Tag: Julio Cesar Martinez

Weekend Review: Canelo Alvarez looked like a fighter in decline

Weekend Review: Canelo Alvarez looked like a fighter in decline in his victory over John Ryder on Saturday in Mexico.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER?
Canelo Alvarez

Of course, Alvarez was a winner in his homecoming fight against John Ryder on Saturday in Mexico. The undisputed 168-pound champion had his hand raised after dropping the challenger and winning a wide unanimous decision. That should lead directly to a second fight with Dmitry Bivol in September, which has been Alvarez’s goal. At the same time, another mediocre performance – after his loss to Bivol and victory over Gennadiy Golovkin – fed the persistent notion that the 32-year-old star is in decline. He controlled the fight by landing one, occasionally two punches at a time and hurt Ryder on a few occasions but he looked a little slower, a little less energetic, a little less effective. He never raised his level of activity or intensity, even when Ryder was hurt. I expected him to step on the gas down the stretch to give his fans what they wanted – a knockout – but it didn’t happen. That, combined with Ryder’s resilience, played a key role in his inability to stop a far inferior opponent. Alvarez looked OK but OK isn’t a good look for one of the best fighters in the world. It’s fair to ask: If Alvarez was so-so against Ryder with a healthy wrist and the support of his hometown fans, how can he expect to turn the tables on a bigger, much better Bivol in their rematch? The answer: He can’t. Alvarez just isn’t what he used to be.

 

BIGGEST MISTAKE?
Alvarez vs. Bivol II

Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) deserves our admiration for demanding that the potential rematch with Bivol take place at 175 pounds, not 168, as Bivol prefers. The smaller man wants to prove he can reverse the result of their first fight under the same conditions. You have to love that. The problem for him is that it might be mission impossible. Bivol won their first fight last May so convincingly – in spite of poor scoring – that it’s difficult to imagine a different outcome. Alvarez can argue that he fought the Russian with an injured left wrist, on which he later had surgery. That’s true. However, he said the wrist felt fine against Ryder and he still looked subpar. Bivol is bigger and simply better than this version of Alvarez. If they fight again, whether it’s at 175 or 168, you can bet the Southern California-based Russian will outbox him again and win another decision. I’ll add this, though: Great fighters have a way of doing great things. A healthy, inspired Alvarez might surprise us by delivering what would be the greatest victory of his career. Just don’t count on it.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
John Ryder

John Ryder (right) was more determined than effective.  Ulises Ruiz /  AFP via Getty Images

Boxing fans admire winners. They also admire courage. Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) doesn’t have the ability or punching power to give a fighter of Alvarez’s ability a genuine challenge, as we saw on Saturday. He didn’t travel to the Guadalajara area merely to survive, though; he tried to win until the final bell. As a result, he had to endure some daunting punishment, from what might’ve been a broken nose in Round 5 that bled profusely throughout the fight to a harrowing Round 9 in which he seemed to be on the brink of being stopped but refused to accept that fate. My favorite moment might’ve been when he pounded his gloves late in the ninth, as if to say, “C’mon, give me more. I’m not going anywhere.” And remember: He was going toe-to-toe with one of the most celebrated fighters in the history of the sport in hostile territory. Ryder lost the fight but his fighting spirit, his bravery arguably superseded an expected victory for Alvarez. Ryder should be proud of himself.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Is 168-pounder David Benavidez a more beatable opponent than Bivol for Alvarez? Probably. Would Alvarez win that fight? Probably not. Benavidez’s aggressive style would suit Alvarez well; in theory, the younger man would march directly into the cauldron. Benavidez doesn’t fight recklessly, though. He’s too clever to serve as a punching bag, even against someone of Alvarez’s ability. And the Mexican arguably hasn’t faced the kind of fire power Benavidez brings since the first two fights with Golovkin. I believe a young, hungry Benavidez would be too much for Alvarez. One thing I’m certain of: It would be fun to watch. … Alvarez and Co. put on a better show for his walk-in than he did in the fight. In particular, the reported 150-member mariachi band was something to see and hear as the fighter made his way to the ring. Kudos to Alvarez for giving his devoted fans something special. … Alvarez continued his domination of British fighters. He’s now 8-0, having taken down Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Rocky Fielding, Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Ryder. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) overcame a slow start to stop Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) in the 11th round on the Alvarez-Ryder card. The seventh round stood out to me. Martinez put Batista down but it was initially ruled a slip by referee Celestino Ruiz. However, between rounds, ringside officials reversed Ruiz’s decision after watching replays. Does that jurisdiction even have a replay policy? Or did they implement one on the fly? It was a strange moment. And the fact they stopped the action to announce their decision was unnecessary. They could’ve handled that between rounds, which wouldn’t have interrupted the flow of the fight. It was a bad look overall for the Mexican authorities even if justice was served.

[lawrence-related id=37253,37218,37213,37191]

Weekend Review: Canelo Alvarez looked like a fighter in decline

Weekend Review: Canelo Alvarez looked like a fighter in decline in his victory over John Ryder on Saturday in Mexico.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER?
Canelo Alvarez

Of course, Alvarez was a winner in his homecoming fight against John Ryder on Saturday in Mexico. The undisputed 168-pound champion had his hand raised after dropping the challenger and winning a wide unanimous decision. That should lead directly to a second fight with Dmitry Bivol in September, which has been Alvarez’s goal. At the same time, another mediocre performance – after his loss to Bivol and victory over Gennadiy Golovkin – fed the persistent notion that the 32-year-old star is in decline. He controlled the fight by landing one, occasionally two punches at a time and hurt Ryder on a few occasions but he looked a little slower, a little less energetic, a little less effective. He never raised his level of activity or intensity, even when Ryder was hurt. I expected him to step on the gas down the stretch to give his fans what they wanted – a knockout – but it didn’t happen. That, combined with Ryder’s resilience, played a key role in his inability to stop a far inferior opponent. Alvarez looked OK but OK isn’t a good look for one of the best fighters in the world. It’s fair to ask: If Alvarez was so-so against Ryder with a healthy wrist and the support of his hometown fans, how can he expect to turn the tables on a bigger, much better Bivol in their rematch? The answer: He can’t. Alvarez just isn’t what he used to be.

 

BIGGEST MISTAKE?
Alvarez vs. Bivol II

Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) deserves our admiration for demanding that the potential rematch with Bivol take place at 175 pounds, not 168, as Bivol prefers. The smaller man wants to prove he can reverse the result of their first fight under the same conditions. You have to love that. The problem for him is that it might be mission impossible. Bivol won their first fight last May so convincingly – in spite of poor scoring – that it’s difficult to imagine a different outcome. Alvarez can argue that he fought the Russian with an injured left wrist, on which he later had surgery. That’s true. However, he said the wrist felt fine against Ryder and he still looked subpar. Bivol is bigger and simply better than this version of Alvarez. If they fight again, whether it’s at 175 or 168, you can bet the Southern California-based Russian will outbox him again and win another decision. I’ll add this, though: Great fighters have a way of doing great things. A healthy, inspired Alvarez might surprise us by delivering what would be the greatest victory of his career. Just don’t count on it.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
John Ryder

John Ryder (right) was more determined than effective.  Ulises Ruiz /  AFP via Getty Images

Boxing fans admire winners. They also admire courage. Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) doesn’t have the ability or punching power to give a fighter of Alvarez’s ability a genuine challenge, as we saw on Saturday. He didn’t travel to the Guadalajara area merely to survive, though; he tried to win until the final bell. As a result, he had to endure some daunting punishment, from what might’ve been a broken nose in Round 5 that bled profusely throughout the fight to a harrowing Round 9 in which he seemed to be on the brink of being stopped but refused to accept that fate. My favorite moment might’ve been when he pounded his gloves late in the ninth, as if to say, “C’mon, give me more. I’m not going anywhere.” And remember: He was going toe-to-toe with one of the most celebrated fighters in the history of the sport in hostile territory. Ryder lost the fight but his fighting spirit, his bravery arguably superseded an expected victory for Alvarez. Ryder should be proud of himself.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Is 168-pounder David Benavidez a more beatable opponent than Bivol for Alvarez? Probably. Would Alvarez win that fight? Probably not. Benavidez’s aggressive style would suit Alvarez well; in theory, the younger man would march directly into the cauldron. Benavidez doesn’t fight recklessly, though. He’s too clever to serve as a punching bag, even against someone of Alvarez’s ability. And the Mexican arguably hasn’t faced the kind of fire power Benavidez brings since the first two fights with Golovkin. I believe a young, hungry Benavidez would be too much for Alvarez. One thing I’m certain of: It would be fun to watch. … Alvarez and Co. put on a better show for his walk-in than he did in the fight. In particular, the reported 150-member mariachi band was something to see and hear as the fighter made his way to the ring. Kudos to Alvarez for giving his devoted fans something special. … Alvarez continued his domination of British fighters. He’s now 8-0, having taken down Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Rocky Fielding, Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Ryder. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) overcame a slow start to stop Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) in the 11th round on the Alvarez-Ryder card. The seventh round stood out to me. Martinez put Batista down but it was initially ruled a slip by referee Celestino Ruiz. However, between rounds, ringside officials reversed Ruiz’s decision after watching replays. Does that jurisdiction even have a replay policy? Or did they implement one on the fly? It was a strange moment. And the fact they stopped the action to announce their decision was unnecessary. They could’ve handled that between rounds, which wouldn’t have interrupted the flow of the fight. It was a bad look overall for the Mexican authorities even if justice was served.

[lawrence-related id=37253,37218,37213,37191]

Julio Cesar Martinez survives slow start to stop Ronal Batista in 11th round

Julio Cesar Martinez survived a slow start to stop Ronal Batista in the 11th round on Saturday in Mexico.

Julio Cesar Martinez turned what appeared to be a so-so performance into an emphatic victory on the Canelo Alvarez-John Ryder card Saturday in Zapopan, Mexico.

The WBC 112-pound titleholder was outboxed and outworked by Ronal Batista of Panama in the first half of the fight, during which the Mexican looked like anything but the dangerous slugger he is known to be.

However, he put Batista down in Round 7, took firm control and finally stopped the challenger a minute into the 11th round to retain his belt.

Batista’s downfall might’ve begun at the end of Round 4, when he was docked a point for punching Martinez after the bell to end the round.

However, the challenger continued to box well and match Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) punch for punch for the next few rounds in what was a competitive fight.

Then came Round 7. Martinez landed a wide left to the side of Batista’s head, which sent him to the canvas. The referee initially ruled that Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) had slipped. However, in a bizarre moment, ringside officials overruled him between rounds after seeing a replay.

Martinez shifted into another gear at that point, clearly outworking Batista the next several rounds to set up the knockout.

The end came when Martinez landed a series of hard, accurate shots with Batista’s back against the ropes, which prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Martinez has now won two consecutive fights since he moved up in weight and was outpointed by Roman Gonzalez in March of last year.

Julio Cesar Martinez survives slow start to stop Ronal Batista in 11th round

Julio Cesar Martinez survived a slow start to stop Ronal Batista in the 11th round on Saturday in Mexico.

Julio Cesar Martinez turned what appeared to be a so-so performance into an emphatic victory on the Canelo Alvarez-John Ryder card Saturday in Zapopan, Mexico.

The WBC 112-pound titleholder was outboxed and outworked by Ronal Batista of Panama in the first half of the fight, during which the Mexican looked like anything but the dangerous slugger he is known to be.

However, he put Batista down in Round 7, took firm control and finally stopped the challenger a minute into the 11th round to retain his belt.

Batista’s downfall might’ve begun at the end of Round 4, when he was docked a point for punching Martinez after the bell to end the round.

However, the challenger continued to box well and match Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) punch for punch for the next few rounds in what was a competitive fight.

Then came Round 7. Martinez landed a wide left to the side of Batista’s head, which sent him to the canvas. The referee initially ruled that Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) had slipped. However, in a bizarre moment, ringside officials overruled him between rounds after seeing a replay.

Martinez shifted into another gear at that point, clearly outworking Batista the next several rounds to set up the knockout.

The end came when Martinez landed a series of hard, accurate shots with Batista’s back against the ropes, which prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Martinez has now won two consecutive fights since he moved up in weight and was outpointed by Roman Gonzalez in March of last year.

Great Eight: The list could look considerably different by year’s end

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best. A significant shakeup could come soon, though. Seven of …

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best.

A significant shakeup could come soon, though.

Seven of the “Great Eight” champions will or could face serious threats in the near future, including one who is moving up in weight to face another champ. Have a look:

  • Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is expected to fight fellow titleholder Oleksander Usyk for the undisputed championship as early as June. That’s obviously a genuine test for “The Gypsy King.”
  • Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol appears to be on a collision course with his fellow beltholder and countryman, Artur Beterbiev. Another significant risk.
  • Tim Tszyu is a longshot to beat junior middleweight Jermell Charlo but his chances seem to be better than ever after his spectacular knockout of Tony Harrison.
  • Welterweight Terence Crawford and yet another fellow champ, Errol Spence Jr., have pumped a little life into the possibility they will meet in their long-awaited showdown. That’s a 50-50 fight.
  • Gervonta Davis is a significant favorite to beat Ryan Garcia on April 22 but Garcia brings a lot of talent into that fight. Don’t rule anything out.
  • Junior featherweight Stephen Fulton has accepted the challenge of “Great Eight” bantamweight king Naoya Inoue, who will be moving up in weight. Still, that’s a tough, tough fight for Fulton given Inoue’s ability and punching power.

Get the point? It likely that the “Great Eight” list will look at least somewhat different before the end of the year or perhaps early next year, which means great fights are being made.

Or are they? We just have to keep our fingers crossed that the Fury-Usyk, Bivol-Beterbiev, Charlo-Tszyu  and Crawford-Spence fights actually get made.

Here is how “Great Eight” works.

The original eight weight classes are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

Here’s the current list.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. Ryan Garcia could pose a threat on April 22.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Now comes his biggest test: Naoya Inoue.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

[lawrence-related id=36095,14631,36101,35838]

Great Eight: The list could look considerably different by year’s end

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best. A significant shakeup could come soon, though. Seven of …

Boxing Junkie’s “Great Eight” feature – in which we name the No. 1 fighter in each of the original eight weight classes – hasn’t changed in some time, as the best don’t often fight the best.

A significant shakeup could come soon, though.

Seven of the “Great Eight” champions will or could face serious threats in the near future, including one who is moving up in weight to face another champ. Have a look:

  • Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is expected to fight fellow titleholder Oleksander Usyk for the undisputed championship as early as June. That’s obviously a genuine test for “The Gypsy King.”
  • Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol appears to be on a collision course with his fellow beltholder and countryman, Artur Beterbiev. Another significant risk.
  • Tim Tszyu is a longshot to beat junior middleweight Jermell Charlo but his chances seem to be better than ever after his spectacular knockout of Tony Harrison.
  • Welterweight Terence Crawford and yet another fellow champ, Errol Spence Jr., have pumped a little life into the possibility they will meet in their long-awaited showdown. That’s a 50-50 fight.
  • Gervonta Davis is a significant favorite to beat Ryan Garcia on April 22 but Garcia brings a lot of talent into that fight. Don’t rule anything out.
  • Junior featherweight Stephen Fulton has accepted the challenge of “Great Eight” bantamweight king Naoya Inoue, who will be moving up in weight. Still, that’s a tough, tough fight for Fulton given Inoue’s ability and punching power.

Get the point? It likely that the “Great Eight” list will look at least somewhat different before the end of the year or perhaps early next year, which means great fights are being made.

Or are they? We just have to keep our fingers crossed that the Fury-Usyk, Bivol-Beterbiev, Charlo-Tszyu  and Crawford-Spence fights actually get made.

Here is how “Great Eight” works.

The original eight weight classes are heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.

Heavyweight includes cruiserweight (and the WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

Here’s the current list.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. Ryan Garcia could pose a threat on April 22.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Now comes his biggest test: Naoya Inoue.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

[lawrence-related id=36095,14631,36101,35838]

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original divisions, plus No. 2s

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original division, plus No. 2s.

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 WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

In this installment of “Great Eight” we provide the best and, for the first time, the second best in each of the original divisions.

Here’s how it looks.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

No. 2 – Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs): Back-to-back victories over Anthony Joshua go a long way.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

No. 2 – Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs): Bivol’s fellow Russian is set to face Anthony Yarde on Jan. 28. If he wins, a showdown with Bivol would crown an undisputed champion.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

No. 2 – Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs): Jermell’s twin brother has fought only twice since December 2019 but he’s an excellent all-around fighter with a solid resume and a perfect record. He just needs to get busy.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

No. 2 – Spence (28-0, 22 KOs): Crawford’s fellow titleholder arguably should be No. 1 because he has a better resume than his rival. He falls just short in the eye test.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. “Tank” is expected to face a legitimate test against Ryan Garcia this spring.

No. 2 – Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KOs): Titles have limited meaning because there are so many of them but the undisputed champion has the goods. He’s a terrific boxer who is building a good resume.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Stay tuned.

No. 2 – Figueroa (23-1-1, 18 KOs): Cases could be made for any of the 126-pound champions but Figueroa is the one who pushed Fulton to his limits in a majority-decision loss.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

No. 2 – Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs: Who else? The Mexican star has defeated Roman Gonzalez twice in his last three fights, although both were close. Of course, “Chocolatito” is breathing down Estrada’s neck.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

No. 2 – Sunny Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs): A strong case can be made for Martinez’s fellow beltholder, who is a superb technician with a perfect record. Kenshiro Teraji, a 108-pound titleholder, also is right there.

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original divisions, plus No. 2s

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original division, plus No. 2s.

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 WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

In this installment of “Great Eight” we provide the best and, for the first time, the second best in each of the original divisions.

Here’s how it looks.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): The best big man in the world is in talks to face the only other heavyweight who can argue he should be No. 1, Oleksandr Usyk. The winner of their prospective fight will leave no doubt as to who deserves to be on top.

No. 2 – Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs): Back-to-back victories over Anthony Joshua go a long way.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): No brainer. The 175-pound champion was everyone’s 2022 Fighter of the Year after upsetting Canelo Alvarez and then outpointing Gilberto Ramirez. That made this choice about as easy as it gets.

No. 2 – Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs): Bivol’s fellow Russian is set to face Anthony Yarde on Jan. 28. If he wins, a showdown with Bivol would crown an undisputed champion.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion. He was scheduled to fight Tim Tszyu on Jan. 28 but the fight was postponed after Charlo broke his left hand in training.

No. 2 – Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs): Jermell’s twin brother has fought only twice since December 2019 but he’s an excellent all-around fighter with a solid resume and a perfect record. He just needs to get busy.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford will remain on top until someone knocks him off or he shows clear signs of decline.

No. 2 – Spence (28-0, 22 KOs): Crawford’s fellow titleholder arguably should be No. 1 because he has a better resume than his rival. He falls just short in the eye test.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Davis’ combination of ability and punching power makes him the best in this top-heavy division, as he demonstrated again against Hector Garcia. “Tank” is expected to face a legitimate test against Ryan Garcia this spring.

No. 2 – Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KOs): Titles have limited meaning because there are so many of them but the undisputed champion has the goods. He’s a terrific boxer who is building a good resume.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The gifted junior featherweight titleholder appears to be on a collision course with rugged pressure fighter Brandon Figueroa, who gave him hell in their first fight. Stay tuned.

No. 2 – Figueroa (23-1-1, 18 KOs): Cases could be made for any of the 126-pound champions but Figueroa is the one who pushed Fulton to his limits in a majority-decision loss.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

No. 2 – Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs: Who else? The Mexican star has defeated Roman Gonzalez twice in his last three fights, although both were close. Of course, “Chocolatito” is breathing down Estrada’s neck.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): The 112-pound titleholder came up short when he moved up in weight to challenge Roman Gonzalez but got back to his winning ways in December, outpointing Samuel Carmona.

No. 2 – Sunny Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs): A strong case can be made for Martinez’s fellow beltholder, who is a superb technician with a perfect record. Kenshiro Teraji, a 108-pound titleholder, also is right there.

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original eight divisions

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original eight divisions.

Editor’s note: This is the final “Great Eight” of 2022.

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 WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

It was easy to make our selection in some divisions. For example, Naoya Inoue has been so dominating at 118 pounds that no one in that division or 115 is remotely close to him.

Other weight classes took more thought. And you’ll notice one change has been made since the last time we posted Great Eight.

Here are our current rankings.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): Oleksandr Usyk deserves accolades after his back-to-back victories over Anthony Joshua but Tyson Fury is still the big man to beat. The Gypsy King knocked out Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora this year. A showdown with Usyk next year would leave no doubt about who is No. 1.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): The 175-pound champion had a monster year, outpointing Canelo Alvarez in a major upset and handing Gilberto Ramirez his first loss by a one-sided decision. A victory over fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev would lift Bivol to new heights.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion, who has crept up pound-for-pound lists.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford, coming off a knockout victory over David Avanesyan, remains on top here by default.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Cases can also be made for undisputed champion Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson but Davis is the most-complete fighter in and around this deep division. Also keep an eye on gifted Frank Martin.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The unified junior featherweight titleholder could be on a collision course with otherworldly Naoya Inoue, which would present a serious threat to his supremacy. For now, no one at 126 or 122 can touch the talented Fulton.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): Cases can also be made for Sunny Edwards (112), Kenshiro Teraji (108) and Knockout CP Freshmart (105).

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original eight divisions

Great Eight: The No. 1 boxer in each of the original eight divisions.

Editor’s note: This is the final “Great Eight” of 2022.

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 WBC’s bridgerweight), light heavyweight includes super middleweight and so on.

It was easy to make our selection in some divisions. For example, Naoya Inoue has been so dominating at 118 pounds that no one in that division or 115 is remotely close to him.

Other weight classes took more thought. And you’ll notice one change has been made since the last time we posted Great Eight.

Here are our current rankings.

HEAVYWEIGHT – Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs): Oleksandr Usyk deserves accolades after his back-to-back victories over Anthony Joshua but Tyson Fury is still the big man to beat. The Gypsy King knocked out Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora this year. A showdown with Usyk next year would leave no doubt about who is No. 1.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs): The 175-pound champion had a monster year, outpointing Canelo Alvarez in a major upset and handing Gilberto Ramirez his first loss by a one-sided decision. A victory over fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev would lift Bivol to new heights.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs): No one at 160 or 154 is as dominating as the junior middleweight champion, who has crept up pound-for-pound lists.

WELTERWEIGHT – Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs). Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. have been unable to reach terms on a fight to determine the best 147-pounder, which is a shame. Crawford, coming off a knockout victory over David Avanesyan, remains on top here by default.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Gervonta Davis (27-0, 25 KOs): Cases can also be made for undisputed champion Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson but Davis is the most-complete fighter in and around this deep division. Also keep an eye on gifted Frank Martin.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Stephen Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs): The unified junior featherweight titleholder could be on a collision course with otherworldly Naoya Inoue, which would present a serious threat to his supremacy. For now, no one at 126 or 122 can touch the talented Fulton.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs): The Japanese bantamweight just stopped Paul Butler to become the undisputed 118-pound champion, which keeps him a step ahead of 115-pound stalwarts Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez and Bam Rodriguez.

FLYWEIGHT – Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14 KOs): Cases can also be made for Sunny Edwards (112), Kenshiro Teraji (108) and Knockout CP Freshmart (105).