In the most romantic sense, a great boxing champion takes on all the top comers until some deserving contender comes along to knock them off their perch or they elect to walk away with the title still in tow. 

In reality, men who could say such things about their title reigns have often been fewer than those whose reigns were managed for risk and highest profit value. Men like Ezzard Charles and Harry Greb were the best in their prime divisions for years before they could line up a title shot. It’s one reason why titles won, and title reigns, are only one factor in evaluating a great career. Who a fighter beat in their career, and when they beat them, should always be a bigger one. 

The first four parts of this series looked in-depth at the title picture in each of boxing’s seventeen weight classes. For this final installment, it’s time to narrow to the best reigns among the 56 fighters identified who currently hold WBA, WBC, IBF, or WBO belts, or have a beltless claim to lineage/are still recognized as champions by TBRB (Guillermo Rigondeaux, 122). This excludes lesser regarded belts like the IBO, interim beltholders, and WBA sub-titlists and begs a difficult question:

Are there even ten standout title reigns in 2020?

Less than half of the 56, only 21, defeated men rated third or higher by TBRB for the title they currently hold. Fourteen, roughly a quarter of the pool, beat an unrated fighter for their first title. To their credit, some of those fighters, like Artur Beterbiev and Jose Ramirez, added other belts and in Beterbiev’s case the lineal crown, through additional unification against rated foes. Just nine men hold at least two of the four most recognized sanctioning body belts right now.

Here is an even smaller number: from their initial title win to last defense, only five of the 56 have defeated four or more rated fighters during present reigns. Three of the five (Miguel Berchelt, Ken Shiro, and Vasyl Lomachenko) defeated someone rated in their weight class for all the rated wins of their current longest title reigns. Head scratching for sure, just 23 have even two top ten wins in their current title reigns including initial title wins.

Some of this can be attributed to top notch fighters who move around in weight and are new to particular weight classes. Some can be attributed to recent title victories and it is only looking at title reigns. Lots of men have quality wins outside whatever title reigns they are currently in.

It’s still a dreary picture of just how watered down the championship scene in boxing has become in terms of consistent quality.

TBRB is just one source of non-sanctioning body ratings one could look at. As noted previously in this series, it’s fair to guess it wouldn’t be remarkably different looking at Ring, Boxing News, or the divisional ratings at Fight News.

It’s no wonder pound for pound debates are easier to latch on to.

Boxing can do so much better.

If it’s easier to win a title in 2020, it may be harder than ever to have a standout title reign. The politics and economics of boxing keep beltholders apart more than it puts them together and essentially walls off 2-3 top contenders from any single beltholder. Even the willing can struggle to find others up to risking a belt that is in many cases their biggest piece of access to air.

Which champs are doing the most to rise above?

Applying a similar metric as to what was used in evaluating the top fighters of the 2010’s, but in this case using only the TBRB ratings and established lineages, each of the current titlists and/or lineal champions was scored based on their current longest title reign. Defenses against unrated fighters received no score.

The math was just a baseline.

With the thinking that, in a best case scenario one world would mean one world champion, no division is represented more than once. Diversity of rated opponents was taken to account. On raw math, someone like Jr. featherweight Emanuel Navarette makes the top ten but his score is entirely predicated on two wins over the then-highly rated Isaac Dogboe. In six title fights, those are his only rated wins and he’s had none since the Dogboe rematch so he missed the final cut. That doesn’t mean volume trumped. A fighter could be light on rated foes but high enough on risk.

Judgement calls are tough.

Another factor: what was coming before the shutdown? There were men with plans left asunder but what if those plans were fine examples of what champions should be doing with their time? It’s worth at least a thought. In some cases, like Leo Santa Cruz at featherweight, their enduring reign is really a technicality at this point with a change in weight already begun so it wasn’t considered.

Stir it all together and here are the selections for the top ten current title reigns in boxing, a nod to the battlers who best exemplify what the designation champion should be.

The ranking of foes headed into fights is largely denoted in italics. For fighters who have multiple title claims, the reign listed is their longest but other accolades are there in the notes.

This isn’t pound for pound...it’s champ for champ 2020.

#10: Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KO) - IBF Light Heavyweight - 2 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 1

This was a rough spot to fill and one where lots of fighters could make a case or a case could be made that there might not be ten truly commendable championship reigns in boxing right now. Callum Smith at 168 lbs. scores okay but his controversial win over John Ryder can’t be ignored. Wanheng Menayothin, at 105 lbs., has 12 title defenses and a pristine record but none of his title fight wins to date have come against a fighter who entered rated higher than sixth. Knockout CP Freshmart, the same weight class, has nine defenses of his full title but only three wins over rated fighters and the only two that really matter are against Byron Rojas. The outstanding Juan Francisco Estrada beat the equally outstanding Srisaket Sor Rungvisai for the lineal and WBC crowns at 115 but hasn’t been able to do anything with it yet. Why Beterbiev? Beterbiev beat an unrated fighter to win the IBF diadem but two fights later went at arguably the best light heavyweight available, knocked out Oleksandr Gvozdyk, added the lineal and WBC crowns for his trouble. It’s easier to sit on a belt and rack up numbers. Beterbiev risked more and that’s what a champion should do.       

#9: Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KO) - IBF Bantamweight - 1 Defense

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 1

If this were a career to date rating, or WBA sub-title fights were included, Inoue would easily be much higher. As is, his title run at 118 lbs. is still fledgling. Wins over Emanuel Rodriguez (6) for the IBF belt and then Nonito Doanire (4) for the WBA were a hell of a start. Before the virus shutdown, Inoue was slated for another unification showdown with Johnriel Casimero. One can’t ask for much more from any champion.He’s beaten four straight top ten bantamweight altogether so that should be no surprise.  Assuming he can get the fights, and the ability to travel to make them, sooner than later Inoue will likely be jockeying for a top spot if reigns are compared again a year from now and he is still a bantamweight.   

#8: Josh Taylor (16-0, 12 KO) - IBF Jr. Welterweight - 1 Defense

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 1

There are titlists with longer tenures and plenty with more defenses but this is a place where quality is key. While aided by the construct provided by the World Boxing Super Series, and only having appeared in two title fights so far, Taylor is off to a perfect start. He bested Ivan Baranchyk (7) for the IBF belt and immediately unified in the WBSS final with Regis Prograis (1) to add the WBA strap. Jose Ramirez has the other half of the hardware at 140 lbs. The sooner they face off the better but for now Taylor’s results give him the in-ring edge. While there isn’t much to choose between Taylor and Inoue, and Inoue is fairly seen as the better and more accomplished fighter overall right now, Prograis is the best win between the two of them in terms of the titles they hold right now. 

#7: Josh Warrington (30-0, 7 KO) - IBF Featherweight - 3 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 2

As noted in part three of this series, there isn’t much to choose between Warrington and Gary Russell. On raw math, based on where their opponents were rated, they finish in the top ten of current reigns. Both men’s highest rated win on paper in a title fight, Carl Frampton in a defense for Warrington and Jhonny Gonzalez to begin Russell’s reign, came against men ranked #2 at the time. Both have defeated three rated featherweights in their reigns, including their initial title win. Warrington has done it in less than half the time with his initial title win over Lee Selby (4) and defense against Kid Galahad (8) to flesh out his tenure. If part of being a good champion is showing up more than once a year, and it should be, it’s enough to give Warrington the edge where the quality of opposition is otherwise about equal at featherweight. Relative to his weight class, even with only a single belt on his shelf, Warrington’s reign has enough quality for an edge on the men right behind him for now too.  

#6: Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KO) - Lineal Heavyweight - 6 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 2

The literal best fighter in the world until proven otherwise stamped his claim with authority earlier this year, knocking out Deontay Wilder to avenge a debatable draw in their first fight and pick up the only alphabet title (WBC) he hadn’t won yet. Fury for some will be a source of debate. It’s a matter of whether one sees his lineage as unbroken or not. It is regarded as such here. Weighing in Fury’s favor: he beat the recognized champion of the division in Klitschko and as history’s champion can be credited with two successful title defenses against Wilder (2, 1). Working against him are his long layoff for outside the ring issues and the other four fighters he defeated billing himself the lineal king. None of those men were rated by TBRB and represent some of the least deserving opponents any of the men who have held the historical heavyweight crown ever faced in defense of the honors. This is where a little bit of good shows off how little depth there are in many of the title reigns in boxing. New reports have Fury aiming to face Anthony Joshua next year though multiple hurdles, mandatories, and obligations remain in the way including an expected rubber match with Wilder. At least it appears Fury is trying to catch up for lost time.   

#5: Miguel Berchelt (37-1, 33 KO) - WBC Super Featherweight - 6 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 3

An action fighter with subtle ring IQ, Berchelt is a perfect 7-0 in title fights and only one of those bouts has gone the distance. Four of those seven wins have come against rated foes. His title win and defense against Francisco Vargas (3, 5) are complimented by wins over Takashi Miura (4) and Miguel Roman (5). The word was Berchelt was building toward a showdown with former featherweight titlist Oscar Valdez before the shutdown. It would be an excellent affair. So too would a fight with fellow divisional titlist Jamel Herring but Herring has, publicly, been more interested so far.

#4: Ken Shiro (17-0, 10 KO) - WBC Light Flyweight - 7 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 3

Also known as Kenshiro Teraji, Japan’s 108 lb. titan has put together a nice run since besting Ganigan Lopez for his title in 2017. Four of his eight title fights have come against opponents rated in the TBRB top ten. Diversity of opposition comes into play here with two of those four fights coming against Lopez (5, 6) but Shiro gets big credit for beating Pedro Guevara (1) along with former titlist Milan Melindo (5). The first win over Lopez and the nod over Guevara were both hotly contested. A showdown with fellow Japanese titlist Hiroto Kiyoguchi would be the best chance for Shiro to rocket upwards in the ranks of today’s champions. Shiro gets the nod over Berchelt on the strength of the Guevara win in an otherwise largely interchangeable comparison relative to what is there at their weights. It’s hard to top beating a number one contender.

#3: Errol Spence (53-1-2, 36 KO) - IBF Welterweight - 4 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 3

A fight with Terence Crawford stands out as a huge obstacle to Spence being able to claim the top spot at welterweight but he’s done plenty of other good work since going on the road to topple Kell Brook for the IBF crown. In his last fight before a horrific auto accident, Spence dropped and decisioned Shawn Porter to add the WBC belt to his mantle. Brook (3), Porter (4), and Lamont Peterson (8) were all rated at welterweight when Spence defeated them and Mikey Garcia held the number two rating at lightweight in the TBRB top ten heading into their bout last year. Only challenger Carlos Ocampo stands out as unrated fare. Speculation abounds Spence will return to face another top ten foe in Danny Garcia later this year though the bigger money and glory will likely come with further unification against Crawford or even the still dangerous Manny Pacquiao.

By this time next year, Spence could be making a case for the top spot overall in what is seemingly always one of boxing’s most treacherous divisions if the right fights happen and he stays winning. 

#2: Vasyl Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KO) - WBA Lightweight - 3 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 3

After winning titles at featherweight and Jr. lightweight, Lomachenko is a perfect 4-0 in lightweight title fights with all four wins coming against rated lightweights. Jorge Linares (2) and Jose Pedraza (4) are the best of those wins with Anthony Crolla and Luke Campbell both rated seventh at the time. Along the way, Lomachenko has added Pedraza’s WBO belt and picked up a vacant WBC belt against Campbell (later shorn for the ‘franchise’ tag). Relative to what is available in their divisions, Lomachenko has faced slightly higher rated foes than Spence and appears closer to facing the next best man in his class (Teofimo Lopez) than Spence does. That’s enough for the edge.     

#1: Saul Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KO) - Lineal Middleweight - 4 Defenses

Title Defenses Against TBRB Rated Foes - 4

Debate may remain about the verdicts in his bouts with Gennady Golovkin, particularly the first, but it’s hard to deny Alvarez’s level of competition since winning history’s crown at 160 lbs. Alvarez’s weight hopping, with fights in four different divisions in the last five years, can obscure a simple reality. After beating the man who beat the man (Miguel Cotto) traced to Bernard Hopkins’ unification of the class in the 00’s, Alvarez successfully defended twice against Golovkin (1, 1), and then against the next highest rated man in the division at the time in Daniel Jacobs (2). Alvarez also gets credit for his defense against Amir Khan who was rated third at welterweight headed into their fight. Alvarez’s failed PED test between Golovkin fights is a drawback but inside the ropes there isn’t much to argue about. When he’s not been fighting for the middleweight crown, Alvarez has fought nothing but top ten rated opponents in fights outside the division at Jr. middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight. In terms of raw math, Alvarez finished well ahead of the rest of the field. He’s faced the most rated foes (5) of any current champion in the sport during his lineal reign at 160 lbs. with various alphabet belts along for the ride, going 4-0-1 in those bouts with three of the four wins coming against men rated at the time at middleweight.

Alvarez, after his win over Sergey Kovalev, was many a smart follower’s choice for best fighter in the world pound-for-pound. That’s always going to be a source of debate. As far as reigning champions go, he’s the head of the class.   

Previous Installments of Champ for Champ 2020

 

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