By Jake Donovan/Cliff Rold
Like the sport itself, boxing’s individual divisions go through their peaks and valleys. Super middleweight has enjoyed a long overdue surge while, just eight pounds south, middleweight is at an all-time low. Welterweight is back as the sport’s glamour division in the absence of a heavyweight that can appeal to the mainstream crowd.
But through it all, one constant that remains is the neverending reservoir of talent that exists in the junior welterweight division. The decade began with the blueprint that led to its first true lineal champion since the days of Aaron Pryor, and ends with a new crop of emerging superstars as well as the sport’s most popular – and lucrative – figure occupying its championship slot.
The biggest difference between the state of the division today as opposed to the way it was half a decade ago is the number of fights that occur between its Top 10 entrants. Yes, five years ago there existed more stars, but most wanted to be called the best without actually fighting for the honor. While lesser star power exists beyond the championship slot today, big fights are happening at 140 everywhere you turn.
How deep is the junior welterweight division? The word around the campfire after Showtime’s December 13 main event was that Lamont Peterson looked like a ‘someday’ world champion…yet for the moment remains just outside Boxingscene.com’s Top 10. That’s no slight on Peterson, but a testament to how much talent is crammed into this weight class.
Let the discussion begin.
World Jr. Welterweight Champion: Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO, Lineal/Ring)
Last Contest: November 12, 2009, TKO12 Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KO)
Next Contest: March 13, 2009 vs. #4 Welterweight Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO)
Rold: When the best fighter in the sport is the champion of your division, it should be a plus. For the Jr. Welterweights, Pacquiao is the only minus…right now. It doesn’t mean it will stay that way. Pacquiao’s trip to Welterweight could end against Mayweather. If he doesn’t win that one, and continues to fight, a return to Jr. Welterweight makes sense and anyone who gets a crack at him makes cents. If he beats Mayweather, there is no reason to think the Jr. Welterweights will see him again. History shows Pacquiao has been willing to go out of his way and vacate the Ring’s belts at Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight. If he doesn’t come back, given everything else happening at 140, this spot will probably find a new occupant quickly. For now, the second round shellacking of then lineal champion Ricky Hatton still makes this spot Manny’s.
Donovan: I’ll take it one step further and suggest that – win, lose or draw against Mayweather – the 140 lb. division never again sees Pacquiao, with the possible exception of a third fight with Marquez. It’s possible that by this time next year, Tim Bradley’s financial upside catches up to his talent. But short of that, my belief now is the same as it was the moment Pacquiao went in the record books as a four-division lineal champ – that the Hatton fight was one and done for him at 140.
1. Timothy Bradley (25-0, 11 KO, WBO, 2 Defenses)
Last Contest: December 12, 2009, UD12 Lamont Peterson (27-1, 13 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Donovan: Should Pacquiao one day announce that he’s forever done with 140, you can easily make a case for Bradley being declared the man by default. It’s impossible to not root for the talented yet humble Californian. He has nothing but respect for the game and his opponents, is always in peak physical condition and seems incapable of delivering a boring performance. All that’s missing is knockout power, but it’s hardly been a detriment as he’s enjoyed a brilliant run ever since going on the road to defeat Junior Witter for his first alphabet belt. Twice climbing off the canvas to beat Kendall Holt is the stuff of which champions are made, yet hardly the defining moment of his career, which really speaks volumes. Wins over Edner Cherry and Lamont Peterson as well as his shutout-turned-no-contest against Nate Campbell have clearly demonstrated the road to 140 lb supremacy goes through – but most likely stops at - Timothy Bradley.
Rold: It might be a stretch to say Bradley could be the man by default if only because of everything else going on. He’s certainly earned the right to call himself the best fighter active in the division for now. Against Kendall Holt and Lamont Peterson, this scribe picked Bradley to lose and came away with a powerful impression. Is there anyone right now who does so many things right? Box at range? Check. War on the inside? Check. Make guys miss from centimeters away? Check. As to his power, it might just be underrated. He dropped Junior Witter, had Nate Campbell hurt and, against someone with less heart than Peterson, scores a stoppage his last time out.
2. Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KO)
Last Contest: May 2, 2009 KO by 2 Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Rold: Hatton, despite the jaw dropping (busting?) loss to Pacquiao, has lost only a single fight at Jr. Welterweight and there’s no one below him with that compelling case to pass him yet. If he’s still failed to return come May 2010, he’ll drop from the ratings. He’s never received the credit he deserved for being a good champion at Jr. Welterweight after retiring future Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu. He could have been more active, could have defended more, but all but one of his winning title defenses were against real top ten foes and the one who wasn’t, Juan Lazcano, was still a real fighter which matters as much as the numbers. Hatton’s losses to Mayweather (at Welterweight) and Pacquiao lowered his esteem but time will be kinder to Hatton and he still has time to do more in the class which defines him.
Donovan: You’d think there would be more time for Ricky to rebuild and regain his stranglehold on the 140 lb division. But it’s clear that the knockout losses and years of gaining and losing 40-50 lb. between training camps has caught up to him, at least mentally. He’s had plenty of time to move on from the Pacquiao debacle, yet every article you read on him these days has him claiming, “One more fight and then I’m done.” The old saying goes, the moment you begin to seriously consider retirement, you’re already retired. A catchweight fight with Juan Manuel Marquez can prove to be lucrative if it happens, but has the scent of a money grab more so than means to advance his career.
3. Kendall Holt (25-3, 13 KO)
Last Contest: April 4, 2009, L12 Timothy Bradley (25-0, 11 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Donovan: Credit to Holt for introducing the boxing world to standout NY Giants running back and close friend Brandon Jacobs, but it’s about all that has went right in recent times for the New Jersey native. The near miss against Bradley was his lone ring appearance for 2009 after enjoying a terrific ’08 campaign. It was even worse outside the ring, as his name came up in a drug scandal that involved his longtime manager Henry Cortes. Few will be looking forward to 2010 with more anticipation than Holt, though it’s already off to a rocky start – plans for a title eliminator against Nate Campbell have fallen through. Holt stood to make a whopping $20K or so for such a fight; it’s now back to the drawing board. A third fight with Ricardo Torres certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing – assuming Torres would actually show up this time around.
Rold: Holt, like Hatton, might just be holding a spot right now at 140. Men beneath him like Amir Khan and Devon Alexander are likely to have the sort of opposition Holt needs to maintain his standing. He’s not in too dire a situation though. At only 28, and as a former titlist, Holt will get his chances. They just might not come when he’d want them.
4. Juan Urango (22-2-1, 17 KO, IBF, 1 Defense)
Last Contest: August 28, 2009, TKO11 Randall Bailey (40-7, 35 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Rold: Urango is never going to be a pound for pound player. He’ll probably never be a big star. Who cares? Urango is one of the game’s most dependably entertaining guys, a honest effort and big punch on tap every time he goes. He’s got ceilings for sure. His losses to Hatton in 2007 and Welterweight Andre Berto earlier this year weren’t very close, indicating he’ll have trouble with elite talents. Against everyone else, he’s a big puncher with a lot of heart. Why hasn’t anyone figured out yet that Urango versus Marcos Maidana needs to happen?
Donovan: It’s a shame that his few premium televised slots have come in the role of opponent. He’s the consummate TV fighter, but deserves much better than for his best moments to be limited to the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights circuit. On paper, more than a few in this division should be able to box him silly. But there are few that can outlast him, given his punching power, iron chin and never say die attitude in the ring. Zab Judah keeps threatening to drop to 140, with Urango as his primary target. I honestly can’t think of a better fight for the compact Colombian to springboard to stardom.
5. Devon Alexander (19-0, 12 KO, WBC, 0 Defenses)
Last Contest: August 1, 2009, RTD8 Junior Witter (37-3-2, 22 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Donovan: Has there been a more talented young fighter handled worse than Alexander The Great? Lining up the Witter fight for a vacant title was the first big move promoter Don King has done for the St. Louis product in far too long. He boasts talent galore, as evidenced in his domination of Witter earlier this year. What he needs now is the experience, which can only come with activity, for the moment his only negative, though solely the fault of his promoter. That his name is being mentioned by HBO is a positive sign, and no question that Showtime remains interested. With nothing but big fights around him, there are no excuses for his handlers (specifically King) to deliver in 2010 – which should result in Alexander being that much closer to the top by this time next year. He’s THAT good.
Rold: Could Alexander-Bradley become one of the great rivalries of the decade ahead? If there were odds on the notion, it might be worth a bet. Bradley is 26, Alexander only 22, and these are two marvelously talented young men. There is no reason Alexander cannot build his star power towards that possible (inevitable?) future. With a more engaging, frankly more consistently watchable, style than fellow St. Louis native Cory Spinks, Alexander should be an easy ticket seller in the ‘Lou. King showed he can, when he cares too, make it happen when he did over 20,000 tickets for the Spinks-Zab Judah rematch a few years ago. Alexander should be matched with aggressive types for the next year or so, close to home as often as possible, to generate the momentum his talent deserves.
6. Nate Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KO)
Last Contest: August 1, 2009, NC3 Timothy Bradley (25-0, 11 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Rold: No matter what he had to say afterwards, a cut Campbell looked like a fighter who consciously played for the “no contest” in a fight he was quickly falling way behind in against Bradley. It doesn’t mean he was going to lose, but at 37 one wonders whether Campbell’s body may be hitting the limits. It would have been nice to get in the ring once more before the year was out but Campbell remains in good position. His win earlier in 2009 over Ali Funeka looks more impressive given the way Funeka followed up and Campbell is dangerous for any of the titlists in the class until firmly proven otherwise.
Donovan: Given the way Bradley continues to tear through the field, it should be easy for Campbell to accept what happened in August and move on. A title eliminator with Kendall Holt is being discussed, and his recent signing with boxing’s answer to the Evil Empire should secure TV dates for as long as he can keep winning in 2010. The thing that concerns me is whether or not he’s now a man without a country in terms of weight. He can no longer make 135, and there are few he can bully around in a loaded 140 lb. division. The Holt fight would’ve been an interesting crossroads bout, but Golden Boy already pulled the plug on it. Curious to see if they still move the old vet towards a title, or attempt to keep him on reserves for some of their younger fighters.
7. Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO, WBA, 1 Defense)
Last Contest: December 1, 2009, TKO1 Dmitriy Salita (30-1-1, 16 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Donovan: It seems like no matter how much Khan continues to improve and how far behind he puts his one bad night, critics will always loom. There are far easier ways for a four-year ring novice to pursue championship status than to take on Andriy Kotelnik, and in your very first assignment at 140. Yes, Khan showed a crappy chin at lightweight. Yes he was knocked out. Stuff happens. He’s already calling out Timothy Bradley, has his eye on a stateside tour and is a strong candidate to appear on HBO against accelerated competition in the coming months. As big as 2009 has been for Britain’s lone Olympic boxing medalist in the 2004 Summer Games, 2010 could prove to be a huge breakout year.
Rold: Now for the looming critic…Khan can be entertaining to watch and is obviously talented. He’s also shown great heart in coming off the floor to win some fights. However, it’s hard to say his chin isn’t just as crappy at Jr. Welterweight as it was at Lightweight. He just hasn’t faced anyone who a) hit him at 140 or b) was a significant puncher at the weight. Selective matchmaking is already taking place as Khan’s trainer Freddie Roach is all for Khan taking on feather fisted Paulie Malignaggi while his mandatory, interim WBA titlist Marcos Maidana, is being pushed towards a shot at Alexander instead. It might all be a coincidence, but the probability that Maidana leaves Khan in the same prone position Breidis Prescott did makes that hard to believe. Khan has all the makings of a star but there’s too much talent at 140 to hide his chin for long. He might have a breakout 2010 with the right matchmaking but it’s a matter of when, not if, he gets plain old broken again.
8. Andriy Kotelnik (31-3-1, 13 KO)
Last Contest: July 18, 2009, L12 Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Rold: Kotelnik hasn’t been in the ring since his WBA title loss to Khan and there’s no telling where the 31-year old will turn up again. If he starts to wind it down, he’s had a heck of a run going back to his Silver Medal at the 2000 Olympics. His only losses have come to world class talents and he’s, for now, the only man to have escaped Marcos Maidana without a loss and one of only two to do it without being stopped.
Donovan: It’s a shame that more hadn’t come of the hard luck Ukrainian’s career. This division has had a surplus of talent throughout the 2000’s, and Kotelnik has always been right there in the thick of things. He finally caught a break in 2008 in dominating Gavin Rees for an alphabet trinket, only for his career to hit a wall in ’09. On the surface, there’s time to come back. The question is what’s the best road to travel for a fighter who has always been high-risk, low reward?
9. Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KO)
Last Contest: November 21, 2009, KO3 William Gonzalez (22-6-1, 7 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Donovan: The good news is that, as an alphabet interim titlist, he’s due for a shot against Amir Khan. The bad news? Khan’s handlers are willing to have their charge dump the belt if it means securing big money fights in 2010. It’s impossible to envision anyone openly pursuing Maidana – the equivalent would be running towards the sound of gun fire. But with HBO interested in bringing him back in 2010 (possibly as part of a rumored four-man 140 lb. tournament) and Golden Boy serving as his stateside promoter of record, it’s safe to say the Argentinean slugger doesn’t fade into obscurity any time soon.
Rold: The word seems to be a shot at Alexander and it’s an interesting fight for both. For all the talent he’s shown, Alexander hasn’t had his big gut check yet. Maidana has the bricks to provide the moment…if he can lay a glove on the slickster. Even if he can’t, the 26-year old is too much fun to be sidelined for long. His upset of Victor Ortiz, and near win over Kotelnik before that, proved his world class chops and he’s a threat to anyone in the Jr. Welterweight division.
10. Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KO)
Last Contest: December 12, 2009, UD12 Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KO)
Next Contest: TBA
Rold: It’s impossible not to be happy for Malignaggi. Not every fighter gets a chance to reverse a close, controversial call against a bigger star. Malignaggi did and he picked up the win against former Lightweight titlist Juan Diaz in impressive fashion. A little over a year ago, Malignaggi looked all done when he took a hellacious whooping from Ricky Hatton but his underrated toughness…well, just as has been the case throughout his career, including prior to his gutsy 2006 showing with Miguel Cotto, it got underrated again.
Donovan: Can we call it the comeback of the year? As Cliff mentioned, the only way appeared to be down in Malignaggi’s career after a career-worst performance against Hatton. Good for him for using the Diaz fights to resurrect his career rather than cashing out, and stepping up the way he did in the rematch. Not only was he impressive in both outings, but also entertaining, which should translate into the networks being that much more anxious to be in the Paul Malignaggi business in 2010.
Exclusions?
Donovan: Tough to claim that anyone has been overlooked when a fighter as talented as Malignaggi has ten guys ranked ahead of him. Ricardo Torres is a big punch away from re-emerging as a player. Lamont Peterson has the look of a future champ. Mike Alvarado should make some noise once he’s sprung and is able to resume his career. Assuming Victor Ortiz figures out what he wants out of the game and the lengths he’s willing to go in order to achieve, we shouldn’t count him out just yet. Victor Cayo had a nice run in 2009, only to be cut short by inactivity since his breakout win over Julio Diaz. With all of this talent, it’s a damn shame we can’t extend the rankings to Top 15, at least for this division, although one thing’s for sure: this is the one division where you have to fight to keep your ranking. Too many people waiting in the wings for any contender to even consider boxing sideways.
Rold: He’s been mentioned before but another shot needs to go out to Lamont Peterson. He showed some serious man against Bradley and will be a factor sooner than later. Outside of that, it’s hard to think of anyone who was missed here but, as Jake noted, there is enough talent to keep going with the ratings for quite a ways. A year from now, this division could have a dramatically different ratings set and still be just as strong as it is now…if not stronger. Many obsess about pound for pound ratings. This is the division where those chops are being forged for the future with eight of the top ten still in their 20s. The future is happening now at Jr. Welterweight.
For BoxingScene’s latest full divisional ratings, log on to: https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/view.php?pg=boxing-ratings
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com ; Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com