SugarJ's World Boxing Rankings

[Lineal]

Crawfords victory was excellent. Top fighter.

I agree. I think Crawford is one of the best finishers in the game currently.

[No Contest]

Cool thread. I like that you have the top spot vacant in a lot of divisions.

[No Contest]

TBH though Ward needs to be taken off, Kovalev is the heir apparent.

[Spicoli]

Great work bud, top effort. Though his jump is fairly recent I cannot at all see Crawford below the number 1 spot at 140.

[Lineal]

TBH though Ward needs to be taken off, Kovalev is the heir apparent.

Yeah Ward has been a frustration but he won his Championship in the ring under the required weight limit (according to commission rules a Light-Heavy can fight someone weighting a minimum of 161, 14 pounds lighter), so both the Rodriguez and Smith fights were defenses.

According to my policy at the time Champions had 18 months to schedule a fight in their division (this has since been amended to 15 months). The Smith fight was scheduled with the time frame. Thus far Ward has done everything within my rules to hold onto his Championship.

Also I know the Light-heavy linage is pretty messy but you could make a case that it leads back to Ward.

Michalczewski-Gonzalez-Erdei-Grachev-Rodriguez-Ward. Add to that he defeated Dawson under 175 pounds.

I consider Ward the rightful Light-Heavyweight Champion.

Great work bud, top effort. Though his jump is fairly recent I cannot at all see Crawford below the number 1 spot at 140.

The ratings are a reflection of what a fighter has done at that weight. So far Crawford has beaten Dulorme and Jean. His past credentials have been taken into account and are part of the reason he has moved into 5th at Super-Weltweight.

In saying that Provodnikov has not fought at 140 since April last year and his last two fights at 140 were losses, so a potential demotion is in the cards; meaning Crawford could advance another spot.

Matthysse was considered the #1 before the Postol fight and Herrera arguably defeated the previous Champion Garcia. Crawford will need to do a little more than beat fringe contenders to advance past those three.

[Master]

I understand the logic to Ward but no way is he the best light heavyweight. Kov is and Stevenson is up there. Ward would not himself consider he is the best. I think this contract he has signed will lead to a fight with Kovalev so we will get a winner.

[Lineal]

I understand the logic to Ward but no way is he the best light heavyweight. Kov is and Stevenson is up there. Ward would not himself consider he is the best. I think this contract he has signed will lead to a fight with Kovalev so we will get a winner.

Many times throughout history to the present the Champion of a division has not necessarily been considered the best fighter in the division.

A few examples: Liston chasing Patterson, Hagler waiting for years, the color line draw by early Heavyweights.

Hopefully we get Ward vs Kovalev, so it will be the Champion vs the #1 contender.