On August 10 the boxing world was treated to fight-of-the-year and KO-of-the-year candidates with competing main events.

In Las Vegas, Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serhii Bohachuk battled it out on brutally even terms for 12 rounds, delivering one of the best action bouts of 2024.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, former 122-pound beltholder Angelo Leo ended Luis Alberto Lopez’s IBF featherweight title reign with a single left hook in the 10th round of what had been a competitive and entertaining fight.

Both main events were good matchups on paper and both bouts exceeded expectations.

Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs) got up from two knockdowns and literally pounded out a close majority decision, which catapulted the former welterweight contender to the No. 4 spot in The Ring’s junior middleweight rankings. 

Vergil Ortiz digs hard to Serhii Bohachuk’s body during their Fight-of-the-Year candidate. Photo by Adam DelGiudice

Leo’s chilling knockout vaulted him to No. 2 in the featherweight rankings, while former No. 1-rated Lopez fell to No. 5. However, the sad news of Lopez suffering a small brain bleed broke just one week after the fight, putting his career in jeopardy.

The Ring Ratings Panel briefly discussed what to do with the troubling and unfortunate information about Lopez before shelving the matter until an official announcement is made on behalf of the 31-year-old Mexicali native.

“Early days and not fully up to speed but I heard Luis Alberto Lopez had a brain bleed,” noted Anson Wainwright. “If that’s correct we should take out the fallen warrior. I hope he’s doing OK.”

Abraham Gonzalez cautioned Wainwright on acting before more is known about Lopez’s condition.

“I think we should wait a bit,” he said, “see what the whole situation is.”

Added Jake Donovan: “Agreed with Abe. We can let Top Rank (or Lopez and his immediate team) release an official statement before we make a move.”

Adam Abramowitz, Daisuke Sugiura, Tom Gray and Wainwright agreed.

“What a brutal sport,” noted Sugiura. “I just wish Venado the best.”

“Let’s pray he comes through,” added Gray.

The Panel briefly debated where to rank Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs), who scored two knockdowns (in Rounds 1 and 8) while pressing (and at times outworking) the hard-punching Ortiz during the entire fight. 

Bohachuk connects with a big right cross. Photo Adam DelGiudice

Ortiz’s No. 4 ranking pushed Tim Tszyu to No. 5 and Bohachuk to No. 6, but some panelists thought the 29-year-old Ukrainian was still worthy of the No. 5 spot he held going into the August 10 showdown.

“I’d bring Ortiz and Bohachuk up at junior [middle] and drop Tszyu behind both,” suggested Tris Dixon. “Terrific fight. High level and both should be rewarded.”

Michael Montero and your favorite Editor-In-Chief agreed with Dixon.

Abramowitz disagreed with rating Bohachuk ahead of Tszyu. 

“I think Tszyu has done much more in the division, even with his loss,” he said.

Replied Montero: “Yeah you can definitely make that argument. But, technically, Tszyu is coming off a loss with nothing scheduled, while Ortiz and Bohachuk just fought on even terms in the FOTY. 

“But perhaps I’m getting caught up in the moment. I’d favor Tszyu over both Ortiz and Bohachuk, as well as [Gabriel] Fundora in a rematch.”

Added Gonzalez: “I don’t think Tszyu should take a back seat to Bohachuk. Although Tszyu lost, it was a close fight and he wasn’t shut out or anything like that. Leading up to that fight, he faced the best fighters that wouldn’t avoid him. He should drop one in the rankings but not two. Also, [Erickson] Lubin is coming up on a year next month without a fight with nothing on the schedule, so something to keep an eye on.

“1. Bud, 2. Madrimov, 3. Fundora, 4. Ortiz, 5. Tszyu, 6. Bohachuk, 7. Lubin, 8. Conwell, 9. Ramos, 10. Mendoza (Michel Soro drops out).”

Added Wasim Mather: “The fight was great. I like Adam Abramowitz’s suggestion for the 154-pound division. I’m going to rewatch the fight again!” 

RING RATINGS UPDATE (as of August 17):

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT – Christian Mbilli remains at No. 1 after scoring a 10-round decision over gallant veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko. Osleys Iglesias remains at No. 3 after stopping Sena Agbeko in two rounds. 

No. 1-rated Christian Mbilli takes it to the body of Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT – Ortiz enters at No. 4. Bohachuk drops to No. 6. Charles Conwell remains at No. 9 after scoring a second-round body shot KO of Khiary Gray.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT – Otar Eranosyan exits due to inactivity. Eduardo Nunez (27-1, 27 KOs), a 27-year-old knockout artist from Los Mochis, Mexico, enters at No. 10.

“Eranosyan is now one-year inactive and with nothing scheduled,” noted Donvoan. “It sucks that he was twice screwed over for a title shot and his mandatory wasn’t enforced. But, the price to pay for believing in the sanctioning bodies and not having a team who can deliver fights. 

“I think Albert Bell was the last to be bumped out of the top ten; I equally like Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nuñez. Other names, for the sake of debate: Rocky Hernandez, Andres Cortes, Abraham Nova (if you felt he was robbed vs. Cortes), Zelfa Barrett.”

Wainwright leaned toward the Mexican fighter.

“Between Bell and Nunez, I think I’d go with Nunez. That win over [Shavkatdzhon] Rakhimov in Tajikistan is the decider for me.”

Added Donovan: “Yup, I’m with you on Nuñez. Just wanted to make sure it didn’t break policy.”

FEATHERWEIGHT – Leo advances to No. 2. Lopez drops to No. 5. 

“Lopez and Leo went at it until Leo found a perfect punch to put Venado’s lights out to claim the IBF title and become a two-division champion,” noted Wainwright. “Stunning one-punch knockout that will be in the running for Knockout of the Year. Leo to No. 4 and Lopez to drop to No. 7. That feels a little harsh on Lopez to go from No. 1 to No. 7 having fought on even terms, but it was such a definitive ending not sure what else to do.”

Angelo Leo scored a KO of the Year candidate stoppage against respected titleholder Luis Alberto Lopez. Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Abramowitz disagreed with dropping Lopez that low.

“I would move Lopez down to 5th, not 7th. He still has a much better body of work in the division over [Brandon] Figueroa and [Raymond] Ford in my opinion.”

Other panelists co-signed Adam’s opinion.

Added Donovan: “The more I think about featherweight, we need to be mindful of the current landscape. Leigh Wood will likely never again fight at the weight plus will be one year inactive in October. Once he drops, our current rankings will have Rey Vargas at No. 1, who is coming off a draw and who hasn’t won at featherweight since July 2022 (Magsayo). 

“Kind of leaves me to think maybe Leo should jump all the way to at least No. 2 (with Wood floating up to No. 1). Beating the No. 1 the way he did and as an already ranked contender would warrant the move, IMO.

1) Leigh Wood 2) Angelo Leo 3) Rey Vargas 4) Nick Ball 5) Luis Alberto Lopez.”

FLYWEIGHT – Angel Ayala advances to No. 2 after stopping previously unbeaten Dave Apolinario in the sixth round of a world title bout.

“Ayala battered poor Apolinario’s body and stopped the Filipino in six rounds to win the vacant IBF title,” noted Wainwright.

Email Fischer at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and join him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and friends via Tom’s or Doug’s IG Live most Sundays.

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