Top 10 jr. featherweight rankings
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, but I had not done any divisional rankings until I recently did an updated top 10 heavyweights and a couple of other divisions. Reader reaction was overwhelming, which I appreciate. So, why not keep it going? Here are updated rankings for the junior featherweight division, which has had significant recent fights.
Remember, divisional rankings are mainly based on what a fighter has done in the weight class in more recent times, though not entirely. They are not, however, based on hypothetical outcomes of fights that have not happened.
Note: Results through May 16, 2021
Junior featherweight (122 pounds)
1. Murodjon Akhmadaliev (9-0)
Last: W (TKO5) Ryosuke Iwasa, April 3
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: The decorated amateur and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from Uzbekistan turned pro in 2018 and moved very quickly. In his ninth pro fight in January 2020, Akhmadaliev edged Daniel Roman by split decision to take his unified belts. In his first defense, “MJ,” who is trained by Joel Diaz in Indio, California, headlined an Uzbekistan homecoming card and knocked out interim titlist Iwasa with ease. A rematch with Roman is warranted but he has been ordered to next make a mandatory defense against Ronny Rios.
2. Daniel Roman (29-3-1)
Last: W (UD10) Ricardo Espinoza, May 15
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: In 2017, Roman won a world title in Japan and unified two belts against TJ Doheny in 2019 before losing them by razor-close split decision to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in January 2020. Roman has won two fights in a row since, outpointing former bantamweight world titlist Juan Carlos Payano followed by Ricardo Espinoza in an all-action slugfest on Showtime. Roman deserves a rematch with Akhmadaliev.
3. Brandon Figueroa (22-0-1)
Last: W (KO7) Luis Nery, May 15
Next: Sept. 11 vs. Stephen Fulton
Rafael’s remark: The always entertaining Figueroa retained his secondary title and, more notably, took Luis Nery’s WBC title with a rib-cracking seventh-round knockout in a Showtime main event that set him up for much bigger business — a unification fight with unbeaten WBO titlist Stephen Fulton in September.
4. Stephen Fulton (19-0)
Last: W (UD12) Angelo Leo, Jan. 23
Next: Sept. 11 vs. Brandon Figueroa
Rafael’s remark: The brash Fulton overcame a bout with Covid-19 last summer that caused his vacant title fight with Angelo Leo to be postponed. Fulton sat by and watched as Leo won the vacant belt against late replacement Tramaine Williams but when he got his shot in January, Fulton took advantage. He dominated Leo to claim the title and now is set to face Brandon Figueroa in a very interesting unification fight in September in a Showtime main event.
5. Angelo Leo (20-1)
Last: L (UD12) Stephen Fulton, Jan. 23
Next: June 19 vs. Aaron Alameda
Rafael’s remark: Leo was supposed to face Stephen Fulton last August for the vacant WBO title, but when Fulton came down with Covid-19, he was replaced on short notice by Tramaine Williams. Leo easily outpointed him to win the belt, but when he met Fulton in a mandatory defense in January, he had no answers for Fulton and lost a lopsided decision. He will be back in action on Showtime to face Alameda on the undercard of middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo’s defense against Juan Macias Montiel.
6. Azat Hovhannisyan (19-3)
Last: W (KO8) Enrique Bernache, Feb. 13
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: Hovhannisyan knocked out contender Ronny Rios in the sixth round in March 2018 and in his next fight two months later got a title shot against Rey Vargas and dropped a unanimous decision. But since that defeat Hovhannisyan has reeled off five victories in a row.
7. Ronny Rios (33-3)
Last: W (UD10) Oscar Negrete, Feb. 13
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: In 2017, Rios lost a unanimous decision challenging Rey Vargas for his world title and two fights later got stopped by Azat Hovhannisyan in the sixth round. Since then, however, Rios has won four fights in a row, including beating then-undefeated Diego De La Hoya and contender Oscar Negrete, and now he is one of unified titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev’s mandatory challengers.
8. Ra’eese Aleem (18-0)
Last: W (TKO11) Vic Pasillas, Jan. 23
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: In his most impressive performance against his most notable opponent, Aleem looked very good when he dropped Pasillas four times en route to an 11th-round knockout to claim a vacant interim belt in January. He would probably make a good fight with anyone in the top 10.
9. Luis Nery (31-1)
Last: L (KO7) Brandon Figueroa, May 15
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: The hard-punching Nery lost his bantamweight world title for missing weight and had problems making 118 pounds regularly. He moved up to 122 pounds in September and won a unanimous decision over Aaron Alameda to win the vacant WBC title. But Nery lost it in his first defense against Brandon Figueroa in what had been a competitive fight until Figueroa stopped him with a body shot in the seventh round.
10. Carlos Castro (26-0)
Last: W (TKO4) Cesar Juarez, July 20
Next: TBA
Rafael’s remark: Castro, who is nearing a title opportunity, owns a lopsided 10-round decision win against tough former featherweight world title challenger Genesis Servania and is coming off a fourth-round knockout of the always tough former world title challenger Juarez in the Top Rank bubble.
Akhmadaliev photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing
These rankings are on the money! Appreciate your work, Dan.
Man, all of these guys have impressive records. Thanks Mr. Rafael for the superb list.