The Ring Ratings Reviewed 2024: Strawweight
The Ring first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. Almost a century later, it’s no exaggeration to claim that these independent rankings 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 ranked where is decided democratically every week. It sounds easy, but this can be an arduous and time-consuming process.
Here I will be going through each division in reverse order and work my way up from strawweight to heavyweight and look at each ranked fighter’s respective achievements, then gaze into my crystal ball and predict what may lie ahead.
After a busy first half of 2024, we’re ready to compile another divisional breakdown.
Next up is strawweight (105-pound limit), which is undergoing some changes with fighters at the top of the division and others jockeying for position just below them. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.
No. 1 – OSCAR COLLAZO
RECORD: 10-0 (7 KOs)
THE PAST: Collazo won five national titles, gold at the 2019 Pan-Am games, and had aspirations of representing his country at the 2020 Olympics. However, his weight class was not recognized and he decided to make the switch to professional boxing in February 2020. The 27-year-old southpaw moved quickly in the paid ranks and beat former WBO titlist Vic Saludar (UD 12) in his fifth pro bout. He claimed the WBO world title by stopping Melvin Jerusalem (RTD 7) and has since remained active with three successful defenses against Garen Diagan (RTD 6), Reyneris Gutierrez (TKO 3) and, most recently, Gerardo Zapata (UD 12).
THE FUTURE: The working plan is for Collazo to return in late September/ October. His short term goal is to make five successful defenses and then aim for a unification in 2025.
No. 2 – PEDRO TADURAN
RECORD: 17-4-1 (13 KOs)
THE PAST: Taduran turned professional at 18 and won 12 of his first 13 fights, capturing the Filipino national title. He made an ambitious attempt against the vastly more experienced Wanheng Menayothin (L UD 12) for the WBC title in Thailand in 2018. After returning to winning ways, he got off the canvas to beat previously unbeaten compatriot Samuel Salva (RTD 4) to win the vacant IBF title. The heavy-handed 27-year-old had a technical draw against Daniel Valladares (D 4) and twice lost to Rene Mark Cuarto (UD 12/ TD 7). Since then he has won three fights in a row, including one over compatriot Jake Amparo (UD 12) and an upset over Ginjiro Shigeoka (TKO 9) to regain his old IBF title.
THE FUTURE: The proud Filipino is enjoying a victory lap before looking to return, likely in the fall.
No. 3 – MELVIN JERUSALEM
RECORD: 22-3 (12 KOs)
THE PAST: Jerusalem won his first 11 fights at home in the Philippines before losing a razor thin decision to then-WBC titlist Wanheng Menayothin (UD 12). He suffered a hangover and lost to compatriot Joey Canoy (UD 10) in his next bout before winning eight consecutive fights and landing a WBO title shot against Masataka Taniguchi. The 30-year-old made the most of his opportunity scoring an impressive second-round stoppage. He yielded the title in his first defenses against Collazo (RTD 7) but impressively bounced back to annex the WBC title from Yudai Shigeoka (SD 12).
THE FUTURE: He could look to make his first defense against mandatory challenger Luis Castillo sometime in September.
No. 4 – KNOCKOUT CP FRESHMART
RECORD: 24-0 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Thammanoon Niyomtrong (aka Knockout CP Freshmart) is the longest active reigning world titleholder, having won the WBA title from Byron Rojas (UD 12) in June 2016. The 33-year-old has made 11 defenses, turning back the challenges of Rey Loreto (UD 12), Chaozhong Xiong (UD 12), Rojas (UD 12), Robert Paradero (TKO 5) and, in his most recent fight, former long-reigning WBC titleholder Wanheng Menayothin (UD 12). He had been due to defend his title against Erick Rosa on March 1, 2023, but the fight was nixed during fight week due to immigration issues in Thailand (which barred Rosa from entering the country). With both sides unable to broker a deal, Rosa went up in weight.
THE FUTURE: Freshmart is tabbed to snap a two-year spell of inactivity when he faces Alex Winwood on September 7 in Australia.
No. 5 – YUDAI SHIGEOKA
RECORD: 8-1 (5 KOs)
THE PAST: Yudai won five national titles and had dreams of representing Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, when his weight class was expunged, similarly to Collazo, he elected to turn professional in October 2019. Although not quite as highly regarded as his younger brother (Ginjiro), he is still an excellent fighter with a bright future. He notably edged the more experienced Tsubasa Koura (MD 12) in 2021 and stopped former world champion Wilfredo Mendez (KO 7). The 27-year-old bested Petchmanee CP Freshmart (UD 12) to become WBC titlist but surprisingly lost to Melvin Jerusalem (SD 12).
THE FUTURE: He will return against Samuel Salva on August 24 at Yamato Arena in Osaka, Japan.
No. 6 – GINJIRO SHIGEOKA
RECORD: 11-1 (9 KOs)
THE PAST: Shigeoka was a standout amateur before turning pro in September 2018. He notably stopped former world title challenger Rey Loreto (KO 5) in his fifth bout. Had it not been for the pandemic – he didn’t fight for 18 months – the diminutive 24-year-old southpaw may have already won a world title. He was doing a number on Daniel Valladares before the fight was curtailed due to a head-clash that ruled the fight a no-contest. He impressively defeated Rene Mark Cuarto (TKO 9) and then took apart Valladares (TKO 5) to claim the IBF title. He has since defended it once against late-sub Jake Amparo (KO 2) before being surprisingly upset by Taduran (TKO 9).
THE FUTURE: He suffered an orbital fracture against Taduran that needed surgery and will likely be off for a while.
No. 7 – PETCHMANEE CP FRESHMART
RECORD: 43-2 (27 KOs)
THE PAST: Known also by his birth name, Panya Pradabsri, Freshmart won several regional belts before claiming the WBC title by unseating long-reigning countryman Wanheng Menayothin in November 2020. The 33-year-old Thai successfully defended his title four times, notably besting Menayothin (UD 12) in a rematch and Norihito Tanaka twice (UD 12/ TKO 8), but lost his crown to Yudai Shigeoka (UD 12) last October. He has bounced back with two low-level wins.
THE FUTURE: He is apparently in line to fight for the vacant WBC junior flyweight title against Carlos Canizales.
No. 8 – WILFREDO MENDEZ
RECORD: 19-3-1 (6 KOs)
THE PAST: Mendez shocked Vic Saludar (UD 12) to win the WBO title in 2019. The 27-year-old southpaw made two defenses against Axel Aragon Vega (TD 7) and Gabriel Mendoza (TKO 9) before losing to Masataka Taniguchi (TKO 11). “Bimbito” scored two wins before coming unstuck against Yudai Shigeoka (KO 7). Since then, he has drawn with ArAr Andales (TDraw 4) and beaten Jesus Haro (UD 12).
THE FUTURE: He won a WBA regional belt last time out, so will have his eye on the Freshmart-Winwood winner.
No. 9 – HASANBOY DUSMATOV
RECORD: 6-0 (5 KOs)
THE PAST: The fantastically gifted Uzbekistani boxer is an amateur standout. He won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as a slew of other medals at World Championships and Asian Games. The 31-year-old southpaw turned professional in 2019 but has fought between both professional and amateur codes. He holds wins over previously unbeaten Moises Caro (TKO 3) and, in his most recent professional bout, Siphamandla Baleni (UD 10). On Aug. 8, he beat Billal Bennama in the final at 51 kg at the Paris Games to become a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
THE FUTURE: Hopefully, when the dust settles after basking in his Olympic success, he switches his attention to the professional ranks.
No. 10 – LUIS CASTILLO
RECORD: 21-0-1 (13 KOs)
THE PAST: Castillo has been a professional since 2014. All his fights to date have taken place in his native Mexico, where he remains unbeaten. The 27-year-old southpaw from Los Mochis notably holds recent wins over Abraham Rodriguez (TKO 6) and Miguel Angel Herrera (UD 10).
THE FUTURE: He is the WBC’s No. 1-rated fighter, so he’ll be waiting for a title-shot opportunity to arise.
On the Cusp: Goki Kobayashi, Siyakhowla Kuse, Beavon Sibanda, Alex Winwood and DianXing Zhu.
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk.
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