do what he couldn’t do at 175, win a major title, and then go on to even bigger and better things.

“The only thing I know is that he has what I want (the WBA cruiserweight title) and I’m going to take it,” he said. “I’m here to stay and conquer the division before moving up to the heavyweight division.

“I know there isn’t too many fighters my size from my country, so I have to represent well. Viva Mexico!”

[lawrence-related id=41179,39291,39287]

Report: Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang in works for Bivol-Beterbiev card on June 1

ESPN is reporting that Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are near a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card.

The new capital of heavyweight boxing is about to deliver two more fights featuring prominent big men.

ESPN is reporting that former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are nearing a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Also, heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are close to an agreement to meet on the same show.

Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will be trying to reestablish himself as a top heavyweight after losing three of his last four fights, two knockouts against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 and a one-sided decision against Joseph Parker in December.

The 38-year-old American’s only victory since 2019 was a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in 2022.

Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) built considerable momentum by stopping Joe Joyce twice last year but the 40-year-old from China crashed back to earth against Parker in March, losing a majority decision even though he decked Parker twice.

Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from Croatia. His biggest victory was a unanimous decision over Zhang in 2022.

Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) nearly pulled off a huge upset when he floored titleholder Oleksandr Usyk with a body shot in August. However, the punch was ruled a low blow, Usyk was given time to recover and the champ stopped Dubois in the ninth round.

Dubois bounced back by stopping Jarrell Miller in the 10th round in December.

Bivol vs. Beterbiev, for the undisputed 175-pound championship, is one of the most anticipated fights in the sport.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is best known for defeating Canelo Alvarez in 2022 but he has a long track record of dominating top contenders. Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) also has overwhelmed opponents, none of whom have reached the final bell.

[lawrence-related id=40324,41039,40286,40314]

 

Report: Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang in works for Bivol-Beterbiev card on June 1

ESPN is reporting that Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are near a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card.

The new capital of heavyweight boxing is about to deliver two more fights featuring prominent big men.

ESPN is reporting that former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are nearing a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Also, heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are close to an agreement to meet on the same show.

Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will be trying to reestablish himself as a top heavyweight after losing three of his last four fights, two knockouts against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 and a one-sided decision against Joseph Parker in December.

The 38-year-old American’s only victory since 2019 was a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in 2022.

Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) built considerable momentum by stopping Joe Joyce twice last year but the 40-year-old from China crashed back to earth against Parker in March, losing a majority decision even though he decked Parker twice.

Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from Croatia. His biggest victory was a unanimous decision over Zhang in 2022.

Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) nearly pulled off a huge upset when he floored titleholder Oleksandr Usyk with a body shot in August. However, the punch was ruled a low blow, Usyk was given time to recover and the champ stopped Dubois in the ninth round.

Dubois bounced back by stopping Jarrell Miller in the 10th round in December.

Bivol vs. Beterbiev, for the undisputed 175-pound championship, is one of the most anticipated fights in the sport.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is best known for defeating Canelo Alvarez in 2022 but he has a long track record of dominating top contenders. Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) also has overwhelmed opponents, none of whom have reached the final bell.

[lawrence-related id=40324,41039,40286,40314]

 

Great Eight: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez would be rare champ vs. champ

Great Eight: A potential matchup between Juan Francisco Estrada and Bam Rodriguez would pit two champions against one another.

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we explore the possibility of an intriguing development: Two of our champions — Juan Francisco Estrada (bantamweight) and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (flyweight) — are in talks to fight one another.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said he’s trying to close a deal for the fighters to meet for Estrada’s 115-pound title on June 29 in Phoenix.

The principals are at different stages of their careers.

Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) is a two-division champion who has shown no signs of decline — he’s coming off a second victory in his third fight against future Hall of Famer Roman Gonzalez — but he’s 33 and has been fighting professionally for 15-plus years.

The Mexican also hasn’t been active. The second victory over Gonzalez took place in December 2022 and he hasn’t fought since. He had been in talks to face fellow titleholder Kazuto Ioka last December but negotiations broke down.

Estrada has won eight consecutive fights since he lost a majority decision to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2018, a setback he later avenged.

Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is a rising star. The 24-year-old Texan has reeled off one spectacular victory after another to join Estrada on many credible pound-for-pound lists, including Boxing Junkie’s.

He made a strong impression by outpointing veteran Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant 115-pound title in February 2022 and then knocked out the equally respected Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in his first defense four months later.

And he was just getting started. He delivered what might be his best performance last December, when, after dropping down to 112 and winning a major belt, he stopped previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards to unify two titles.

“This is a fight we’ve been working on for a long time,” Hearn told DAZN. “I think Estrada against Bam Rodriguez is just a stunner. You keep seeing these small guys give us unbelievable nights.

“Estrada against “Chocolatito” (Roman Gonzalez) so many times, Bam against Sunny [Edwards] last December was incredible, and Estrada against Bam is just a Fight of the Year contender written all over it.”

It would be difficult to argue with Hearn on that point. It doesn’t get much better than one of the best fighters of the generation vs. one of the most exciting young phenoms in the game

And, of course, it would have major implications in terms of Great Eight.

If the fight happens and Estrada wins, he would add to his own Hall of Fame credentials and remain as bantamweight champion here. Rodriguez would become champion in a second Great Eight division if he has his hand raised.

Rodriguez hasn’t said definitively that he’s finished at 112 but that appears to be the case.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury will have a chance to prove his subpar performance against Francis Ngannou was an aberration when he faces Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship on pay-per-view May 18 in Saudi Arabia. Of course, the winner will be our Great Eight champ.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He had expressed interest in facing welterweight king Terence Crawford but that doesn’t appear to be in the works, leaving his future uncertain..

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford hasn’t fought since his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr. last July and has nothing solid in the works. One potential opponent would be Israil Madrimov, who stopped Magomed Kurbanov to win a 154-pound title on May 8.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – Boxing Junkie’s No. 5 fighter pound-for-pound had hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight but an explosive potential matchup with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at 115 might keep him in his current division.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. He’ll almost certainly be replaced if he signs a contract to challenge Estrada at 115 pounds.

[lawrence-related id=40833,38568,34591,34576,34548,40358,40221,40204,40190,40137]

Great Eight: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Bam Rodriguez would be rare champ vs. champ

Great Eight: A potential matchup between Juan Francisco Estrada and Bam Rodriguez would pit two champions against one another.

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we explore the possibility of an intriguing development: Two of our champions — Juan Francisco Estrada (bantamweight) and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (flyweight) — are in talks to fight one another.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said he’s trying to close a deal for the fighters to meet for Estrada’s 115-pound title on June 29 in Phoenix.

The principals are at different stages of their careers.

Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) is a two-division champion who has shown no signs of decline — he’s coming off a second victory in his third fight against future Hall of Famer Roman Gonzalez — but he’s 33 and has been fighting professionally for 15-plus years.

The Mexican also hasn’t been active. The second victory over Gonzalez took place in December 2022 and he hasn’t fought since. He had been in talks to face fellow titleholder Kazuto Ioka last December but negotiations broke down.

Estrada has won eight consecutive fights since he lost a majority decision to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2018, a setback he later avenged.

Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is a rising star. The 24-year-old Texan has reeled off one spectacular victory after another to join Estrada on many credible pound-for-pound lists, including Boxing Junkie’s.

He made a strong impression by outpointing veteran Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant 115-pound title in February 2022 and then knocked out the equally respected Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in his first defense four months later.

And he was just getting started. He delivered what might be his best performance last December, when, after dropping down to 112 and winning a major belt, he stopped previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards to unify two titles.

“This is a fight we’ve been working on for a long time,” Hearn told DAZN. “I think Estrada against Bam Rodriguez is just a stunner. You keep seeing these small guys give us unbelievable nights.

“Estrada against “Chocolatito” (Roman Gonzalez) so many times, Bam against Sunny [Edwards] last December was incredible, and Estrada against Bam is just a Fight of the Year contender written all over it.”

It would be difficult to argue with Hearn on that point. It doesn’t get much better than one of the best fighters of the generation vs. one of the most exciting young phenoms in the game

And, of course, it would have major implications in terms of Great Eight.

If the fight happens and Estrada wins, he would add to his own Hall of Fame credentials and remain as bantamweight champion here. Rodriguez would become champion in a second Great Eight division if he has his hand raised.

Rodriguez hasn’t said definitively that he’s finished at 112 but that appears to be the case.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury will have a chance to prove his subpar performance against Francis Ngannou was an aberration when he faces Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship on pay-per-view May 18 in Saudi Arabia. Of course, the winner will be our Great Eight champ.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He had expressed interest in facing welterweight king Terence Crawford but that doesn’t appear to be in the works, leaving his future uncertain..

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford hasn’t fought since his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr. last July and has nothing solid in the works. One potential opponent would be Israil Madrimov, who stopped Magomed Kurbanov to win a 154-pound title on May 8.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – Boxing Junkie’s No. 5 fighter pound-for-pound had hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight but an explosive potential matchup with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at 115 might keep him in his current division.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. He’ll almost certainly be replaced if he signs a contract to challenge Estrada at 115 pounds.

[lawrence-related id=40833,38568,34591,34576,34548,40358,40221,40204,40190,40137]

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we ask (and answer) the question: Which of our champions is most likely to lose his championship in his next fight?

Many might suggest it’s Tyson Fury, who struggled to defeat Francis Ngannou by a split decision last October even though the MMA star was making his pro boxing debut.

Fury’s performance led to comments suggesting the longtime heavyweight star has started his inevitable decline, criticism he deserved after a weak performance.

And now Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) set to face unbeaten boxing wizard Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia. I had thought that would be an easy fight for Fury, who I believed was too big and good enough to handle the former 200-pound champ.

Now I’m not sure because of the Ngannou debacle even though I believe he struggled because he thought he could roll out of bed on any day — and in any condition — and defeat Ngannou with his eyes closed, which is no way to go into any fight.

I have no doubt that he’ll be fully prepared — physically and mentally — when he faces Usyk.

Still, Fury has to prove to me and everyone else that he’s not in decline by winning the most important fight of his career. In other words, Usyk poses an enormous threat to Fury.

So does that mean Fury is the Great Eight champion most likely to be dethroned? No.

I believe Dmitry Bivol, our light heavyweight champ, is most likely to get knocked off when he faces fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a tremendous boxer with an outstanding resume, which is why he’s one of our champions. The fact he conquered Canelo Alvarez is his calling card but he has demonstrated repeatedly that he’s one of the best in the business.

He’s a better boxer than Beterbiev, which is why I pick him to win a close decision. However, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is an underrated technician and a physical freak, one who seems to have superhuman strength, historic punching power and a sturdy chin.

And the Canada-based Russian demonstrated in his most recent fight that he hasn’t slipped even though he’s 39, as he beat up, twice dropped and finally stopped capable Callum Smith in seven rounds on Jan. 13.

Bivol can win only if he can prevent Beterbiev from walking through his punches, which will be difficult. Indeed, Bivol had better be at the top of his game or he could become Beterbiev’s 21st knockout victim in as many fights and lose his position here.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury appeared to be fit before his showdown with Usyk (originally scheduled for Feb. 17) was postponed because Fury suffered a cut in sparring. That’s a good sign for the Englishman, who seemed to have taken victory for granted when he eked out a decision over Ngannou.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He wants to fight pound-for-pound and welterweight king Terence Crawford, who would take Charlo’s place in this division with a victory.

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford, coming off his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr., could be poised to move up to 154 to challenge titleholder Charlo, which would create an opening here. Only talented Jaron Ennis would appear to be a genuine threat at 147.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer from Mexico didn’t fight last year but he presumably will get back to work soon. He has hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight, which would make him eligible to retain his title here.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. However, he has said he plans to move up to junior bantamweight. We’ll wait until he schedules a fight to remove him.

[lawrence-related id=40751,40640,39488,40466,40283,40442]

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

Great Eight: Which champion is more likely to be dethroned, Tyson Fury or Dmitry Bivol?

The proliferation of titles makes it difficult for all but the most astute fans to determine the cream of the boxing crop.

That’s why Boxing Junkie came up with its “Great Eight” feature, which names the best fighter in each of the original eight weight classes –heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight, middleweight includes junior middleweight and so on down to flyweight, which includes junior flyweight and strawweight.

In this installment of “Great Eight,” we ask (and answer) the question: Which of our champions is most likely to lose his championship in his next fight?

Many might suggest it’s Tyson Fury, who struggled to defeat Francis Ngannou by a split decision last October even though the MMA star was making his pro boxing debut.

Fury’s performance led to comments suggesting the longtime heavyweight star has started his inevitable decline, criticism he deserved after a weak performance.

And now Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) set to face unbeaten boxing wizard Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia. I had thought that would be an easy fight for Fury, who I believed was too big and good enough to handle the former 200-pound champ.

Now I’m not sure because of the Ngannou debacle even though I believe he struggled because he thought he could roll out of bed on any day — and in any condition — and defeat Ngannou with his eyes closed, which is no way to go into any fight.

I have no doubt that he’ll be fully prepared — physically and mentally — when he faces Usyk.

Still, Fury has to prove to me and everyone else that he’s not in decline by winning the most important fight of his career. In other words, Usyk poses an enormous threat to Fury.

So does that mean Fury is the Great Eight champion most likely to be dethroned? No.

I believe Dmitry Bivol, our light heavyweight champ, is most likely to get knocked off when he faces fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a tremendous boxer with an outstanding resume, which is why he’s one of our champions. The fact he conquered Canelo Alvarez is his calling card but he has demonstrated repeatedly that he’s one of the best in the business.

He’s a better boxer than Beterbiev, which is why I pick him to win a close decision. However, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is an underrated technician and a physical freak, one who seems to have superhuman strength, historic punching power and a sturdy chin.

And the Canada-based Russian demonstrated in his most recent fight that he hasn’t slipped even though he’s 39, as he beat up, twice dropped and finally stopped capable Callum Smith in seven rounds on Jan. 13.

Bivol can win only if he can prevent Beterbiev from walking through his punches, which will be difficult. Indeed, Bivol had better be at the top of his game or he could become Beterbiev’s 21st knockout victim in as many fights and lose his position here.

Here are the top fighters in the original eight divisions:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury appeared to be fit before his showdown with Usyk (originally scheduled for Feb. 17) was postponed because Fury suffered a cut in sparring. That’s a good sign for the Englishman, who seemed to have taken victory for granted when he eked out a decision over Ngannou.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will determine not only the Great Eight champion but also the best 175-pounder of the era. Few possible matchups in boxing are better or more significant than this one.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder came up short against 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez but he remains the best at 160 and 154. He wants to fight pound-for-pound and welterweight king Terence Crawford, who would take Charlo’s place in this division with a victory.

WELTERWEIGHT

Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford, coming off his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr., could be poised to move up to 154 to challenge titleholder Charlo, which would create an opening here. Only talented Jaron Ennis would appear to be a genuine threat at 147.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” remains the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 but boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might have something to say about who reigns in Great Eight before all is said and done. Now we need to see these pivotal matchups.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave another dominating performance against Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino in the 10th round to become undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anyone compete with him? Luis Nery will be the next one to try. They meet on May 6.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer from Mexico didn’t fight last year but he presumably will get back to work soon. He has hinted that he might move up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight, which would make him eligible to retain his title here.

FLYWEIGHT

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion here after leaving no doubt about who is the best 112-pounder in the world. However, he has said he plans to move up to junior bantamweight. We’ll wait until he schedules a fight to remove him.

[lawrence-related id=40751,40640,39488,40466,40283,40442]

Weekend Review: Fury vs. Usyk merely delayed, Buatsi and Benn win easily

Weekend Review: The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight was delayed. Meanwhile, Joshua Buatsi and Conor Benn easily won their fights.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

MOST DAMAGING CUT
Tyson Fury’s

S— happens. Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was set to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when Fury suffered a deep cut over his right eye in sparring, which forced the postponement of the event on Friday. Organizers bemoaned the calamity, Fury apologized profusely and Usyk’s manager cried foul, calling Fury a coward and insisting the WBC beltholder had sought a way out of the fight. A day later the camps agreed to reschedule the event for May 18 in the same location. Problem solved. Of course, the initial news was disappointing for everyone. The fighters were primed to take part in the biggest fight of their careers only to have to slam on the brakes and begin preparations to restart their camps, probably next month. That’s an enormous letdown for them. Fans also were excited about the crowning of the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis and a compelling matchup, which became particularly interesting when Fury eked out a victory over an MMA star making his boxing debut (Francis Ngannou) in October. The good news is that May will roll around soon enough and we’ll have our big fight, assuming nothing else unforeseen happens.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Joshua Buatsi

Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) looked sharp in his one-sided decision over previously unbeaten London-area friend Dan Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night in London, bolstering his status as the top 175-pound contender. He’s the mandatory challenger for the title held by pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and arguably the best light heavyweight without a belt, as he’s ranked No. 1 by two of the three major sanctioning bodies and will soon ascend to the top of a third. The problem for him is that Bivol and fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev have agreed to fight one another for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, which could tie up the titles for a while. Buatsi would have to wait at least until the fall to face the winner if he gets that opportunity at all. And Bivol vs. Beterbiev has the feel of a rivalry that could result in multiple fights. That could push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further, although one never knows how things will play out. Fighters move up in weight, they get stripped, they get injured, they retire. The list goes on. Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) must continue to focus on the one thing he can control, winning fights. If the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist can do that – particularly as convincingly as he did on Saturday – his time will come soon enough.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Conor Benn

Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) needed a win. The 147-pounder contender from England has had a rough year and half, after failing two drug tests, getting suspended, getting cleared of wrong doing by an independent anti-doping agency and then having British authorities appeal that decision. That leaves him without a license to box in his homeland to this day. His response? He has moved his career across the pond, where he outpointed Rodolfo Orozco in September in Orlando and Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. He gave a solid performance against the defense-challenged Dobson in a 12-round 151-pound bout, using his overmatched foe as a punching bag en route to winning a one-sided decision. The fact he couldn’t hurt Dobson, at least not seriously, might be an indication that he should stick to fighting at 147 for the time being. The important thing is that he has gotten back to what he does best, which is to box. That’s helping him overcome the most difficult period of his life. Soon he’ll be reinstated in the U.K. and face the big-name opponents he has been calling out. Then he can leave his PED issues in the past.

 

MOST EXCITING

We learned on Saturday that Bivol and Beterbiev had reached their deal to fight in less than four months, which is exciting. The winner arguably can claim to be the top 175-pounder of his era, making it one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport. The gifted Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) became an overnight star when he easily outpointed Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 and has dominating many more top contenders, including Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr. and Gilberto Ramirez. Few active fighters have had a better run. And Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) remains a beast at 39, as he demonstrated by becoming the first to stop Callum Smith on Jan. 13. He is one of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound and an underappreciated boxer, making him as a formidable opponent for anyone. Who wins? This is a 50-50 matchup if there ever was one. Bivol is the better boxer and athlete but it’s anyone’s guess whether he can withstand Beterbiev’s pressure and power. Can’t wait.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Manny Pacquiao, 45, evidently is no longer retired. That’s the word from his longtime advisor Sean Gibbons, who told BoxingScene.com that his client is interested in facing Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia in a sanctioned bout. Please, no. The last thing we want to see is Pacquiao take the kind of beating he delivered against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. And that’s what would happen if he faces a titleholder or top contender. He has an exhibition against muay thai fighter Buakaw Banchamek scheduled for April 20 in Thailand, he has expressed interest in facing old rival Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition and a bout with Conor McGregor has been discussed. Those are reasonable options. Davis or Garcia? That could be a mistake. … News item: unbeaten 135-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson last week announced his retirement from boxing at 26 years old, which evidently was prompted by his inability to get the fights he wants. I understand Stevenson’s frustration, which is common to many top fighters. Ask Terence Crawford. But does anyone really believe Stevenson is going to walk away from the millions of dollars he stands to earn over the next several years? Of course not. He’ll be back soon. And he’ll eventually get the biggest fights that have been elusive. … Japanese boxer Kazuki Anaguchi died Friday, the result of a subdural hematoma suffered in a decision loss against Seiya Tsutsumi on Dec. 26 in Tokyo. Anaguchi, who went down four times in the fight, lost consciousness afterward and never awakened. He was only 23. … And so long to actor Carl Weathers, who has died at 76. Weathers played Apollo Creed, the rival of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and one of the great characters in any boxing movie.

[lawrence-related id=40646,40642,40640,40637,40626]

Weekend Review: Fury vs. Usyk merely delayed, Buatsi and Benn win easily

Weekend Review: The Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight was delayed. Meanwhile, Joshua Buatsi and Conor Benn easily won their fights.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

MOST DAMAGING CUT
Tyson Fury’s

S— happens. Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) was set to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when Fury suffered a deep cut over his right eye in sparring, which forced the postponement of the event on Friday. Organizers bemoaned the calamity, Fury apologized profusely and Usyk’s manager cried foul, calling Fury a coward and insisting the WBC beltholder had sought a way out of the fight. A day later the camps agreed to reschedule the event for May 18 in the same location. Problem solved. Of course, the initial news was disappointing for everyone. The fighters were primed to take part in the biggest fight of their careers only to have to slam on the brakes and begin preparations to restart their camps, probably next month. That’s an enormous letdown for them. Fans also were excited about the crowning of the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis and a compelling matchup, which became particularly interesting when Fury eked out a victory over an MMA star making his boxing debut (Francis Ngannou) in October. The good news is that May will roll around soon enough and we’ll have our big fight, assuming nothing else unforeseen happens.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Joshua Buatsi

Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) looked sharp in his one-sided decision over previously unbeaten London-area friend Dan Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night in London, bolstering his status as the top 175-pound contender. He’s the mandatory challenger for the title held by pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and arguably the best light heavyweight without a belt, as he’s ranked No. 1 by two of the three major sanctioning bodies and will soon ascend to the top of a third. The problem for him is that Bivol and fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev have agreed to fight one another for the undisputed championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, which could tie up the titles for a while. Buatsi would have to wait at least until the fall to face the winner if he gets that opportunity at all. And Bivol vs. Beterbiev has the feel of a rivalry that could result in multiple fights. That could push back Buatsi’s big opportunity even further, although one never knows how things will play out. Fighters move up in weight, they get stripped, they get injured, they retire. The list goes on. Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) must continue to focus on the one thing he can control, winning fights. If the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist can do that – particularly as convincingly as he did on Saturday – his time will come soon enough.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Conor Benn

Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) needed a win. The 147-pounder contender from England has had a rough year and half, after failing two drug tests, getting suspended, getting cleared of wrong doing by an independent anti-doping agency and then having British authorities appeal that decision. That leaves him without a license to box in his homeland to this day. His response? He has moved his career across the pond, where he outpointed Rodolfo Orozco in September in Orlando and Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. He gave a solid performance against the defense-challenged Dobson in a 12-round 151-pound bout, using his overmatched foe as a punching bag en route to winning a one-sided decision. The fact he couldn’t hurt Dobson, at least not seriously, might be an indication that he should stick to fighting at 147 for the time being. The important thing is that he has gotten back to what he does best, which is to box. That’s helping him overcome the most difficult period of his life. Soon he’ll be reinstated in the U.K. and face the big-name opponents he has been calling out. Then he can leave his PED issues in the past.

 

MOST EXCITING

We learned on Saturday that Bivol and Beterbiev had reached their deal to fight in less than four months, which is exciting. The winner arguably can claim to be the top 175-pounder of his era, making it one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport. The gifted Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) became an overnight star when he easily outpointed Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 and has dominating many more top contenders, including Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr. and Gilberto Ramirez. Few active fighters have had a better run. And Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) remains a beast at 39, as he demonstrated by becoming the first to stop Callum Smith on Jan. 13. He is one of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound and an underappreciated boxer, making him as a formidable opponent for anyone. Who wins? This is a 50-50 matchup if there ever was one. Bivol is the better boxer and athlete but it’s anyone’s guess whether he can withstand Beterbiev’s pressure and power. Can’t wait.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Manny Pacquiao, 45, evidently is no longer retired. That’s the word from his longtime advisor Sean Gibbons, who told BoxingScene.com that his client is interested in facing Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia in a sanctioned bout. Please, no. The last thing we want to see is Pacquiao take the kind of beating he delivered against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. And that’s what would happen if he faces a titleholder or top contender. He has an exhibition against muay thai fighter Buakaw Banchamek scheduled for April 20 in Thailand, he has expressed interest in facing old rival Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition and a bout with Conor McGregor has been discussed. Those are reasonable options. Davis or Garcia? That could be a mistake. … News item: unbeaten 135-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson last week announced his retirement from boxing at 26 years old, which evidently was prompted by his inability to get the fights he wants. I understand Stevenson’s frustration, which is common to many top fighters. Ask Terence Crawford. But does anyone really believe Stevenson is going to walk away from the millions of dollars he stands to earn over the next several years? Of course not. He’ll be back soon. And he’ll eventually get the biggest fights that have been elusive. … Japanese boxer Kazuki Anaguchi died Friday, the result of a subdural hematoma suffered in a decision loss against Seiya Tsutsumi on Dec. 26 in Tokyo. Anaguchi, who went down four times in the fight, lost consciousness afterward and never awakened. He was only 23. … And so long to actor Carl Weathers, who has died at 76. Weathers played Apollo Creed, the rival of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and one of the great characters in any boxing movie.

[lawrence-related id=40646,40642,40640,40637,40626]