With the final update of the year, Saul Alvarez held on to the top spot and surely strengthened his claim with a one-sided bashing of super middleweight Callum Smith. Alvarez is 7-0-1 officially in his last eight starts, competing and winning title fights in all four divisions from Jr. middleweight to light heavyweight.
One would have to go back to the five wins between Tommy Hearns’ losses to Marvin Hagler and Iran Barkley to find a similar feat. Hearns defended the Jr. middleweight crown, jumped to light heavyweight for a belt, and returned to middleweight to become boxing’s first four division titlist.
Extra votes from the staff shook up the list this month, pushing Jermell Charlo just outside the top ten and moving Artur Beterbiev in. How did it all shake out?
Only one way to find out.
For the full update: https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/view.php?pg=pound
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
