The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Light heavyweight

Oct

The Ring first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. Almost a century later, it’s no exaggeration to claim that these independent ratings are the most respected and talked-about in world boxing.

The Ring Ratings Panel is made up of a dozen experts from around the world. Opinions are shared, debate takes place, and the final decision on who should be rated where is decided democratically every week. It sounds easy, but this can be an arduous and time-consuming process.

I will be going through each division in reverse order and work my way up from strawweight to heavyweight. I will then look at each rated fighter’s respective achievements and gaze into my crystal ball to see what may lay ahead.

Next up is light heavyweight (175 pounds), which has the boxing world captivated with the two best fighters in the division meeting on Saturday.

As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.

No. 1 – ARTUR BETERBIEV

RECORD: 20-0 (20 KOs)

THE PAST: Beterbiev was a standout amateur, winning gold at the 2009 World Championships and competing at the 2012 Olympics. The physically-imposing Russian moved quickly as a professional. He won the IBF light heavyweight title, stopping Enrico Koelling (KO 12) and defended against Callum Johnson (KO 4) and Radivoje Kalajdzic (KO 5). His breakout win came against then-WBC titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk (TKO 10) in a unification bout. The 39-year-old marked time against Adam Deines (TKO 10) and Marcus Browne (KO 9) before demolishing WBO counterpart Joe Smith Jr. (TKO 2), showed his toughness in a beatdown over Anthony Yarde (TKO 8) and looked sensational bludgeoning dangerous Callum Smith (TKO 7).

THE FUTURE: He’ll face WBA ruler Dmitry Bivol for The Ring and undisputed championship on Saturday.

Battle ready ⚔️@ABeterbiev vs. @bivol_d for the 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗗 light-heavyweight world title 👑#BeterbievBivol | #RiyadhSeason | Oct 12, live on DAZN | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/z0TCWvEkIE

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 6, 2024

No. 2 – DMITRY BIVOL

RECORD: 23-0 (12 KOs)

THE PAST: Bivol was a standout amateur before turning professional in November 2014. The 33-year-old Kyrgyzstan-born technician claimed the WBA light heavyweight title in 2017 and has reeled off 10 successful defenses. He holds wins over Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD 12), Jean Pascal (UD 12) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD 12). A career-best win over Canelo Alvarez (UD 12) is what vaulted Bivol into the pound-for-pound ratings. He subsequently picked apart Gilberto Ramirez (UD 12), dominated Lyndon Arthur (UD 12) and, most recently, stopped Malik Zinad (TKO 6).

THE FUTURE: He’ll collide with Beterbiev for all the marbles on Saturday.

No. 3 – DAVID BENAVIDEZ

RECORD: 29-0 (24 KOs)

THE PAST: Benavidez is an offensive beast; physically imposing with impressive power. He became the youngest fighter to win a super middleweight world title when he edged past Ronald Gavril (SD 12) to collect the WBC title. Beat Gavril (UD 12) much more comprehensively in a rematch. The Arizona native was then busted for cocaine use and stripped of the title. Benavidez impressively regained the belt from Anthony Dirrell (TKO 9). However, missed weight in his first defense and lost the belt at the scale. The 27-year-old notably demolished former middleweight titlist David Lemieux (TKO 3), beat arch-rival Caleb Plant (UD 12) and ran over two-division titlist Demetrius Andrade (RTD 6) before heading up in weight when a combination of frustration waiting for Canelo to face him and weight. In his 175-pound debut, he beat former beltholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk (UD 12).

THE FUTURE: It looks like he’ll return against David Morrell in January.

Demetrius Andrade’s corner had seen enough after six rounds of damage from David Benavidez (left) in November 2023. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

No. 4 – JOSHUA BUATSI

RECORD: 19-0 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Buatsi won bronze at the 2016 Olympics before turning professional. He won the vacant British title in his 10th fight but never defended it. The British-based fighter began training with Virgil Hunter in California and has shown promise but has seen his career stagnate. The 31-year-old holds wins over unbeaten Marko Calic (TKO 7), Richards Bolotniks (TKO 11), Craig Richards (UD 12) and Pawel Stepien (UD 10). However, this year he has doubled down and beaten fellow Brits Dan Azeez (UD 12) and Willy Hutchinson (SD 12) in a pair of excellent fights.

THE FUTURE: He’ll have one eye on Saturday’s Beterbiev-Bivol fight but could also look to consummate a deal with long-time rival Anthony Yarde.

No. 5 – ANTHONY YARDE

RECORD: 25-3 (24 KOs)

THE PAST: The power-punching Londoner steamrolled through moderate opposition to earn a shot as the WBO mandatory against Sergey Kovalev in Russia. Unperturbed, he put forward a solid effort and rocked Kovalev before being stopped in the 11th round. He returned to the winner’s circle before being edged out by the slick Lydon Arthur (SD 12). However, a year later he exorcised his demons by being extremely aggressive and knocked out Arthur in the fourth round. In his second world title shot, Yarde gave a good account of himself against IBF, WBC and WBO titlist Artur Beterbiev, before wilting under heavy fire in eight rounds. Since then, the 33-year-old has won two low key fights against modest opposition. He had been lined up to face crosstown rival Buatsi but left Queensberry to sign for Boxxer, who may elect to revive the deal now they promote both.

THE FUTURE: Yarde will have his first fight under the Boxxer umbrella against an as-yet-unknown opponent on October 19.

AY back in the ring 😤

October 19th just got that bit more exciting. You know what @mranthonyyarde brings 💨

Tickets at https://t.co/yt3WMVlLFj 🎟️ #AzimDavies | 19.10.24 | @CopperBoxArena | @SkySportsBoxing | @peacock | @GoldenBoyBoxing pic.twitter.com/t1gpCVE9Nm

— BOXXER (@boxxer) October 4, 2024

No. 6 – ALBERT RAMIREZ

RECORD: 19-0 (16 KOs)

THE PAST: Ramirez represented his country Venezuela at the 2016 Rio Olympics, losing at the Round of 16 stage. His cousin former IBF super middleweight titlist Jose Uzcategui opened the doors to him turning professional in Mexico, where he won his first nine fights. The 32-year-old southpaw later moved in a different direction and impressed during a training camp in Russia with Beterbiev. He stunned then-unbeaten Braian Suarez (KO 1), bested Artur Ziyatdinov (UD 10) and, most recently, took out former world title challenger Adam Deines (TKO 7) in a homecoming fight.

THE FUTURE: Ramirez is ranked in the top 4 by all four sanctioning bodies and is within striking distance of his title shot. Though may have to stay active in the meantime.

No. 7 – CALLUM SMITH

RECORD: 29-2 (21 KOs)

THE PAST: Smith won the British and European super middleweight titles in impressive fashion and got his big break in the WBSS. He defeated Erik Skoglund (UD 12) and late substitute Nieky Holzken (UD 12) to earn safe passage to the final where he stopped George Groves (KO 7) to become Ring magazine champion and WBA titleholder. The Englishman struggled to capitalize on that momentum, easily defeating the undersized Hassan N’dam N’Jikam (TKO 3) and laboring against John Ryder (UD 12) in subsequent title defenses before losing to boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez (UD 12). The 34-year-old moved up to 175-pounds and won two fights before taking a hiding against Beterbiev (TKO 7).

THE FUTURE: He hasn’t been heard of since the Beterbiev defeat. It remains to be seen if he has the desire to return after a successful career.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk ( Black and silver trunks ) defeats Medhi Amar ( Black with green trunks ) in their light heavyweight Title fight at The Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)

No. 8 – OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK

RECORD: 20-2 (16 KOs)

THE PAST: The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist was part of the Ukrainian dream team alongside Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko. As a professional, he impressively beat Nadjib Mohammedi (KO 2), Isaac Chilemba (RTD 8) and Yunieski Gonzalez (TKO 3) en route to unseating WBC titleholder Adonis Stevenson (KO 11). “Nail” made one defense before losing a unification match up to Beterbiev (TKO 10). He retired for over three-years before returned with three wins but lost to Benavidez (UD 12) in June.

THE FUTURE: Hasn’t said he’s retiring, so presumably weighing up his options for a return maybe in early 2025.

No. 9 – DAVID MORRELL

RECORD: 11-0 (9 KOs)

THE PAST: Won Cuban national titles at various levels before turning professional in 2019. His amateur pedigree has helped him move quickly as a professional, and he has already beaten some solid fighters including Mike Gavronski (KO 3), Alantez Fox (TKO 4), Aidos Yerbossynuly (KO 12), Yamaguchi Falcao (KO 1) and Sena Agbeko (TKO 2) before heading to 175 pounds where he won but failed to catch the eye against Radivoje Kalajdzic (UD 12).

THE FUTURE: The word is he will fight Benavidez in January.

No. 10 – WILLY HUTCHINSON

RECORD: 18-2 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Hutchinson was a touted amateur winning gold at the 2014 European junior championships and 2016 World Youth Championships. The Scottish fighter turned professional as a teenager in 2017. He won his first 13 against modest opposition and then came a cropper when he stepped up and fought Lennox Clarke (TKO 5) for the vacant British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles. He moved up to light heavyweight and reeled off five wins, including a coming-of-age win over Craig Richards (UD 12) and fought on near even terms, save two knockdowns, in a spirited losing effort against Buatsi (SD 12).

THE FUTURE: Taking some time off before returning next year. Might be an idea to look at the European title and use that as a platform back into world level.

On the Cusp: Michael Eifert, Radivoje Kalajdzic, Imam Khataev, Conor Wallace and Malik Zinad

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