The Ring\u2019s new updated top 10, 154-lb rankings are out with a few surprises and oddities. Terence Crawford is #1 in their rankings, which doesn\u2019t make any sense. He\u2019s moving up to 168 to challenge Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed super middleweight championship. That right there should be an automatic loss.<\/p>\n
Crawford\u2019s #1: Why It Fails<\/p>\n
WBC interim champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. is now #2 on the list. That pretty much makes him #1 if you remove Crawford from the list entirely due to him abandoning the 154-lb division to chase a payday.<\/p>\n
When a fighter moves up to a higher division for financial reasons, they should be stripped of their title or rankings. In Crawford\u2019s case, he hasn\u2019t committed to returning to the 154-lb division. That alone is reason enough to banish him from the Ring\u2019s top 10.<\/p>\n
Placing Xander Zayas ahead of Yoenis Tellez is a weird call, considering he\u2019s nowhere near as talented as the Cuban fighter. Tellez would be a nightmare for Zayas. All the tricks that Xander used to defeat Jorge Garcia, holding excessively and moving, wouldn\u2019t be effective against Tellez.<\/p>\n
The Ring\u2019s Updated 154-lb rankings<\/p>\n
Terence Crawford
\nVergil Ortiz Jr.
\nSebastian Fundora
\nIsrail Madrimov
\nBakhram Murtazaliev
\nSerhii Bohachuk
\nErickson Lubin
\nXander Zayas
\nJesus Ramos
\nYoenis Tellez<\/p>\n
Why Zayas Doesn\u2019t Belong<\/p>\n
So, Crawford needs to be off the last. That would be a good start. Demote Zayas off the list entirely, because he\u2019s not beating any of the other fighters. There are no words to describe how awful Xander looked in his fight last Saturday against Jorge Garcia.<\/p>\n
Vergil Ortiz Jr. wouldn\u2019t beat Sebastian Fundora, Bakhram Murtaliev, or a healthy Israil Madrimov. He needs to be pushed down around the mid-point on the list.<\/p>\n
Redoing The Ring\u2019s List<\/p>\n
Sebastian Fundora
\nBakrham Murtazaliev
\nIsrail Madrimov
\nSerhii Bohachuk
\nVergil Ortiz Jr.
\nYoenis Tellez
\nErickson Lubin
\nJesus Ramos
\nCharles Conwell
\nJosh Kelly<\/p>\n