Errol Spence Jr. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)

Combat Press Boxing Rankings: April 2022

In the world of boxing, the rankings picture can get a little muddled. There are multiple titleholders and different organizational rankings. We’ve taken the approach of simply identifying who we think are the 10 best fighters in each weight class.

Note: the numbers in parentheses represent the fighter’s ranking from the previous month.

Heavyweight
  1. Tyson Fury (1)
  2. Deontay Wilder (2)
  3. Oleksandr Usyk (3)
  4. Anthony Joshua (4)
  5. Andy Ruiz (5)
  6. Luis Ortiz (6)
  7. Dillian Whyte (7)
  8. Kubrat Pulev (8)
  9. Joe Joyce (9)
  10. Joseph Parker (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.


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Cruiserweight (200 Pounds)
  1. Mairis Briedis (1)
  2. Lawrence Okolie (2)
  3. Yunier Dorticos (3)
  4. Ilunga Makabu (4)
  5. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (6)
  6. Aleksei Papin (7)
  7. Noel Gevor (8)
  8. Mateusz Masternak (9)
  9. Thabiso Mchunu (10)
  10. Michal Cieslak (NR)

Removed from the Rankings: Krzystztof Glowacki (5)

Krzystztof Glowacki has been removed from the rankings due to inactivity. He has not fought since his TKO defeat to Okolie last March, and has only twice competed since 2019. His removal makes way for Michal Cieslak to enter at No. 10

Light Heavyweight (175 Pounds)
  1. Artur Beterbiev (1)
  2. Dmitry Bivol (2)
  3. Joe Smith Jr. (3)
  4. Badou Jack (4)
  5. Gilberto Ramirez (5)
  6. Maxim Vlasov (6)
  7. Marcus Browne (7)
  8. Callum Smith (8)
  9. Joshua Buatsi (9)
  10. Anthony Yarde (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Super Middleweight (168 Pounds)
  1. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (1)
  2. David Benavidez (2)
  3. Caleb Plant (3)
  4. John Ryder (4)
  5. Daniel Jacobs (5)
  6. Rocky Fielding (6)
  7. Fedor Chudinov (7)
  8. Lerrone Richards (NR)
  9. Carlos Gongora (8)
  10. David Lemieux (9)

Dropped from the Rankings: Gabriel Rosado (10)

Gabriel Rosado hasn’t been able to recreate the magic of his upset KO victory over Bektemir Melikuziev. Rosado’s now lost two in a row, his most recent a majority decision to Shane Mosley Jr. He’s removed from the rankings, making way for Lerrone Richards, who defeated Carlos Gongora.

Middleweight (160 Pounds)
  1. Gennady Golovkin (1)
  2. Jermall Charlo (2)
  3. Demetrius Andrade (3)
  4. Jaime Munguia (5)
  5. Chris Eubank Jr. (6)
  6. Ryota Murata (4)
  7. Michael Zefara (7)
  8. Carlos Adames (8)
  9. Liam Williams (8)
  10. Sergiy Derevyanchenko (10)

GGG’s fight agaqinst Ryota Murata finally happened and it didn’t disappoint. Golovkin put away Murata in the 9th round. Murata slides down 2 spots to No. 6.

Jr. Middleweight (154 Pounds)
  1. Jermell Charlo (1)
  2. Brian Castano (2)
  3. Sebastian Fundora (6)
  4. Tim Tszyu (5)
  5. Liam Smith (7)
  6. Erickson Lubin (3)
  7. Israel Madrimov (8)
  8. Jeison Rosario (4)
  9. Magomed Kurbanov (9)
  10. Tony Harrison (NR)

Dropped from the Rankings: Michel Soro (10)

Good action in the division in the past month. Sebastian Fundora continued his meteoric rise with a stoppage victory over Erickson Lubin, one that saw both fighters hit the canvas. Tim Tszyu made his stateside debut, coming back from a knockdown in the 1st to take a decision win over Terrell Gausha. Tony Harrison made his in-ring return after a year layoff, and defeated Sergio Garcia, getting him back into the rankings. Some shakeup in the rankings as reflected above.

Welterweight (147 Pounds)
  1. Errol Spence Jr. (1)
  2. Terence Crawford (2)
  3. Keith Thurman (4)
  4. Yordenis Ugas (3)
  5. Danny Garcia 5)
  6. Jaron Ennis (6)
  7. Vergil Ortiz Jr. (7)
  8. Eimantas Stanionis (9)
  9. David Avanesyan (8)
  10. Cody Crowley (NR)

Dropped from the Rankings: Radzhab Butaev (10)

“The Truth” returned to action and picked up right where he left off, delivering a masterclass in boxing. Spence was too much for Yordenis Ugas, finishing him in the 10th round. Only one fight left to make now and that’s with Crawford to unify the titles. Ugas drops a spot in the rankings and will be out awhile after suffering a broken orbital bone in the fight. Stanionis got a big victory over Radzhab Butaev to get him up a spot in the rankings. Cody Crowley continued his string of good performances, defeating Josesito Lopez and earning him a spot in the top ten.

Jr. Welterweight (140 Pounds)
  1. Josh Taylor (1)
  2. Regis Prograis (2)
  3. Jose Carlos Ramirez (3)
  4. Jack Catterall (4)
  5. Gervonta Davis (5)
  6. Jose Zepeda (6)
  7. Arnold Barboza Jr. (7)
  8. Montana Love (8)
  9. Subriel Matias (9)
  10. Gary Antuanne Russell (10)

The No. 2 and 3 fighters were in action and walked out the victors. Regis Prograis got a stoppage victory over Tyrone McKenna, and Jose Carlos Ramirez defeated fellow ranked fighter, Jose Pedraza. Both keep their respective spots in the top ten.

Lightweight (135 Pounds)
  1. George Kambosos Jr. (1)
  2. Teofimo Lopez (2)
  3. Vasily Lomachenko (3)
  4. Ryan Garcia (4)
  5. Devin Haney (5)
  6. Gervonta Davis (6)
  7. Richard Commey (7)
  8. Joseph Diaz Jr. (8)
  9. Javier Fortuna (10)
  10. Isaac Cruz (NR)

Dropped from the Rankings: Emmanuel Tagoe (9)

Ryan Garcia completely outclassed and battered Emmanuel Tagoe, and the fight only went to a decision because Tagoe made sure he “held” his way to make it to the scorecards. Garcia remains at his 4 spot in the rankings, and Tagoe drops out completely. Isaac Cruz enters the rankings at 10.

Jr. Lightweight (130 Pounds)
  1. Oscar Valdez (1)
  2. Shakur Stevenson (2)
  3. Leo Santa Cruz (3)
  4. Miguel Berchelt (4)
  5. Shavkat Rakhimov (5)
  6. Jamel Herring (6)
  7. Hector Luis Garcia (7)
  8. Chris Colbert (8)
  9. Kenichi Ogawa (9)
  10. Robson Conceicao (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Featherweight (126 Pounds)
  1. Emanuel Navarette (1)
  2. Mark Magsayo (2)
  3. Gary Russell Jr. (3)
  4. Mauricio Lara (4)
  5. Josh Warrington (5)
  6. Leigh Wood (8)
  7. Rey Vargas (9)
  8. Kiko Martinez (6)
  9. Kid Galahad (7)
  10. Ruben Villa (NR)

Dropped from the Rankings: Can Xu (10)

Ruben Villa returned to boxing after being inactive for a bit, and picked up the victory. He is back in the rankings at 10, with Can Xu falling out. Josh Warrington was able to finish Kiko Martinez, their second go-around. Martinez and Galahad both drop down, with Leigh Wood and Rey Vargas going up.

Jr. Featherweight (122 Pounds)
  1. Stephen Fulton (1)
  2. Murodjon Akhmadaliev (2)
  3. Daniel Roman (3)
  4. Ronny Rios (4)
  5. Brandon Figueroa (5)
  6. Luis Nery (6)
  7. Ryosuke Iwasa (7)
  8. Carlos Castro (8)
  9. Angelo Leo (9)
  10. Azat Hovhannisyan (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Bantamweight (118 Pounds)
  1. Naoya Inoue (1)
  2. Nonito Donaire (2)
  3. Nordine Oubaali (3)
  4. Jason Maloney (4)
  5. Emmanuel Rodriguez (5)
  6. John Riel Casimero (6)
  7. Zolani Tete (8)
  8. Reymart Gaballo (9)
  9. Rau’shee Warren (9)
  10. Vincent Astrolabio (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Jr. Bantamweight (115 Pounds)
  1. Juan Francisco Estrada (1)
  2. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (2)
  3. Roman Gonzalez (3)
  4. Kazuto Ioka (4)
  5. Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (5)
  6. Jesse Rodriguez (6)
  7. Jerwin Ancajas (7)
  8. Carlos Cuadras (8)
  9. Joshua Franco (9)
  10. Andrew Maloney (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Flyweight (112 Pounds)
  1. Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar (1)
  2. Artem Dalakian (2)
  3. Sunny Edwards (3)
  4. Junto Nakatani (4)
  5. Moruti Mthalane (5)
  6. McWilliams Arroyo (6)
  7. Giemel Magramo (7)
  8. Angel Acosta (8)
  9. Ricardo Sandoval (9)
  10. Seigo Akui (10)

Junto Nakatani put away Ryota Yamauchi in the 8th round to stay at his respective spot in the rankings, and Sunny Edwards remained unbeaten, outboxing Muhammad Waseem throughout their 12-round IBF title fight.

Jr. Flyweight (108 Pounds)
  1. Hiroto Kyoguchi (1)
  2. Masamichi Yabuki (2)
  3. Ken Shiro (3)
  4. Elwin Soto (4)
  5. Felix Alvarado (5)
  6. Edward Heno (6)
  7. Daniel Valladares (7)
  8. Tetsuya Hisada (8)
  9. Esteban Bermudez (9)
  10. Carlos Canizales (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Strawweight (105 Pounds)
  1. Knockout CP Freshmart (1)
  2. Petchmanee Freshmart (2)
  3. Wanheng Menayothin (3)
  4. Byron Rojas (4)
  5. Jose Argumedo (5)
  6. Simphiwe Khonco (6)
  7. Nkosinathi Joyi (7)
  8. Joey Canoy (8)
  9. Melvin Jerusalem (9)
  10. Wilfredo Mendez (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the last month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

Pound-for-Pound
  1. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (1)
  2. Naoya Inoue (2)
  3. Oleksandr Usyk (3)
  4. Terence Crawford (4)
  5. Errol Spence (5)
  6. Gennady Golovkin (6)
  7. Josh Taylor (7)
  8. Juan Francisco Estrada (8)
  9. Tyson Fury (9)
  10. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (10)

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