Miguel Prado, Chairman of the WBA Ratings Committee, has released the latest World Boxing Association official rankings, based on results of fights held between May 16 and June 4, 2015.
The changes are as follows:
HEAVYWEIGHT
Formerly ranked the #12 heavyweight in the world, Kubrat Pulev is no longer in the top 15 and has been replaced by Francisco Pianeta, who was ranked #13. Anthony Joshua, who was ranked #14, has moved up a slot and is now ranked #13, while David Price, ranked #15 last month, is now ranked at #14. He has been replaced by Andrey Fedosov, who is now ranked #15, after his May 22 TKO over 12-1 Donovan Dennis in Corona, California.
CRUISERWEIGHT
In the cruiserweight division, BJ Flores, formerly #7, is now ranked the #3 cruiserweight in the world. Last month’s #3, Ilunga Makabu, is now #4. Youri Kalenga, who was #4, has been moved to #7 with his recent loss to WBA World cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev.
Lukasz Janik, who was ranked #12, is no longer among the top 15 cruiserweights after his TKO loss to Grigory Drozd in Moscow on May 22. He has been replaced by Anthony McCracken, who was ranked #13.
Ranked #15 last month, Noel Gevor is now ranked #14, and Jordan Shimmell from the U.S. is now ranked #15.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
In the light heavyweight division, Thomas Oosthuizen, formerly ranked #6 by the WBA , is no longer in the top 15, after forfeiting the IBO cruiserweight title by failing to make weight. Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal, formerly ranked #7 and #8, has moved up a spot to take the #6 and #7 positions.
Sullivan Barrera, formerly ranked #15, is now ranked #8. Robin Krasniqi, who was ranked #11, is now ranked #14. The new #11 is Mirco Ricci, who was ranked #13. Last month’s #12, Konni Konrad, is now ranked #13 and has been replaced by Azea Augustama, who was ranked #14. And Mehdi Amar cracked the top 15.
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
In the super middleweight division, Andre Dirrell, formerly ranked #6 by the WBA, is no longer in the top 15 after losing to James DeGale in Boston on May 23. The new #6 is Patrick Nielsen, who was ranked #7. Nielsen has been replaced by Vincent Feigenbutz, who was ranked #11.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. lost his #8 ranking. He is now ranked #10, replacing Rogelio Medina, who is now ranked #11.
Formerly ranked #13, Mariano Hilario, with his May 29 TKO loss to Hadillah Mohoumadi is no longer ranked in the top 15. With the victory, Mohoumadi entered the top 15 at the #13 position.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Willie Monroe Jr., formerly ranked #2, is now ranked #8, after the May 16 loss to WBA Super middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The new #2 is Arif Magomedov, who was ranked #3. He has been replaced by Tureano Johnson, who last month was ranked #5
Daniel Geale, last month ranked #6, is now ranked #5. Billy Joe Saunders, who was ranked #7, is now ranked #6. He has been replaced by Caleb Truax, who was ranked #9. David Lemieux, who was ranked #8, is no longer ranked in the top 15.
Martin Murray, who was ranked #10, is now ranked #9. He has been replaced by Curtis Stevens in the #10 position.
SUPER WELTERWEIGHT
Julian Williams, formerly ranked #10 in the super welterweight division, is now ranked #11. He has been replaced by John Thompson, who cracked the top 15 with his May 22 TKO victory over 17-1 Brandon Adams.
Delvin Rodriguez, who was ranked #12, is now ranked #13, replacing Liam Smith, who is now ranked #14. Charles Hatley, who was ranked #14, is now ranked #15, replacing Javier Maciel, who is no longer in the top 15 at super welterweight.
The complete WBA rankings are below.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
