The top 10 featherweight rankings
How do your favorite 126-pounders stack up?
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From the time I started as the boxing writer at USA Today in early 2000 until leaving ESPN in April 2020, I was responsible for the divisional rankings for each outlet. At USA Today, I updated them once a month until leaving in early 2005. At some point during my time at ESPN they became weekly. Here on Fight Freaks Unite I publish division top 10s from time to time as results warrant. And given the recent notable fights in the featherweight division — Mauricio Lara-Leigh Wood II and Luis Alberto Lopez-Michael Conlan just this past Saturday — this is a good time to look at the division. So here are the top 10 featherweight rankings counting from 10 down to 1.
Note: Results through May 28
Featherweights (126 pounds)
10. Ray Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs)
Last: W (UD12) Jessie Magdaleno, April 8.
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: Ford, who is just 24, was a standout amateur (2018 National Golden Gloves champion) before going pro with Matchroom Boxing in 2019. While he has looked inconsistent at times, a surprising draw with Aaron Perez in March 2021 may have lit a fire under Ford. He has looked good in winning six fights in a row since the draw, including two against undefeated opponents and, most recently, his biggest win when he routed former titleholder Magdaleno to hand him only his second defeat and first since 2018.