Ring Ratings Update: Featherweights in flux

Nick Ball has had a banner year with exceptional performances in three consecutive featherweight world title bouts: a majority draw vs. Rey Vargas in March, a hard-fought split decision over Raymond Ford in June, and a 10th-round stoppage of rugged veteran Ronny Rios on October 5.

The rough-and-tumble Englishman is part of a new wave of 126-pound standouts that are replacing longtime contenders of the division such as Josh Warrington, who lost a unanimous decision to junior lightweight beltholder Anthony Cacace on the Joshua-Dubois undercard on September 21.

Anson Wainwright proposed that Ball (21-01, 12 KOs) advance from No. 4 to No. 3 in the rankings, and the Ring Ratings Panel unanimously agreed without hesitation.

The panel, however, wasn’t so quick to decide who would replace Warrington.

The 33-year-old veteran’s move to the 130-pound division, subsequent loss, and strong hints at retirement necessitated his exit from The Ring’s featherweight rankings. 

The week after Warrington’s loss, the popular choice for his replacement in the 126-pound top 10 was Bruce Carrington, the undefeated American who was The Ring’s 2023 Prospect of the Year. Wainwright proposed that the 27-year-old Brooklynite come in at No. 10 (Warrington’s old spot).

However, Abraham Gonzalez asked the panel to pause on this suggestion, knowing that Carrington had a fight coming up that week.

“… with regard to Carrington, should we wait until Friday’s fight before bringing him in or has he done enough?” asked Gonzalez. “I personally think we wait.”

Jake Donovan and Adam Abramowitz agreed, as did Daisuke Sugiura who added this comment: 

“As Abe suggested, let’s see how Carrington will handle Sulaiman Segawa. Shu Shu wasn’t that impressive last time (The Monster, who was ringside, wasn’t impressed), and this is a good test.”

Added Diego Morilla: “I am high on Carrington and I believe it’s a matter of time before he gets to the Top 5 at least. I can understand that waiting for a result is always a good idea, but in this case I think we can override that requisite. I am OK either way, though.”

The Panel waited, and Carrington indeed had a hard time with the hard-swinging Ugandan southpaw en route to a close 10-round decision .

Still, Wainwright suggested that Carrington (13-0, 8 KOs) enter the rankings.

“Bruce Carrington edged past Sulaiman Segawa by 10-round majority decision,” noted Wainwright. “We discussed Shu Shu as a replacement for current No. 10 Josh Warrington after Warrington lost up at 130-pounds last week. Shu Shu won but had a harder time than expected. Did he do enough to take the No. 10 spot? I’ll say yes and stick with Shu Shu coming in at No. 10.”

Bruce Carrington (right) and Sulaiman Segawa go toe to toe. Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Morilla agreed.

“Segawa was a solid test for Carrington, a tough cookie with a deceptive record, and it’s hard to look great against a guy with his style. Yes to Shu Shu at No. 10.”

However, Abramowitz did not think that was a good idea.

“I wouldn’t bring in Carrington after that performance,” he sait. “I’m not even sure he served to win the fight.”

Donovan agreed with Abramowitz.

“Was looking for something that would define Shu Shu as a contender on Friday and didn’t see it,” Donovan said. “He’ll likely get in once Leigh Wood drops out (inactivity) and Luis Alberto Lopez is confirmed out of the ring indefinitely. 

“Weak choices for No. 10 spot. Regardless, I’d rather go with Stephen Fulton (whose performance I thought our board was overly critical, vs. a better opponent) or even Arnold Khegai, though I wish he had better wins at 126.”

Your favorite Editor-In-Chief gave his two cents and added some other potential replacements.

“I agree with Adam that Shu Shu’s latest performance isn’t the one to get him in our featherweight rankings. But who, then, replaces Warrington?

“We could go with the experienced world-class likes of Fulton or Tomoki Kameda. However, Fulton just arrived at 126, and he was fortunate to win his debut (vs. the very good Carlos Castro), while Kameda can barely separate himself from (the very solid but unrated) Lerato Dlamini. We could go with an up-and-comer like Omar Trinidad, who only recently stepped up to the 10-round level, but has looked formidable against solid opposition in his two bouts (Jose Perez and Victor Slavinskyi) at that distance this year. I’d nominate Victor Morales, but he’s been inactive for more than a year. 

“Khegai is 6-0 at featherweight. Who else is out there? I’m not familiar with Mirco Cuello (from Argentina) and Dayan Gonzalez (a Dubai-based Cuban).”  

Responded Abramowitz: “I’d go with Mirco Cuello at No. 10. Clean wins over Segawa and Rudy Garcia.” 

Donovan agreed with the Cuello choice.

Mirco Cuello (R) and fellow unbeaten up-and-comer Rudy Garcia battle it out in a Sept. 15, 2023 ShoBox co-feature. Photo by Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME

Added Sugiura: “I personally think Kameda is underrated, and I was actually impressed by his rematch win over Dlamini. But if Cuello beat Segawa convincingly then it should be him.” 

Added Wainwright: “If we’re not going with Shu Shu, I would go with Cuello.

“Fulton needs to do more at the weight, Morales is close to one year inactive, Kameda is on the fringes but again not looked great.” 

Added Morilla: “Cuello is the real deal, yes. Super talented and motivated, Olympic background, etc. I still think Carrington has more upside right now, but I see both of them in our Top 10 in the near future and staying there for a long time. I can go either way but I still think Shu Shu is the right choice.”

Let the record state that Diego Morilla is a firm believer in Carrington, who will no doubt crack The Ring rankings in time, probably sooner rather than later. But for now, it’s 24-year-old Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs), who has the scalps of five unbeaten opponents on his record, that makes the grade. 

As Donovan noted, the boxing future of Luis Lopez (currently No. 5) remains murky due to the brain bleed he suffered following his KO loss to Angelo Leo (No. 2) in August. Wood (currently No. 1) hit the one-year inactive mark on October 7, so unless he announces a fight this week, he will exit the rankings. And Ray Ford (currently No. 8) is expected to campaign at junior lightweight going forward. 

Carrington’s fellow up-and-comers Morales and Trinidad, and the experienced likes of Fulton and Kameda, are all likely replacements.

RING RATINGS UPDATE (as of October 5):

MIDDLEWEIGHT – Janibek Alimkhanuly remains at No. 1 after scoring a one-sided ninth-round TKO of unbeaten but totally outclassed Andrei Mikhailovich.

“Janibek Alimkhanuly dropped Andrei Mikhailovich early and beat up the tough Russian-born New Zealander,” noted Wainwright. “Credit to (Mikhailovich’s promoter) No Limit (who won the purse bid to promote the title bout). They did all they could to level the playing field by only giving Janibek 29 days notice and then not fighting for the WBO title, meaning that Janibek would have to comply with the IBF’s second-day (weigh-in) ruling but it all proved a moot point as Janibek’s class told and he scored a ninth-round stoppage.”

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT – Erickson Lubin exits due to inactivity. Bakhram Murtazuliev (22-0, 16 KOs), who faces No. 5-rated Tim Tszyu on October 19, returns at No. 10.

FEATHERWEIGHT – Ball advances to No. 3. Warrington exits. Cuello enters at No. 10.

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT – Alan Picasso remains at No. 6 following a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision over rugged veteran Azat Hovhannisyan.

FLYWEIGHT – Galal Yafai remains at No. 10 after a third-round stoppage of journeyman Sergio Orozco Oliva.

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